AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — Aurora City Manager Jim Twombly sent a letter to the city announcing his plans to retire in April.

Twombly has been with the city for more than four years and said he’s looking forward to spending time with his six grandchildren who live outside Colorado.

Twombly thanked his co-workers and staff saying, “Of the four cities I have managed I have enjoyed my time with Aurora the most and that is unquestionably due to you, the people I work with.”

Twombly fires Police Chief Vanessa Wilson

Twombly was notably one of the officials who fired former Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson. He told FOX31’s Rob Low in April of last year that the decision was based on his own evaluation and conversations with officers.

“Chief Wilson prioritized community involvement,” Twombly said after Wilson was relieved of her position. “This is something we all recognize as a strength of hers, but there’s more to being chief, and that involves management of the police department.”

Wilson has not been permanently replaced, as of yet and the search continues for the next chief of police for the Aurora Police Department.

Former Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates returned to serve as the department’s interim leader after Wilson was fired in April.

The current interim chief, Art Acevedo, told FOX31 in December last year that his number one goal will be to reduce gun violence in a city that faces escalating crime rates.