GULF SHORES – For 15 years Carolyn Doughty has been a fixture representing Gulf Shores in Place 2 on the city council.

But that ends in November as the thrice-elected Doughty has decided she’s not seeking reelection. Kevin Corcoran and Gary Sinak have qualified up to run for her seat in the only contested municipal race on Pleasure Island.

All five of the other incumbents in Gulf Shores and the six seats up for grabs in Orange Beach drew no opposition for the Aug. 23 vote.

If Mayor Robert Craft has his way, Doughty will not be able to slip away quietly.

“The next several months is going to be a farewell tour,” Craft said. “Every council meeting we’re going to reminisce about something and the positive challenges you’ve presented to all of us.

“Here’s what I’d like each of you to do. Every council meeting left before November, I’ll ask each of you among the department heads to give a Carolyn Doughty story.”

Several of the council members, as well as key staff, said they would mostly miss her attention to detail.

“It always amazes me when you talk about the level of detail when we get these almost books for council work and documents,” Craft said. “But Carolyn on something that thick she would be like on page 52 she found a clerical error or math error. It just keeps us in awe. Who reads all that and pays that much attention?”

Apparently, Doughty does. Time and again during her tenure and during meetings the tiniest of missteps buried in the details were brought to light by her insights.

City Administrator Steve Griffin was first up with a story.

“When we started the Pelican Place project and were finalizing the sale and transfer of that property, I told Cindy (King) I read that packet and document two different times to be ready for the finance committee and negotiations and Carolyn Doughty was still picking it apart,” Griffin said. “That’s how I’ll miss her.”

Councilman Jason Dyken is back for his third term and says serving on city committees with Doughty helped him do a better job.

“She’s been instrumental in really guiding the city and will be really missed particularly on the Finance Committee among other things,” Dyken said.

A smiling Doughty said working with the council in her 15 years was made easier by the quality of the members she’s served with.

“Everybody up here has no public agenda,” she said. “Everybody’s voting what they think is best for the town. Sometimes we had different opinions on what that is but we’d take a vote and move on down the road. There was no fighting and we did well with our time. I really appreciate it.

“It’s been great fun.”

Doughty first came to the council in 2001 when she was appointed to fill the seat of George Harris who passed away early in his term. She won election to the seat three times.

Steve Jones is the longest seated councilmember with 16 years served and another four in front of him. Joe Garris and Philip Harris have served 12 years each and Dyken has served eight.

Craft has served two terms as mayor with the third starting in November. He also served four years as a councilman.