MOUND CITY – Stephen Sage with the Linn County Clerk's office reported on Thursday, June 1, that the office saw a late flurry of filings for both city and school board offices. The deadline to file for the November election was noon on Thursday.
In addition to city council and school board posts, two seats on the Extension District board are up for grabs.
Sage said there would be no need for a primary in any of the races, so decisions will be made at the polls on Nov. 7.
Mayor, city council races
In city races, some familiar council members are bowing out of a chance for re-election. Here’s how the city races will stack up:
La Cygne City Council
Incumbent Mayor Debra Wilson will face a challenge from current Councilman David Brenneman and former mayor Robert Sullivan.
Councilman Jerome Mitzner filed for re-election, however, no one signed up for the other open council seat now occupied by Danny Curtis. Curtis last week said he did not intend to run for re-election. That will likely open the seat up for a write-in bid.
Linn Valley Council
Incumbent Council Members Brenda Muncy, John Weers and Robert Suppenbach have filed to retain their seats on the council. They will be challenged for the three open seats by Richard Gravelle, Connie Capps, and Dan Donham.
Pleasanton
Three current members of the Pleasanton City Council did not file for re-election: Mayor Mike Frisbie and council members Melanie Staton and Jake Mattingley.
Ron Howard, Vicki Leonard and Kevin Lodge have filed to run for the mayor’s post. Kenny Stark, William “Bill” Skipper, Christopher Martin and Angelina “Angie” Randall have filed to run for the two open council seats.
Mound City
Mound City Mayor Wade Doering has filed to retain his post, and no one filed to challenge him. Councilman Lawrence Forbach filed to retain his seat on the council. However, long-time Councilwoman Shayna Lamb did not file. Jessie Carr has filed to run for one of the two open seats on that council.
Parker
Ashley Balthazor, who was appointed mayor of Parker last year after the previous mayor resigned, has filed to run for the post, and no one has filed to challenge her. Council president Jason Webber has filed to run for one of two open seats on the council.
Incumbent Councilwoman Jody Bloodgood did not file. It is likely that one council post will be selected on a write-in ballot.
Prescott
Three current council members Rolland Grigsby, Zachary Gillis and Daniel “Fritz” Norbury have filed to retain their posts.
Blue Mound
Incumbent council members Marri Krupco and Christopher Bownes have filed for re-election to their posts. However, Robert Purdy has filed to fill one of the two open council seats. Longtime Mayor Russell Beth has filed to retain his post, and no one filed to challenge him.
School board races
Area school board races hold some surprises this year, including what appears to be an ineligible filing, a high percentage of incumbents not filing for re-election, and a high school senior entering into politics.
Prairie View USD 362
Five of the seven board seats are up for election for Prairie View USD 362. At-large member Russell Pope, District 1 member Brad Heide, and District 2 member Brian Uphoff have filed to retain their seats and apparently face no opposition.
No one filed to run for the District 4 post currently held by Richard Gravelle. Gravelle indicated earlier this month he wouldn’t run for the unexpired two-year portion remaining on that term for the seat that represents the Linn Valley area.
Other than a person who did not live in the district mistakenly filing for the seat open seat in District 3, no one from that district filed, Brian Lueker, current representative from District 3 who was appointed to the post earlier this year and said he intended to file for election, did not file by the deadline.
Jayhawk USD 346
Kade Cummings and Courtney Lanham will go head-to-head in the November election for the District 2 seat on the Jayhawk USD 346 school board. Incumbent Leeroy did not file for re-election.
Daniel Earnest, who represents District 1, District 3 member Max Krull, and at-large member Brent Paddock all three filed for re-election and have no formal opposition.
Jayhawk board Clerk Kayla McGrew said she expected several of the incumbents to file before the deadline.
Pleasanton USD 344
A Pleasanton High School senior has thrown his hat into the race for one of four at-large positions on the Pleasanton school board. Doniphan “DJ” Meik hopes to be elected to one of those seats before he graduates next May.
He will face incumbent Linda Conley and three others seeking to win those seats. Challengers include Sam Davis, Jason Sabine, and Jessica Myrick. Current incumbents Jay Allen, Tanner Ogden, and Monica Sabine did not file for re-election.
Garnett USD 365
A sliver of the Garnett USD 365 runs north to south along three sections in Linn County. Candidate for the school board in that district include Roger Shilling, District 1; Matthew Self, District 2; Brian Shaffer, District 3; and Adam Caylor and Justin Kohlmeier have filed for the at-large seat.
Extension District filings
Two candidates have filed for two open Extension District seats: Deborah Wakefield and Janet Reynolds.