Reading from a prepared statement Monday night during the Austin City Council meeting, Ward Three Council Member Joyce Poshusta announced that she was stepping down from her position and that her last meeting would be April 21. Poshusta’s announcement came as a result of a new position she had tak en in Rochester in early March and taking her out of the ward she serves, which encompasses the entire east side of Austin. “Serving on this council has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Poshusta said, reading from her statement. “I am incredibly proud of all that we have accomplished together over the past six years.” Poshusta will leave the council with two years remaining on her current term, which is her second after she was first elected in 2018. She said after Monday night’s meeting that not only was the decision a hard, but necessary one, but the act of announcing it was just as difficult. “It was hard to hold back tears. It was really emotional,” Poshusta said. “The Austin community has been my home for 25 years. My heart will always belong to Austin and the community.” As she read from her statement, Poshusta acknowledged that serving at times was as challenging as it was rewarding. Specifically, she touched on some of the more challenging parts of her time on the council, including the negativity that often came from online. From that she challenged people that instead of contributing to that negativity, they get involved instead. “One of the more difficult aspects of this role has been dealing with online negativity,” Poshusta said. “We are all familiar with those who choose to engage in relentless criticism on social media, regardless of the decisions we make. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage these individuals to become more actively involved in our community in a meaningful and constructive way.” “Understanding the complexities of local governance and participating in a productive manner will always yield greater results than criticism alone,” she continued. The council will now look to decide how Poshusta’s seat will be filled, which can be done either through appointment or a special election. The last time this happened was in 2022 when the council filled a vacant seat in the First Ward by appointing Geoff Baker following an application and interview process. However, in the immediacy of Poshusta’s announcement, it is unknown at this point how the process will be conducted this time around. The post Poshusta announces she is stepping down from Ward Three seat appeared first on Austin Daily Herald. ...read more read less