Several key city council races, along with a mayor’s and fire board race highlight Tuesday’s general election.
City of Bonney Lake
Mayor Neil Johnson is running unopposed for another term, but three council positions are up for grabs on the Tuesday ballot.
Dan Swatman, who is currently serving as council at Large, Position. 1, is seeking the Council Ward 1 seat, along with newcomer Andy Gomen, a business owner.
Councilman Ward 1 Dave King decided not to seek re-election.
Swatman, a systems engineer for BP, has served on the council for 11 years and as deputy mayor for several terms. He has lived in Bonney Lake for 16 years.
Gomen has worked in the healthcare industry for 12 years and is a member of the Chamber of Commerce.
Randy McKibbin and Lynda Dabson are running for the council at Large Position 1 seat being vacated by Swatman.
McKibbin, a business owner, has served 10 years on the Planning Commission and as past president of the Bonney Lake Chamber of Commerce. He is also a founding member of Beautify Bonney Lake.
Dabson, an office manager, has lived in the area for 28 years and has been involved in the Parent Teacher Association at McAlder Elementary School for 10 years.
She and Councilman Dan Decker sought to change the city’s form of government from a code form to charter-code with Proposition No. 1 on Feb. 3. More than 90 percent of city voters rejected changing the form of government.
Incumbent Councilman David Bowen is challenged by newcomer Donn Lewis for his Ward 4 post.
Bowen, a business owner and lifelong resident, is serving his first term on the council.
Lewis, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel with 34 years of active duty, is a substitute teacher in the Sumner School District. He is a member of the Planning Commission and the Citizens Advisory Board.
Johnson, who served on the council from 2002 to 2005, is seeking his second four-year term as mayor. He is a member of the Lions and Kiwanis clubs.
City of Sumner
Incumbent Mayor Dave Enslow is being challenged by Councilman Matt Richardson. Enslow is seeking his second four-year term and Richardson served as deputy mayor in 2006.
In other races, Incumbent Councilman Ed Hannus is running against Stuart Scheuerman for the Position 1 seat.
Councilmen Randy Hynek and Steve Allsop are unopposed for the Position 2 and 3 posts, respectively.
East Pierce Board of Commissioners
There is only one contested race for Position 5 seat on the East Pierce Fire and Rescue board of commissioners.
Ron Scholz and Dick Willner are running for the post left vacant by Cheryl Bylin, who decided not to seek re-election.
Willner, a Bonney Lake business owner, served as fire commissioner for District 12 from 2005 until the merger in 2007. He is on the citizen advisory and history committee for East Pierce.
Scholz, a Sumner resident, is a retired fire lieutenant for the city of Tacoma and spent more than 25 years as a volunteer firefighter for the Sumner and Orting fire departments.
He served 10 years both the Sumner Council and Pierce County Regional Council.
Running unopposed are Raymond D. Bunk III for Position 1, Karlyne McGinnis for Position 2 and Mike Cathey for Position 3.
School Boards
In the White River School Board election, incumbent Denise Vogel is challenged by Kim Demarest for the District 3 seat, while Cassandra D. Pearson and Joe Dieringer are up for the District 4 post. Michael Jansen is unopposed for the District 1 position.
In the Sumner School Board race, Mike Pavilik and ShermVolies are running unopposed for the Director District 1 and 5 seats, respectively.
In the Dieringer School Board race, James D. Barfoot (District 1), Pete George (District 3) and John McKenna (District 4) are all unopposed.
