Petrikin Resigns as Mayor

Citing health reasons, James D. Petrikin resigned Tuesday night as mayor after only one month in office. But he vowed to continue serving on the City Council.

Mayor Pro Tem Laurann Cook will tend city affairs until the council decides who will serve as mayor for the rest of the year. The chiefly ceremonial post rotates among the five council members.

Petrikin, 56, was elected to his third council term in November, and was named mayor by the council in December. He replaced George B. Scott, who retired from public service. This was Petrikin’s second mayoral term.

Though the mayor does not have any more authority than the other four council members, the job requires attendance at many public functions, award banquets and other activities that were taking too great a toll, Petrikin wrote in a letter to the council. He did not attend the meeting and could not be reached by phone late Monday.

“The demands on my physical well-being have been too strenuous,” Petrikin wrote. “I have never used my various medical problems as an excuse but time has taken its toll on me.”

Petrikin wrote that he has had hip and spine surgeries in recent years.