A baker’s dozen — 13 candidates — filed for the four Ocean Shores City Council seats as the filing period closed Friday afternoon at the Grays Harbor County Elections Department.
By Monday, the field was back down to 12 as incumbent Gordon Broadwell officially withdrew from his Position 7 seat.
That means only three of the four races will include an Aug. 1 primary before the Nov. 7 general election.
For City Council Position 1, incumbent John Lynn will be opposed by Susan Conniry a member of the Planning Commission and of the county Board of Equalization, and Michael Darling of the Parks Board and founder of the Ocean Shores Parks Foundation. The position is for a four-year term.
Position 3 is for two years, the balance of the term that Dan Overton was elected to in 2015 before resigning last year after taking a job in Olympia. Lisa Griebel , who was appointed by the council to fill that spot, filed for the position on opening day of filing, and she will be opposed by two-term Council member Jackie Farra (who switched from her current Position 5 seat on Friday), as well former Council member John Schroeder and Shannon Rubin, general manager of the Canterbury Inn and board member of the Ocean Shores/North Beach Chamber of Commerce.
For the four-year Position 5 seat, former Ocean Shores Finance Director (retired) Steve Ensley will be running against Will Oaks of Cockle Street, and Randy Scott, who was elected to the City Council in 2011 but did not seek re-election in 2015 after serving his term.
For the four-year Position 7 , Carlos Roldan originally filed for the seat on Monday, but then switched on Thursday to run for Position 3, before finally settling Friday on Position 7, joining former Council member Robert Crumpacker.
Races with three or more candidates will be on the Aug. 1 primary ballot.
Broadbent on Monday went down to the county courthouse in Montesano and withdrew from the race, saying he had decided to support Crumpacker: “It’s been brewing, and I talked to Bob. I didn’t make up my decision until this weekend.”
In the North Beach School District, all three candidates are running unopposed: Jeff Wilson for Director District 1 (two-year term vacated by Rob Paylor); Linda Poplin for Director District 2, and Rachel Carl for Director District 3, both four-year terms.
For North Beach area fire districts, two candidates have filed for Fire District No. 8 Position 1: Clinton Davis of Moclips and Stephanie Allestad of Pacific Beach.
For Fire District No. 7, Joseph Fernandez will face Jim Richards for Fire Commissioner Position 3 (a four-year unexpired term), while Darrell Haglund had no opposition for Position 2 (6-year term).
Coverage of the City Council elections will be carried in future print and online editions.
Candidate Town Hall
North Coast News editor Angelo Bruscas will moderate a Town Hall Candidate Forum July 16 from 1-4 p.m. at the Ocean Shores Lions Club, sponsored by the Ocean Shores Block Watch &Disaster Preparedness group. The forum will be video recorded by North Beach TV and broadcast on the radio by KOSW.
