A member of the East Mountain City Council resigned this week for personal reasons, saying she has enjoyed serving her community.

Members of the council accepted Stormie Combs’ resignation during their meeting Monday. All council positions are at-large, and Combs’ seat will remain empty until the May election.

In her resignation letter, Combs said she was resigning because of “recent personal circumstances … that demand my full attention and dedication.”

“It would be unfair, both to the office I hold and to the people who rely on me, to continue in my position when I am unable to give my full focus and effort,” she wrote. “Public service is a sacred trust; anything less than wholehearted commitment would not meet the standards I have set for myself or the expectations of those I serve.”

Combs said she believes the city is in capable hands and that she believes her successor will serve the community “with the same passion, integrity, and sense of duty” that she has exhibited.

Combs highlighted the council’s work to improve water quality as something she is proud of. City leaders have undertaken a roughly $500,000 infrastructure project to purchase water from Longview and mix it into their city’s water supply, a change that Mayor Mark Covington and others said will improve water quality.

“I am deeply grateful for the support, collaboration and guidance I have received from my colleagues, staff and the community at large,” Combs wrote. “To my fellow officeholders and the dedicated public servants who have worked alongside me: Thank you for your partnership, your wisdom and your unwavering commitment to the public good. It has been a privilege to work together toward common goals and to learn from your leadership and example.”

Combs’ resignation comes two months after the May municipal election. Councilmen Eugene Brown and Danny Medlin were reelected, and Terry Johnson was elected for the first time. Combs’ husband, Clay Voyles, ran for a seat on the council and lost. The council has five at-large council member positions, not including the mayor’s position.

The East Mountain City Council meets at 6 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at East Mountain City Hall, 103 Municipal Drive.