Eight, including 5 Spokane Valley council members, to seek election in fall

Spokane County Candidate filing week doesn’t begin until May 15, but that’s not stopping Spokane Valley City Council candidates from registering with the Public Disclosure Commission so they can begin fund raising and campaigning.

The City Council weathered some turbulence last year when two members, Dean Grafos and Chuck Hafner, resigned in protest and Bill Gothman stepped down after serving temporarily as councilman.

At one point that left the council with just four members: Mayor Rod Higgins, Arne Woordard, Sam Wood and Ed Pace.

The council went through the exercise of taking applications three times, interviewing candidates and appointing a new member to finish a term.

In Spokane Valley, council members are elected by position but last year’s shuffling means five seats are up for election this fall. The five incumbents have all filed with the PDC:

• Position 1: Higgins
• Position 2: Appointed Councilman Caleb Collier
• Position 4: Pace
• Position 5: Appointed Councilwoman Pam Haley
• Position 7: Appointed Councilman Mike Munch

Former city Councilman Ben Wick has thrown his hat in the ring against Pace, and Albert Merkel is challenging Higgins. Brandi Peetz also filed with the PDC on Tuesday but has yet to name a position.

The mayor of Spokane Valley is selected among council members after the election.