Priest announced his retirement the following week exactly as promised, his voice carrying genuine emotion as he addressed the full council for what he explained would be his final session presiding over regular business. The chamber listened with evident respect, several councilors clearly moved by the end of an era that had spanned over a decade of careful, if occasionally compromised, leadership.
"I recommend Councilor Mercer Vale as my successor," Priest said, once his retirement statement concluded. "He has proven, repeatedly, the judgment and integrity this position requires."
The vote passed with surprising unanimity, even Thessaly and several other councilors who'd initially viewed Mercer with suspicion now offering their support based on two years of consistent, principled servi
