Ark Valley News - Race for mayor set with two hopefuls

Race for mayor set with two hopefuls
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: January 29, 2015

The election ballots are set, and races are shaping up for several seats in area city councils.

Jan. 27 was the deadline for candidates to file for the spring elections.

Laurie Dove, a Valley Center City Council member, and Jaque Davis, who works for the Valley Center school district, will square off for Valley Center mayor.

Longtime Mayor Mike McNown has decided not to seek re-election.

For the Valley Center City Council, which has four seats up for election, Judith Leftoff has filed for re-election to a second four-year term in Ward 1, which is primarily the northwest part of the city. Leftoff will face newcomer Dale Kerstetter.

In Ward 2, which is the northeast part of the city, newcomers Gina Gregory and Ricky Shellenbarger will square off for the seat held by Terry Ishman, who decided not to run for the position. Shellenbarger is on the city's planning commission.

Dove currently holds a Ward 2 seat. If Dove wins election as mayor, a representative will be appointed to fill her council seat. If Dove loses, she will retain her council position.

In Ward 3, which is the southeast part of the city, incumbent Marci Maschino is seeking re-election. No one else has filed.

In Ward 4, which is primarily the south and west part of the city, Ben Anderson has filed for election. Anderson is currently filling an unexpired term on the council.

The general election will be April 7.

The newly elected council members will take office during the April 21 city council meeting.

In Park City, Jim Schroeder and Mike Alumbaugh have filed for a Ward 1 council seat. Alumbaugh is the incumbent. Chris Johns has field for the Ward 2 post. Johns was appointed to the seat in 2013. George Capps (Ward 3) and Tom Jones (Ward 4) are seeking re-election and don't have challengers.

In Bel Aire, two people have filed for the mayor's seat. David Austin will be seeking re-election, while Andrew Uhlschmidt has filed as a candidate. Six people have filed to seek two at-large city council seats. They are incumbents Ken Lee and Betty Martine and newcomers Jeanette Clement, Michael Gordon, Jeff Oldenettel and Stephen Scholtz.

Four people have filed for three at-large city council seats in Kechi. They are incumbents Kevin Opat, Brian Adams, David McConnaughhay and newcomer Michael Hoffman.

Rhonda Price and Roger Joyal have filed for re-election to the Valley Center school board, while newcomers Dawn Stiglitz and Sara Osterman also have filed for election. Their names will be on the April 7 ballot. Barring a successful write-in campaign by a fifth candidate, all four will be elected to the board's four at-large seats — those currently held by Price, Joyal, Colin McKenney and Dave Spears. McKenney and Spears declined to file for re-election.