UTICA, N.Y. -- A Utica councilman who spent almost a decade in office died over the weekend. Bill Phillips died Saturday night after a fight with pancreatic cancer.

"He would do anything for his family, first and foremost. He was always about somebody else. Was never about himself," Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri said.

"Pancreas cancer is pretty rare form of cancer. It's usually one of the most aggressive cancers though," Mohawk Valley Health System Radiation Oncology Medical Director Karna Sura said.

One symptom of pancreatic cancer is jaundice or the yellowing of the skin or eyes, but it can be a difficult cancer to detect.

"It's so rare to have it's unlikely that screening will help. Now new technology such as blood tests or urine tests may help and kind of figure that out, but that needs time."

Phillips was a retired corrections officer before he made the jump to politics. He represented the Cornhill neighborhood of the city and he was a key factor in improving the infrastructure of the area. He was also an advocate of community policing.

"He really was a strong supporter of the school system, even though he was on the Common Council, but also the relationship between the police department and the people within the community," said Utica Common Council President Michael Galime.

"He understood the fiber of the City of Utica and the growth, and how to bring the 5th District into an area that if we look at it today is much better than it's been in a long time and that's because Bill had the ability to build bridges," said Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri.

Phillips was 62 years old.

For now the City is grieving the loss but will soon have to determine how to move forward.

"I think we'll go through the mourning," Palmieri said. "I think we'll understand what Bill meant to the community and I think then we'll have to look at what's the next legal procedure."