City council member Diana Ewy Sharp, who many had speculated would make a run for Prairie Village’s top office, has decided not to enter the race for mayor, she told the Prairie Village Post Friday.

Since being elected to the council from Ward 6 in 1997, Ewy Sharp has built a reputation as a fierce advocate for the city’s parks and recreational facilities. She said Friday she wanted to continue to focus on those areas through her position as a council member.

“I’ve had people in the community ask me to run for mayor, and local business owners offer their support,” Ewy Sharp said. “But I’ve decided that this isn’t the right time, and my energies could best be used working for our parks master plan on the council.”

Ewy Sharp said she was still weighing the decision of whether to run or not when she met with Mayor Ron Shaffer Friday morning. During the meeting, which Ewy Sharp requested, she discussed her priorities for the city with the mayor.

“It’s no secret I feel like I could offer something to that office someday, and Mayor Shaffer is aware of that,” she said. “But we’re so friendly here in Prairie Village, if I had decided to file, I wanted to let him know before I did it.”

Ewy Sharp characterized the meeting as “one of the most positive I’ve ever been in,” and said she and Shaffer agreed on a number strategic priorities for the area. Ewy Sharp said she would “take a strong look at running in four years.”

As of Friday morning, no one, including Mayor Shaffer, had filed for the April election. The filing deadline in Jan. 25.