Madison Alder Matt Phair, District 20, announced Monday he would not seek a fifth term on the city council in the upcoming spring 2019 election.
“It is time to step aside and allow for fresh leadership to emerge. Serving on the Council has been extremely rewarding. I will look back fondly on the relationships I've built in District 20 and on the Council and am proud of the progress we made together,” Phair said in a statement.
Ald. Phair, who has served on the council since 2011, said he is stepping down from the council to focus mainly on his family.
Phair and his wife were recently honored by the council for their efforts during the flooding in August when they and a bystander rescued two people from a car stuck in flood waters.
Phair’s departure will mean more open seats in the elections next spring. Over the summer, Alders Mark Clear, Denise DeMarb and Sara Eskrich all resigned their seats in a two-month span. Their replacements to the council have said they do not plan to run for new terms. Ald. Maurice Cheeks has launched a mayoral bid, leaving his seat open as well.
City elections for mayor and city council will be held on April 2, 2019, with primaries on Feb. 19.
