Friday, March 28, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
Election '97 officially kicked off with more than 30 candidates filing for office in Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and Boulder City.
Thursday was the first day of filing for mayoral, city council and municipal judge candidates who will be squaring off in the May 6 primary and June 3 general election.
Ward 4 Las Vegas City Councilman Matthew Callister, who is being challenged by land surveyor Dave Hough and water district official Larry Brown, said the city is at "a very critical point."
"We have the opportunity to meet the problems of traffic and overcrowding schools while improving the quality of life for Las Vegas residents," Callister said. "If we fail to act now, this opportunity will disappear."
Callister, a lawyer and former state senator, is being targeted by home builders because he advocates imposing an impact fee on new construction to pay for schools.
Ward 2 incumbent Arnie Adamsen also plans to run for re-election but didn't file on the first day. His opponents so far are Sun City tax-equity advocate Chuck Umnuss, Huntridge Theater operator Richard Lenz, and neighborhood activist Sue Brna, who founded the Charleston Heights Neighborhood Association.
Brna is leading the fight against the widening of U.S. 95 to accommodate growth in the northwest.
Henderson also will have at least two interesting races.
Mayor Bob Groesbeck's decision not to run for re-election is drawing a crowded field to be his replacement. City employee Dennis Augspurger and Kenny Rogers filed for the office Thursday. City Councilman David Wood and businessman James Gibson also have announced their candidacies.
Meanwhile, two Metro Police officers are headed for a showdown in Henderson City Council Ward 3. Detective David Kallas wants the seat occupied by Councilman Jack Clark, who didn't file on the first day.
Like Groesbeck, North Las Vegas Mayor James Seastrand also is stepping aside. Seeking to replace him will be at least three candidates, including City Councilman Theron Goynes and Mike Montandon, who has served as president of the Hidden Canyon Homeowners Association. Though she didn't file Thursday, Cassaundra Williams also plans to run for that seat.
At least six candidates, including former state Assemblywoman Stephanie Smith, are vying for a four-year seat on the North Las Vegas City Council. Other contenders who filed Thursday are Bob Cullins Jr., Cristobal Montanez, Sharon Shaffer, JoAnna Wesley and Ronald Whipple.
"North Las Vegas must do better to protect property values and provide for the health and safety of its citizens," Smith said. "We can start by giving average citizens a voice in our government."
North Las Vegas Councilwoman Paula Brown, appointed to replace newly elected Clark County Commissioner Mary Kincaid, has filed for a two-year seat. So far, her only opponent is Joe Alvin Haun.
North Las Vegas also features what will likely be the most controversial municipal judge race in Clark County this year. Former Municipal Judge Gary Davis, who served for 16 years but was then ousted by a state panel for judicial misconduct, has announced his candidacy for re-election. Davis, who has appealed his ouster to the Nevada Supreme Court, didn't file Thursday.
But at least two other challengers did: North Las Vegas Police Detective Warren Van Landschoot and Steven Szostek. Natalie Tyrrell, an attorney with the Las Vegas Senior Citizens Law Project, also has said she intends to join this race.
Four candidates, including incumbent Eric Lundgaard, are already in the competition for two seats on the Boulder City Council. Darryl Martin, Ben Eckstein and Tim Harness also filed. Councilwoman Iris Bletsch, whose seat is also up for grabs, didn't file on the first day.
Filing in Las Vegas and North Las Vegas will be open weekdays through next Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the city clerks' offices. Filing in Henderson will run weekdays through next Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Boulder City will accept candidates weekdays through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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