When Gainesville Councilwoman Myrtle Figueras, long the lone African-American representative among the city’s elected leadership, announced last month that she would retire and not seek re-election to another four-year term this fall, it seemed like the beginning of the end of an era. Figueras has represented Ward 3 on the City Council, which includes Gainesville’s historic African-American neighborhoods, since 1996. She also served two stints as mayor before it became an elected position.