Councilwoman Robin Black submitted a new and conditional letter of resignation this week. If her husband, Tim Callison, is elected mayor, she will leave the city council Jan. 1.

“Because of my love of Langley, I don’t want my serving alongside my husband to prevent people from voting for the best person for the job,” she wrote in her resignation. “I will respectfully step back, so our town can flourish.”

Earlier this year, after Callison entered the race and some questions arose about having two elected officials coming from one home, Black sent in a contingent letter of resignation. The first resignation was conditional upon her husband being elected mayor and the council or ethics board requesting or finding a conflict of interest.

One of the only personnel conflicts between the mayor and council members, all of which are elected positions, is the mayor’s salary. The council set the mayor’s salary earlier this year before Island County’s filing week in May, and may not amend it during a term.

Black’s most recently tendered resignation has only one criterion: that her husband be elected.

There are no state laws or city rules that forbid relatives or partners from serving in elected city government together, a point Black and Callison have both made in public and to The Record.

During The Record’s election forum Wednesday night, Skip Demuth, who is informally assisting in Sharon Emerson’s campaign for mayor, questioned both candidates if they thought it was appropriate. Callison answered by stating that he and Black checked with the Association of Washington Cities and city council whether there were existing rules prohibiting such a tandem. There were none. Callison also rebuffed the question, saying it was not appropriate for him to speak for his wife because she was fully capable of making her own decisions.

The couple had previously sought an appointment to the city council for a vacated position in 2014. Emerson had also sought that appointment. In the end, the council chose Black, who is the lone candidate for the remaining two years in the position this November.