Standish Town Councilor Jeffrey Burgess has resigned following a personal tragedy.

“The people of Steep Falls and Standish deserve a councilor who can devote more time than I am able to devote at the present moment,” Burgess said in his resignation letter to the town council on Dec. 4.

Burgress was not available for comment. He said in the letter that he is tending family matters relating to the recent death of his father and he plans to go back to school to develop his career.

He is currently the operations director of Catholic Charities of Maine and sells real estate for Benchmark Realty in Portland. He did not say which of those two occupations he is going back to school for.

Burgress, who lives on Cathedral Drive, was elected to the council six months ago.

“We’ll miss Jeff. He did some good things,” said Council Chairman Louis Stack. He said Burgress served on the Finance Committee and worked with the Economic Development Committee to secure a block grant for community development in Steep Falls.