Jefferson City councilman to resign in June due to family medical issue

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) -

Third Ward city councilman Derek Thomas will resign from his post in June.

Thomas said in a news release Wednesday morning that he would soon be moving out of Missouri due to medical issues facing his family. His last day on the council will be June 2.

“In running for this seat, I pledged to serve with respect for our tax dollars, respect of our
residents, and respect for city staff and fellow council members,” Thomas said in a news release. “I believe I have delivered on those goals, and sincerely wish I had time to do more in these areas.”

Voters elected Thomas in 2025 to represent the Third Ward, which covers the northwestern part of the city. He said in his news release that the city and its leaders should pay attention to housing, downtown development around the conference center and transparency.

“Ensuring that the public and council members are kept informed about decisions related to city business has been a top priority for me,” Thomas wrote. “The city needs to make its council and committee meetings as transparent as possible. And closed sessions need to be continually monitored by those in
attendance to ensure that officials are held accountable for their discussions in that setting so as not to violate the state’s Sunshine Law.”

The Jefferson City Council now has a second vacancy to fill this year due to resignation. The council swore in Cody Holt on April 13 to replace Second Ward councilman Aaron Mealy after his resignation in March.