By YachatsNews
A surge of candidate filings late last week has resulted in a handful of contested races for positions on school, college and fire district boards in the May 20 election.
Voters in school districts and special service districts elect board members in May of odd-numbered years not in the busy November election cycle where candidates can get lost in the shuffle of big-name politicians or issues. Instead, candidates run in usually low-key races in off-year May elections where voters can focus on the small districts that provide many local services.
Ballots will be mailed to registered voters April 30.
There are four seats on the Lincoln County School District board – zoned by area — up for election and three will have contested races.
Newport police chief Jason Malloy, who was appointed to the board last July, is opposed by George Marrazzo of Newport for the Zone 3 position on the board. Mitch Parsons of Lincoln City, who was appointed in January, is opposed by Lori Lashbrook for a two-year unexpired term representing Zone 1 on the school board.
Incumbent Sentilia McKinley of Waldport did not file for re-election for the school board’s Zone 5 seat, so Dave Cowden and Holly Brandwen, both of Yachats, will square off for that four-year position.
Board chair Peter Vince of Toledo is unopposed for re-election.
Three seats on the Oregon Coast Community College board are up for election, but there is only one contested race. Incumbent Chris Chander of Newport is being challenged for the Zone 5 seat by Catherine Roller of Newport.
The most interesting and hotly contested races may be in the small Seal Rock Fire District, which has three of its five seats up for election and two contested races.
Incumbent Paul Rimola is being challenged by volunteer firefighter Jeff Steere and Jeremy Garbina, a former Seal Rock volunteer who now is a full-time firefighter in the Central Coast Fire & Rescue District. Rimola has been a frequent and outspoken critic of Central Coast while Garbina has been criticized for leaving Seal Rock for a full-time, paid position at Central Coast.
Russell Harley was appointed to the Seal Rock board last year and is being challenged for the 2-year unexpired Position 2 term by TiAnne Rios of Seal Rock, who is best known for her involvement in the Waldport Beachcomber Days organization and its recent tussles with the city of Waldport.
Skip Smith is not running for re-election to his Position 5 seat; Andrea Summerlin of Seal Rock was the only candidate filing for that seat.
There are three seats up for election to the Central Coast Fire board. Two incumbents are unopposed and newcomer Judy Thimakis of Waldport is unopposed to fill the seat vacated last year when Josh Akin moved out of the district.
A scattering of contests
Other special service districts have some contested races.
There is one contested race for the North Lincoln Fire and Rescue District. Four of seven positions in the North Lincoln Health District are up for election, and two of those have contested races.
The Port of Newport has three commission positions up for election, but two incumbents are unopposed and three people – Larry Osborne, Bob Dziak and Curtis Bunch are running to fill the remaining two years on the Position 1 term left with the resignation of Walter Chuck, who was appointed last month to the Lincoln County commission.
The ports of Alsea and Toledo all have unopposed candidates for seats on their boards.
Three people have filed for Position 2 on the Seal Rock Water District board.
There are also three money measures on the May ballot – a $73 million building bond for the Lincoln County School District that voters throughout the county will decide, and operations levies for the Central Oregon Coast Fire & Rescue District and the East Lincoln Fire District that just voters in those district will determine.
Important dates to remember:
- Last day for candidates to submit voter’s pamphlet material: 5 p.m. Monday, March 24
- Voter registration deadline: April 29
- Ballots mailed out: April 30
- Election Day: May 20
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