Former Arlington County Manager Michael Brown

Rather than a voluntary resignation, as it was originally presented to the public, it turns out that the Arlington County Board asked former County Manager Michael Brown to resign. What we still don't really know is why.

When asked to elaborate this morning, Board Chairman Jay Fisette didn't add much to his original statement to the Arlington County Democratic Committee Wednesday night. "The best I can do is to say it wasn't a good fit," he tells TBD. "I really don't think it's appropriate to get into that level of detail of a personnel action of the county."

Continued questions about why Brown received a $110,000 severance package when he supposedly voluntarily resigned statement was the direct cause of Fisette's Wednesday night disclosure.

"The fact that the severance came up as an issue led me to want to clarify the situation with the statement," he says.

So what happened with Michael Brown? Did a specific incident lead to the Board's decision that he wasn't "a good fit?"

Fisette wouldn't answer the question, instead merely repeating the same talking points. "We determined his fit was not what we hoped for."

Was the board unhappy with Brown's performance? Again, Fisette gives the same answer.

The $110,000 severance package was part of Brown's contract, and meant to be paid if his departure from the county was not voluntary.

Brown, who only started in May, was an out-of-towner, having previously served as City Manager for Savannah, GA. During his brief time with the Arlington County Board, he guided one budgeting process, and was responsible for shepherding through the final stages of the Crystal City Sector Plan. Residents were still only getting acquainted with him. Several who were active in the Crystal City Sector Plan discussions heartily thanked Brown and his staff for a job well done during the final stages in recent weeks.

He did take some heat from another group of residents earlier this year, however, after the county proposed moving the Columbia Pike Branch Library to a new location. More than 200 residents turned out to give Brown an earful on the proposal in June, and he ultimately took the plan off the table.

Could that really have been enough to seal his fate? It seems unlikely. So what did happen? For now, no one's talking.