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Citing an inability to make a personally desired difference in Decherd’s city government operations, Vice Mayor Richard Gulley has resigned from his position.

Gulley submitted a letter of resignation to Mayor Mary Nell Hess stating he was stepping down from his Board of Mayor and Aldermen seat, effective Friday.

“When I ran three years ago, I had hoped I could make a difference,” Gulley said in the letter. “I don’t feel I have.

“I thank the people of Decherd who voted for me, and I appreciate the support and kindness shown to me by the city employees.”

Hess said Friday that the next immediate objective is to take the steps necessary to fill the vacant position. She added that she may set a special meeting to sort out the matter.

Gulley said Friday that no particular instance swayed him into stepping down — it involved continual differences where board members could not get along, and they maintained caustic stances toward each other on a variety of issues.

“There’s been three-and-a-half years of drama and turmoil,” he said, adding that the stress personally had become too much to bear to remain on the board, and it was taking a toll on his family life and threatening his health.

Gulley explained he had run for office with a goal to make Decherd a better place, but that didn’t happen.

“I reached a point where I didn’t see staying on five more months would make any difference,” he said, referring to serving out the remainder of his term. “There was just too much drama.”

Gulley’s resignation follows Eric Bradford’s back-to-back resignations, first as interim city administrator — a position he simultaneously held while serving as water/waste water superintendent — then from the latter position where he completely left employment with the city.

Bradford had been serving as the interim city administrator in the place of Rex Clark, who had been fired from the position in June 2022.