After 15 years of service in the city, District 3 Champaign City Council member Vic McIntosh has decided not to run for re-election in the spring of 2009.

“It’s just time,” McIntosh said about his decision.

McIntosh has been a City Council member for about 10 years. However, before joining the Council, he served on the city’s human relations commission and attended City Council meetings. He said it was now time for a fresh face to carry on the mission of the Council.

Although McIntosh is ready to leave, many of his fellow Council members said they are sad to see him go.

“I totally understand his decision, not that it makes me like it any more,” said At-Large Council member Karen Foster.

Foster has been a Council member for one year, but she has known McIntosh since January 2007.

“He has so much experience and knowledge about how the city works,” Foster said. “He is so familiar with the different departments.”

Foster said McIntosh helped her better understand the workings of the city.

“He’s been like a mentor to me,” Foster said.

At-Large Council member Tom Bruno began working on the City Council the same time as McIntosh. Bruno said he enjoyed working with McIntosh because he could always count on him to do his homework.

“He’s a hard worker,” Bruno said. “I’m saddened by his decision because he has been a valuable asset to our city.”

Bruno also said McIntosh was always gracious when they disagreed.

“We knew we both believed we were acting in the best interest of the city,” Bruno said. “We had good-faith disagreements.”

District 4 Council member Marci Dodds has known McIntosh for three years. They worked together on the city’s redistricting project, and Dodds said McIntosh is straightforward, steadfast and intelligent.

“He has incredible common sense,” Dodds said. “I’ve always appreciated that.”

McIntosh has been involved in many city projects. Bruno said he took a very active role in the Garden Hills Initiative, which improved the Garden Hills neighborhood by cleaning up the railroad viaduct and beautifying it.

Foster added that the project set up a day camp program for children of all ages and worked with police to reduce crime in the neighborhood. The city used money to purchase new street lights in hopes that the improved lighting would help reduce crime.

Dodds said McIntosh was also instrumental in the repaving of Bradley Avenue.

“He bulldogged the project through until it was done,” Bruno added.

McIntosh said his goal has always been to make the city a better place. Working for the citizens has been his favorite part of being on the Council. He tried to deal with their day-to-day problems of living in the city.

“My duty was to do my best, to serve the citizens the best way I could,” McIntosh said.