Provo Mayor John Curtis has announced he will not seek a third term in office.

After more than a year of reflection, deliberation and weighing in carefully on his life, the city and his contributions, Curtis says it’s time to go.

This is not a typical announcement for a mayor who has had an approval rating of about 93 percent for the past several years. He said it’s not about health or family issues, it’s about a promise he made to himself and his constituents about staying too long.

“Eight years ago I felt it was the right thing to run,” Curtis said. “Again, I believe this is the right thing to do next. Overstaying is not helpful.”

Curtis, 56, said it has been an emotional decision but that he needs a break. Announcing his intentions more than a year before the next mayoral election will give other potential candidates time to get their personal life and businesses in order.

The filing deadline for the mayor’s seat is in June. 

The mayor said if left to his wife and mentor Sue Curtis, there would be no question what he would be doing.

“Sue was my biggest fan to encourage me to run again,” he said. “If Sue had her choice I’d run.”

Curtis said he started this eight-year run fast and furious.

“When you sprint you have to have an end in sight,” Curtis said. “I know in my gut I can’t sprint 12 years. A politician should come in, work hard and then make room for the next one. Don’t stay past your vision.”

Curtis said he is ready for a break from politics, but if in the future the right offers come he won’t be opposed to looking at them. In a video shared Tuesday, Curtis said he’s looking for something big, fun and exciting — though some have asked him about the possibility of pursuing other political offices.

“I’m confident I’ll also be asked if I’ll be running for another political office,” he said in the video. “Honestly, I haven’t given it much thought. I’ve always felt it was important not to look past being mayor. For now I need a break. But no one should be surprised if I show up again in the political arena.”

After his term, he said he might look for a corporation that is run similar to Provo and work there. 

“I started with the worst economy of our lives,” Curtis said. “The first thing I did was cut $5 million out of the city budget. We are now in the greatest economic development in the history of this city.”

In his early years he dealt with a police department audit and officer indiscretions, concerns over practices by former councilman Steve Turley, the Provo Tabernacle fire, and the city’s iProvo fiber network issues.

He counts among his success stories the Vision 2030, the new Provo Recreation Center, Google Fiber, downtown revitalization, Provo360, airport growth and the approval of a RAP tax.

Curtis is not shy in praising his office staff, department heads and city personnel for helping create positive change. During his administration he has had three police chiefs, three fire chiefs, and new department heads over Parks and Recreation, Provo Power, the Redevelopment Agency and others. 

“What is so endearing about him is, I have never been around someone so transparent and open,” said Corey Norman, deputy mayor. “We’ve just told the story.”

Of course, Curtis’ frequent communication and social media savvy have been noted locally, as well as nationally recognized. Norman said the mayor was willing to make himself vulnerable through what he considered, unprecedented transparency.

“It’s not hard to measure Mayor Curtis’ success from his time so far in office. It’s also no mistake that it’s happened while he’s been at the wheel,” Norman said in an email. “He’s a unique leader who has an ability to bring people together with different agendas and points of view and reach consensus.

“I’ve spent 20 years with high-level elected officials and I’ve never been around one with this level of skill set.”

Curtis said he still has some goals to reach on his mayoral bucket list before Dec. 31, 2017. Residents should be prepared for one big final State of the City address soon after the new year.

That address will certainly include one of his pet projects: that Provo gets a new city hall and a police/safety building.