'My family needs me': Sally Cook to resign from Salem City Council after husband's death

The Salem City Council is facing a big shakeup as one councilor announced her resignation and another said he won't run for reelection after nearly two decades on the job.

Councilor Sally Cook, who represents Ward 7 in southwest Salem, will resign from the Salem City Council following the death of her husband earlier this year. "My family needs me," she said in an interview Friday.

Cook said she and her husband would have celebrated their 15th anniversary Sept. 4. Jason D. Cook died June 15 after suffering a heart attack. He worked an information technology job with the Willamette Education Service District, according to memorial information.

Salem City Council:Brad Nanke won't seek reelection in 2020 after nearly two decades on council

Cook, who works for Marion County, said she told Salem City Manager Steve Powers about her decision Thursday and inquired about the next steps. She did not have a firm date on when her resignation would become effective.

Cook pointed to the large financial commitment of being a single parent to two girls as a factor in her decision. She is still serving her first term. She defeated longtime incumbent Warren Bednarz for the Ward 7 seat in May 2016.

Meanwhile, Councilor Brad Nanke of Ward 3 told the Statesman Journal on Thursday he would not seek reelection next year. This comes after a nearly two-decade run on the city's governing body. Nanke is in his fifth term and has more than a year left before his term ends in December 2020.

In 2018, Nanke ran for Marion County commissioner before losing to Republican Colm Willis. This year, he was considered to take Denyc Boles' seat in Oregon's House of Representatives, because Boles replaced the late Sen. Jackie Winters, a Salem Republican. However, the House position ended up going to Raquel Moore-Green.

Nanke said he had no future political plans in the works right now, but said he may reenter politics after his retirement. He works with the Oregon Home Builders Association and the Home Builders Association of Marion & Polk Counties.

Jonathan Bach has been the Statesman Journal's City Hall and business reporter since 2016. To support his work, subscribe to the Statesman Journal. Contact him by email at jbach@statesmanjournal.com, call (503) 399-6714 or follow him on Twitter @jonathanmbach.