MARYSVILLE – John Soriano, the Marysville City Council’s longest-serving member and first Asian-American to serve on the council, announced Wednesday, June 8, that he will step down after 12 years to spend more time with family.

Soriano said he will finish out his third term through the end of the year, then move into a new chapter in life knowing that he leaves a positive legacy of public service.

“I have really enjoyed serving on the Council, and have built good relationships with fellow council members, directors and staff that I hope will last,” Soriano said. “I was proud to be part of a cohesive council that made many decisions that helped Marysville residents. Even though we didn’t always see eye-to-eye, we always respectfully agreed to disagree, and treated each other cordially.”

Soriano and his wife, Barbara, just watched as their only son Dustin graduated May 25 from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., earning a bachelor’s degree in Biology. Dustin will report to Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas to start pilot training. Soriano said the proud moment was one of the factors that influenced his course change to focus more on family.

Soriano, an Engineering Scheduler with 25 years at Boeing, said he has always considered himself an “average” guy who tried to fly under the radar on the Council. His track record shows otherwise.

Early in Soriano’s tenure, the city completed the downtown State Avenue improvement project from 1st to Grove Street and other transportation improvements, opened Ebey Waterfront Park and built the Marysville SkatePark on designs created with ideas from the young skateboarders who later became regular park users. In later years, he supported efforts to develop more retail to create a more reliable tax base, and encouraged more manufacturing and general economic development that almost brought a NASCAR track, then a four-year university to the Smokey Point Master Plan area now poised for significant manufacturing and light industry.”

NASCAR didn’t materialize, but it put north Marysville on the map; things are really about to pop there,” says Soriano. He hopes to remain involved with the city on economic development efforts. Soriano is also proud of the partnership that has grown between Marysville and the Tulalip Tribes, and applauds the development that has occurred in QuilCeda Village.

Soriano went to extra lengths to get to know small business owners in the community by attending chamber Business after Hours gatherings and other functions, and he served on the Marysville Healthy Communities Project Leadership Committee aimed at reducing obesity through more physical activity and healthier eating.

Soriano served on the Marysville Fire District Board, Public Safety Committee, Government Affairs Committee and Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters (LEOFF I) Disability Board, and served previously on the Chamber/City Committee, Golf Committee, Finance Committee and Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

He is most going to miss meeting with and being accessible to citizens on a regular basis.

“This is the most approachable level of government to citizens by far, and I always made every effort to be available,” Soriano said.”I want to thank everyone for the opportunity to serve,” Soriano says. “Getting to help people and taking part in making the city a better place has been a great experience in my life.”