Mayor resigns

Creston Mayor Waylon Clayton announced his resignation during Tuesday’s city council meeting, stating his family and business will be moving to Florida.

“It has been the highest honor of my life to serve this community,” Clayton said. “As someone who came from a place of brokenness and hardship and past mistakes, the opportunity to earn the trust of the people and sit in the highest elected position of this town is something that I never took for granted. It proves what is possible in America when redemption meets responsibility.”

Clayton’s final day as mayor will be Monday, Sept 22 at noon. With his term ending Dec. 31, 2027, Mayor Pro-Tem Richard Madison will fill the role until a new mayor is appointed by the council.

Before his final day, Clayton said he will hold interviews for Creston’s next police chief, with a swearing in on Friday.

In 2023, Clayton defeated incumbent Gabe Carroll by 16 votes to become Creston’s mayor. Clayton had previously worked in road construction and maintenance, as a minister and owns the food truck Little Green Trailer.

During his campaign, Clayton highlighted road repairs and connecting with the street department as priorities. Clayton also said he wanted to bring government back to the common person.

“This is not a retreat, it is my final act of service, to tell the truth loudly and clearly and on the record,” Clayton said Tuesday. “This is not about personality, it is about whether Creston is governed by people or simply managed by insiders. Run for office. Get involved. Don’t let bitterness or a broken system stop you.”

In other council news...

The council discussed the possible sale of four city owned properties: 420 Wyoming Ave., 615 N. Maple St., 907 W. Adams St. and a city-owned lot west of the UPS center.

Council members were in favor after checking that none of the properties could be used by the Fuller Center for Housing.