A Clermont City Councilmember resigned, prompting election qualifying next week and a special election on Nov. 3.

Seat 4’s Heidi Brishke tendered her resignation effective Aug. 20 for personal reasons. She made the announcement at the Aug. 11 city council meeting at the Clermont City Center.

“This decision is in no way due to any decisions made by this council, nor due to the direction that the city is moving towards,” Brishke said at the meeting. “I am truly going to miss working with this council, the city staff and the Clermont residents. Clermont is a great city and I expect it to only get better. All of my best to all of you.”

Brishke served on the council since 2017. She also served as a former member of the board of directors for the South Lake Animal League.

“It’s been a pleasure working with you,” City Manager Darren Gray responded. “We are definitely going to miss you. I appreciate all your contributions that you’ve made to our great community, and it will not go unnoticed.”

During her time on the council, many of the city’s award-winning Downtown Waterfront Master Plan projects were completed, including Victory Pointe, the Clermont Boat Ramp and Kehlor Recreation Center. The council also approved the landmark master-planned sports and wellness project Olympus to spearhead the Wellness Way innovation corridor.

Brishke was nine months into her two-year term on Seat 4. A special election will be held to fill the unexpired term; the winner will serve for one year, expiring 2021.

• If only two candidates qualify, a regular election will be held on Nov. 3.
• If more than two candidates qualify, a primary election will be held on Nov. 3; if one of the candidates does not receive a majority (50%) of the votes, the two candidates with the highest number of votes will be placed on a special general election ballot on Jan. 5, 2021.

Election qualifying opens at noon Mon., Aug. 17 and closes at noon Fri., Aug. 21. Qualifying packets may be picked up at the Office of the City Clerk, located on the second floor of Clermont City Hall, 685 W. Montrose St.