City councillor Kirk Cameron has resigned suddenly.

Cameron announced his resignation at the end of Monday evening’s meeting.

He stated it was with “great sadness” that he can no longer serve on council as a matter of principle following last week’s sudden firings of Brian Crist and Rob Fendrick, two directors who had worked for the city for 17 years.

City manager Christine Smith fired the two without cause. No further details have been provided to the public, as it’s being called a personnel matter.

Cameron was also careful with his words.

Because the dismissals are a personnel issue, he said, he can’t go into details about the firings except to say he could no longer serve on council.

“Fundamentally, I disagreed with the direction taken by the city in this regard,” he said, adding he felt an obligation to state his point of view.

The seemingly abrupt resignation was something he spent a lot of time thinking about and consulting his family on over the weekend before he decided he could no longer keep his seat.

Smith would not comment on the councillor’s decision.

Cameron’s departure will not force a byelection, given the October general election – so it does not mean spending unnecessary money on a vote for the one open seat, he pointed out.

While Cameron expressed his confidence in council continuing to move forward with decisions without him there, his absence brings council down to six members, thus strengthening the possibility of tie votes.

In situations where there is a tie vote of council – say, 3-3 – the matter is defeated.

It was a byelection in 2011 that saw Cameron first elected to the role of councillor after Doug Graham – who now serves as the territory’s Education minister – was elected to the Yukon legislature that year.

Cameron won that byelection with 405 votes, just 36 votes over his closest of 12 competitors, Duke Connelly, a former councillor.

Cameron was then elected to his role as councillor once again in the 2012 municipal election.

Speaking to reporters following his announcement last night, he said the decision was a tough one, but “a necessary statement I have to make.”

It was a decision his family supported, also letting him know their concern as he decided on his course of action, he said, noting the presence of his sister and son at last night’s meeting.

“They know how much I love this office,” Cameron said after earlier stating the role of councillor is “not a job. It’s a calling.”

Though he had reached his decision to quit over the weekend, it wasn’t until all other business had been dealt with at Monday’s meeting that he made the announcement under new business.

Cameron went through the entire meeting as usual, asking questions of delegates and administration on a number of matters up for council’s consideration, ranging from the proposed extended care facility in Whistle Bend to recommendations for environmental grants.

As he explained to reporters later, he had thought council might not have had quorum for last night’s meeting if he hadn’t attended, with Mayor Dan Curtis and councillors John Streicker and Dave Stockdale not able to be there.

So he decided to serve out a final meeting before announcing his formal resignation.

He hadn’t realized both Curtis and Streicker would be attending via conference call, he said.

As for the now-former councillor’s future political plans, he said he has “no idea” what the future might bring.

Cameron, a former president of the territorial Liberal party, was defeated in his territorial run for the Whitehorse Centre riding in the 2010 by-election.

He has also served on the school council for École Whitehorse Elementary School and, though now a consultant, worked as a deputy minister for the Executive Council Office and the Department of Environment.

Questioned what he feels he achieved as a councillor over his more than three years in office, he pointed out the last two budgets have kept property tax increases to 1.7 per cent, the lowest boosts in the past decade.

It was during his first year in office that Cameron stated his opposition to a suggested 3.8 per cent tax hike, he said. Council eventually approved a lower tax hike of three per cent for the 2012 year.

Keeping tax increases as low as possible is something Cameron said he hopes to see continued into the future.

The former councillor went on to point to Porter Creek D, a piece of land in the area of McIntyre Creek that was identified for housing.

Council eventually decided – after significant opposition in the community – it would not do any planning for housing in the area until phase 7 of Whistle Bend is complete.

Cameron also cited the importance of the city’s plans to consolidate its operations and services into two main buildings.

He noted he has continually stressed his hope local suppliers and contractors will be on “equal footing” with Outside firms for work on the project, which could have positive impact on the local economy.

Meanwhile, all but one councillor at last night’s meeting expressed their gratitude for Cameron’s work over the years.

“I’m in a little bit of shock,” Curtis said by phone, after referring to Cameron as a great asset to council as well as a good colleague and friend.

The mayor said he would miss the knowledge, suggestions and advice Cameron has brought to the table.

Councillors Jocelyn Curteanu, Betty Irwin and Streicker echoed those sentiments, all commenting they were sorry to see Cameron go and thanking him for his service.

“I think he’s added so much,” Irwin said.

Coun. Mike Gladish was the only council member not to make any remarks on Cameron’s departure at last night’s meeting.

Reached this morning, Gladish explained there are times when everyone at the table weighs in, expressing the same sentiment. And that can become redundant.

In this case, he said, everything had been said by other council members.

He did note it’s Cameron’s choice to quit, and he won’t be “shedding a tear” over it.

Gladish said he respects Cameron’s right to make the choice he did, though it wouldn’t be the route he would take if he disagreed with a city decision.

Stockdale could not be reached for comment this morning.