For the week of March 5 - 11, 2003

Six nominees seek Bellevue City Council seats

Barton, Plott face off in mayor’s race

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By GREGORY FOLEY
Express Staff Writer

Incumbent Bellevue Mayor John Barton is running for a second term in office. Larry Plott is challenging him.

Six Bellevue residents, including two incumbents, will contend for three City Council seats up for re-election this spring,

The cast of characters for the city’s April 7 election was decided at a special nominating caucus Thursday evening in Bellevue City Hall.

All Bellevue citizens were invited to attend the meeting to nominate any city resident to run for the City Council or the mayor’s office.

The terms of Mayor Barton, Councilwoman Tammy Schofield, Councilman Wayne Douthit and Councilman Dale Shappee will expire in May.

In a ten-minute flurry of activity Thursday, seven residents issued nominations for City Council candidates. However, after being nominated by Council President Parke Mitchell, Shappee declined to have his name included on the April ballot.

The six nominees who signed on as City Council candidates include:

·  Rob Mays, nominated by Eric Allen.

·  Eric Allen, nominated by Chris Koch.

·  Tammy Schofield, nominated by Janet Barton.

·  Vivian Ivie, nominated by Tammy Schofield.

·  Wayne Douthit, nominated by Monte Brothwell.

·  Monte Brothwell, nominated by Dennis Wright.

Concurrently, two nominations were made for mayoral candidates. Teresa Bergin nominated Barton, and Jeff Vert nominated Plott.

The last nomination made was Mitchell’s show of support for Councilman Shappee. "I think he’s done a good job, and I’d like to see him serve a couple more years," Mitchell said.

Shappee humbly declined to run for another term, noting that he has "other obligations" that take precedence.

No nominations were made in the second half of the half-hour caucus.

The upcoming April election could play a critical role in determining the city’s future. The City Council in the last year has been split on several key issues, with Douthit often aligning himself against an alternating—but somewhat consistent—contingent of council members that supports Barton and his agenda.

The nomination procedures Thursday were dictated by Bellevue’s governing charter. The city is the only charter city in Idaho.

The city’s charter dictates that the city election be held the first Monday in April. The polls on Monday, April 7, will be from noon to 8 p.m.

Bellevue City Hall will be the only polling site during the election.

Terms for the council seats and the mayor’s seat will last for two years.

Bellevue does not have voting districts. The three council candidates with the most votes will gain seats, and the single mayoral candidate with the most votes will assume that office.

The newly elected officials will assume their seats on May 8.

City Clerk Dee Barton said registered voters wanting to vote by absentee ballot can obtain the appropriate paperwork at Bellevue City Hall prior to election day.

 

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