By Jeff Hamlin
Assistant News Director

After weeks of rumors, Bill Strom is officially leaving his seat on the Chapel Hill Town Council, effective Saturday.

Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy served on the town council for each of Strom’s three terms.

Strom told The Independent that he is resigning “to pursue other professional opportunities outside the community.”

The departure creates a vacancy on the Town Council, and the board must appoint a new member to finish Strom’s term that expires in 2011.

Strom served as mayor pro tem from 2003-to-2007, and also represented Chapel Hill on the Triangle Transit Authority Board of Trustees.

Rumors about Strom’s future started swirling around town last month when he sold his house for $500,000.

Despite the speculation, Foy says he didn’t know about Strom’s resignation before yesterday.

The process of filling Strom’s soon-to-be vacant seat can’t start until Mayor Foy makes a formal announcement at the next council meeting. Because of summer break, that session isn’t scheduled until September.