SHELBY — The name “Garland Gates” is synonymous with “Robert’s Rules” for those who know and work with him.
A simple 214-page manual of parliamentary procedure, Robert’s Rules of Order was penned by U.S. Army officer Henry Martyn Robert in 1876. A well-worn copy accompanies Gates to every meeting of Shelby City Council.
Many who have attended council gatherings over the years are familiar with Gates interjecting “point of order” at various times throughout a meeting, often followed by a citing of Robert’s Rules.
“I learned the intricacies of Robert’s Rules of Order from him and have carried that with me in every position I’ve held since,” said Ohio Rep. Marilyn John, who served as Shelby’s mayor from 2009-2015. “Councilman Gates challenges you to be prepared heading into any meeting because he will be.”
John’s comments are echoed by Shelby police Chief Lance Combs.
“He is a staunch defender of process; Roberts Rules of Order, the significance and application of both the city charter and codified ordinances,” Combs said. “He’s a historian, providing examples of his time in various offices to paint a picture and tie the rules together in a relatable way.”
Bill Freytag agreed.
“I never worked with anyone who was more knowledgeable of the Ohio Revised Code, the City of Shelby ordinances or Robert’s Rules of Order,” said Freytag, who retired as deputy director of the Richland County Board of Elections and served as former councilman and mayor of Shelby.
This deep knowledge is just part of the legacy will leave behind as Gates prepares to depart from public service at the end of the year.
Last month, Gates did not file with the Richland County Board of Elections to seek a 13th two-year term as a Shelby city councilman. He spent four terms as councilman-at-large, eight terms representing the third ward, and served as Shelby’s mayor from 1982-1988.
“With 24 years on council and six years as mayor, 30 years as an elected official is enough for anyone,” Gates said. “The Kenny Rogers school of management says, ‘You got to know when to hold ’em and know when to fold ’em.'”
What awaits is a life in retirement with his wife of 21 years, retired Rev. Patti Welch. The couple plans to settle in Vermont.
It’s a bittersweet farewell, but there is one part of retirement (and subsequently, a lighter schedule) that Gates is looking forward to.
“Well, I won’t have to worry if I get home in time to watch Antiques Road Show on Monday evenings,” he said with a laugh.
Every other Friday afternoon, the packets for Shelby City Council’s upcoming meeting the following Monday become available.
Gates has a routine: Pick up the packet, sit down with a pen and a highlighter on Sunday afternoon, and page through the entire packet. He doesn’t just read for content, he looks for mechanics — misspellings, and sometimes major errors.
Gates definitely considers himself a policy “wonk,” someone who is into procedures and processes. With his impending retirement, who takes up that mantle?
“Well, the person who should take up that mantle is whoever is the mayor at the time,” Gates said. “The mayor is, by law and by charter, the chief executive officer of the city, responsible for day-to-day operations. When department heads have a problem, whoever is mayor at any given time is the person who needs to know what to do.”
Much of the decisions that come through council is what Gates refers to as “housekeeping.” Road salt. Street paving. No-brainer decisions that ultimately keep the city running smoothly.
But at the end of his official council email account, Gates has an automatic signature that includes the following ideals: “My vision for Shelby and its residents is safe, blight-free neighborhoods, efficient delivery of city services, and thriving businesses.”
“Cities, municipal townships, and to some extent the county, those are the rock bottom of local government. And if you really want to get things done, that’s where to focus,” Gates said.
No one could argue that Gates didn’t get things done in Shelby. For example, the city’s taxi service can trace its origin back to Gates’ tenure as mayor. Gates also mentioned the Black Fork Commons Plaza and city streetscape projects as work he’s proud to have had a hand in.
“There were many people that put that together,” Gates said. “But ultimately it comes to legislation, and it’s like a jigsaw puzzle, putting all those pieces together. In projects like that, nothing happens unless the council okays it.”
Ultimately, Gates said, public office is about serving the public’s interest. He chastised people who run for public office for their own self-interests, or because they have an axe to grind, instead of running to truly affect change in their community.
