Schimmels seeks re-election to Valley Council

Longtime Valley resident and Spokane Valley City Councilman Gary Schimmels announced he will run for his fourth position council seat again this fall.

All seven seats are up for election this November. So far, Councilmen Mike DeVleming, Rich Munson and Steve Taylor also have filed their candidacy with the state’s Public Disclosure Commission. More candidates are expected to sign up in the coming weeks.

Schimmels said that in its two-year existence, the council has made good progress setting up the city and establishing contracts with Spokane County for policing and other services.

“There’s a good, long-term friendliness between the two entities,” he said.

“I think we’ve done very well as far as the council and the city as a whole,” he said.

Future challenges include issues surrounding wastewater, land use and city revenues, he said.

“We don’t need more taxes and other things with good growth and good management,” he said.

Schimmels, who will be 67 next week, has spent his whole life in Spokane Valley with the exception of two years in the Army. He has owned Affordable Lock Express for seven years and previously worked in construction.

He was an irrigation board member for more than 20 years, and said his political experience there and his familiarity with infrastructure issues from his years in construction give him an advantage in office.