Chattanooga City Council member Deborah Scott is seen in this file photo.
Chattanooga City Councilwoman Deborah Scott will not seek a second term in her District 1 seat in March elections.
Scott said in a news release Thursday that struggles with family and time led to her decision.
"My mother will turn 84 soon, and I need a little more family time," Scott said in the release. "I hope to assist citizen candidates who embrace transparency, demonstrate accountability and are willing to champion responsible fiscal policies. I pray others will do the same."
So far, two potential candidates have picked up qualifying papers in the nonpartisan race for District 1, which encompasses Lookout Valley and Mountain Creek Road. They are former Signal Mountain High School Principal Tom McCullough and Matthew Ware, president and agent of Greater Chattanooga Insurance.
Scott could not be contacted Thursday, but in her letter she spoke about her accomplishments on the council, along with what she considered her failings.
She said she felt the city has more accountable and transparent government because she helped push an initiative for an independent city auditor. She also believes there has been progress in making government more affordable, but there still is work to be done.
"It will take at least five of nine fiscally conservative members on the next council to keep Chattanooga an affordable place to live and do business," she wrote.
She listed her failures as not being able to change citywide brush service, failing to get a term-limits referendum pushed through and not convincing the mayor and council not to spend on what she considered nonessential items such as $7 million on the city's waterfront.