Sara Bagheri announced she will not seek re-election for City Council, according to a Facebook post from her page Thursday evening. 

Bagheri was elected to At Large Place 6 in May 2016 and was elected elected Mayor Pro Tem in May 2017. 

Her term will end May 2018.

In the post she said:

"This time 2 years ago, I announced my candidacy for Denton City Council. I had a vision for City Hall that involved the radical idea that the benefits of government belong to the people who donate a portion of their income, and thus life, to fulfilling their end of the social contract. I knew that without increased transparency, accountability, and a focus on the basic services we expect out of our government, we would be left with the same mediocrity that has passed for "governance" for the better part of my life. To say it has been a challenge is an understatement. I knew there was unchecked cronyism in Denton, as there is in our entire country at this peculiar moment in history, but I had no idea just how many people, organizations, and other dubiously public-purpose entities had lined up with their hands out for years, syphoning resources away from our core government services. Even against this background, I feel we have turned the very big ship that is City Hall, and the promise of transparency and accountability is finally beginning to take hold in the culture and practice at 215 E. McKinney St.- thanks to new management and an almost complete overhaul of critical staff. 
In no way is this work complete, but it is time for me to step back and renew my focus on personal matters of health, well-being, family and work. I look forward to continuing to contribute to the ideals of good government for the people and assisting as I can in the struggle to free government from the grasp of those who would manipulate it through staff and elected officials for personal gain. I know many of my supporters will be upset at hearing this news. To you, I have to say, the work has just begun. The coalition you created to elect me to office is something that will serve you again and again in the future. Don't give up on it. Don't let partisan b.s. talking points distract you. We all want the same thing- good government that answers to us no matter who we are. We can only get there together. I thank you all so much for the opportunity to serve. It has been the experience of a lifetime and my greatest privilege."

Header image by Mateo Granados