It’s Politics As Usual In Mad Dash Mayoral Race Looks Familiar, As Do A Host Of County Issues

Some voters may feel a bit of deja vu when they cast their primary ballots for the mayor of Spokane this fall.

Three of the 1997 mayoral candidates - Jack Geraghty, Sheri Barnard and John Talbott - ran for the job in 1993. Talbott and Barnard fell out in the primary, and Geraghty came away the winner.

Duane Sommers and David Howell also are vying for the post.

Talbott was among several last-minute filers who swept into the county elections office late Friday afternoon, filling out forms and assessing the competition.

It was the last day to file as a candidate for a myriad of positions.

One woman said she plumb forgot about the filing deadline.

“I just totally forgot,” said Barbara Cochran, who plans to run for the Airway Heights City Council. “I have two new grandbabies.”

Like many candidates who filed Friday, Talbott said he waited because he wasn’t sure he wanted to run.

“It was not until last night at 5 p.m.” that he committed to the race, he said, adding that he made his decision after listening to Barnard, Geraghty and Sommers on the radio.

Issues such as River Park Square, the Lincoln Street bridge and crumbling streets are symptoms of a troubled city government, Talbott said. “We’ve got no trust in government. … There is an erosion of confidence that is manifest in our city.”

Besides the mayor’s race four years ago, Talbott, 63, ran for the City Council against Orville Barnes two years ago, losing by just 106 votes.

Attempts to reach Howell were unsuccessful.

Other filings for the Spokane City Council on Thursday and Friday include:

Position One

Barbara Lampert, 51, a nursing aide who vowed when she turned 50 to run for office every year until she was 70.

“I believe in having goals,” she said. “I have opinions. I’m willing to do the work.”

Last year, Lampert narrowly lost the Democratic primary race for the 6th District Position 2 House seat.

Position Two

Robert Higgins, 49, who served on the council from 1982 to 1989. Now that his three kids are in college, he said, he’s got plenty of time to re-enter the political fray.

“I want to help mold Spokane for the next four years,” said Higgins, executive vice president of the Spokane Association of Realtors.

Higgins ran unsuccessfully for mayor against Barnard in 1989.

Ken Withey, 37, an energy management specialist for the Central Valley School District. “One of the easiest ways to bring issues up is to run, whether or not you win,” Withey said. “I think it’s really important to present all the information.”

Withey ran unsuccessfully for council in 1993 and 1995.

Charlie Greenwood, 47, who’s been active on the Peaceful Valley steering committee. The former Spokane County Freeholder currently is unemployed.

Greenwood said he frequently watches council meetings and thinks he’d do a good job.

Position Three

Harriet “Holly” O’Connell, 59, a small business owner who’s been active on the Spokane Horizons planning committees.

“I want to be a responsible voice for the working men and women of this community,” she said.

Here is a list of candidates in Spokane County judicial, municipal, school board and fire district elections.

Countywide

Superior Court: Judge Gregory D. Sypolt.

Cities and towns

Airway Heights: Mayor: Don A. Harmon, Margarite C. Cassidenti, Brian M. Grady, Verne Patten. Council No. 1: Dale R. Perry, John E. Holloway, Elizabeth Brush. No. 2: Claude A. Hicks, Florence E. Booher, Jerry McCoury. No. 3: G.C. Gadberry, Rich Miller, Patrick J. Carbaugh, Randall Heptner, Barbara Cochran.

Cheney: Mayor Phil Kiver, Eugene Ozust, William T. Trulove, Amy Jo Sooy. Council No. 1: Curtis D. Huff, Oliver H.P. McCord. No. 2: Clark A. Gainer Jr., Marliss J. Gregerson, Patrick M. McKeehan. No. 3: William J. Shaw, Annette Hendricks.

Deer Park: Mayor: Douglas C. Box, Kathleen P. Nuffer, Michael D. Wolfe. Council No. 1: Helen B. Cragun. No. 2: Patricia Barden.

Fairfield: Mayor: Melford Robinson. Council No. 1: No. 2: George V. Boleck. No. 3: Gerry M. McLean.

Latah: Mayor: Berry Tee. Council No. 1:. No. 2:. No. 3:. No. 4:.

Medical Lake: Mayor: James R. Hill, Sharalyn R. Stearns. Council No. 1: Ward A. Kaplan. No. 2: Shirley J. Maike. No. 3: Laura L. Parsons, Arthur F. Kulibert. No. 4: Judith Abbott. No. 5: Vivan E. Hill, M. Frances Harland, Lahnie J. Henderson, John W. Aiken Jr.

