City Councilman Keith Donley sized up the situation well when he said, "That's an unusual way to lead," after being told Mayor Claude Brown has decided to vote only in the case of a tie.

Brown filed an affidavit with city secretary Esther Arzola this week that expresses his intention to vote only in the case of a tie, and to no longer bring forward matters to be placed on city council agendas.

Brown is responding to a couple of recent instances in which the city council did not favor actions he presented. His claim is that he is trying to clean up the code books, as is the rest of the city council. They simply disagree on the method.

It is every council member's prerogative to vote his or her conscience. If that is not in keeping with the mayor's view, so be it. It is neither the duty nor obligation of city council members to agree with the mayor, or each other for that matter.

Brown was elected to represent the people of Port Aransas as a voting member of the city council.

He has abdicated that responsibility by essentially taking his toys and going home.

That is not leadership.