Kerry McCormack won't seek reelection

State of play: Most of that existing ward will be part of a new Ward 7, which includes less of downtown, but stretches farther west to include portions of Detroit-Shoreway in what is now Jenny Spencer's Ward 15.

What they're saying: "There is no greater privilege than being elected by the people in the community that you love," McCormack said in a short video posted to X.

• "I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years and for all the great work we've done together."

The intrigue: Council president Blaine Griffin had been aware of McCormack's intentions and initially drafted a ward map that shoehorned Councilwoman Rebecca Maurer's Slavic Village home into the new Ward 7 boundaries — an arrangement Maurer publicly criticized.

What's next: McCormack said he would have more to say in the coming weeks.

• In the meantime, a senior policy adviser to Mayor Justin Bibb, Austin Davis, has formed a campaign committee and is likely to launch his candidacy in Ward 7 in the coming weeks.