Mayor's press secretary resigns

Mayor Thomas M. Menino's press secretary has announced he is leaving his post next week to pursue a freelance writing project.

The resignation of Seth Gitell, press secretary since May 2003, is the latest in a string of departures of high-level officials in the mayor's fourth term. Menino's chief of staff recently departed, his commissioner of public works has retired along with the city's fire commissioner. Police Commissioner Kathleen O'Toole will leave in coming weeks for a job in Ireland, and Superintendent of Schools Thomas W. Payzant is set to retire next week. Replacements for those positions have not been named.

Gitell presided over media relations during some of the best and worst times of Menino's tenure, including the aftermath of massive cuts in state and federal funding in 2003, the city's hosting of the Democratic National Convention in 2004, and skyrocketing violence that left the city with a 10-year high in the number of homicides last year.

``It has been an adventure," Gitell said in an interview yesterday morning. ``You live the life of the city, and whatever's happening affects you."

He said he plans to write a piece for The Atlantic Monthly about the effects of the Vietnam War on his father, a former member of the Green Berets and 20-year Boston cabdriver who is now retired and living in Las Vegas.

Gitell said he is leaving City Hall ``on good terms."

``There's no better school for politics than City Hall," he said. ``And there is no better teacher than Mayor Menino."

Gitell said he told the mayor about his intentions last month, and Menino told other city officials yesterday. Gitell's last day will be June 30.

Donovan Slack can be reached at dslack@globe.com.