(CENTERVILLE) – Mayor Jeff Paar announced his resignation in a lengthy speech at the beginning of Wednesday night’s Centerville City Council meeting, citing personal reasons.
Paar made the announcement on the same night the council was to vote on what many in the small town consider a controversial plan to develop a grassy lot at the corner of Heritage Street and Centerville Road into an apartment complex.
Residents have used social media and showed up in force at the meeting, crowding into the tiny council chambers to voice their reasons for not wanting the development. Paar repeatedly voiced his support for the plan, but also acknowledged the concerns of various speakers.
Rather than participate in any vote about the project, called Heritage Chateaux, Paar wanted to announce he’s stepping down and, because of that, the vote was tabled for now, according to City Administrator Mark Statz. He said Paar’s intention was to have a full council be able to vote on the project in the future.
City leaders explained that, upon his resignation, a council member would be appointed interim mayor to fill the remainder of his term, and then there would be a special election to replace that council member.
Paar said his last council meeting will be Wednesday, March 25, and when contacted by North Metro TV News on Thursday, he said he had no comment beyond what he shared in the four-hour-plus meeting.
