Issaquah Mayor Fred Butler announced Wednesday at the Issaquah Chamber of Commerce’s first luncheon of the year that he will not run for re-election in 2017.

Butler told the Reporter that his reason for not seeking a second term is that he does not want the stress and time commitment required for a campaign to take away from his duties to the community during the last year of his mayoral term.

“I did not feel like I could run a campaign and be mayor at the same time and serve our citizens,” Butler stated. “I did not want the campaign to distract from my duties as mayor … I want to devote my full time and attention to serving our citizens.”

Although he suffered a heart attack in April of last year, Butler assured the Reporter that his decision not to run had nothing to do with his health.

“The truth of the matter is, my heart is as strong as it was before the cardiac arrest,” he said. “I’m fully capable of being a completely-engaged mayor.”

Butler said that even after his days as mayor are over, he still intends to serve the community in any way he can.

“I will be looking for other opportunities to serve the region,” he said at the luncheon.

Butler was speaking as part of the chamber’s annual Issaquah Answers event, which gave attendees a chance to ask Butler and Issaquah School District Superintendent Ron Thiele any questions they had about the plans of the city and school district.

Before being elected mayor in 2013, Butler had served 14 years on the Issaquah City Council.