The Gun Barrel City Economic Development Corp.'s Board of Directors elected new leadership in the wake of resignations by the agency's president and the City Council member who served as the liaison officer.

Veteran Councilman Curtis Webster submitted a letter of resignation to city officials on Sept. 26 citing "health problems." In an interview Sept. 29, he said the stress of trying to get an EDC budget prepared the council would approve caused him to suffer high blood pressure.

"It's stress, extreme stress," Webster said. "It was just too much. It was just time for me to leave."

Webster said his history of heart trouble that forced him to undergo triple-bypass surgery and a pacemaker implant almost a decade go led him to the decision. The "constant bickering" between EDC officials and council members caused him concerns about the possibility of his health failing, he said.

Webster served as a council member for five and one-half years and as a member of the EDC board for two years. His third term as a council member would expire in May 2015.

EDC President Linda Rankin announced her resignation in an email broadcast about an hour before an emergency meeting she had scheduled for the EDC to elect new officers and further debate the budget. Her email said only that she would not be at the meeting because of her pending resignation.

Councilman Marty Goss, a longtime critic of Rankin who twice tried to get her removed from the EDC, said he suspected she had learned the current board members planned to eject her from the position of president.

Rankin did not return several calls seeking comment on why she planned to resign. On Monday afternoon following the EDC meeting attended by one of her strongest supporters, Rankin posted the Facebook message, "When I shut my mouth and turn to walk away, it doesn't mean you've won. It simply means your stupid ass isn't worth anymore of my time."

The EDC board elected David Skains as president, Rob Rea as vice president, Gary Damiano as treasurer and Patsy Black as secretary. All but Damiano are new board members recently appointed by the council to the EDC board. The new council liaison officer will be Councilman Ronald Wyrick.

The board then adopted a new budget that Goss said he approved. It rejected only two of his suggestions.

The EDC's 2014-2015 budget is $477,450.

Pictured below are Webster, Rankin and Goss.