The makeup of the Canby City Council could look very different come next year, as four of the six seats, plus the office of the mayor, are open in the November general election.
Councilors serve four-year terms, with their expiration dates alternating such that three of them normally open every two years. The fourth seat in this election is the result of former Councilor Tracie Heidt’s resignation last year.
Trig Berge was appointed to replace her, but per the city charter, his appointment was only until the next city election — not the full unexpired term.
Councilors are elected at large, meaning the top three vote-getters (or in this case, the top four) will win the open seats. In this case, the candidate with the fourth-most votes will serve only the remaining two years of Heidt’s original term.
The mayor of Canby serves only a two-year term. All city offices are nonpartisan.
Along with Berge and Canby Mayor Brian Hodson, the terms of councilors Tim Dale, Traci Hensley and Sarah Spoon expire this year. Berge and Hodson tell the Canby Now Podcast that they plan to seek re-election to their current offices once filing opens on June 3.
Spoon said she has not yet made a decision.
“I love serving Canby in my role as city councilor,” she said. “This is a decision I’ll make with input from my husband and our four kids in the coming weeks. Our plan was to discuss it after we get through the final days of their schooling. I hope very much that the decision we come to as a family is that I should run for re-election.”
Dale and Hensley did not respond to requests for comment.
Qualified candidates for City Council or mayor must have lived within the city limits of Canby for at least 12 months and be a registered voter. They must not be a city of Canby employee.
Those interested in running should review the candidate packet on the city website, and file the appropriate paperwork with City Recorder Melissa Bisset after filing opens June 3.
Filing will be open until 5 p.m. Aug. 20. For more information or questions, Bisset at 503-266-0733 or bissetm@canbyoregon.gov.
