Sam Martin, the mayor of Lexington, resigned Monday after only two months in office.

“I am citing personal reasons and feel that, at this time, it is in the best interest of Lexington and its citizens,” Martin, 39, wrote in a letter to town councilors.

The East Oregonian tried to reach Martin for comment, but his phone number no longer works.

Dee Burch, city recorder, said the town council is considering Councilwoman Ruth Haskett as the new mayor.

Haskett said she will probably accept the post.

“The asked me, so … yeah,” she said. As mayor, her main goal will be to keep the peace in Lexington, she added.

Martin’s defection and Haskett’s appointment as mayor will leave Billee Owen, Charma Marquardt and Will Lemmon on the council.

Before he became mayor, Martin served on the town council since April 2008. As mayor, he replaced Valerie Doherty, who died in December.

In other business, the town council agreed to sign up for the Community Action Program East Central Oregon (CAPECO) summer youth employment program, and to support the development of a Willow Creek Valley-wide strategic action plan. The plan will cost $30,000. The Willow Creek Valley Economic Development Group initiated the idea, and will ask the Morrow County Court for the money.

Charlie Sumner, the Lexington fire chief, announced that his department was in dire need of volunteer firefighters that live in town. The closest firefighter lives six miles out of Lexington, he said.

Sumner said he was eager to join with the Heppner or Ione fire district, but first Lexington needs to build a fire station. Right now, two fire trucks are squeezed into city hall, and Sumner said he has brush fire equipment parked at his house, open to the weather.

Heppner would be more likely to join with Lexington if they had a fire station, Sumner explained.