Mayor John Watson looked left and right during the Vinton City Council meeting on Thursday, and pondered his immediate future.

Two days earlier he had lost his bid to become a Benton County supervisor.

“I had said before that win or lose, I would leave office as Mayor in January,” Watson said.

But now, said the Mayor, he changed his mind, and will serve out the remainder of his term, which ends Dec. 31, 2013.

But first, he questioned the council to see if any of them would be interested in taking over.

“Is there anyone here who would like this job now?”

Seeing no takers to this offer, the Mayor announced he would remain in that position, saying that since the election a few voters have told him to stay on as Mayor.

The announcement that Watson will not seek re-election means that by the end of 2013, there will be three new Benton County Supervisors as well as a new mayor.

Don Frese and Terry Hertle will replace Ron Buch and Dave Vermedahl, who did not seek re-election. Supervisor Jason Sanders has announced that he is leaving office next summer to move to Utah to begin a campus ministry there. A decision on replacing Sanders – either by appointment or special election – will be made next year when Sanders leaves.

Vermedahl served as Mayor before becoming a supervisor and has said he is not interested in returning to city government.

Watson served as Mayor for 18 years, although that time was interrupted for a few years because of he work with the U.S. Postal service in Urbana. Vermedahl served as Mayor during that time, but left that office in 2001 after being elected supervisor.