Dr. Earl Perry, who represents District 1 in the Decatur County Board of Commissioners, has announced his intention to resign from his seat at the end of the 2012 year, citing health reasons.

During Tuesday’s regular board meeting, Perry told the other five commissioners that he had recently submitted a letter of planned resignation to Gov. Nathan Deal, in accordance with state law. Perry said he has had three major heart and heart-related surgeries at Emory Hospital, in Atlanta, Ga., since August 2011.

“Although the surgeries were all successful, it appears that the cumulative effect of these surgeries, combined with my 74 years of age, has deprived me of the physical strength that I need to perform my duties as I have done in previous years,” Perry wrote, in the letter.

County Attorney Brown Moseley said that 2006 state law allows for the remaining commissioners to appoint a Decatur County citizen to fill the remainder of Perry’s term, which runs through Dec. 31, 2014. According to the law, the appointee must reside in District 1 and is subject to the same qualifications as any other commissioner.

Moseley said there is no required deadline or time for the new appointment to be named.

Perry, explained that he was proud to serve the people of District 1 and Decatur County.

“It has been my very real pleasure to have served the citizens of Decatur County, and particularly those who live in District 1, for 10 years,” he wrote, in his letter to Deal. “It has been especially pleasing to be a white man who has been elected three times in a district with a voting population which is heavily black. It is with great regret that I submit this registration.”

Board Chairman Dr. Charles T. Stafford said he was appreciative of the help and knowledge that Perry showed him when Stafford was newly elected, and still learning to be a commissioner.

“[Perry] has been a very valuable player to our organization, as well as a very valuable help to me,” Stafford said.