ROCK SPRINGS – The Rock Springs City Council will see two new faces representing residents in the new year after Councilman Brent Bettolo announced he intends to resign from the position.

Bettolo was recently elected to a second four-year term on the Council in November and said he wouldn’t have sought election if he known he would be leaving the city. Bettolo was unopposed in his election bid in Ward 4. Bettolo said he and his wife decided they would move to Phoenix, Arizona. Bettolo said the announcement was bittersweet for him.

“I’ve learned so much, the department heads are great to work with,” he said.

Bettolo also said he enjoyed working with Mayor Max Mickelson, saying Mickelson was great to work with and is transparent in his communication and actions.

City Attorney Rick Beckwith said he isn’t sure what the next step is at this moment, having learned about Bettolo’s resignation at the end of Tuesday’s Council meeting when Bettolo announced it, as he isn’t sure if the upcoming new year and new electoral service term has an impact on how the Council will announce Bettolo’s vacancy and fill the position. He said he plans to review state statutes this week.

The process used by the city when it appointed Councilman David Thompson last year involved the Council announcing the vacancy and accepting letters of interest from residents within the Council ward, with the Council originally planning to interview candidates before voting on a replacement. In Thompson’s case, he was the only person to submit a letter of interest, and the Council appointed him after the submission deadline. The Council utilized a secret ballot to vote for Thompson, later changing the city ordinance that originally allowed a secret ballot to require the Council to vote openly for a replacement Council member.

Bettolo joins outgoing Ward 1 Councilman Tim Robinson in leaving the Council. Robinson will be replaced by Rick Milonas, who had secured a tight election victory over Robinson that resulted in an automatic recount of votes.