Another Nixa City Council member resigns

Courtesy Nixa.com

Amy Hoogstraet says she has faced "vitriol as a council member."

Nixa City Council is now looking to fill two vacant seats after the second resignation in as many months.

Amy Hoogstraet of District 1 resigned effective yesterday, according to a news release. Justin Orf resigned from his District 3 seat last month.

Hoogstraet said in a statement provided to Springfield Business Journal that she was on the "receiving end of much vitriol as a council member due to my other work as an LGBTQ+ advocate and, more recently, as the youth coordinator for The GLO Center."

"I have recently come to the realization that I'm no longer interested in serving on council, as I no longer attain any enjoyment from it," she said in the statement. "Any satisfaction or sense of effectiveness I previously felt has long since been overshadowed by the aforementioned vitriol, misinformation and defamation that I experience on a constant basis.

"Given the current climate surrounding the LGBTQ+ community in SWMO, advocacy and support is now more important than ever, and that is where my time will be better spent."

Hoogstraet also faced a recall effort. City of Nixa spokesperson Drew Douglas said the recall petition, citing alleged improper communication with city staff, was certified late last month.

In exiting last month, Orf cited professional aspirations, according to past reporting. He said in his resignation letter that he’s on track to earn his professional license in engineering.

The city is accepting letters of interest for the District 1 and 3 seats. Council will choose new members to serve on the seven-person board until a citywide election in April 2023, according to the release.