Powers voters will choose among candidates for mayor and city council. Here is information provided by candidates in the city’s Nov. 4 election. Candidate Edward Hamlett, who is running for mayor, did not respond to requests for information. Mayoral candidate Laural Dudley is campaigning as a write-in. Council candidate Joseph George did not return information about his candidacy.

Mayor

Laural Dudley

• How long have you lived in Powers? 18 years

• How old are you? 59

• What do you do for a living? Work part time for Myrtle Ambulance as a EMT (Emergency Medical Tech)

• Explain your political experience? “I only have the experience in dealing with the present city council and former city councils as the past fire chief/ambulance director for the city of Powers for 10 years.”

• What in your background would help you as an elected official? “I was on the Powers School Board for 10 years and currently on the Powers Health District board.” Dudley said she has dealt with the different state and federal agencies and relies on “plain old logic and common sense.”

• Why are you running? “I want Powers to be a thriving community, in order to do that the whole community has to work together.”

Dudley said Powers must tackle problems with its water and sewer systems. The water system is being worked on and the city also must upgrade its sewer system to meet DEQ standards. She also would like to focus her attention on updating and enforcing city ordinances.

n What do you see as the key issues in the race? Dudley believes the water and sewer systems are among the top issues, which also include improving city streets. She would like to see the city pursue grants to help pay for the improvements that are required. Her other priority is working with city employees to help them in their jobs and keep them happy with their jobs.

City Council

Phillip Wolcott

• How long have you lived in Powers? More than 15 years.

• How old are you? 67.

• What do you do for a living? Retired teacher.

• Explain your political experience? None.

• What in your background would help you as an elected official? Wolcott said he relies on common sense. He has worked in the school system for many years and served as municipal judge for the city of Powers.

• Why are you running? “I was asked to run.”

• What do you see as the key issues in the race? Wolcott would like to work to get city hall running smoothly and help attract small businesses to the area.

Robert Leckband

• How long have you lived in Powers? 10 years.

• How old are you? 67.

• What do you do for a living? Retired from Weyerhaeuser Co.

• Explain your political experience? Leckband served six years on the Powers City Council.

• What in your background would help you as an elected official? Common sense.

• Why are you running? Nobody else would.

• What do you see as the key issues in the race? Leckband sees upgrading the wastewater treatment plant as his top priority for Powers.

Mearl McDaniel Jr.

• How long have you lived in Powers? 63 years.

• How old are you? 66.

• What do you do for a living? Retired self-employed timber faller.

• Explain your political experience? McDaniel served on city council for three and a half years and as mayor for about four years.

• What in your background would help you as an elected official? McDaniel pointed to his past experience dealing with the Oregon Department of Environmental quality and working to gain state funding for infrastructure upgrades.

• Why are you running? “I’ve lived in Powers for almost my entire life and I want to see Powers survive.”

• What do you see as the key issues in the race? McDaniel believes the key issue is for Powers to move forward in its effort for a new or rebuilt wastewater treatment plant.