OKANOGAN – With Patrick Walter calling it quits, three candidates have filed for a four-year term as Tonasket Mayor – two with council experience and the third a newcomer to Tonasket government.

Joyce Fancher, a Tonasket teacher, currently serves on the city council and is the wife of former Tonasket Mayor Tom Fancher. Patrick Plumb is a former councilman for Tonasket and works for North Valley Hospital. The third candidate is Eric D. Griffin.

Jean E. Ramsey is seeking reelection to Tonasket City Council in Position 1. The nonpartisan position is for a four-year term. Connie Maden will also ask voters to return her to the council, in Position 3, for a four-year short and full term.

In Oroville some familiar names will appear on the ballot, all seeking reelection. C.F. “Chuck” Spieth is asking for another four years as Oroville’s mayor. Jon Neal is running for a return with a four-year term in Council Position 1; Anthony Koepke wants a return for four years to Position 2 and Ed Naillon will seek reelection to Position 3 for a two-year unexpired term.

In Riverside Margie Mefford is running for reelection as mayor for a two-year unexpired term. Catrina Fling wants a four-year short and full term in the Position 1 on the council in a seat which had been vacant. Kathy Armstrong is running for Postion 2 on the city council for a four-year short and full term. Billy Armstrong asks a return to Council Position 3 for a four-year short and full term. Bill Bond is running for reelection to Position 5 for a two-year unexpired term.

An incumbent and a newcomer wants to serve on Oroville’s School Board. Phil Barker, a vocal attendee at past board meetings, is running for School Director Position 4 for a four-year term. Incumbent Tim Whiteaker, who was appointed to the board, is running for School Director Position 5 in a two-year unexpired term. Longtime board members Verle Rowton (Position 2) and Jerry Nelson (Position 4) did not file for reelection.

Incumbents seek returns to the Tonasket School Board. Lloyd Caton wishes to remain for another four years in School Director Position 1 as does Ernesto Cerrillo in School Director Position 4.

Several incumbent Fire District Commissioners want to remain in office. Ken Ripley is running for Oroville’s Rural Fire District, Okanogan County District 1; Ron Hirst wants a return to Okanogan County Fire District 1 in Tonasket in Position 3; Chris Williams to Position 2 for the Loomis Rural Fire Department, Okanogan County Fire District 10; Steve Leslie Commissioner Position 1 for Okanogan Fire District 11, Molson-Chesaw and Patty Ekenes, for Commissioner Position 3, for Okanogan County Fire District 12, Havillah. For Riverside, Margaret “Maggie” Williamson wants voters to elect her to the Riverside Fire Department, Okanogan County Fire District 7, for a position currently held by John Dow. All these fire district commissioner positions are for six-year terms.

John Minyard will run for reelection as Cemetery District Commissioner Position 2 for a six-year term for Oroville’s Riverview Cemetery.