With his first grandchild on the way and his new dream home outside the city limits, Brooklyn Park City Council Member John Jordan has decided to resign his seat this month.
Jordan, one of two council members who represents the West Ward, made the announcement at Monday's meeting.
His decision is the front edge of a wave of change expected to hit the seven-member City Council, which has three open seats on the November ballot. In addition, Mayor Jeff Lunde is running for the state Senate.
Jordan, first elected in 2012, had not planned to seek re-election this fall. But he had intended to finish out his term in early 2017, when new council members will be sworn in.
That plan flew out the window when Jordan and his wife, Michelle, found their dream home this summer in Elk River.
"It's been an honor to represent the people of Brooklyn Park," said a visibly emotional Jordan. "I always told the truth and I always did my best to represent everyone fairly."
Jordan, 55, said he first ran for the council at the urging of former Mayor Steve Lampi, whose sudden death from cancer shocked the city.
Jordan was the council's most outspoken critic of the proposed Blue Line light-rail extension between Brooklyn Park and downtown Minneapolis. He said that when he realized he didn't have the votes to stop it, he pushed to minimize the project's impact on residents.
