Downtown Cleveland’s City Councilmember Kerry McCormack will step down just months before his term ends and an election to replace him.
McCormack, whose ward also covers the near West Side neighborhoods of Ohio City and Tremont, is resigning in October to lead a public affairs team at Flock Safety, a technology and security camera company.
McCormack announced earlier this year he would not seek reelection after nearly a decade on council.
"I wanted to make sure that when I came into office ... that I was coming in on a mission," McCormack said. "I had goals to accomplish. And once I got there, for me, I had no reason to stay around, just to stay around. I accomplished a lot on my radar."
McCormack originally said he planned to finish his term, but will now nominate Lauren Welch, the interim communications director for Say Yes Cleveland, to serve through the end of the year.
In years past, councilmembers who resigned would often nominate a successor who would have the advantage of running as an incumbent in upcoming elections. But Welch is not running for his vacant seat in the fall, a move he said was intended to clear the path for a newcomer.
"The neighborhoods are in a great place," McCormack said. "Sure, still have challenges, of course, but it was time to open up this race and allow for a really in-depth conversation with residents about who their next councilman is going to be. And that's one of the reasons that also I did not appoint anyone."
McCormack currently represents Ward 3, but under new maps, his ward will most closely resemble the new Ward 7; one of two council races that will not have an incumbent running for re-election. That ward will include Ohio City, Tremont, the Flats in Downtown Cleveland and parts of Detroit-Shoreway.
In November, voters in those neighborhoods will decide between attorneys Austin Davis and Mohammad Faraj to assume office in January.
"There are times in life when a new chapter opens and you need to make space for other people to step into these roles," McCormack said. "So being self-aware of that and going out on my own terms to say, now is a good time for a transition."
McCormack said he is not sure if he will make an endorsement in that race, but said both candidates are "highly competent" and "smart guys."
Davis, a Tremont attorney who most recently worked at City Hall as Mayor Justin Bibb's senior policy advisor, won 55% of the primary vote on Tuesday. He will go up against Faraj, also an attorney living in Detroit-Shoreway, who received 33% of the vote.
