Former Edmonds City Councilmember Ron Wambolt on Wednesday formally announced his candidacy to reclaim the Edmonds City Council seat he lost to current Councilmember Adrienne Fraley-Monillas four years ago.

“With our city dealing with a number of critical issues, coupled with the urging of a number of citizens who are personally well aware of my abilities, I have enthusiastically filed for re-election,” Wambolt said in a statement sent to My Edmonds News.

A retired business executive, Wambolt was a first-term councilmember when he lost his Position 3 seat in the August 2009 primary to both Fraley-Monillas and Lora Petso. Fraley-Monillas went on to defeat Petso in the November 2009 general election, but Petso was appointed the following year to fill the Position 7 seat left vacant with the resignation of Councilmember Dave Orvis. Fraley-Monillas, a retired adult training program supervisor from Fircrest School, announced last month that she is seeking re-election to her Position 3 seat.

Wambolt, who regularly attends and testifies at council meetings as a citizen, has stayed active in city affairs since leaving the council. He currently sits on the City Parking Committee, the Community Technical Advisory Committee  and the Highway 99 Task Force. He also serves on the city’s ad hoc committee studying the feasibility of a Metropolitan Park District.

Wambolt lives in downtown Edmonds, while Fraley-Monillas lives in Southeast Edmonds’ Lake Ballinger neighborhood. During her campaign announcement, Fraley-Monillas noted that she is one of only two councilmembers residing outside of the downtown Edmonds “Bowl.”

“It has been widely communicated that our city’s expenses are projected to exceed revenues by the end of 2014; that situation must be quickly remedied to keep the city financially sound,” Wambolt said in his statement. “We have spent considerable time and money developing a strategic plan for our city; now it needs to be appropriately implemented. There has been no redevelopment in our business district zones in the past 7 years; the Planning Board’s recommendations to help fix this situation, made in August 2011, need to be dealt with in a more timely manner.”

Wambolt promised to “use my extensive business career experience, as well as my 10 years working with our city on issues, to help move those and other issues forward. ”

Among those endorsing Wambolt are Edmonds Mayor Dave Earling, former Edmonds Mayor Gary Haakenson, Edmonds Councilmember Frank Yamamoto, former Edmonds Councilmember Jeff Wilson, former Edmonds Fire Chief Tom Tomberg, Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Jim Orvis, former Edmonds School District Assistant Superintendent Marla Miller and Edmonds Police Foundation member Darlene Stern, widow of late Edmonds Police Chief David Stern.