Many seats, few candidates

Twenty-five candidates filed for 21 West Plains seats up for election at the close of the filing period last Friday, meaning most seats will have one candidate for voters to chose from in the general election, Nov. 3.

There will be several races to watch, of which the most interesting could shape up to be for two of three slots on the Cheney School Board. That number might have been three, but incumbent Rick Mount withdr ew his name late Friday afternoon.

Mount, who has served since 1996, cited several reasons for his decision, including taking on a more demanding leadership position in his church and getting married this coming July. But while time commitments are more demanding, he felt change might be good.

“I just thought it was time for some new blood,” he said. “I still have the passion for kids and making sure each generation has opportunities.”

Mount said he would have sought another term if no one had filed for the position. Friday, Cheney resident Stacy Nicol filed for Mount’s Director District 4 position, and after talking with friends, Mount said he felt comfortable withdrawing.

That leaves two contested races for non-partisan positions on the five-member board that currently oversees an annual school district budget in excess of $44 million. The race for Director District 3 — which covers part of Four Lakes, the areas north of Four Lakes and west of Spotted Road, including part of Airway Heights — pits incumbent Henry Browne against challenger and current Airway Heights Mayor Patrick Rushing. The race for Director District 5, encompassing Garden Springs and the Windsor area, features incumbent James Whiteley against challenger Mitch Swenson.

In council seats, Airway Heights will get a little new blood of its own, although it has only one contested race, that for Position No. 5 between challenger Larry Bowman and Councilman Jack Collins, who is vacating his Position No. 3 seat to run for Position No. 5. Newcomer Aspen Lynn Monteleone is running uncontested for Position No. 3, while incumbent Dave Malet is running alone for Position No. 7.

There are no contested races for the four council positions in Cheney. Incumbents Doug Nixon, Ryan Gaard and Jill Weiszmann face no challengers while Realtor Dan Hilton is unopposed for the Position No. 7 seat vacated by Graeme Webster, who steps down after six years on council.

Medical Lake’s only contested council race comes for Position No. 7 where Don Kennedy and Jessica Roberts will vie for the seat vacated by Art Kulibert, who is not seeking re-election. John Paikuli and Laura Parsons are unopposed to retain their No. 1 and No. 5 positions.

Incumbents Rod Von Lehe, Felicia Jensen and Ronald Cooper are unopposed for director positions on the Medical Lake School Board. The only other contested race locally will be for Spokane County Fire District 10 Commissioner Position No. 2, which pits incumbent Ken Pegg against challenger Susan Leonetti.

Robert Harris is running unopposed for the Spokane County Fire District Commissioner Position No. 2 of Ron McKinley, who is not seeking re-election, and Buster VanCara is unopposed at the Four Lakes Water District 10 Commissioner Position No. 2 seat.

The only position on the West Plains with no candidates filing is the Williams Lake Sewer and Water District’s Commissioner Position No. 1.

John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].

* West Plains contested races

Airway Heights Council Position 5

Larry Bowman

Jack Collins

Medical Lake Council Position 7

Don Kennedy

Jessica M. Roberts

Cheney School District Director Position 3

Henry C. Browne, Jr.

Patrick Rushing

Cheney School District Director Position 5

James Whiteley

Mitch Swenson

County Fire District 10 Commissioner 2

Ken Pegg

Susan Leonetti