Columbus City Councilmember Mitchell Brown announces plan to retire at the end of 2021

Columbus City Councilmember Mitchell Brown announced Friday his plans to retire on December 31 and will not seek re-election.

Brown, a former Air Force paramedic, joined the council in 2016 at the age of 68. During his time with council, he led the Veteran’s Affairs, Seniors Services and Public Safety committees.

“It has been an incredible journey,” Brown said. “My 20 years of service to the City of Columbus, at both City Council and Public Safety, have been humbling, challenging and rewarding. I am a 13-year cancer survivor and have devoted my life to being a public servant. Now, I want to take the time to enjoy my family.”

In April 2000, Brown was asked by former Mayor Michael Coleman to serve as the Director of Public Safety for the City of Columbus.

He retired from that position in 2015, making him the longest-serving safety director.

Brown is the second councilmember to announce his retirement this year. Last week, Priscilla Tyson announced she would also retire at the end of the year.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther

“Councilmember Mitchell Brown has been a dedicated public servant for his entire career: as a serviceman in the U.S. Air Force, as a paramedic, as Director of Public Safety, first for the State of Ohio, then for the City of Columbus. I have had the distinct privilege of serving with the councilmember for 14 years – the last 5 spent with Mitch at the helm of the Public Safety and Veterans’ Affairs committees. He has led with integrity and a sincere commitment to the women and men of Columbus Police and Fire, and Columbus neighborhoods are safer because of his service. I look forward to working closely with Councilmember Brown until the very end, to continue to make necessary changes to how we police to keep Columbus safe.”

Council President Shannon Hardin

“Councilmember Mitchell J. Brown is a living legend in the realm of public service and public safety. From traumatic experiences early in life, he went forth to serve our nation in Vietnam, and, upon returning home, he helped create the modern EMS service in Pittsburgh with Freedom House Ambulance. He continued honing and improving public safety systems in Cleveland and Columbus, and he served the State of Ohio under two Governors. Through it all, his humility and patience left every person he touched better off. During his six years on City Council, he mentored me and countless others. His work to help residents age in place with dignity, add resources for veterans, modernize the Division of Fire and increase minority recruitment and guidance on reimagining public safety in the Division of Police will all impact residents’ quality of life for a generation to come.

“I want to specifically applaud his commitment to innovation in the Division of Fire, which ties back to his earliest years and most recently led to our expansion of the Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit. ‘Service above self’ truly exemplifies how Mitchell J. Brown lives his life. Thank you for your service.”