Two well-known Umatilla residents will face off in November for the Umatilla mayor’s seat.
Current City Councilman Lyle Smith and former mayor Dave Trott have both filed for the position. In Umatilla, the mayor is typically elected on a four-year term, but the city’s head position has had a rocky recent history:
• November 2008: Dave Trott is elected mayor with a term ending December 2012.
• August 2010: Dave Trott resigns to apply for the Umatilla City Manager position, and Council Chairman Bill Meade serves as mayor pro-tem.
• November 2010: Voters choose Karen Steen to finish out Trott’s term, ending December 2012.
• April 2011: Karen Steen resigns, less than four months into her term, citing “harassment” from city employees and appointed officials. Council Chairman George Fenton took over as mayor pro-tem.
• November 2011: Voters elect Pat Lafferty to serve a one-year term to finish out the previous term, still ending December. 2012.
• November 2012: Voters re-elect Pat Lafferty, this time for a full term. Lafferty received 93 percent of the vote.
• April 2014: After Pat Lafferty’s death, the City Council chooses to wait for the November election instead of appointing a mayor. Council Chairman George Fenton and Vice Chairman Lyle Smith take over the mayoral duties.
• September 2014: Filing closes for the 2014 election. Candidates are Lyle Smith and Dave Trott.
In addition to the contested mayoral race, Umatilla voters will also see three City Council positions on the ballot, but each candidate is running unopposed:
• Council Position 1 – Mary Dedrick, incumbent
• Council Position 3 – Melvin Ray, incumbent
• Council Position 5 – David Lougee
All four open positions will complete a four-year term expiring Dec. 31, 2018.
Voters in Boardman and Stanfield will also choose city council members in November.
The Stanfield City Council has three at-large positions up for election this year, and three candidates have field: Jason Sperr, Jack Huxoll and Delwin Manley. Both Sperr and Huxoll currently serve on the council. Current councilman Chuck Gaede has announced he will not run for re-election.
Boardman also has three at-large council seats open, but with four candidates: Neil Livingston, Brenda Profitt, Delbert Turner and Brandon Hammond. Both Livingston and Profitt are incumbents, and Turner and Hammond would be new to the council.
The election is Nov. 4.
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