AKRON, Ohio -- Mayor Garry Moneypenny announced his resignation Monday, eight days after taking office from longtime Mayor Don Plusquellic, over an inappropriate encounter with a city employee.

Moneypenny announced his resignation in a letter Monday afternoon, effective at midnight on Wednesday, June 10. He becomes the second mayor to resign in less than two weeks.

"Upon reflection, I believe that staying on as interim Mayor is not in the best interests of the citizens of Akron," Moneypenny wrote in an email. "I believe under the circumstances I would not be able to operate effectively and move the City forward during the next seven months. Therefore, I am resigning from the office of Mayor effective Midnight, Wednesday, June 10, 2015."

Who is Garry Moneypenny?

Council President Jeff Fusco, elected council leader last Monday on a 7-5 vote, will have first right of refusal to take over for Moneypenny. Fusco, who serves as Summit County Democratic Party chairman, told the Beacon Journal on Sunday he would be willing to take over as mayor.

Moneypenny told reporters on Friday that he would not seek election in November due to a "too personal" encounter that he had with an employee who came into his city council offices to congratulate him sometime during the week of May 24.

The Beacon Journal called for Moneypenny's resignation in a Sunday editorial.

Moneypenny's announcement Friday leaves Democratic candidates three days to file petitions to run for the September primary election, a race that will likely determine who is mayor in the heavily Democratic city. Plusquellic had named Moneypenny his favored successor.

"I would not have left if I didn't feel that he was the person who did this job and could do it well," Plusquellic said.

During the Friday press conference, Moneypenny briefly described the encounter with a City Council office employee, who he said came into his office to congratulate him. A congratulatory hug then turned into what Moneypenny described as a "too personal encounter."

So far, Councilman Mike Williams, long an opponent of Plusquellic's administration, is the only candidate to officially launch a campaign. Summit County Court Clerk Dan Horrigan and former mayor and current State Senator Tom Sawyer have also taken out petitions.