Local elections will feature several races

Grand Coulee will have a new mayor, and a number of former council members from at least two cities have filed to return to municipal government, according to election filings posted by county auditors Friday.

Grand Coulee Mayor Chris Christopherson decided not to run again for his office, but Mayor Pro Tem Paul Townsend filed for the four-year mayor’s term.

Filings for Grand Coulee City Council seats saw Tom Poplawski, position 2; Erin Nielsen, position 4 and David Tylor, position 5, all filing. The position currently held by Townsend is open since he filed for mayor.

In Coulee Dam, two former council members, David Schmidt and Bonnie Femling have filed for council position 1, currently held by Shawn Derrick. Two council members who refiled for their positions will receive challenges from newcomers to town government.

Longtime Councilmember Ben Alling will be challenged by Herb Sherburne for position 4 and incumbant Ken Miles will be challenged for position 5 by Keith St. Jeor.

In Electric City, all open positions have candidates.

Birdie Hensley, a former council member who had resigned her position has filed for position 3, a seat to be vacated by Marie Chuinard, and will face Gladys “Carol” Nordine.

Newcomer to the council, Richard McGuire, has filed to retain his position 2 seat and will be challenged by Daniel Greely. Brad Parrish, who holds position 4 on the council, is being challenged by Launi K. Ritter. Lonna Bussert is running to retain her position 5 seat and is unchallenged. Mayor John Nordine will retain his seat as mayor since no one filed against him.

In Elmer City, Councilmember Don Bonertz in position 4 and Jessie Tillman in position 5 have both refiled and are unchallenged. Two open seats, positions 1 and 3, remain open.

In the town of Nespelem, three positions, 2, 3 and 5 remain open. Kathryn M. Womer was the lone person filing for position 4.

Tamra Sacchi has filed for the at-large position for a school board seat in the Grand Coulee Dam School District. Ken “Butch” Stanger and Carla Marconi filed to continue on the board and are unchallenged. Two positions remain open.

In the Nespelem School District, Annette Moses has filed for position 2 and no one filed on position 1.

The Coulee Parks and Recreation District took the biggest hit with four positions, 1, 2, 4 and 5 vacant. Bob Valen filed for position 3.

Clea Pryor has filed for position 2 in Hospital District 6.

In the Grant County Port District 7, two existing commissioners, James Keene and Gary Haag have refiled, and former Electric City mayor Gerald Sands has filed for the third seat.

Two have filed for positions in Okanogan County Fire District 2, Lloyd Olbricht for position 1 and Michelle “Shelly” Black for position 2.

Randy M. Fischer has filed for seat 1 in Grant County Fire District 14.