VIDEO/AUDIO WITH UPDATE: Miller Mayor Adamson Says He Will Resign, Walks Out of Meeting

by James McNary, Articles Editor
Newly elected Miller Mayor John Adamson walked out of the May 13 meeting of the Miller Board of Aldermen after a disagreement. (Image by James McNary)
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Update, Friday, May 14, 2021: A post on the city of Miller's Facebook page was made earlier today, stating that [text is unedited]: "In light of last nights council meeting, Mayor Adamson is still the City Mayor. He resigned from the council meeting due to business not being conducted properly."

During the latter part of the May 13 meeting of the board of aldermen (often informally referred to as the city council), Adams stated in at least three instances that he would resign as mayor, at least once stating that Alderman Joe Haas could handle it. Haas said that he didn't want Adamson's job.

"Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. This is the second time that you have threatened to resign your office if you don't get what you want. No," said Haas.

"Yeah I'm just a spoiled brat aren't I?" responded Adamson.

"No, I'm just saying .... and I don't want your job, that's why I didn't run for it," answered Haas. "But you're not going to sit here and act like a spoiled little kid that didn't get his way."

Video of this interaction is available here:

This is a developing story and will continue to be updated.

Original Story posted May 13:

During ongoing debate over the handling of an easement issue with the Miller wastewater/sewer upgrade project, recently elected Mayor John Adamson took issue with differing opinions on how to compensate the property owners and walked out of the meeting.

"I'm just going to resign, you'll have my letter of resignation tomorrow," said Adamson as he walked out.

Representatives of TREKK Design Group were present to discuss the issue. The property in question has a sewer routed across a portion of it, that was installed back in the 1960s. Apparently, at that time, no formal easement agreement was made, at least not that any record of which can be located. The upgrade project calls for increasing the diameter of the line, which grant funding restrictions require obtaining a formal easement agreement. Although most property owners whose properties have been involved in the project have agreed to grant the city easements at a going rate of $1 for 99 years, the owners of this property balked at that amount, and at a counteroffer of $2,300. Adamson stated that he thinks that he thinks fair compensation for crossing the less than quarter-acre involved should be as much as $30,000-$40,000 -- which members of the board of aldermen said was too much.

Adamson stated several times that if the board didn't want to proceed in the manner he did, he might just resign.

"I have to live with myself and the decisions we make, and I don't want any part of this," said Adamson.

After further discussion and questioning from Alderman Joe Haas about whether that was really what he wanted to do, Adamson proceeded to get up and leave the meeting. Haas, as acting president of the board of aldermen, presided over the remainder of the meeting.

No action was taken by the board on Adamson's promise to resign.

Audio from the meeting available here: