Newtown resident Kyle Lyddy announced to The Newtown Bee on April 11 that he has decided to step down from his position as chairman of the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial Commission (SHPMC) and will no longer remain a member.

Mr Lyddy was sworn into the commission on October 7, 2013, along with 11 other original members. He has been part of every major decision the group has made thus far, from selecting a property for the memorial, to narrowing down design submissions, to compiling feedback on the top designs from 12/14 families and the Newtown community.

In what he is calling a "bittersweet moment," the decision to no longer be part of the commission comes just shy of the group's scheduled monthly meeting where they will be going over the design feedback they received from the public.

His resignation announcement states:

"Unfortunately, as we all recognize, the pace of life picks up. At this time, I unable to commit fully to this project which would not be in the best interest of representing this Commission.

"While I understand the timing of this process is at a critical juncture, I'm confident the groundwork has been set for an outcome that will be well received.

"Please understand that I have taken great pride in this project and as we've hit road blocks, we've overcome them, which has put the Commission in a place of promise. I'm confident that I leave with a set of ideas on the table that will help propel a plan forward.

"I'm humbled to have been a part of this group - it's one that has respected each other's ideas, thoughts, and emotions during this very difficult task. I wish this work never had to have been done and am so sorry to each of those who have been impacted so deeply by this tragedy."

First Selectman Dan Rosenthal is anticipated to be leading the upcoming SHPMC meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 12, at 7 pm.