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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Medical Lake mayor faces challenger for office

Last October, the Medical Lake City Council chose D.C. “Terry” Harland as interim mayor to complete the last year of Mayor Jim Hill’s term after Hill decided to move outside the city limits.

Harland, 85, was the senior council member, serving for 18 years. Now he’s running to keep the mayor’s job.

Harland moved to Medical Lake in 1984 and retired 20 years ago. He worked as a manufacturing reactor fuel supervisor at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, leaving in 1971. He also owned a Western Auto Store in Centralia, Wash.

Harland is an active member of the Association for Washington Cities small cities advisory committee. He has earned the Advanced Certified Municipal Leader’s designation and is also on the board of directors for the Industrial Development Corp. for Spokane County.

“I would like for the city to continue in a positive manner as it has in the past,” Harland said. “I would like to increase city revenues and the tax base.

“We have developed some new businesses, but we need more,”

Harland also wants to replace the city’s expired wastewater processing agreement with the state and said he wants to improve city parks.

John Higgins wants to bring new ideas to city hall. He is challenging Harland for the mayor’s position in the Nov. 8 election.

The 58-year-old is married and has four children. He’s a third-generation Medical Lake resident, and this is his first time running for political office.

A Vietnam veteran, Higgins works at Medical Lake High School as a para-professional in the special education department. He also coaches varsity softball and freshman football.

Higgins would like the city to work with businesses to offer more activities for the youths, such as a bowling alley or theater. He wants to increase the city’s tax base and revenues.

“Instead of helping businesses in town, I think we’re hindering them as far as our regulations,” Higgins said. “I think they’re more inclined to say, ‘You can’t do that’ instead of ‘How can I help you?’

“Our City Hall needs to be more open and friendly.”

Five of seven Medical Lake City Council seats are up for election, but only Position 3 is contested.

This is the first time both candidates, Arthur Burton and Crystal Schulte, have run for office.

Burton, 41, is married and has two children. He has lived in Medical Lake for five years and served 14 years in the Air Force, some of that time at Fairchild Air Force Base.

He works as computer contractor on the base.

“I’ve always been interested in politics and history, so I decided to run,” Burton said.

“Keeping Medical Lake a small, growing, family-oriented community is important, and I’d like to work to keep Medical Lake parents and the school systems working together as a team.”

Schulte, 31, is a lifelong resident of Medical Lake, married with two children.

She attended Medical Lake public schools and Spokane Falls Community College and is an independent distributor of nutritional products.

Schulte’s campaign motto is “Vote for your voice.”

“A lot of times people don’t feel confident getting up in front of meetings and stating their opinions; I want to be their voice,” Schulte said. “I want people to come to me and let me know how they feel.”

While talk of offering sex-offender housing in Medical Lake has quieted down, Schulte said she wants to be on the City Council to oppose the proposal if it resurfaces.

In the other council elections, Brenda Redell is running unopposed for Position 1; as are Shirley Maike for Position 2, Jeff King for Position 4 and Art Kulibert for Position 7.