With ballots due back to the appropriate county by Nov. 3, local voters will be deciding six total races on the Bothell and Kenmore city councils.

For whatever reason, some races have been nothing but quiet, while others have become nothing but contentious. The following are a few highlights of some of the issues that have arisen and a roundup of the various races.

Kenmore City Council

There are only two races on the ballot, but both have generated a certain amount of controversy.

Sperry v. Brennan

Probably most notably, incumbent Laurie Sperry and challenger Diane Brennan disagree sharply over what has become the discordant question of whether or not Kenmore faces a looming budget crisis.

Sperry is firmly in the “no” camp, while Brennan has fallen in with councilman John Hendrickson, who claims projections show the city coming up against an $11 million operating deficit over the next six years. Brennan and Hendrickson also argue the city is depleting its capital improvement dollars with no plan in place to replenish those funds.

“Kenmore does not have a budget deficit,” Sperry countered, stating the city has $2.3 million in reserves in its general fund and roughly a $1.2 million rainy day fund. She added the city has saved money for capital improvement projects since the day it was incorporated just over a decade ago.

Sperry’s no-deficit position has the backing of Mayor David Baker.

“Every city around us in trouble,” Baker said recently. “We’re not.”

Moving away from possible money worries, Brennan talked about Kenmore facing some major infrastructure problems, especially a need for sidewalks. She said traffic also is an issue.

“I don’t have a solution,” Brennan said, but added that addressing those locations should be a priority of the city.

Also moving away from controversies, Sperry said she simply would like to put the knowledge and expertise she has gained during her first term on council to work in moving forward with some of the city’s plans.

“The city is 11 years old and it’s sort of in a new stage … It’ll be exciting to see what we can do with this. We have a positive direction.”

Van Ness v. O’Brien

After investigating the disappearance of his campaign signs from the windows of three local businesses, challenger Patrick O’Brien filed a complaint with the state Public Disclosure Commission against incumbent Allan Van Ness and Baker for what he feels was improper influence allegedly used to remove the signs.

O’Brien added he actually is more concerned with the alleged actions of Baker than his election opponent.

According to O’Brien, two of his campaign signs disappeared from businesses in the city-owned Kenmore Village shopping center. The owner of one shop reportedly told O’Brien someone, claiming they represented the city, told him it was illegal to have the sign posted on city-owned property.

“We just treated it as a very straight-forward issue,” said City Manager Frederick Stouder, who also received complaints from O’Brien. Stouder said there is no legal basis for the city removing the signs. He added he attempted to find out who asked for the removal of the sign from one store, but the owner reportedly stated he simply did not remember.

For his part, Van Ness said he spoke with the owner of the other Kenmore Village shop, arguing any political sign might offend someone and be bad for business. He said he never told the owner that having the sign was illegal and did not ask that owner to remove the sign.

More bothersome to O’Brien was what he portrayed as Baker’s alleged bullying of a third business outside of Kenmore Village, one that has a service contract with the city. Baker stated he is acquainted with the business owner and simply talked to him about the sign. He added city contracts are controlled by Kenmore’s administration and he has little or no say on those matters.

O’Brien has attacked Van Ness on a couple of other fronts, including a claim that the current council snuck through, with little public discussion, an increase in surface-water management fees. Van Ness contends that simply isn’t true.

“This is not something the council wanted to do, this is something we had to do,” Van Ness said. He added the move was made in response to increased mandates in federal waste water regulations, adding many cities were forced into similar increases.

In terms of Kenmore’s financial debate, Van Ness said city revenues have exceeded expenses every month this year and he expects that to continue. He said Kenmore has less than $200,000 in debt, an unusual and enviable position for any city to be in.

“Overall, we’re ahead, we’re not in the hole,” Van Ness said. “I’d hate to have the public think we’re on shaky ground when we’re not.”