GAINESVILLE - Longtime councilman Bob Hamrick has announced he has reconsidered a run for re-election to the Gainesville City Council. Hamrick said he will finish out his term, which ends on December 31, 2015, and then retire.
Hamrick had announced in April that he planned to run for another term, but he read from a statement at the end of Tuesday's council meeting, saying the time has come to step down.
"A number of dynamics in my personal life have changed since I announced as a candidate for re-election," said Hamrick. "Carolyn [Hamrick's wife] and I both face some additional health issues."
Hamrick, who was first elected to office in 1969, will turn 87 next month.
Hamrick told his fellow council members he had been around a long time, serving as mayor for 12 years when the post was rotated among council members, and working with six city managers and a total of 14 council members.
"When I began elective service, Mr. Mayor [Danny Dunagan], you were a senior at Gainesville High School where Myrtle [Figueras] taught. Ruth [Bruner] and George [Wangeman] did not live here and Sam [Couvillon] was not born," said Hamrick.
Hamrick has represented Ward 2 on the council for 46 years.
Gainesville business owner Zack Thompson has announced his intention to run for the post; Thompson made his announcement in May.
