City election filing closes, 3 up for mayor

Missoula city election filing closed Monday and almost every seat is challenged, though only one may draw a primary election.

The election will fill the seat of mayor, Municipal Court judge, and one seat from all six city council wards.

Two seats are up in Ward 2, since former member Harlan Wells left mid-term and the council appointed Ruth Swaney to his seat. Jordan Hess is running without opposition.

Two candidates filed to run against three-term incumbent (and Missoula’s longest-serving mayor) John Engen: Lisa Triepke and Madison Schroeder.

Triepke filed on April 20, the day filings opened and has already held a news conference and fundraisers in her effort to unseat Engen.

She’s promised to slow yearly property tax hikes and put more issues to the voters, such as the city’s condemnation of the Mountain Water company (which took $140 million in loans for the $93.2 million purchase) and purchase of EKO Compost for $2.75 million (including improvements).

Schroeder works at State Farm Insurance and played golf at the University of Montana. She graduated in 2008 with a degree in arts, entertainment and media management, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Engen’s election site spotlights the Mountain Water acquisition as a primary achievement of his previous terms, as well as guiding Missoula through the recent recession and championing the 2006 open space bond.

One seat is up for re-election in each ward. Due to the special appointment, both seats in Ward 2 are open.

City Council will decide whether to run a Sep. 12 primary race, likely for Ward 4, according to Missoula County Elections Administrator Rebecca Connors.

The filings for city council:

Ward 1

* Bryan von Lossberg (two-term incumbent)

* Jamelet Laursen - graduated from Hellgate High School in 2017 and is enrolled at the University of Montana in political science

Ward 2

* Jordan Hess (incumbent)

* Ruth Swaney (incumbent)

* Jack Metcalf - ran for justice of the peace in 2016; runs the Real Good Art Space and tends bar at Al’s and Vic’s

Ward 3

* Heather Harp - a financial advisor for Valic; endorsed by current Ward 3 representative Emily Bentley

* Thomas Winter -a manager at Interim Healthcare, a Missoula senior-care company

* Jon Van Dyke - general manager of Missoula Community Radio 105.5 FM.

Ward 4

* Jon Wilkins (three-term incumbent)

* Greg Strandberg - a blogger and author

* Chris Badgley - owner of Badgley Builders

* Jesse Ramos - financial services professional at Northern Rockies Financial Group

Ward 5

* Stacie Anderson - owner of Good Shepherd Preschool

* Cathy Deschamps - surgery inventory specialist at Providence St. Patrick Hospital

Ward 6

* Julie Merritt - water resource specialist for WGM Group; endorsed by current Ward 6 representative Marilyn Marler

Municipal Court Judge

* Kathleen Jenks (incumbent, appointed in 2011)

* Brendan McQuillan - domestic violence special prosecutor for the Lake County attorney’s office