PAYETTE, Idaho — Payette City Mayor Craig Jensen resigned from his position Friday for "personal reasons," according to a statement from the office of the City of Payette.
The resignation was listed as "effective immediately" on Jan. 24. Jensen asked that he and his family be given privacy and not be contacted by any news outlets to discuss the matter.
City Council President Kathy Patrick will serve as the interim mayor for Payette for the remainder of the current mayoral term, which is set to run through January 2026.
The news release stated that Patrick has assumed mayoral responsibilities and has been in contact with city employees to discuss the transition.
"City Attorney Chadwick has outlined the process we will take to fill the position of Mayor. We will be declaring the position open at our next Council meeting and go from there. I am very comfortable that we have a good plan in place to ensure the process is followed," Patrick said.
The news release furthered the replacement process for an elected city official begins with announcing the available position followed by a city council vote.
City Attorney Dan Chadwick commented on the resignation and newly assigned role. "Above all, we will be taking care of the citizens of Payette," Chadwick said. "Idaho Code provides a road map that the city will be following to fill the opening. This will be a very transparent process and all discussion and decisions by the Council will be handled in open session."
According to the city, the newly appointed mayor is most commonly a member of the current council. However, members of the Payette community may also be considered for potential candidacy following verification and interviews conducted by the council.
The term of the interim mayor will fulfill the remainder of the current mayoral term set to expire January 2026.
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