Edmonds mayoral candidate Diane Buckshnis on Friday conceded the election to her primary opponents, adding that she won’t endorse either of the frontrunners — incumbent Mayor Mike Nelson or challenger Mike Rosen — during the November general election.
“With gratitude to all Edmonds citizens, I am conceding the primary election for mayor,” Buckshnis wrote in a statement released Friday morning. “I want to thank all the folks that have supported me over these past thirteen years and, especially, to express my appreciation to my hard-working team and all the folks that supported my campaign.
“I truly believed that the Edmonds community yearned to be put on top of the organizational chart, desired a financial watchdog, wanted their neighborhoods protected, and longed for an environmental champion,” she continued.
A 13-year member of the Edmonds City Council, Buckshnis gave up her Position 4 seat to run for mayor. She was trailing both Nelson and Rosen in the latest election returns released Thursday, with 21% of the vote.
“The next mayor will need to pivot the city away from serious financial issues, address the code rewrite to protect our neighborhoods and environment/watersheds in a timely and cost-effective manner, deliver improved public safety, as well as bridge the divide created between the administration and council,” Buckshnis said. “Frankly, I believed my institutional knowledge and municipal government experience (including mentoring many councilmembers, working with four administrations, and dedicating thousands of hours to regional assignments) best positioned me to tackle these challenges.”
Buckshnis went on to say that “many have asked me who I am going to support but knowing these considerable issues I cannot in good conscience support either candidate. Still, I wish whoever becomes Mayor much needed luck,” she said.
“I’m looking forward to completing my council term on behalf of all Edmonds citizens. I’ll then continue giving back to the Edmonds community through my volunteering activities with the Senior Center/Edmonds Waterfront Center, Rotary (CASA ad litem and Edmonds Art Festival), Floretum Garden Club, Marsh volunteers, and of course, the Dog Park (woof).”
Diane has and is doing a great job for the taxpayers of Edmonds. I worked with Diane on our last levy project. Her extensive financial background was very helpful to help educate our levy team members about the ins and outs of city finances. Her extensive knowledge of our budget and budgeting process will once again serve our city as we enter this budget cycle. Thank you, Diane, for your thoughtful work and your continued support of Edmonds.
Very sad news. Thank you, Diane, for your years of service and dedication.
Keep it up Diane, this town still needs you.
I too would like to thank Diane for her service to our community. We should all be grateful to have citizens like Diane who are willing to dedicate over 13 years to the city with little reward other than loving the city she represented. We will be losing a person with deep institutional knowledge, but knowing Diane, I’m sure she will be seen around town engaged in one way or another.
It’s been an honor to serve alongside Diane, and I look forward to continuing to serve Edmonds (in new capacities) with her in the future!
You rock Diane! Edmonds voters really blew it this time. On the other hand, I think you are actually the lucky one of the four. Folks, you can now plan on even higher taxes and wasteful spending no matter who wins. We think the comp plan update might now be in the 1 million $ range counting the $650,000 consult fee, just passed. No details yet on what consultants hired up to date have cost. Sharpen your pencil and stay healthy Darrol H. We need you now more than ever. Assuming anyone will actually listen to you that is. Hope springs eternal.
Diane has been a financial level head on the council. I hope Edmonds will find a way to use her expertise in the future. If not, it will be our loss.
Dorothy Sacks
I met Diane before she was a member of City Council. As a citizen, she showed an interest in a matter that was very important to me.
Following is a link to the story about when she became a Councilmember. I like reading these old stories for their historical perspective:
https://myedmondsnews.com/2010/01/diane-buckshnis-appointed-to-fill-vacant-city-council-seat/
I’ve had my ups and downs with Diane over the years but am very thankful for her service. I’ve never doubted Diane’s heart for Edmonds and the sacrifices she has made on the behalf of others is off the charts. Council pay is so miniscule that it is almost a volunteer position. And Diane has volunteered much more of her time than just as a councilmember. Her efforts to make Edmonds better have been consistent and persistent. She is a hard worker.
I hope she is named Citizen of the Year this year. That would be an appropriate honor for Diane as she winds down her time on City Council.
Amen Brother Reidy. Citizen of The Year is the least we can do after that cheap shot LTE she got hammered with. In my view, those people aren’t fit to carry her notebooks, let alone judge her relative competence to be our next mayor. And yes, I’m a bit of a sore loser while in the end she is a happy “winner.”
My thanks as well to Diane for her service to Edmonds. Whether you agreed or disagreed with her policy and program likes and/or dislikes, CM Buckshnis was always, in my experience, willing to consider the thoughts and input of residents of this community. Her areas of focus were critical. Her questions to city staff during meetings insightful and on point. She will be missed in elected office.
Thank you, Diane, for your years of service.
Thank you Diane for your years of hard work.
I would like to say Thank you to Diane Buckshnis. I always enjoyed you so much at the CC meetings. I liked how you were I thought more fiscally cautious to help our city and our taxpayers. You know so much about the finances in Edmonds and environmental. Diane was not afraid to speak up and speak her mind. I found her to be an honest person and not one that was focused on their own areas but on the whole city. I also think that it is important now to vote wisely in our November election. I do not know Mike Rosen personally or M Nelson, but I do think that Mike Rosen is more likely to serve and care about all citizens of Edmonds than M Nelson. Just my opinion after watching for 5 years. I have lived here for 32 y. I think although Mike Rosen may spend don’t know) I think it will be for all in Edmonds. So I am voting for Mike Rosen in November as I do not want our Edmonds to be Ballard or Seattle as to me, they are much different. Not horrid just not like Edmonds or Snohomish County.
My deepest gratitude to Diane for her many years of service to Edmonds. Thank you Diane!
A true critical thinker – her absence in our elected structure will be a huge shortfall for our city.
I cannot fathom why people in this town don’t vote based on actual accomplishments of the person. Diane is clearly dedicated to listening to her constituents, hiving careful consideration to the potential outcomes using analysis and facts to inform her position. She is also forthright and unafraid to question (like it or not!)
If people made decisions on actual performance then, the general election might be between Diane and Mike Rosen.
If you would have voted for Diane but didn’t vote, think long & hard about that. You get what you get.
I’m planning to write Diane’s name in for CM Position 7!
WHO’s IN?
I have forgotten who is running for position #7 for CC Elizabeth? Thanks.
Elizabeth, I appreciate your advice to write in Diane as a candidate in the General for one of the city council positions. But in order to have your vote counted, Diane would have to file as a write in candidate for that position.