Five months after winning re-election to a final four-year term, Colorado Springs City Councilman Jerry Heimlicher said today he will be resigning on Sept. 30.

Heimlicher represents District 3, which covers the southwest part of the city including downtown, Old Colorado City, The Broadmoor, the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Broadmoor Bluffs and Skyway.Heimlicher was elected to a two-year term in 2003 and a four-year term in 2005. In April, Heimlicher easily held off a challenge from community activist Dave Gardner to win another four-year term on the nine-member council. Term limits would have prevented him from running again.

Heimlicher announced he was resigning at the end of the month during today’s council meeting, saying he and his wife were returning to their home state of Tennessee.

The decision was prompted by the downturn in the economy and the fortunes of his former employer, Heimlicher said today.

Heimlicher, a retired Ford Motor Credit executive, said he was concerned about his pension after the other two auto giants, GM and Chrysler, went into bankruptcy.

The couple owns a home in Germantown, Tenn.

“This is the smartest move for us because this way we’re in total control of our destiny,” he said of the move.

Heimlicher, 67,  has lived in Colorado Springs for 12 years.

Vice Mayor Larry Small said Heimlicher has been a “tremendous asset” to Colorado Springs and called his resignation “sad news.”

The Council will seek applicants for the vacant seat and has 30 days after a resignation to appoint a replacement, who serves until the next municipal election. Council members are paid $6,250 a year.

Gardner, who was defeated 57 percent to 43 percent in April, said today he hadn’t decided if he’ll apply for the seat.

During his time as a councilman, Heimlicher has been active on homeless issues, sponsoring the “Miracle Meter” program, in which old parking meters are used to collect donations to  fight drug and alcohol abuse and homelessness.

He also has pushed for the revitalization of older parts of the city – South Nevada Avenue, South Academy Boulevard and East Platte Avenue.

He has been an unflagging supporter of the city’s efforts to keep the U.S. Olympic Committee headquarters in Colorado Springs, fiercely defending the mayor against claims of conflict of interest. The developer who won the multimillion dollar city contract to build the USOC headquarters was a former financial planning client of Mayor Lionel Rivera.

Heimlicher studied business administration at the University of Tennessee. He retired as CEO of Fairlane Credit in 2002 and before that was a senior executive at Ford Motor Credit.

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