PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County developed its first contested races of this election year Tuesday as a retired chiropractor and an attorney squared off to fill the seat of a retiring Port Townsend City Council member while a Quilcene School Board member drew an opponent.
Pamela Adams, 67, who moved into the area in February, on Tuesday filed her candidacy papers for the Port Townsend City Council position now held by Laurie Medlicott, who is not running for a third term.
Paul Richmond, 50, who ran against U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks in 2008 and for Jefferson County prosecuting attorney in 2010, also filed for the seat Tuesday.
Gena Lont, 37, filed for the seat on the Quilcene School Board occupied by Lorna Ward, who seeks re-election.
In other new candidate filings, Herb Beck, former Port of Port Townsend commissioner, filed for a seat on the Quilcene Fire District board.
A contest has also formed in the Sequim School District, which is based in Clallam County but spills over into Jefferson County.
Two people have filed to challenge incumbent Walter Johnson on the Sequim School Board: Richard L. Fleck, 70, and Stephen Rosales, 53.
Incumbents John Bridge, board president, and Sarah Bedinger both have filed for re-election.
Adams, who has not held any elected office or served on any boards, said she did not necessarily expect to win a seat on the Port Townsend City Council but filed for an open seat instead of challenging an incumbent in order to increase her chances.
“Sometimes, it can be a great advantage to be new,” she said. “You can ask questions that others haven’t thought to ask.”
Adams said she was grateful to the people in Port Townsend for making her feel welcome and for “forgiving a newcomer’s mistake.”
One week after moving to Port Townsend, she sent a letter to the Port Townsend/Jefferson County Leader complaining about the smell from the Port Townsend Paper Corp. mill, an action she said generated about 50 responses.
“This set me straight about the importance of the mill to the community and showed how people here stand up for what they believe in,” she said.
Adams said her background running her own office will be valuable in making decisions with regard to small-business issues that come before the council.
Richmond has said his knowledge of the law and his financial knowledge prepare him for a seat on the City Council.
“We’ve seen the outcome of poor financial planning in the national economy, the state economy and many personal financial statements,” he said in a statement, adding that he “will work to assure proper scrutiny on all budget items and development projects so that we will not overextend ourselves and best prioritize our needs “
Richmond, who has lived in the Northwest for 20 years, is a frequent presence at public meetings in East Jefferson County, where he has opposed the increased local presence of the Border Patrol.
The seat Adams and Richmond seek is one of four seats on the ballot this year.
Incumbent City Councilman David King and Deputy Mayor George Randels filed their candidacy papers Monday while incumbent Kris Nelson filed Tuesday.
Nelson has run several restaurants in Port Townsend and currently owns and operates Sirens and the Galatea Cafe.
She was undecided about seeking a second term because of the unexpected workload but chose to run “because if I quit now, I will not have done all I could.
“I am just starting to be effective,” she said.
Nelson, 40, is currently the council’s youngest member.
Ward — who declined to give her age more specifically than to say she is a senior citizen — is seeking her fifth elected four-year term to the Quilcene board. She was appointed to the board in 1993 and has continued in the seat since.
“I love to work for the children,” said Ward, a longtime volunteer in Quilcene.
Lont works in the fiscal office of Olympic Community Action Programs.
“I have kids in the district, and I just really care about our school and thought I could make a difference there,” she said.
There are 98 elective positions up for grabs on the North Olympic Peninsula — 48 in Jefferson County and 50 in Clallam County.
The filing period for all offices expiring this year continues from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today through Friday at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Port Townsend.
If more than three candidates file for a position, they will face off in the primary, with the top two advancing to the Nov. 8 general election.
If only two candidates file, they automatically move on to the general election.
If only one candidate files for an office by Friday, he or she will win a full term by acclimation.
On Monday, Steve Tucker, a 61-year-old former Coast Guard Auxiliary operations officer and longtime boater from Port Townsend, filed for the Port of Port Townsend commission seat being vacated by John Collins, a seat that represents the city of Port Townsend and the North Jacob area west of the city.
Based on earlier inquiries to her office, Jefferson County Deputy Auditor Karen Cartmel said she expects at least three candidates to file for the port position.
Filing for separate seats on the Port Townsend School Board are incumbent Anne Burkett and Pamela Daly.
Filing for Chimacum School Board, so far, are incumbent David Robocker for his District 4 seat and Kris Butler for the District 3 seat.
Filing for separate seats on the Brinnon School Board are Roger Cemper and Bill Banret.
Incumbents who have filed include Richard Houts for Clallam-Jefferson County Fire District commissioner, Ronald Garrison for Brinnon Fire District commissioner, Jim Stehn for Queets Fire District commissioner, Kathy Dickson for West Jefferson County hospital commissioner and Anthony DeLeo for East Jefferson County hospital commissioner.
Daniel Carlson has filed for the Brinnon Water District.
Gary Elmer has filed for the Coyle/Thorndyke Parks and Recreation District.
Filing for the Quillayute Valley School District in Forks is incumbent David Dickson.
For an up-to-the-minute list of candidates filing for office in Jefferson County, visit http://tinyurl.com/nhow2a.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.
bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
