Chapel Hill Town Council member Matt Czajkowski announced he’s stepping down at the end of March.

“I apologize to the council and to my supporters for not completing the term to which I was committed, but I hope you’ll understand,” said Czajkowski at Monday’s town council meeting.

Czajkowski said he and his wife will move to Kigali, Rwanda, to work for Jibu to promote clean drinking water and economic development.

“It has not been an easy decision,” said Czajkowski. “My participation in the town governance, and as a council member, has meant a great deal to me and to Jill. But essentially, we either make the decision now or it doesn’t happen.”

He serves as Chief Financial Officer for the company, which provides small-scale financing to launch drinking water franchises.

Czajkowski has served two terms on the Town Council. He was first elected in 2007, unseating incumbent Cam Hill. In 2009, he challenged Mark Kleinschmidt for the mayor’s seat after longtime mayor Kevin Foy retired from local government. The race was one of the closest in recent history.

He won re-election in 2011. That term is set to end later this year. Czajkowski’s resignation leaves an open seat to be filled in the November election.

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