O'Fallon City Councilman Mark Perkins, Ward 5, announced Thursday night that he would resign effective Dec. 31.

Perkins, 52, has served six terms on the council. He said he was leaving because he wanted to focus on his new job. He declined to say what the new job is, except that it is the "private sector."

Mayor Bill Hennessy said he would appoint a temporary replacement to fill Perkins' seat by the first council meeting in January, scheduled for Jan. 12.

City spokesman Tom Drabelle said the city would post an application and qualifications on its website at www.ofallon.mo.us. The mayor, council President Jeff Schwentker, Ward 4, and Councilman Mike Pheney, Ward 5, would interview candidates.

Perkins said he told no one of his resignation before announcing it publicly at the end of the meeting Thursday. He said he did not want the news to interfere with that evening's discussion about the proposed sale of the city's trash and recyclables service.

Perkins owned a lighting company until April, when he shut it down due to the economy, he said. He said he recently found a new job that could require him to travel and work additional hours.

"My job is taking me to new horizons and I have to be available for it," he said.

In 1991, Perkins went to work for O'Fallon as a cameraman for the city's cable television productions. He was appointed to the Planning and Zoning Commission in 1993 and served until he won election in 1998 to a Ward 4 seat on the Board of Aldermen, which has since been renamed City Council. Redistricting changed his seat to Ward 1 in 2000. After four years off the council, he was re-elected in Ward 1 in 2008. Redistricting in 2010 changed his seat to Ward 5. Council members serve three-year terms.