Fountain Hills Mayor Wally Nichols will not seek a fourth term, he announced at the close of the Town Council meeting on Thursday night.
Nichols was first elected in May 2003 to serve a partial term, and voters returned him to his seat in 2004 and 2006.
The 67-year-old Nichols said his legacy would be of bringing long-term planning to Fountain Hills and spearheading the drive to annex 1,300 acres of State Trust Land.
Four seats on the seven-member council will be determined at the polls next spring. Up for re-election are Vice Mayor Keith McMahan, councilmen Ed Kehe and Jay Schlum.
The deadline for candidates to file the necessary paperwork is in November.
