Mayor
Edward Hamlett

How long in town?
28 years.

How old are you?
66.

Explain your political experience?
One year as an appointed mayor, three years on Powers Budget Committee, three years as city councilor in the 1980s.

What in your background would help you as an elected official?
"I believe that my aforementioned city volunteer work along with a modicum of common sense, some idea of how things work and the fact that I am not intimidated by bureaucrats, large or small, helps me as an elected official," Hamlett said.

Why are you running?
Hamlett said he is running because no one stepped up and believes Powers has a city council.

"This is a group that I like being a part of, and a group that wants to look out for their neighbors," he said.

What do you see as the key issues in the race?
The utility customers in Powers are paying high water/sewer rates, typically in the range of $75 to $80 per month, he explained. It is a real possibility that if the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality gets its way, Powers residents could see an additional increase in the monthly utility bill of $50 to $100 or more.

"I know that EPA/DEQ standards are getting tougher and we must meet these requirements, but how we do it will determine what kind of increase there will be in our monthly bill," he said. "We also need a program in Powers for storm drainage and street improvements."

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.

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.

City Council
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.

City Council
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.