“I’ve had people approach me over the years to run for county commissioner or the state legislature. I know how totally frustrated I would be in a situation like that,” Gates said. “I get more done in a single meeting of Shelby City Council than some state legislators get done in a term.
“At various levels of government, there are show horses and there are workhorses. And I like to think I’ve been a workhorse,” he said.
Being in public service means Gates has been in the public eye in some way or another for the past 30 years. But he described himself as much more of an introvert versus the typical extrovert personality of a politician.
“It’s kind of like the Wizard of Oz, ignore that man behind the curtain kind of thing, isn’t it?” Gates said. “The wizard had this one dramatic persona, and then we found out that wasn’t what he was portraying himself to be.”
Shelby Mayor Steve Schag agreed there is more to Gates than meets the eye.
“He is a man of varied life experiences and a treasure of knowledge,” Schag said. “His political expertise has been a great asset to the citizens of Shelby in general and to those in local government in particular.
“One of the many things I appreciate about him is that he is solution-oriented,” he said. “Over the years, when we have run into a snag, it was always helpful to have Garland’s valuable and respected input. He is one of the most dedicated public servants I have worked with over these many years.”
Gates was born in Shelby in 1955 to two “Franklin D. Roosevelt Democrats” who had grown up during the Great Depression.
“My father voted for FDR in the 1940 election and the 1944 election. The first presidential election my mother voted in was in 1944 for FDR, and she was so proud of that,” Gates said. “The last president she voted for was President Obama in 2012.”
Politics weren’t preached at him in his youth, but he grew to absorb their views and counts himself a proud Democrat. He noted the state of politics has certainly changed over his three decades in local government.
“What has happened in some quarters is the idea of compromise being this evil, vile characteristic,” Gates said. “On a local level, it’s easy to identify the problem and it’s easier to come up with a solution. On a state and federal level, it becomes much more difficult because the problems there are much more complex.”
Gates praised Ohio’s two senators, Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican J.D. Vance, for recently co-authoring the Railway Safety Act of 2013 to prevent future train disasters like the derailment that devastated East Palestine, Ohio.
“Here are two people with very different philosophies, but who identified a problem, and asked what we can do legislatively that can be enacted to prevent this from happening?” Gates said. “It’s the idea of don’t find fault, find solutions.”
As Ohio’s senior-most elected Democrat, Senator Brown said he has known Gates for 50 years and appreciates his public spiritedness.
“In his 30 years in public service, Garland Gates has become a pillar of the Shelby community,” Brown said. “From his tenure as mayor to his time on City Council to teaching at the Pioneer Career & Technological Center, Garland has bettered his city, supported Ohioans and shown that you can get so much done serving your local community.”
Finding solutions has been a guiding principle for Gates throughout his years in local office.
“We all know of people in the public sphere who are long on finding the problem or pointing at the problem, but very short on finding solutions,” Gates said. “Finding fault is just a waste of time. Now how do we get beyond this?”
It’s a quality that is also appreciated by those who have served with him.
“Whenever I had a problem, or a solution, or just an idea, Mr. Gates always answered the phone, or he always met with me, and he always used his position and his experience to help me work through the problem and pave the way for the solution,” Combs said. “In that vein, Garland is extraordinarily progressive, and not in the often-bashed political terminology.”
A solutions-oriented approach also helps when approaching disagreements. In the midst of a compromise, Gates said he always endeavors to understand the “why” of another person’s position.
“And whether this person be your colleague on council or a person in the community, you want to determine whether their position is fact-based,” Gates said. “You try to understand how they came to this belief.”
Councilman Nathan Martin, a staunch Republican who has served with Gates since his own election in 2014, said Gates’ years of experience and wit have made him a better legislator — especially when they disagreed.
“(Garland) is a lion in Shelby politics and an all-important reminder that even in our disagreements, we can be esteemed colleagues focused on those things that bind us and not laser-focused on the things that divide us,” Martin said.
“In an era where politicians on both sides focus on foolish notions of national divorce, our relationship is proof that the common threads that hold us together shouldn’t be too easily cut or laid bare.”
Gates takes inspiration from Luke 12:48b: “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required.”
