Two-term former Princeton Mayor Steve Deffibaugh has resigned from Place 5 on the City Council, a position he has held since May of 2010.
In a letter addressed to Mayor Eugene Escobar Jr. and the city, Deffibaugh said his resignation was effective Oct. 14.
“This decision was not made in haste, but with much prayer,” Deffibaugh said in his letter.
His current term expires next year, but it was not immediately clear whether a special election would be needed to fill his place on council.
In a memo on the agenda for the Monday, Oct. 26, council meeting, City Secretary Amber Anderson said, “Any action concerning the effective date of the resignation, the resulting vacancy and the process for filling the vacancy should be reviewed with the City Attorney to ensure compliance with applicable legal requirements.”
Anderson added that if a special election was required to fill the resulting vacancy, the cost was estimated at about $30,000, with the exact amount to be determined by Collin County Elections.
In his resignation letter, Deffibaugh wrote that he and his wife, Judy, moved to Princeton in December 1982.
“We found our forever home, a great community to raise our son,” he said.
A Marine, Deffibaugh served as an officer with the McKinney and Van Alstyne Police Departments and as Collin County Fire Marshal.
In addition to serving in numerous community service organizations, Deffibaugh volunteered for the Princeton Fire Department from 1989 to 2018 before retiring as assistant chief.
“I cherish the City of Princeton and am proud I have been a small part of its growth,” he said.
Beth Willhite, president/CEO of the Princeton-Lowry Crossing Chamber of Commerce, said Deffibaugh had been involved in many aspects of Princeton’s growth and development into the city it is today. “To serve a community in so many capacities over several decades takes dedication and a belief in the community’s future,” Willhite said. “Thank you, Mr. Deffibaugh, for your many years of service and commitment to Princeton.”
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