He’s already tried twice and failed, but that’s not stopping City Council President Ray Miller from running for mayor again.

The 14-year council member announced his candidacy for the $800-a-month job this week.

“You could look at me as a two-time loser or say the third time’s a charm,” joked the 51-year-old. “I’ve been thinking about this since last year and figure I’ve got a few good years left in me and might as well give it one more shot.”

Miller joins the race with councilman David Sawyer. Councilman Dan Staglund has also picked up a petition to run for the post but has not yet announced. Current Mayor Ron Chaney has also not decided if he will seek re-election.

Miller, a high school economics teacher, said he wants the job to provide some stability for the city, which has four council seats up for grabs in November.

“We are going to have some turnover in city government and I’m trying to offer some continuity,” he said. “Based on my experience, I can best do that from the mayor’s position rather than from the council.”

With his teaching schedule, Miller said he will be able to spend three to four hours at City Hall and be a full-time mayor in the summer.

He has served on nearly every city council committee during his tenure and has been a salary negotiator for the Bonner County teachers union.

Last year, Miller’s negotiation efforts led to his filing a $1 million tort claim against the school district. The claim, still pending, said former superintendent Gary Barton called him at home and threatened to fire and physically attack him because of the salary talks.

On his priority list for the city, Miller said he wants to increase commercial growth to take the tax burden off residential property owners.

He also wants to wrap up several major city projects, such as relocation of the Union Pacific Railroad tracks through town and improvements on the town’s two drinking water plants.

“These things are falling together, and I would like to be in a position to fulfill them and get some common sense prevailing throughout the city,” he said.

, DataTimes