Phyllis Evans Explains Her Resignation From Cleveland Heights City Council

Monday’s announcement that seemed sudden.

But the longtime councilwoman said she’s been considering this since February.

She retired from her job at University Hospitals at the end of January and lost her health benefits.

“To be perfectly truthful, it’s a matter of health benefits,” said Evans, 66. “As a retired elected official, I do have the opportunity to use OPERS (Ohio Public Employees Retirement System), that is something that is offered to us. The unfortunate part is the way it’s written, left up to one’s interpretation, I needed to resign in order to be able to use OPERS."

Evans, who served on council for 19 years, said she was not aware of this when she .

“I’m really upset. I’m upset that I didn’t do an adequate job of really researching the retirement material,” Evans said. “Cleveland Heights and its residents have been a priority in my life for almost 20 years, and I enjoyed my years of service.  I hope there will be something that I can do in the future.”

That includes serving on council again.

Evans said she’s considering reapplying for her council seat if it’s possible and she can retain her health benefits.

Mayor Ed Kelley, who announced that Evans was resigning at the June 4, said, “No one I know has ever done that before.”

Evans did not attend Monday's meeting but submitted two letters of resignation, one dated May 31, the day she tendered her resignation, and another marked June 5.

Council will likely to fill the seat soon. Someone will be appointed to council until the end of the year and must run for re-election in November 2013* to complete Evans’ term, which ends Dec. 31, 2015. Councilman Jason Stein in 2011 when .

“I feel that after having run in November, I deserve to be a member of council. So if there’s any way possible to represent my constituents, I will do that,” Evans said. “I want to thank residents for giving me the opportunity to serve as a member of council ... and if there is a way for me to be appointed, if there is a way that I can come back on council, I’m going to seek that.”

Cleveland Heights Law Director John Gibbon did not immediately return calls or emails for comment.

An earlier version of this article indicated that Phyllis Evans' replacement would have to run in November 2012 to complete her term. The candidate will have to run in November 2013.