Wagner drops out of City Council race

CEDAR RAPIDS - Former Cedar Rapids Parks Commissioner Wade Wagner announced Friday he is withdrawing as a candidate for City Council.

'There are simply not enough hours in the day for me to dedicate to my work, my family and city council,” said Wagner, 59. 'It would be very unfair of me to serve the city if I did not have the appropriate time to commit to such a service and City Council position.”

Wagner announced in February he would run for the District 3 council seat now held by Pat Shey, who is not running for re-election in the November municipal elections.

Wagner's withdrawal leaves Justin Wasson and Keith Rippy as the only announced candidates for the District 3 seat.

In his announcement, Wagner, vice president of the import-export company Royal DI Group, cited 'the increased demand on my time and the required international travel for my business” as a factor in his decision.

Wagner was parks commissioner under the city's commission form of government from 2002 to 2006. He ran unsuccessfully for a council seat in the new council-manager form of government in 2005 and 2015.

Wagner previously worked as a news and farm reporter for KGAN television from 1981 to 2001.

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