School Committee member Jeffrey Liberty has decided to resign his seat and will not seek another term.
Liberty, who has lived in Belmont for the past 15 years, has served on the committee for the last three.
“This was a difficult decision—and a different decision than what I expected even as recently as last week—because the work that the School Committee does with and on behalf of our community is so consequential, especially for kids and families,” Liberty wrote in an email to The Voice.
Liberty will also step away from his position as a Precinct 7 Town Meeting member.
“I want to let you know that, due to a combination of personal and professional factors that have caused me to re-prioritize my time and energy, I will not be running for reelection for School Committee or TMM from P7,” wrote in a post on several Facebook pages.
Liberty was one of four candidates and the only incumbent seeking election to the School Committee. His departure means two new faces will be on the committee after April 1.
Liberty wrote that he understands the benefit of continuity on the committee, as new members face a steep learning curve.
“At the same time, I have great confidence in the returning members of the committee and the talents and experience of the three new candidates, so I leave with clarity and peace of mind about the future and some amount of inspiration that we’ve been successful as a group in making being on the committee an appealing thing to do, which was not exactly the case three years ago,” he wrote.
The remaining candidates are Brian L. Palmer, Zehra Abid-Wood and Michael Todd Thompson.
