A Minnesota mayor, who just days ago was seen on video having a heated exchange with a resident, has resigned effective immediately. The City of Farmington shared the news on its city website earlier today.

Immediate Resignation of Farmington's Mayor

Mayor Joshua Hoyt notified the City of Farmington that he was resigning immediately, and cited his mental health as the reason. According to a release from the City of Farmington, which was posted on the city website:

"We are deeply grateful for Mayor Hoyt’s years of dedicated service to the City of Farmington. He truly believes in this community and lives and breathes Farmington. His passion for our city and support for both residents and staff have left a lasting impact.

Council Member Lien will serve as Acting Mayor. Mayor Hoyt’s resignation will be formally considered at the Tuesday, Feb. 17 City Council meeting. A City Council work session will be held on Monday, March 2 to discuss next steps for filling the vacant seat and determining future leadership roles."

Mental Health Cited As The Reason For Stepping Away

In the resignation letter from Mayor Hoyt, he cites that "leadership requires clarity, presence, and well-being, and at this time I feel the need to prioritize my health in order to heal and regain balance."

Viral Moment Caught On Camera

Earlier this week, at the Monday night Farmington City Council meeting, Mayor Hoyt engaged with a resident who continued to speak after the 5-minute comment period was over. That led to another person in the audience yelling at Mayor Hoyt, to which Hoyt used an expletive, and later took a recess.

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The public comment period was recently limited to 5 minutes per resident, and during the 30 minutes prior to the outburst, community members were continuing to voice their displeasure over the proposed 5-billion-dollar data center to be built on an old golf course, close to several residences and neighborhoods.

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