Candidates make their appeal to voters at Forum

DAYTON–Candidates running for various positions in the November 7 General Election were presented at the community forum hosted by American Association of University Women on October 4. The event was facilitated by AAUW member Leah Stockton at The Liberty Theater.

Candidates running unopposed included recently appointed Auditor Will Hutchens and City mayoral candidate Roger Trump. Both candidates for Port Commissioner No. 2 attended – Mike Spring and Randy Schafer. Joann Patras, who is running for City Council Position No. 4, was in attendance, though her opponent Devin Greenup was absent.

All candidates for positions for the proposed parks district commission were present – three of the five seats are unopposed.

Many candidates running unopposed were not present, including incumbent candidates for Dayton School Board Aneesha Dieu, Zac Fabian and Grant Griffin, as well as City Councilmembers Shannon McMillen and Kyle Anderson. Hospital District candidates for Commissioner No. 2 were also absent – incumbent Colleen Sproul and opponent Lindsey Anderson, as well as appointed Commissioner No. 5 Jamie Smit who is unopposed.

Will Hutchens is currently serving as county auditor and is seeking to retain his position. He spoke of his intense on-the-job training over the past several months since being appointed. His previous experience has included the bookkeeping for his family's farming business.

Roger Trump has stepped up for the mayor position. He has extensive experience in emergency management for the county which included forming and working within a yearly budget for the department.

Port Candidates Mike Spring and Randy Schafer each presented what they would bring to the Commissioner No. 2 seat, if elected. Spring has been the fire chief for two communities. He seeks to partner with the county and local businesses, including family farms, for economic development. Schafer said he would bring his understanding of local agriculture as an agronomist and crop consultant, as well as his experience as a farm manager and business owner to the position.

City council candidates Jim Su'euga and Joann Patras spoke. Su'euga was appointed to Position No. 2 and shared about the need of council and the public to ask the important questions to have the information about the issues facing the city. He explained his involvement in current projects with the city including the Wastewater Treatment Plant and working with other agencies to get the rock sediment removed from the river in town.

Patras is running for City Council Seat No. 4 against Devin Greenup. She holds a master's degree and has worked as a director of education and as a business owner and manager, including managing the local thrift store. She plans to use her experience to make good decisions when spending tax dollars. She wants to work towards providing more affordable housing, more rental housing and enforcement of city building and property codes.

Dianne McKinley spoke in support of the formation of the Parks and Recreation District and the benefit it would be for the community. She appealed to the public to vote in favor of the district. She is also running for Position No.1of the District Commission should it pass.

Other candidates spoke of their support of the district. Lisa Naylor is running for Position No. 2 and said her previous work experience in securing grant funding would be a help for the pool. Position No. 3 candidate Ted Lowe grew up swimming in the pool in Dayton, was on swim team and was a lifeguard. She spoke of the pool as a valuable asset to the community.

Positions No. 4 and No. 5 each have two candidates. The competition for position No. 4 is between Marjorie Lowe and Katie Leid. The former said she has work experience with meeting regulation standards from her years in Alaskan law enforcement which is helpful as a commissioner. Leid has been a lifelong swimmer and part of her experience as an educator she taught water safety at Camp Wooten.

Terri Hessler and Fred Crowe are competing for seat No. 5. Crowe is an avid swimmer and has held multiple community positions in the last several years – one as Port Commissioner and another as an appointee for a city council vacancy. Hessler spoke of spending her childhood summers swimming at the pool and later bringing her own kids. She thinks it is important to have a pool again to provide swimming and lessons.