Dan Evans has resigned as an Oak Harbor City Council member, effective immediately.

Evans submitted a letter of resignation to Mayor Bob Severns April 5, stating that he is stepping down due to medical issues and the fact that he will “no longer be a resident of the city.”

The schedule for filling the vacant seat is set for the April 18 council meeting agenda. According to a press release from the city, the council is required to select someone to temporarily fill the seat until the certification of the November election when an elected candidate will take office.

Council members will discuss the process for appointing a replacement at the next meeting, but the position will be on the November ballot as a two-year, unexpired term. That means four council seats, or a majority, will appear on the ballot. Mayor Pro Tem Tara Hizon and Councilmembers Beth Munns and Eric Marshall are all up for election, as well as the mayor. No one has announced they are running again as of this publication.

Evans ran against Fe Mischo and won the seat in 2021 and was not up for reelection until 2025. He also unsuccessfully ran for county commissioner against Jill Johnson.

As a council member, Evans was often outspoken and unafraid to disagree with the city administration. At the same time, allegations regarding his ties to a local developer dogged him.

When running for office, the News-Times reported that Evans was clear about his unhappiness with city leadership and vowed to make changes if elected. He said he supported council members’ decision to issue a vote of no confidence in City Administrator Blaine Oborn in October 2021.

In July 2022, amid controversy surrounding an alleged threat made by Munns against Oborn, Evans called for a third party investigation into the city administration. He told the mayor that he would have expected an investigation as a result of the no confidence vote.

He urged his fellow council members to join him in making a motion to initiate a third party investigation into the city administration “regarding current and past staff concerns of workplace intimidation, fear and retaliation,” he said. Only Evans and Munns voted in support of the investigation.

The News-Times reported in 2021 that Severns endorsed Mischo over Evans, citing concerns about candidates who are influenced by developers. Evans works for Pacific North Group, Inc. which is owned by local real estate developer Scott Thompson.

Because of his work, allegations of conflicts of interest were raised throughout Evan’s tenure, most recently at a March 21 council meeting. Council voted to approve an agreement with Pacific North Group, Inc. to complete a housing development project on Scenic Heights Road. A nearby resident said he was concerned that council members may be benefiting financially from the development.

Evans said he had decided to abstain from the vote after having a conversation with the city attorney. He also said he would like to bring up council rules in regard to conflicts of interest at a later date “for clarification.”

Evans declined to be interviewed for this story.