WATERVILLE — City Councilor Meg Smith resigned her seat Wednesday, citing the challenges of balancing her position with work and raising three children as a single mother.
Margaret “Meg” K. Smith Provided by Margaret K. Smith
Smith, a Democrat, sent an email Wednesday to City Manager Michael Roy saying it was with a heavy heart that she was submitting her letter of resignation from the council, effective immediately.
Smith was elected in 2018 to represent Ward 3, filling the remainder of Lauren Lessing’s term. She ran unopposed in 2019.
Smith wrote that her tenure as a councilor for Ward 3 was a privilege and she is “proud of the work accomplished with my esteemed colleagues on many impactful issues such as the BUILD grant, our LGBTQ proclamation, and how we worked to find solutions for our restaurants during a pandemic by creating outdoor seating.”
Smith said she will be forever grateful for the experience of serving Waterville and working with Roy. It was an honor, she said, to work with other city councilors as well.
“As you know, I was hired to teach kindergarten in Waterville’s public-school system when I was already a seated councilor,” she said. “I’ve worked hard to balance the work of City Council, raising my three young children as a single mother, and establishing myself as a professional educator. While there are many unknowns facing schools this year, I can only anticipate changes that will force teachers and school administrators to adapt. My decision to step down from council was a difficult one, but I made this choice to enable me to focus more on my classroom and students during this challenging time.”
Contacted Wednesday, City Clerk Patti Dubois said the council could appoint someone to fill the vacancy or opt to wait until November, when voters could elect a councilor. If the council decides to appoint someone, that person would serve only until the November election, according to Dubois.
Roy wrote an email Wednesday to the council, Mayor Nick Isgro and others to notify them of Smith’s resignation.
“I wish I could be sending some good news, but unfortunately Councilor Smith has resigned as stated below,” Roy wrote. “I can certainly understand the demands on her time as she explains in her message. We thank her for her service to the city.”
Smith’s departure leaves only one other woman, Flavia Oliveira, D-Ward 2, on the seven-member council.
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