Kyle Mayor Travis Mitchell plans to step down in November, a year before the end of his term.
"I knew the job would be difficult but also meaningful. It was a chance to help shape the future of the town I loved — the place I called home," he said in a Facebook post announcing his departure Tuesday. "Over nearly a decade, I’ve given the very best of my time and energy to this work."
Mitchell was first elected to the Kyle City Council in June 2016 and won the mayoral election in November 2017.
Kyle's City Council will need to call for a special election to finish out Mitchell's term. The one-year mayoral position would be listed on the Nov. 4 ballot along with Kyle's District 1 and District 3 City Council positions.
Mitchell said he's looking to return to working in the private sector.
"Part of leadership is knowing when to step aside," he said. "I believe strongly that now is the time to create space for the next generation of leadership to rise and help write the city’s next chapter."
Mitchell said he plans to address his departure during the Kyle City Council meeting Wednesday.
He said he had planned to announce it at the council's regular meeting on Tuesday, but it was rescheduled. Minutes before the meeting was set to begin, the Kyle Police Department responded to multiple threats that a bomb had been placed beneath a car near City Hall. Officials said the caller stated they were armed and intended to shoot officers as they arrived.
Officers evacuated the building. KPD investigators said they believe the incident was a case of "swatting," a prank call to emergency services to dispatch a large number of armed officers.
This is a developing story.
