When Watkins announced her plans in the meeting, she said: “I leave the board entirely fulfilled by the challenges, fulfilled by the rewards and the learning."

“There is no other opportunity like this, and I’m truly grateful for it. I just want to express that I’m going to miss you all. I’m going to miss each of you in this room and those who aren’t here today, those who are online and Chair Hendrick, I don’t know what I’m going to do without your new idioms to add to my language, and Judge (Assad), I don’t know what I’m going to do without your investment advice.”

Lombardo is expected to appoint a new member in the weeks ahead. Board representatives said they had no idea who Lombardo might consider for the appointment.

Watkins said she opted not to seek reappointment to the position after her term of office expires Jan. 26.

“I just think it’s time for me to move on,” Watkins said during a break in Wednesday’s meeting.

Watkins, an attorney, said she’s not sure what she will do next.

“I honestly am excited about the possibilities and the opportunities,” she said. “My mind is open, but I’m not yet sure what I want to do.”

For a brief period, Watkins served as acting chair of the board the month before Hendrick was appointed.

Watkins was in an unwanted spotlight in September when she was accused of racial discrimination in a lawsuit filed by the former Control Board Administration Division department head.

In a lawsuit filed Sept. 16, Jaime Black, a Control Board employee since 2014 and appointed to lead the Administration Division in June 2017, said in the seven-count lawsuit she was pressured by Watkins to engage in discriminatory hiring practices, then fostered a hostile work environment when she resisted.

Black’s attorney could not be reached for comment on how or if her departure would affect the lawsuit.

By Richard N. Velotta