On Aug. 1, Brian Carey resigned his seat on Page City Council. Carey was elected in 2020 for a term ending Nov. 2024. Council will formally accept his resignation Aug. 7 and begin taking applications for an appointee to complete Carey’s term.

Carey lost his mayoral bid to Steven Kidman by nearly 300 votes. Kidman and Carey were on opposite sides of modifying Lake Powell Boulevard, a key factor in the election.  Kidman, along with council candidate Debi Roundtree, circulated petitions to prevent future changes to the city’s main street. The dispute led to the formation of Page Action Committee (PAC) and a lawsuit against the city. Kidman and Roundtree were both listed as plaintiffs in court documents. Both the Superior Court and the Appellate Courts ruled in favor of the city, rejecting the ballot initiative because it didn’t meet Arizona constitutional requirements.

Carey, retired from the National Park Service, dedicated much of his time improving Page parks and volunteering wherever help was needed. He was on the Parks and Recreation Board before becoming a council member. Carey is also a supporter of the arts in Page and helped with the formation of the Grand Circle Arts Alliance.

Carey is the second to resign from Page City Council this year. Councilor Theresa Lee submitted her resignation May 14, citing “personal developments.”

Before 2024, the last councilor to resign before completing a full term was Mark Cormier; he submitted his resignation March 2, 2020.

Carey’s resignation letter:

“Because Page’s mayoral race has been decided prior to the end of this council term, I feel that I am unable to complete the final three months of my term. Although less than 25% of registered voters bothered to do their duty as American citizens, a majority of those who did vote decided that I was not the candidate they preferred as their next mayor. I will respect the voters’ decision that they do not want the energy and experience which I offered and act accordingly.

“I will continue to value the friendships I have made during my ten years on City boards and council, and to be proud of the many accomplishments made by our council and staff during this time. I will remain impressed by the high quality and dedication of our city staff, with whom it has been a great pleasure to work.

“I wish everyone the best in your future endeavors.”