Edmonds Finance Director Shawn Hunstock announced Feb. 4 that he will resign next week to put his family first.

Many Edmonds officials were shocked and saddened to hear that they would have to say goodbye to Hunstock, who was hired as the city’s finance director in 2011.

“This comes as a bit of a surprise, as we have just completed a very effective budget conversation with the City Council, adopting a 2013 budget without too much fanfare,” Mayor Dave Earling said. “We are now gearing up to tackle the 2014 budget.”

Hunstock said he is trying to balance work and life, and he can’t do that if he continues to live a 1.5-hour drive from his middle school-aged daughter.

He has opted to choose family first and will be leaving the city to move closer, effective Feb. 20.

Earling said he appreciated Hunstock’s service and recognizes that he had accomplished a lot in a short time.

His accomplishments include facilitating the process for the city to adopt a balanced 2013 budget, implementing significant changes to the city's financial statements and reporting, drafting new reserve policies for the city, and stepping the city through a clean audit for 2011.

With the many changes to the city’s financial reporting system, Hunstock’s departure may lead some to worry about how Edmonds will proceed.

The mayor intends to hire an interim finance director until the city can complete an executive recruitment for a permanent replacement.

“My understanding is that everything will proceed ahead like it should,” said Council member Adrienne Fraley-Monillas, who is on the council Finance Committee.

“They’ll have a temporary replacement while they do a search for a new finance director. We’ll maintain the status quo.”

Fraley doesn’t minimize the job Hundstock has done either.

“He’s been phenomenal,” she said. “Shawn is very, very professional in what he does. He’s a major loss to the city.”

Hunstock said that it has been a pleasure to serve the residents of Edmonds, the mayor and the City Council the last year and a half.

“We have accomplished a lot during that time, and I am certain the mayor and council will continue the hard work we've started in addressing the city's long-term financial challenges,” he said.

“The city is on strong financial ground now, and I encourage the council and mayor to continue working on the Budgeting by Priorities process to insure city resources are allocated in a manner consistent with the expressed priorities of the community as outlined in the City's Strategic Action Plan.”