Colorado Springs City Council member Mike O'Malley will not be running for a second term representing District 6.

O'Malley moved to Colorado Springs in 2019 to work as the U.S. Department of Transportation's senior advisor to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). In his announcement Monday, he compared the City Council work to other part-time and volunteer efforts he had always pursued in addition to his federal job.

"I got an incredible amount of stuff done in a short amount of time and I am very proud of that," O'Malley said.

The announcement by O'Malley means voters will be adding at least three new members to the City Council when the six district seats are up for election April 1. Council President Randy Helms announced last week that he will not be running for reelection. Yolanda Avila is term-limited after finishing her second term on the council and cannot run again.

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District 6 covers the eastern section of the city, roughly bound by East Woodmen Road and Colorado 94. The district has seen a lot of growth in the past four years, and O'Malley said the area values having limited intrusion from the city government.

O'Malley was appointed to the City Council in January 2021 to replace Andy Pico, who had been elected to the state legislature. O'Malley won election to a full term on council a few months later.

The council's other role as the board for Colorado Springs Utilities is just as important to O'Malley as their decisions for the city. As a former Navy engineer, O'Malley said the steam generators at the city power plants were similar enough to Navy ships that he could start them up himself.

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Some of the achievements O'Malley was happiest with were on the Utilities side, pushing for a secondary natural gas line to make the system more resilient during the closure of Martin Drake Power Plant and increasing the agency's cybersecurity.

"I am making sure everything is in place so they can be plugged in when I leave here and whenever I leave my regular job," O'Malley said.

O'Malley stands out from the other council members in his absence from work sessions. The work sessions are held on the Mondays immediately before regular Tuesday council meetings and provide additional public time for the council to hear about and discuss upcoming issues.

In 2024, O'Malley was an excused absence from all but two of the council work sessions. One of the two meetings he attended was the budget public hearing in October, which was held in the evening instead of the normal Monday morning time.

O'Malley said his selective attendance was part of prioritizing his time away from the federal work. O'Malley said he had to use almost all his vacation time to attend Colorado Springs Utilities' board meetings. By comparison, he felt the work sessions were less crucial.

"I don't need to see an item three times, so I don't need those work sessions or those other meetings," O'Malley said. "I read the packet, I ask a few questions to staff and I'm good to go."

O'Malley said his attendance and voting record during the regular council meetings was as strong as any other member.

The filing period for the six Colorado Springs City Council races opens Dec. 31 and will close again at 5 p.m. Jan. 21.