Published: July 24, 2008 08:48 pm      

Candidates still wanted for Catlettsburg race

CATLETTSBURG — The first non-partisan, at-large race for Catlettsburg’s City Council is still shy of a full slate of candidates with less than three weeks to go before the filing deadline.

To date, four individuals have filed to run for the six-member council. Candidates in the council race include: Incumbent Randall Peterman; Julius “Dee” Young, a current councilman appointed to fill the unexpired term of Joseph Groves; and political novices Jimmy Epling and Ronald “Kevin” Stanley.

November’s election is the first since the current council members voted to change the city’s election system to a a non-primary, non-partisan, at-large system.

Beginning with this election, the top six vote recipients win seats on the council. The current council is comprised of members who were elected by residents from each of Catlettsburg’s now-defunct three wards.

Council members serve two-year terms.

Catlettsburg residents will also elect a new mayor in a special election to finish out the term of fromer Mayor Donald Wellman. Wellman resigned in January but his term does not expire until Dec. 31, 2010.

Three individuals have now entered that race including: current Mayor James Allen Lambert, a former councilman appointed the position, former councilman and mayoral candidate William “Billy” Cornette, along with political novice Lonnie Ashley.

Candidates seeking office in Catlettsburg have until 4 p.m. on Aug. 12 to their paperwork in the Boyd County Clerk’s Office.

CARRIE KIRSCHNER can be reached at ckirschner@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2653.