Spokane Valley City Council Position 6
Bill Gothmann
Age: 67
Immediate family: Wife Myrna and adult children Sue, Bud and Mark.
Education: North Central High School, 1955; B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Gonzaga University, 1962; Master of Arts in Teaching, Whitworth College, 1972; Master of Business Administration, Eastern Washington University, 1984.
Person who has influenced you the most: Mr. Neumann, math teacher, North Central High School.
Favorite president (dead or alive): Ronald Reagan.
Job history: Professor emeritus since 1999 at Eastern Washington University, where he also served as chairman of the Department of Technology and an associate professor since 1990.
Since 1962, held positions at various engineering firms that include vice president of engineering, project manager, department head and consultant.
Also a member of Air National Guard from 1954-1964, textbook author and instructor at Gonzaga University and Spokane Community College.
Political experience: Spokane Valley Planning Commissioner and was its first chairman.
Member of the Road’s Transition Committee during incorporation, eventually writing its report.
Top three issues in your platform: 1. Neighborhood planning – Neighborhoods should have input into how their neighborhoods are developed and services are provided. 2. Comprehensive Plan – We need to develop a modern city center; the character of Sprague Avenue will change as we implement the plan. 3. Sewer – We need to solve the sewer capacity issue. Economic development could stagnate within the Valley if we are forced into a moratorium on building because of inadequate sewer capacity.
Why you are the best candidate for the position: I’ve remained involved with the city since incorporation.
I am helping to develop the comprehensive plan; this places me in an excellent position to implement it.
I have taken action on behalf of neighborhoods.
I know where to take this city.
Campaign Web site: www.bill4council.com
Funds raised for your campaign so far: $7,397.
Next campaign event: Chamber of Commerce candidate forum Tuesday.
First priority if elected: See that a Neighborhood Planning Guide is developed for the neighborhoods.
John Kallas
Age: 53
Immediate family: Wife Carlotta and adult children, Angela and Andrea.
Education: West Valley High School, 1970; B.S. in police science and administration, Washington State University, 1974.
Person who has influenced you the most: My father.
Favorite president (dead or alive): John F. Kennedy.
Job history: Retired after nine years as a detective with the Tukwila (Wash.) police department where investigated vice, gangs, narcotics and gambling on the Sea-Tac strip.
Became Spokane County’s first crime analysis officer during 12 years with the sheriff’s office and presently works as the fishing department manager at the Valley White Elephant.
Political experience: Previous candidacies for City Council and 4th district state representative.
Former vice-chairman of the Spokane County Democrats and currently a precinct committee officer.
Top three issues in your platform: 1. To provide the best police and fire services to our citizens and businesses. 2. Economic development by attracting businesses to our city, we must work with state representatives to correct labor and industries insurance problems and to change the business and occupation tax to a tax on net earnings and not gross earnings. 3. To improve transportation and infrastructure to meet the demands of now and the future.
Why you are the best candidate for the position: I represent fairness and impartiality. Enhancement of police services will occur as I propose ordinances that are both functional and enforceable, especially dealing with noise nuisances and soliciting vagrant problems. Citizen voices, however soft or loud, will be heard.
Campaign Web site: None.
Funds raised for your campaign so far: $100 self donation – requests that campaign donations be sent instead to the Red Cross for hurricane relief efforts.
Next campaign event: To be announced.
First priority if elected: I promise that I will make the city of Spokane Valley a safer place to live, and do business in, by negotiating an airtight police contract with the county where prisoners are temporarily booked at the police station, keeping officers on the street longer and also to take the “don’t” out of “We don’t investigate this or that.”
Ronald Dean Lippincott
Age: 34
Immediate family: Single.
Education: University High School, 1989; Associate of arts, Spokane Falls Community College, 1991; Bachelor of arts in Electronic Media, Eastern Washington University, 1999.
Person who has influenced you the most: My father.
Favorite president (dead or alive): Ronald Reagan.
Job history: Loan officer for Designated Mortgage. Also worked at Educational Service District and the Department of Corrections in broadcast production and has acted in television and film.
Political experience: None.
Top three issues in your platform: 1. Provide a business friendly environment that encourages job opportunities in our area by keeping a close relationship with our governor and legislators. 2. Any new revenue issues should go before the voters. 3. Making sure the community has the opportunity to provide important input on any growth in their area.
Why you are the best candidate for the position: As soon as you elect local resident Ronald Lippincott to the City Council, you will have an advocate for your well being. I can effectively communicate with our youth and seniors. I’m not biased and take a “common sense” approach to our local issues.
Campaign Web site: Under construction.