Millwood: Mayor: Jeanne E. Batson, Frank E. Cook. Council No. 1: Daniel N. Mork. No. 2: Richard Schoen.

Rockford: Mayor: Michael Fuchs. Council No. 1: Gary E. Hill. No. 2: Margaret A. Martinez, Ronald P. Roche. No. 3: Scott A. Hilfiker, Gary W. Wagner.

Spangle: Council No. 1: Jeneal A. Layton, Joseph D. Coombs, Kevin P. O’Grady. No. 2: Marcy A. Cockle, Philip T. Quinn.

Spokane: Mayor: Sheri S. Barnard, Jack Geraghty, Duane C. Sommers, John J. Talbott, David Howell. Council No. 1: Cheryl L. Rodgers, Barbara Lampert. No. 2: Judith A. Crook-Gilmore, Kenneth L. Whithey, Robert M. Higgins, Charlotte M. Karling. No. 3: Phyllis J. Holmes, Robert Schroeder, Steve Thompson, Holly A. O’Connell, Charles O. Greenwood.

Waverly: Mayor: James K. Carlson. Council No. 1:. No. 2: Robert L. Miller. No. 3:. No. 4: Robert G. Tensfeld.

School districts

Spokane School District: Position No 1: Donald A. Barlow, Eugene A. Hoff, Josephine A. McCann, G.F. Sjursen, David Robertson. No. 2: Rocco N. Treppiedi.

Orchard Prairie School District: Position No 1: Kenneth M. Lewis. No. 2: Stephen K. Flinn, Arnold E. McDonald, Holly G. Millar. No. 3: Debra L. Stephens.

Great Northern School District: Position No. 1: John Condon Jr. No. 2: Mary J. Patrick.

Nine Mile Falls School District: Position No. 4: Janet M. Johnston. No. 5: Joe Poss.

Medical Lake School District: Position No. 1: Chester A. Carothers Jr., No 3: Julie A. Albright. No 5: Margaret E. Schweikhardt.

Mead School District: Positon No. 1: Frank R. Hoover. No. 5: Bernard T. Hunt.

Central Valley School District: Position No. 2: Craig Holmes. No. 5: Gary Hann.

Freeman School District: Position No. 2: Joseph R. Dahmen, No. 4: David L. Koch.

Cheney School District: Position No. 1: . No. 2: Susan Lienhard.

East Valley School District: Position No. 3: June T. Sine. No. 4: Karen J. Cecil, Sandra K. Thompson, Susan N. Wentz. No. 5: Karl Wilkinson.

Liberty School District: Position No. 1: Michael F. Connelly. No. 2: Linda Booth DeFord. No. 3: Michael P. Dodson, Marie Tellessen. No. 4: George L. Engle, Roberta W. MacKay.

West Valley School District: Position No. 1: James A. Williams. No. 2: Robert M. Estey, Pete S. Schweda. No. 5: William J. Zimmer.

Reardan-Edwall School District: Position No. 1: Scot E. Anderson. No. 3: Tom B. Cresswell, Thomas E. Nesbitt. No. 5: Dennis Fiess.

Deer Park School District: Position No. 1: Larry Barden. No. 3: Joanne K. Greer, Phillip H. Bray.

Riverside School District: Position No. 1: Janet E. Hansen, Patricia M. Blair, Allen H. Lieske. No. 5: Mark S. Anderson.

Fire Districts

District No. 1: Position No. 1: Thomas R. Gregory Jr. No. 2: Joseph P. Dawson.

District No. 2: Position No. 1: Stephen T. Primmer, Duane W. Scheele.

District No. 3: Position No. 1: Ronald N. McKinley, Kevin Clark.

District No. 4: Position No. 1: James Lahde.

District No. 5: Position No. 1: .

District No. 6: Position No. 1: Robert E. Strasburg.

District No. 8: Position No. 1: Ralph E. Schaefer, Del W. Blaine.

District No. 9: Position No. 1: Patrick J. Kennedy.

District No. 10: Position No. 1: Rosier D. Foxworth, Jim Peirone.

District No. 11: Position No. 1: Rodney C. Jacot, David R. Trejbal.

District No. 12: Postion No. 1: Wiblur C. Janson. No. 2: Ervin Leitz. No. 3: Kenneth W. Clausen.

District No. 13: Position No. 1: Larry Pintler.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: UNOPPOSED POSITIONS Positions that have no candidates will have a special filing period that runs from Wednesday through Friday of next week. If no one files by Friday, the incumbent automatically retains the post.