Somersworth mayor Lincoln Soldati announced his resignation during a City Council meeting on Aug. 15. The announcement came as Soldati and his wife Kathleen continue to rebuild their lives in the wake of a fire that destroyed their house last year.

Soldati was elected mayor in November 2009 and adopted the post in January 2010. In June 29 of that year, his family home was destroyed in a fire. He has since determined that it is not economically feasible to rebuild the historic house. Instead, he and his wife will be returning to his hometown of Portsmouth.

In a letter addressed to city clerk Diane DuBois, Soldati called being mayor of Somersworth was one of the “great joys of (his) life” and said he had intended to run for reelection many times. He has been living in Somersworth for nearly 30 years but will be moving out of the city within the next month or two.

Soldati said he is confident Somersworth has a bright future and cited a number of advances the city made during his tenure. He said the city has become more sustainable and has developed a more locally focused economy. He also pointed to a pending project to improve the appearance of the downtown area. 

Soldati thanked DuBois, the City Council and the city manager for their support, as well as the citizens of Somersworth.

“This city has become a part of the fabric of my being, as I have lived longer in this city than I have in any other place in my life,” he said. “It is therefore with deep sadness that I write to inform you of my resignation as mayor of the city of Somersworth.”