Richard Marin and Mauri Moore stepped down from their Edmonds City Council seats Tuesday in a meeting marked by little other than their goodbye ceremonies.
Marin, who was appointed to the council in 2001, lost a reelection bid to Steve Bernheim in November. Moore ran unsuccessfully for mayor instead of defending her council seat.
As part of her final speech as a councilmember, Moore said she did not regret that decision.
“Now, you have two new councilmembers who will bring their own ideas to this body, and that’s really the only way to revitalize a representative democracy,” Moore said. Throughout her mayoral campaign, Moore trumpeted the city’s need for a fresh perspective in the mayor’s office.
The city honored both Moore and Marin with proclamations thanking them for their service.
Marin was appointed to the council in January 2001, and was elected in November 2001 and November 2003.
He served on a dozen different committees during his tenure, including the city’s Highway 99 Task Force and regional boards like the Snohomish County Health District, Community Transit and Sound Transit.
“His presence and attitude will be missed,” said council president Peggy Pritchard-Olson. “Due to (his) positive attitude and respect for all he came into contact with regionally and locally, he has earned the admiration of not only the city staff but the public-at-large.”
After November’s election, Marin quickly found other volunteer opportunities. He’ll soon accept a position with the city’s transportation committee, and he was recently appointed as a board member at the South County Senior Center.
It is important to stay involved and participate, he said. He didn’t rule out the possibility of running for future political offices.
“You don’t have to look around for long before you realize that other people have built so many of the things we take for granted in our community,” he said Tuesday night.
Moore said her work as a Spanish-language television producer is taking up most of her time currently.
Still, she’s looking forward to participating on city committees like the Community Technology Advisory committee she helped launch. That group has overseen the city’s broadband efforts, which Moore calls the “future of Edmonds.”
“She is to be celebrated for her enthusiastic support of the citizen’s of Edmonds,” Pritchard-Olson said. “She always listened and then thoroughly investigated their comments and suggestions and then did her utmost to bring some of those ideas to completion.”
Elected in 2003, Moore served on many boards and committees, including the Puget Sound Regional Council and the Snohomish County Economic Development Board.
Usually a contentious – if not a combative – councilmember, Moore left the council Tuesday with some final thoughts and considerations.
Moore said the council needs to work to gain independence from the mayor’s administration. Because councilmembers have busy careers, they need more support from the city, perhaps from a full-time council assistant, she said.
“I think it would be wonderful if you could find a way to get your own research done,” she said. “That would be my recommendation. That you get some back up help.”
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