Funds raised for your campaign so far: Not accepting any monetary contributions prior to the primary.
Next campaign event: Continuously meeting with local businesses and groups to learn about their ideas for our city.
First priority if elected: Get our city planners together with the home owners and clearly define our objectives for our growing population.
Edward J. “Ed” Mertens
Age: 75
Immediate family: Wife Viola and adult children, Gail Marie, Edward Paul, Susan, Sheri, David, Tim, Peter and Ann.
Education: Gonzaga Prep, 1947.
Person who has influenced you the most: My father, John J. Mertens.
Favorite president (dead or alive): George W. Bush.
Job history: 30 years as owner of A&M Quality Heating and Air Conditioning in the Valley. Also, two years with Spokane Gas Co. and 15 years with Sears.
Political experience: Ran for Spokane Valley Council during the last election. State Legislature campaigns in 1974 and 1976.
Top three issues in your platform: 1. The growth management plan must be completed. 2. Resolving the waste management plant issue – we must control this. 3. Keeping taxes in control with public input – listen to the people.
Why you are the best candidate for the position: A city as large as ours must be run like a successful business. My past experience as a business owner can best be put to use by making sure this is done. We must keep in touch with those we represent.
Campaign Web site: www.mertensforcouncil.comFunds raised for your campaign so far: $1,650.
Next campaign event: General election.
First priority if elected: Get to know the people and their needs.
Chuck Parker
Age: 56
Immediate family: Wife Karin and two adult children.
Education: Woodrow Wilson High School, 1967; Associates in Arts, Green River Community College, 1974; B.A. in Recreation and Parks Administration, Eastern Washington State College, 1975; Masters in Teaching, Whitworth College, 2002.
Person who has influenced you the most: My mother.
Favorite president (dead or alive): Ronald Reagan.
Job history: Presently, substitute teacher for area school districts since 2002. Retired as senior sales manager from Phillip Morris USA in 2001 after 23 years there. Also worked as a machinist for Boeing and served as a sergeant in the Army.
Political experience: None.
Top three issues in your platform: 1. Public Safety – Appropriate levels of police and fire protection are required as the city grows to keep all citizens safe, including aggressive tracking and monitoring of sex offenders. 2. Bring government and city planning to a more grassroots level by requiring voter approval on new or proposed tax increases. Develop balanced land use and parks master plans. 3. I voted for incorporation. However I’m willing to place the incorporation issue before the citizens for a final vote.
Why you are the best candidate for the position: My business experience has prepared me to manage the city’s budget. I am a leader who will collaborate with constituents to tackle current and future city issues and be a voice for the city’s citizens and business.
Campaign Web site: www.parkerforcitycouncil.comFunds raised for your campaign so far: $1,050.
Next campaign event: Primary election.
First priority if elected: I will make a motion to place the incorporation issue on a future ballot. I believe all citizens should have the opportunity to be heard and that a final vote will help to unite the city’s citizens and we can move forward to develop as a great place to live and raise a family.
Dale L. Strom
Age: 56
Immediate family: Wife Clara; children, Timothy Seibert, 14, Lydia Strom, 11, Sophie Strom, 10, and adult children Brandon Strom, Joe Seibert, Bryson Strom, Philip Seibert and Lacey Strom.
Education: Wenatchee High School, 1967; B.A. in Urban Planning, University of Washington, 1971; Master’s in Public Administration, Eastern Washington University, 1984.
Person who has influenced you the most: Pershing Beglau, seventh-grade teacher at Pioneer Junior High School.
Favorite president (dead or alive): Abraham Lincoln.
Job history: Planner and grant administrator for the city of Spokane since 1976. Also worked as a planner for the Thurston Regional Planning Council and the Benton-Franklin Governmental Conference.
Political experience: None, other than working as staff with many great elected officials.
Top three issues in your platform: 1. Find an adequate, cost effective solution to the wastewater treatment situation. 2. Resolve the Sprague/Appleway couplet issue in a way that provides for adequate traffic flow and commuting patterns, while restoring vitality to the Sprague Avenue business corridor and not compounding the existing problem. 3. Implement a “Bridging the Valley” program, in order to provide for convenient vehicular movement while maintaining our railroad spurs, which provide job opportunities at many Valley businesses.
Why you are the best candidate for the position: Higher education and 33 years of experience with local government, interested in public policy development, founder of many new initiatives, willing to take risks, family man and have “suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.”
Campaign Web site: www.citizensfordalestrom.com
Funds raised for your campaign so far: $2,085.
Next campaign event: I’m going to doorbell your house, and say “Hi.”
First priority if elected: A prayer of thanksgiving, and to ask for wisdom for the task ahead.