By Missy Schrott | [email protected]

Councilor Del Pepper announced on Tuesday that after 35 years on City Council, she will not seek re-election for another term.

First elected to the Alexandria City Council in 1985, Pepper has served 12 consecutive terms. Stating the reason for her retirement, Pepper said, “It’s my time.”

“I will, of course, complete my current term and you can be sure that I will be focusing on the needs of our city and be working hard at that,” Pepper said. “I have to keep up with these young whippersnappers on council.”

Pepper announced her retirement early so that candidates interested in running for council in 2021 can begin preparing their campaigns, she said. The City Council election will take place in November 2021, following a Democratic Party primary in June 2021. Pepper will officially retire when the new council is sworn in in January 2022.

“I could just not imagine the City Council without Del Pepper on it,” Mayor Justin Wilson said. “We’re going to have many, many opportunities over the next year to recognize Del’s historic service to this body. … Del has been an absolute icon for this city for really a lifetime of service.”