Aurora Ald. Emmanuel Llamas announced on Tuesday he is resigning as 1st Ward alderman effective Aug. 1.
In a live-streamed press conference from Aurora City Hall, Llamas said he has to step down because he has become the primary caregiver for his father, who was diagnosed earlier this year with stage four stomach cancer.
“As he undergoes the more aggressive portion of his treatment, I have decided to focus on him, his health and the overall well-being of my family,” Llamas said. “This is an extremely overwhelming and challenging time for me as a dedicated son, a present husband, a father of a 3-year-old and a 5-month-old, a business owner and a responsive alderman.”
By staying through Aug. 1, Llamas said he would be able to work with his successor “to have a smooth transition of leadership.”
Standing with Llamas throughout the announcement was Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, who thanked the alderman for his “service to the city of Aurora.”
He said he would begin taking applications from 1st Ward residents interested in replacing Llamas on Wednesday, and would take them through July 13.
“It’s my responsibility as mayor to make sure there is no interruption” to the business of the city, Irvin said.
Llamas has been the 1st Ward alderman for about five years, having first been elected in 2019 and reelected in 2023.
Llamas had been under fire from some residents who said he had been living in a property he bought on the far West Side of town, instead of in the northeast side 1st Ward. Llamas has insisted that while he owns several properties, he was still living in the 1st Ward.
During his announcement Tuesday, Llamas said he had planned to serve out his second term as 1st Ward alderman “and beyond.” He emphasized that the 1st Ward is where “my family has lived for generations.”
“But life has presented me with a different capacity in which I must be of greater service to my father and family,” he said.
slord@tribpub.com
