Andy Wells has given a target for when he will resign as mayor of St. John's, kicking into gear an expected spring byelection.

Wells told St. John's city council's regular meeting on Monday evening that he will leave office by a very precise time: no later than 9 a.m. on the morning of Monday, March 3.

A minute later that morning, Wells will assume duties as the chair and chief executive officer of Newfoundland and Labrador's Public Utilities Board.

Premier Danny Williams, who announced Wells's appointment to the PUB in January, last week gave Wells an ultimatum, saying he must quit his post as mayor before he can start at the PUB.

Wells had intended to stay on as mayor until at least September, on grounds that a forced byelection would be too expensive.

Wells, though, attracted a flurry of criticism for attempting to collect two full-time salaries at once.

Wells said he wanted to stay on until March 3 so that he would remain eligible for life insurance through the weekend leading up to the start of his PUB appointment.