Eagle's Semanko resigns as council president

by KTVB.COM

KTVB.COM

Posted on February 13, 2013 at 11:10 AM

EAGLE -- Eagle City Council President Norm Semanko announced his resignation Tuesday night, citing "the increasing demands" of his personal and professional life.

The resignation is effective March 15, 2013. Councilwoman Mary Defayette was elected to take his place.

Semanko is the Executive Director of the Idaho Water User's Council, serves on several Eagle City boards, and is widely recognized in state politics.

Semanko recently served as chairman of the Idaho Republican Party, where he supported the controversial decision to close Idaho's Republican Primary in 2012.

He subsequently ran for Eagle Mayor in 2012, but lost the race to incumbent Jim Reynolds.

Semanko's ties to the water user's council made headlines in 2011 on the heels of a $161,000 loan he accepted from the quasi-governmental entity -- a controversial, but legal, practice.

In a letter to?the mayor, city council, and others, Semanko outlined his reasoning for giving up the post:

Mayor, fellow Council members, residents of Eagle, City staff and friends,

With the recent death of my father and the increasing demands of my personal and professional life, my priorities have necessarily changed. I apologize for missing the State of the City address today; the first time that I have missed that as a Council member.

As a result of these changed priorities and the demands on my time, my wife and I agreed this past weekend that I will step down as President of the Eagle City Council, effective immediately. Since that office should not remain unoccupied, I plan to make a motion to add the election of a new City Council President to tonight's meeting agenda.

In addition, I hereby resign as a member of the Eagle City Council, effective at the close of business on Friday, March 15. Therefore, barring a special meeting, the March 12 Council meeting will be my last. I wish the Mayor and Council members well in the process of selecting a replacement to fill my seat until the November election. I do hope it will be a collaborative process.

Of course, my resignation will also end my tenure with the Urban Renewal Agency and the Community Infrastructure District boards. Again, barring a special meeting, I will attend one more of each of those board meetings before March 15.

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the residents of Eagle since my appointment to the City Council on January 8, 2008 and my subsequent election in November, 2009. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to have given something back to the community through public service. As former Interior Secretary Franklin Knight Lane said, "A public office is not a job, it is an opportunity to do something for the public." I hope that I have done some measure of good while occupying the office.

I wish each of you and our city well.

Regards,

Norm Semanko
Eagle City Council
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

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Source: http://www.ktvb.com/news/politics/Eagles-Semanko-resigns-as-council-president-191050621.html

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