Airway Heights Mayor Faces Three Challengers For Top Spot

The city of Airway Heights has become a civic-minded community this election season.

Fourteen candidates are seeking the mayoral post and three city council seats on the Sept. 16 primary ballot.

The top two vote-getters in each race will move onto the general election.

Some of the candidates say they’re running this year because of several key issues facing the community, including rapid growth and a proposal by the Kalispel Indians to build a gambling casino in Airway Heights.

In the race for mayor, three candidates are challenging incumbent Mayor Don Harmon, a supporter of the casino proposal.

The challengers are Verne Patten, a retired civilian personnel technician at Fairchild Air Force Base; Margarite Cassidenti, a former schoolteacher; and Brian Grady, an excavation company operator.

Harmon is unapologetic about his support for the new casino, which is awaiting an agreement from the state and the governor’s office before it can be built, he said.

The $17 million casino would bring about 650 construction jobs and scores of permanent jobs to the community, Harmon said.

“There’s a lot of people out here who would just die for a $20,000-a-year job,” Harmon said.

“The bottom line is it’s going to create a lot of jobs.”

Harmon said he’s worked hard to make Airway Heights a good place for growth. He helped bring improvements to U.S. Highway 2 and supported a bond issue for new sewers in the city.

Still, more work needs to be done to increase fire and police service in this city of 4,150, he said.

Airway Heights may see some substantial new development in coming years, including a new motel and a large, low-priced retail store, Harmon said.

Harmon also said the city’s participation in the Spokane Regional Transportation Council is an important asset for Airway Heights, where road improvements are essential to economic growth.

Patten makes no bones about why he is running.

“My main objective in running is No. 1 to get rid of Mr. Harmon,” he said.

Patten accuses Harmon of using his power in a high-handed manner, forcing people to go along with his wishes.

Patten said elected officials ought to do a better job of listening to the citizens.

“The mayor’s primary duty is public relations,” he said.

Patten said he opposes Harmon on the casino proposal. He said gambling has proliferated enough in the past decade or so, and he doesn’t want it putting down deep roots in Airway Heights.

In addition, Patten said the new casino would put high demands on the sewer and water systems of the city, which have limited capacity.

Patten said good growth planning is important in a place such as Airway Heights, which is growing faster than other parts of Spokane County.

Cassidenti, a former schoolteacher and retired employee of the former Crescent department store in Spokane, said she has been doorbelling extensively to get her message out to voters.

She believes the city needs to build a swimming pool. She also favors improvements to the highway, sewers and streets.

Cassidenti said that after living in Airway Heights for two decades, it’s time she got involved in city government.

Grady, who runs an excavation company, Grady Inc., is in the middle of his second full term as a city councilman.

He would give up his council seat to become mayor. However, if he loses, he would remain on the council.

Grady has lived in Airway Heights for nine years. His father is a veteran state representative in Helena.

Grady said he wants to run a positive campaign and isn’t attacking Harmon.

“I’m concentrating on running a nice, clean campaign,” he said.

He wants voters to know that he will have an open-door policy and listen to their concerns.

Grady said he will emphasize building the city’s infrastructure of sidewalks, streets and sewers. He wants safe zones for children and improvements in the city’s recreational programs.

, DataTimes