BREAKING NEWS: Durham City Councilman Charlie Reece Resigns Effective March 7th

DURHAM, NC – At the Durham City Council meeting last night (Feb. 21), Councilman Charlie Reece announced his resignation, to be effective in two weeks, on March 7th. Reece and his family are temporarily relocating to Europe. The Council will begin the process of appointing a replacement to complete his term which expires in 2023.

Two months ago, his family business bought a European company to expand the company’s business opportunities there. As a result, the Chief Executive Officer, his wife, Dr. Laura Helms Reece, will need to spend a lot of time working in Europe for the foreseeable future. 

That leaves our family with two difficult choices, Reece explained. “ Laura can be in Europe while the rest of us stay here, or we can temporarily relocate our family to Europe to be together.”

“Since I was elected to the Durham City Council, my life has mostly been about this work, and our family has largely shaped our family life to accommodate my need to do this work. Maybe that’s been for the best, maybe it hasn’t, I honestly don’t know. But I won’t be the kind of father who teaches my kids by my example that their father’s job must always come first. Now it’s time for us to support Laura’s career, and the best way to do that — and to keep our family together — is for me to leave my job and for us to move to Europe with her.”

“Because Durham is our home. Even while we’re living far away for a little bit, Durham will always be our home. Durham today. Durham tomorrow. Durham forever,” Reece concluded.

Reece explains the reason for his resignation in further detail and his love for the City in the video below:

Read Councilman’s Reece full remarks to the City Council here.