Downtown Ron Brown retires as City Attorney

City Manager John Regan shared an inside iggy with the audience of over 100 attendees last night when he introduced the guest of honor during a three-hour retirement celebration for St Augustine City Attorney, Ronald Wayne Brown. Regan says some folks around City Hall get it, but he’s never really explained the nickname “Downtown Ron Brown” before.

“Look at the outfit he’s wearing tonight,” poked Regan, joking about how the affable attorney was dressed — a collared shirt and slacks, contrasted with a pair of ostrich skin boots and matching belt. “He’s the sharpest dressed man downtown!”

Although the Mayor, city commissioners, political candidates, local and visiting attorneys, three judges, constitutional officers, and officials from St Augustine, St Augustine Beach, and St Johns County administration attended, the mix also included co-workers, friends, and “regular folks” who have known Brown from when he worked at the County, Tax Collectors Office, in his law practice with Geoffrey Dobson, or at the City.

Sheriff David Shoar told the story that when Brown was growing up in Palatka, he wanted to be sheriff and his mother got him a pair of cowboy boots (presumably not ostrich skin) a gun belt and pair of six-shooters, and a shiny silver badge that said “Sheriff”. To mark the occasion, Shoar presented Brown with a plaque naming him honorary sheriff for a day.

Mayor Joe Boles told Brown that he has earned his retirement, wished him well, and said that he looked forward to doing the same thing himself. Commissioner Crichlow, Vice-Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline, Commissioner Roxanne Horvath and Commissioner Leanna Freeman all attended to offer their own anecdotes and best wishes for Brown and his wife in the future.

Circuit Judge Howard M. Maltz and Chief Administrative Judge John M. Alexander, were in attendance; as was Circuit Judge Patti A. Christensen, who at one time was in private practice in St Augustine with Dobson and Brown.

Brown leaves a legacy of some tough legal battles, several involving constitutional arguments in Federal Court. “There may be a lot a discussion and differences of opinion in deciding what to do in these difficult situations,” Brown explained, referring to some of the more contentious lawsuits against or prosecuted by the City during his tenure. “But, once that decision is made, everyone comes together with one voice and we will go to the mats to protect the citizens of our city.”

Isabelle Lopez is assuming Brown’s role. The new assistant city attorney will be Denise May, who works for the local State Attorney’s Office. After a brief vacation with wife Janice, he will return to St Augustine to practice law.