Benitz quits city council, citing social media ire

Staff report
Saying he hopes his replacement “will ask questions for the betterment of the community,” Councilman Dan Benitz has resigned from the Jefferson city council, six months after he was elected.

Benitz submitted a letter dated May 18 informing the city of his decision to step aside effective immediately.

A retired industrial tech teacher, Benitz emerged this year as the public face of the city’s opposition to a proposal to build a new animal shelter and dog park on donated land owned by the Greene County Development Corp. near the Catholic cemetery.

In his resignation letter, Benitz wrote of taking flak for a missed committee meeting May 8 due to family obligations, and the May 9 council meeting because he was farming near Rockwell City.

“I seem to be the only council member targeted to have my name in the news and social media because I was absent,” he wrote.

In a three-way race in November, Benitz easily won his seat with 63.33 percent of the vote.

Before the election, Benitz told The Jefferson Herald, “I have lived and worked in Jefferson for 45 years. I need to take a leadership role to represent the people and help Jefferson improve.”

The city council in its regular meeting today will discuss whether to appoint Benitz’s replacement or hold a special election.

“I have taught over 7,000 adult and high school students in Greene County over the last forty years and thank the community for that privilege,” he wrote.