Roseburg City Council President Tom Ryan has submitted his resignation, after serving on the council for well over 20 years.
Ryan told News Radio 1240 KQEN that his wife recently decided to take early retirement and the couple plans to do some extended traveling. In his resignation letter he said, “to open this chapter, I must close the one to the City”.
In a letter to Mayor Larry Rich sent late Monday, Tom Ryan said “one of the biggest honors of my life has been my time on the City Council representing the City I love”.
Ryan joined the council at the start of 1995 and served until October of 2001 when he left to run in the Republican Primary for a seat as a Douglas County Commissioner. Ryan lost the primary race. He came back to the council in June of 2007. Ryan has been Council President since the start of 2013, and also had that role from the beginning of 1997 until he exited the council the first time.
In his letter Ryan said “I have had the privilege over the years to serve with many fine people, elected, volunteers and some of the best employees of any City”. Ryan said he has “always tried to use common sense, use my head and temper it with my heart and be honest and honorable”.
Mayor Larry Rich told KQEN that Ryan “did a great job” and “served our community well”. Rich said he is impressed with the number of years Ryan served on the council, a volunteer position. Rich told KQEN “that’s an amazing record”.
Ryan serves in Ward Two, which includes the Hucrest area. In addition to being Council President, Ryan is on the MedCom board and chairs the Economic Development Commission. Ryan was a police officer in Aberdeen, Washington for ten years, and owned an insurance agency for 25 years. The agency was located in Washington, Ohio and later in Roseburg, according to Ryan.
Councilor Bob Cotterell told KQEN he has known Ryan since the early 90s. Cotterell said his reaction to Ryan’s exit is mixed, commenting “it’s bad for the council due to his institutional knowledge of the community” but “it’s good for Tom and Julie since they get to travel”.
The council will officially have to declare Ryan’s position vacant at the January 13th meeting. Then those who wish to complete his term will have to submit an application no later than ten days before the council meeting where candidates will be considered. Rich said its likely that interviews and deciding who to select will take place at a February council meeting. Ryan’s resignation takes effect January 1st.