In addition to his years of elected service, Gates has served his community as a GED instructor and coordinator at Pioneer Career & Technology Center for 21 years, a library trustee, deputy director of the Richland County Board of Elections, a planning commissioner, health board president, and volunteer coordinator for the FISH Food Pantry.
As a member of the United Church of Christ, Gates has been a Sunday school teacher, a deacon, an elder, a choir member, a General Synod delegate, NWOA moderator, and a United Church Board for World Ministries corporate board member.
It doesn’t end there. Gates is also a proponent of historic preservation, said Shelby historian Christina Drain.
“He became mayor just as the Shelby Center Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places 40 years ago,” Drain said. “He wrote Ordinance 1488 Historic Landmarks and Buildings in 2014 to further protect our historic buildings. It is really the basis for revitalization of our downtown core.”
Gates also taught GED Prep Classes at Shelby Help Line Ministries from 2010-2015, said Shelby Help Line Ministries director Sheryl Cramer.
“Garland was an excellent teacher who volunteered his services helping many students receive their Ohio High School Equivalency Diplomas. The class made a positive impact on their lives,” Cramer said.
“Garland and his wife Patti also volunteered their services (at the FISH Food Pantry) through the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic by themselves so that no other volunteers would be exposed to COVID,” she added. “Since the pantry was an essential service, thanks to Garland and Patti, they were open from the very beginning of the pandemic.”
Given all he’s accomplished, the pace of life in retirement will clearly be much slower, but Gates isn’t worried about switching gears.
“Whenever someone retires, he or she has to reinvent,” he said. “I’m sure when we get to Vermont, we’ll find a niche.”
Will that niche include local government?
“In Vermont, each town has a host of elected and appointed officials. Now I’m not looking to be the fence viewer (a real position in New England towns) or the dog catcher,” he said. “But I can only imagine myself knowing when the select board meets and going and sitting in the back row, hopefully keeping my ears open and my mouth shut.”
Gates’ last meeting of Shelby City Council will be Dec. 18, the second Monday of the month. But his official retirement won’t come until 6:59 p.m. on Jan. 1, according — as always — to Shelby’s city charter.
The man running to fill Gates’ seat representing Shelby’s third ward is Eric Cutlip, the only candidate currently on the ballot — who happens to be Gates’ neighbor. His advice for his successor is to “keep your mouth shut and your ears open.” Be sure of what you’re saying before you say it.
Oh, and most importantly, to read, read, read — starting with the four cornerstones of local government: Title 7 of the Ohio Revised Code, the charter of the city of Shelby, all the city’s local ordinances, and of course, Robert’s Rules of Order.
“It’s about combining the four of those into knowing how to get things done,” Gates said. “One thing in government is you can have the right outcome, but if you take the wrong route to do that, you can get nailed for that. So it’s important to know not just what to do, but how to do it.”
Fortunately, Gates has many highlighted copies of these texts for Cutlip to inherit — copies that won’t accompany he and his wife on their move to Vermont, only a few states away from Patti’s native state of Maine.
“People only leave beautiful mid-coast Maine to come to Shelby, Ohio for love,” Gates joked. “It wasn’t for the scenery.”
Over the years, as they’ve talked about retirement plans, the couple has had four requirements: A United Church of Christ presence, access to an Amtrak station, a progressive political atmosphere, and better weather.
They plan to settle in the county of Addison, located in the Lake Champlain Valley and bordered by the Adirondacks to the west and the Green Mountains to the east. It has not one, but two Amtrak stations.
Yet with so much to look forward to, it’s natural to think of what one is leaving behind. Gates cracked a self-deprecating joke about his name on a plaque at the city’s sewer plant — but, true to form, quickly backtracked his comment and emphasized the importance of wastewater treatment plants in a community.
Has he enjoyed his time in public service?
“Oh, I’ve loved it. Absolutely,” Gates said. “I’ve done things because it was the right thing to do, not because someone gets credit for it.
“It’s been a great gig. I’m just glad you didn’t ask, ‘Will Shelby be in a better place after you leave?’ I’ll let history be the judge of that.”
