Just before the city of Gladstone’s new $10 million library headed to the November ballot last week, Library Director Mary Nixon submitted a letter of resignation saying “the time has come” to return home to her husband in Pendleton.

At the July 10 City Council meeting, officials unanimously approved the library measure that will appear on the ballot. After voters approved a citizen-initiated measure in May’s primary election, city councilors must get voter approval for public spending decisions larger than $1 million.

Nixon’s last day on the job will be Friday, Aug. 10.

Saying she wrote her resignation with mixed emotions, Nixon thanked City Administrator Pete Boyce for his “assistance and support” during the past few years.

“I wish the City Council and community the very best as they hopefully move forward with the building of a new library in Gladstone,” she wrote to Boyce. “It has been overdue for many, many years.”

Gladstone’s library measure was proposed by Councilor Walt Fitch.

“I just feel that at every meeting there’s all kinds of dialogue about how to get the library built, and so I say it’s time to quit all the gum flapping and put it on the ballot,” Fitch said.

Fitch, a recent appointee to council considering his own candidacy in November, said he doesn’t mind referring larger spending decisions to voters. Also a library supporter, he believes that the library will see approval from a majority of citizens.

“If the voters approve financing and construction of the building, then we’d move forward with the final planning process,” said Boyce.

Gladstone’s final hurdle, Boyce expects, would be a limited hearing on library-area street trees that the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals remanded to the city.

Boyce expects to select an interim library director in the next couple weeks while a national search is launched for Nixon’s replacement.

“We’re reviewing job descriptions and talking about what the ideal process would be to replace Mary,” Boyce said.