Former Council Member Attempting Comeback
Medical Lake
A veteran of the Medical Lake City Council is attempting a comeback in one of three contested races for council in this community of 3,790.
Lahnie Henderson is facing a strong campaign from John W. Aitken Jr., a newcomer to politics in Medical Lake.
The winner will fill the Position 5 seat of outgoing council member Howard Jorgenson.
It is one of five council positions on the ballot. Three positions will appear with only one candidate. However, the race for Position 4 has drawn a write-in contender.
Position 5
Henderson served 12 years on the council before resigning last year because of a time conflict with her job. She is an office manager for the Federal Aviation Administration at the airport and has lived in Medical Lake for 18 years.
She said she worked out the time problem and now can devote her attention to the council again.
Aitken, 45, has lived in Medical Lake for 30 years. He’s a graduate of Medical Lake High School and holds a geology degree from Eastern Washington University.
He is employed as a public works inspector for the city of Spokane.
Aitken said he’s running because utility bills in Medical Lake are exorbitant. He said a water bill by itself could cost $100 or more a month. Sewer bills have gone up in anticipation of the construction of a new treatment plant.
“Our rates have gone just astronomically high,” he said.
He blames Henderson for being part of the problem.
“She’s been on the council for 12 years and people see the results of all this,” he said. “If this is such good leadership and management, we shouldn’t be having these problems.”
New business won’t come to Medical Lake if utility rates are too high, he said.
Henderson said Aitken is overstating the cost of utilities.
She said the council has tried to keep rates in line with the costs of providing services.
Henderson said Aitken doesn’t have the experience or skill that she does. He doesn’t attend council meetings, she said, so he can’t be that well informed on city issues.
“I’m a citizen advocate with competent abilities,” she said.
Position 3
Council veteran Art Kulibert is facing a challenge from Laura Parsons, a parent educator for the Spokane Regional Health District.
Kulibert, 46, has served three stints on the council since the early 1980s. He was re-appointed to the council in 1992 and elected to a full term a year later.
He retired in 1995 from the Air National Guard as a lieutenant colonel after a military career as an aircraft navigator and operations commander.
He now works for North Star Equipment Inc. in Cheney, which sells pottery supplies. He has lived in Medical Lake since 1975.
He said he brings a strong financial background to the council and supports cooperation among the various governments on the West Plains.
Parsons, 36, works with parents who have histories of drug or alcohol use. She got her job with the health district after finishing a degree in applied psychology at Eastern Washington University in 1996.
She has lived in Medical Lake since 1987 and his been involved in youth sports, parent-teacher organizations, Scouts and classroom volunteering. She has three children.
Parsons said she offers a fresh look at city issues. “Medical Lake needs some new council members with new ideas,” she said.
Position 4
Joe Hixson has filed a declaration of write-in candidacy against Judith Abbott.
Hixson, 58, is a retired truck driver. He said he is concerned about high utility rates and wants the city to consider hooking to Spokane utilities.
Abbott, 61, is a longtime community activist involved in her church, neighborhood, business and civic groups. She said she felt it was the time to offer her services as a council member.
, DataTimes