Athens NEWS Associate Editor Athens City Councilmember Pete Kotses said Monday that heâs resigning at the end of the week, bringing his three-term career as a member of the body to an early close after announcing in January he wouldnât seek another term. Kotses, an at-large Democrat, said in an interview that he decided to leave once it became clear that the primary to replace him was uncontested with Ben Ziff, a Donkey Coffee manager, pursuing the Democratic nomination. Itâs still possible that Independent candidates could surface in the general election. Kotses said his life shifted radically in 2020 after closing his bicycle shop, which monopolized much of his time over the years, contributing to his decision to step down from Council.