Canby will see an eight-way race for the three open seats on the City Council in November, as a flurry of applications came in during the last two weeks of filing ahead of Thursday’s deadline.
The ballot will include all three incumbents — Greg Parker, Shawn Varwig and Art Marine — as well as Mayor Brian Hodson, who failed to draw an opponent for the fifth straight election cycle.
“Canby is a very special place, and it’s been such an honor to serve the community for these last four years,” said Varwig, who was the last incumbent to file. “I’ve spent the summer reflecting on my time on council and having in-depth discussions with my wife and kids, and we’ve decided to run for reelection.
“I am so thankful for the support from my family and this community and look forward to an opportunity to continue serving.”
The other candidates for the council seats include several familiar faces, including Jim Davis, who has served as chief of the Canby Fire District since 2014.
Davis, who plans to retire from the fire service when his contract expires next June, said he was interested in serving on the council as a way to continue to give back to his community.
“The main reason I’ve made the decision to run is that I’m fully committed to Canby,” he said. “I really love Canby and what it stands for: people being kind to each other, treating each other with respect and maintaining that small town feel.”
Davis has been no stranger to public service since he and his wife, Michelle, moved to Canby in 1996.
He joined Canby Fire as a volunteer firefighter 10 years before coming on as chief and currently serves as president of the Canby Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and vice chair of the Canby Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
The rest of the council field will include Wilsonville librarian and former pastor Brad Clark and maintenance director Herman Maldonado — both of whom applied for the most recent vacancy on the board but were passed over in favor of Marine — Cara Hawkins and Craig Lewelling.
Hawkins is a victim advocate for the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office who has served on the Canby Budget Committee and as a volunteer organizer for several ivy abatement efforts at local parks. Maldonado also served on the budget committee earlier this year.
Lewelling is a corporate executive and financial adviser who served on the city’s original urban renewal committee and industrial area association, according to his application. He also is a graduate of Canby High School and the University of Oregon.
