Ward 3 seat draws two candidates so far

Two candidates have stepped forward this week to file with the Clark County Elections Office for the vacant Ward 3 position on the Camas City Council.

Margaret Tweet and Shannon Turk will have their names appear on the Nov. 8 General Election ballot. They will be competing to serve a portion of the 2.5 years remaining on Higgins’ term, from Dec. 5, 2011 to Dec. 31, 2013.

The special three-day filing period ends today, at 5 p.m.

The seat became vacant on Monday, June 27, when Scott Higgins resigned after he was appointed to the mayor’s position. Former Mayor Paul Dennis resigned as of May 31 to become the director of the Camas-Washougal Economic Development Association.

The person who will fill the portion of the term that runs from July 26 to Dec. 5, 2011, will be decided by the Camas City Council later this month.

Applications for the Ward 3, Position 2 seat, available at www.ci.camas.wa.us, must be hand-delivered to Camas City Hall by Friday, July 15. Submissions made by U.S. mail, e-mail or fax will not be accepted.

The application requests some candidate background information and includes a questionnaire that addresses several topics including reasons the candidate wants to serve on the City Council; experiences, talents or skills a candidate can offer; and candidates’ views on how the city should address budget challenges and other significant obstacles facing the city of Camas.

On Monday, July 25, a special meeting is scheduled at 4:30 p.m., so that the City Council can conduct public interviews of the candidates and then make an appointment.

The seven-member City Council is responsible for setting policy, adopting the annual budget, adopting laws, determining the services the city provides and the funding levels for those services, and confirming the mayor’s appointments of citizens to its advisory boards, commissions and committees. Meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of each month, beginning with a workshop at 4:30 p.m., followed by a regular meeting at 7 p.m.

According to the application, the duties of a City Council member could involve an average minimum commitment of 15 to 25 hours per month for preparation, participation, and attendance at various meetings, and community activities.

Council members earn a monthly stipend of $500.

The City of Camas provides municipal services to a population of more than 18,000 people and employs approximately 171 individuals who help provide police, fire, ambulance service and emergency aid, street maintenance, sanitation, recreation, library, public improvements, planning and zoning, water supply treatment and distribution, and sewage collection and treatment services.