UPDATED: P.G. Mayor Kampe says he won't seek another term in November; Councilmember Fischer says he's running.

During the lead up to the 2012 elections, Pacific Grove Mayor Bill Kampe—then a council member elected in 2008—told the Weekly he was ready to retire from politics.

“I promised my wife it would be a four-year adventure,” he said.

Three months later he jumped into the mayor’s race, running against incumbent Carmelita Garcia.

He won in a landslide, and the four-year adventure turned into a 10-year journey, after winning the mayor’s seat two more times in 2014 and 2016.

The journey is now officially coming to an end, Kampe announced Tuesday, May 29, in an emailed statement.

He and his wife, Cheryl, are ready to do new things together, which they have postponed during this stint on the council.

“Today, I feel our city is in a very strong position that can carry us to a sound future,” he said.

He thanked residents for their support and volunteerism, and commended the city staff for its “dedicated and capable” efforts.

Kampe’s run on council coincides with the creation of the city’s short-term rental ordinances, which led to some particularly heated debates among residents.

The latest ordinance, passed in February, is now being challenged in court by a group of short-term rental owners, STRONGpg.

Another group of residents who want to further limit the rentals are challenging the ordinance with a ballot measure this November.

Despite the rancor over the rentals, Kampe said the staff, public and City Council “have achieved a new level of civil, constructive and productive dialog that enables us to act on difficult topics.”

Kampe has always advocated for increasing revenue, which led to his support of Measure X in 2016 in a special election for Project Bella, the luxury hotel proposed for the site of the American Tin Cannery.

The developers, Domaine Pacific Grove, LLC, have exited the deal in a cloud of controversy and lost the option to develop the site.

Kampe also has worked toward reducing the city’s pension obligation, finding more water for city projects and improving the city’s infrastructure.

He’s been active regionally, with a major focus on solving the Monterey Peninsula’s water supply shortage.

“It’s a long and continuing process!” he said in the statement. “Yet in alliance with our partner agencies, we have initiated virtually all major steps to provide that water. The diligent follow-up remains ahead.”

Update: Councilmember Rudy Fischer announced later the same day that he is running for mayor.

So far, he's the only one who has officially signaled any intention for the spot.

"Whether anyone else runs or not, over the next few months I plan to raise money for the campaign and get my message out there," he said in a statement.

He said as mayor he would "pretty much continue the council's current policies and direction."

Fischer also said he would focus on improving the city's infrastructure, plant more city trees, and work on developing a pathway from downtown to Lovers Point. 

"During the next six months I also hope to work with [Kampe] to help him solidify his legacy," he said. 

In an email, Fischer says he hopes Kampe remains involved in city issues.

"I think he still has things to contribute and hope to see him around doing just that."

Editor's Note: This post was updated to reflect new information from Rudy Fischer.