The mayor of Carbondale, Ill., says he's stepping down next month to take a job at Northern Arizona University.
Joel Fritzler announced his resignation in a statement yesterday. He is leaving to join a team of grant and contract administrators at NAU, based in Flagstaff.
A university spokeswoman says Fritzler begins the job Feb. 1. Fritzler was elected mayor of Carbondale in April 2011 after serving six years on the Carbondale City Council.
The council is scheduled to hold a special meeting January 21 to select an acting mayor who'll serve out the remainder of Fritzler's term.
Carbondale has roughly 26,000 residents and is home to a Southern Illinois University campus.