Burkman won’t seek re-election to Vancouver City Council

Vancouver City Councilor Jack Burkman says he won’t be seeking re-election to a fourth term. 

“At the end of each year I give a lot of thought about where I want to take my life in the upcoming year,” Burkman wrote on his Facebook page, explaining his decision to step down.

His wife is retired, their health is good, and they have a lot of grandchildren, he wrote. 

“Travel, family time, photography, time with our dogs, and more are all enticing,” Burkman wrote.

So despite his love for the city, Burkman said, he won’t be running to stay on the council when his third term expires at the end of this year. He made the decision early so other interested candidates have time to put their campaigns together. 

Burkman also served on the council from 1998 to 2001. He stepped down then to address a family crisis.

For 28 years, he worked at the former Hewlett-Packard Co. and once made a run for state representative as a Democrat but lost in the primary. He was re-elected to the city council again in 2009 and will step down at the end of December. 

“Jack has been a wonderful asset to our community,” said fellow Vancouver City Councilor Anne McEnerny-Ogle. “His attention to detail has helped us make decisions in numerous meetings. I’ll miss his sense of humor and our conversations on so many varied topics. Have you seen his photography? Have you tasted the family holiday toffee? He’ll be a terrific community adviser.” 

When The Columbian asked about the achievements he’s most proud of, he said that generally he’s future-oriented. Still, he said he was proud of being part of the team that led the city through the recession, having emerged stronger and with improved credit ratings. He cited Banfield Pet Hospital’s decision to move its headquarters and jobs from Portland to Vancouver and pointed to his role in C-Tran’s new bus rapid transit service project, The Vine, which launches on Sunday. He’s also pleased that the city of Vancouver decided to ban personal use of fireworks and also is proud of the strides made to create the new waterfront development park. 

Burkman is very active, and will remain so, on social media and in the community to connect and inform the city’s residents.