Mayor Les Bumgarner won’t seek re-election to a second term, he announced Friday morning.

Citing his long record of service in government, family and personal motivations, and his age, Bumgarner said “it’s time” to move on.

“You work all your life to retire and enjoy yourself,” the 65-year old Bumgarner said. “So that’s what I’m going to try to do.”

Qualifying for this year’s municipal elections began in January. Thus far, no candidates for mayor have entered the race, but Bumgarner expects his announcement will probably spur some activity at the qualifying desk.

“I feel like everyone was waiting on me,” the mayor said.

Candidates have through March 8 to qualify for municipal elections.

Bumgarner acknowledged he had some months ago begun circulating the petition required of independent candidates, but some family factors have increasingly led him to opt for retirement.

He hopes to travel more with his wife, Katherine, who’s been retired several years now, and golf more.

However, his retirement from the mayor’s office remained a “tough” decision,” said Bumgarner.

“It’s with mixed emotions,” he said. “You’ll be leaving some things unfinished.”

Bumgarner does look forward to seeing Railroad Park renovations completed before he leaves offices and also hopes to see weather alert sirens installed in the city by the end of his term.

Reflecting on his tenure, Bumgarner did highlight some goals he accomplished.

“We didn’t raise taxes,” Bumgarner said. “I’m leaving the city in good financial shape.”

During Tuesday’s board of aldermen meeting, Bumgarner read a list of accomplishments achieved during the concluding term of Bumgarner and the board.

This list included completion of the Jimmy Furlow Senior Center, completion of the Godbold Transportation Center, securing a unique training facility for the Brookhaven Fire Department and the beginning of work on the area storm shelter.

After two terms as alderman at large, Bumgarner won the mayor’s office in 2009 as an independent, defeating Democratic candidate the Rev. Jerry Wilson, a Lincoln County supervisor.

Bumgarner replaced Bob Massengill, who, after five years as mayor, chose not to run again in 2009.

Beginning in the mid-1980s, Bumgarner served 10 years on the Brookhaven School board, and was a Brookhaven Recreation Department board member from approximately 1984-2000.

Throughout his government service, Bumgarner said he’s enjoyed working with and for the members of the community.

“I’ve enjoyed helping people out,” he said.

The disappointments of government service have included the constraints of available resources,

“Financially, you can’t always do what people want you to do,” he said.