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FORT BRAGG » Mayor Will Lee announced Monday afternoon that he will be resigning his position effective Dec. 31, 2020, and that he has accepted a job offer outside of Fort Bragg.
Lee has been a member of the Fort Bragg City Council since winning a seat on the Council in November 2016. In a letter to Fort Bragg residents, Mayor Lee wrote: “One of the great honors in my life has been serving you on the City Council for the past four years. I amhumbled by the trust and confidence you’ve demonstrated to me and the support of thousands of you on our journey to make our community a much better place to live and to raise our families together.”
In addition to being mayor, Lee currently works at AdventistHealth — Mendocino Coast as a director of medical staff services. He said he will be moving to San Jose to a larger hospital andworking in the same capacity there.
In his letter of resignation, Lee complimented the people and the city staff of Fort Bragg, calling them “hard-working, dedicated people looking for the best life for all of us that are lucky enough to call this amazing coastline home.”
“The future of our City looks bright, and working together we can accomplish many of our goals and wishes for the next generation to follow us,” he wrote.
Lee announced that “aftermuch reflection,” he accepted a new job offer as an opportunity for career advancement.
“I think this is the best decision forme and formy family, and I ask for your prayers and good wishes. Denis and I will maintain our home here in Fort Bragg so we will continue to be a part of this community and remain active in our social circles and our volunteer activities.”
During this year’s nomination period, only two candidates qualified for the two available city council seats, and at a special meeting on Aug. 13, the City Council voted to cancel the general municipal election and save the $10,000 in election costs. At that time, Lee was appointed to a newfour-year term on the City Council by a unanimous vote, with Lee recusing himself. Vice Mayor Bernie Norvell was also appointed to another four- year term at that meeting.
OnMonday, Dec. 14, Lee and Norvell will take the oath of office and a vote will be held to elect a new Mayor and Vice Mayor.
Lee said he felt it was important to participate in the selection of a new mayor and vice mayor, but that he “was looking forward to a new adventure.”
The City Council will have 60 days fromthe date ofLee’s vacancy— March1 — to either appoint someone to serve the first two years of the remainder of Lee’s four-year term, with an election in November 2022 to determine who will complete the remaining two years, or the council can decide to call a special election to elect someone to fill the vacancy through the end of his term in November 2024.
Conducting a special election would cost approximately $15,000, according to a press release from the City of Fort Bragg.
In his resignation letter, Lee took the opportunity to call out some of the difficulties of the job, including the harassment he has received from people he declined to name.
“Imust say themost difficult part ofmy public service was the personal attacks on me when all I tried to do was make the best decisions I could at the time,” Leewrote. “Our political discourse is poisoned by a few in our community intent on destroying people’s reputation and not on creating better solutions for our citizens. Please be kind to one another. It’s totallyOK to disagree, but let’s treat each other with respect and in a spirit of cooperation and compromise for the greater good.”
Lee also used the letter to point to the good he felt he’s accomplished during his tenure on the council.
“I am proud that we have achieved a balanced budget the past few years that we are guided with strong leadership on the Council and a talented City Manager, a great City Hall staff and a very well-trained police force,” he wrote. “The future of our City looks bright, and working together we can accomplish many of our goals and wishes for the next generation to follow us.”