Mayor James Lauinger announced today that he has withdrawn his candidacy for the Kirkland City Council.

Ford of Kirkland CFO Amy Walen and Kirkland Planning Commission member Karen Tennyson announced they will run for Position 5, currently held by Lauinger.

He said the past eight years of his Council service has been rewarding, however, “my past two years on the Council as Mayor … have not been without controversy and personal difficulty. As I watch the formulation of the next Council I believe that I can play a role more effectively as a citizen activist rather than a candidate.”

He added that he plans to be involved in this Council election and plans to publicly endorse those candidates “who support broadly held community values and who will bravely reject the narrowly focused agenda of outside development interests.”

He challenged the new Council to set aside differences and remember “it is the citizens they represent” that deserve a Council “focused upon preserving a quality of life we all currently value.”

He will return all financial contributions in full.