The field for three Kenmore City Council positions is set. With each position drawing more than two candidates, the August primary will be an important step in picking who represents the citizens during the next term.

Three residents have filed to run for Position 2. Incumbent Laurie Sperry, who has served since 2006, is seeking a third term.

“During my seven years serving on the City Council, we’ve (I’ve) worked hard to revitalize Kenmore’s downtown, promote business development, and improve traffic flow and safety,” said Sperry. “Kenmore has a new library, city hall, fire station, and sidewalks. We’ve kept the post office and police in Kenmore, saving taxpayer money in the process.”

Sperry said that the council has worked to promote better communication with residents and businesses.

“We’re growing our economy by positioning Kenmore as an attractive place to do business,” said Sperry. “Kenmore Village is coming alive with Kenmore Camera’s relocation and expansion. We’re fostering business networking and supporting startup entrepreneurs through the Business Incubator pilot.”

Sperry said that she is “running for reelection to continue the good work underway, while maintaining the city’s strong financial position.”

Kenmore residents Mark Prince and Bob Black have elected to run against Sperry.

Prince, 51, is a production supervisor and packaging designer with a company in Woodinville. He and Black said that the council is making bad decisions and lacks vision.

Prince and Black also said the number of candidates shows citizens are worried about the decisions being made.

Eliminating primaries would “provide citizens with a better choice,” according to Black.

“If the city is doing its job right, it should not have to take the actions of the citizens to bring problems to city hall for correction,” said Prince. “The city, its employees and the council need to be accountable and responsible for their actions and how they use our money and [make] decisions.”

Prince said that he learned sound business ethics from his parents who taught him “you can’t spend what you don’t have.”

“Also having been a board member and treasurer of the Northwest section of The Society of Automotive Engineers, (a non-profit) managing and maintaining the finances of the organization on budget,” said Prince. “I am very detailed and analytical in my processes, making sure that I learn and have the needed information to make the correct decisions and to look at the whole picture in making sound decisions and how each action affects downstream actions and efficiency.”

Black is surprised at the number of council candidates who are real-estate agents.

“My prime reason for filing to run is to effect change for the good,” said Black. “The current council is ineffective and lacking vision. It is in need of leaders without ties to special interests … My interests are to make Kenmore more than a bus stop between Seattle and Bothell.”

Kenmore Planning Commission member Dennis Mendrey was the first to apply to challenge Sperry, according to King County Elections, but has since withdrawn from the race.

Position 4 incumbent and Deputy Mayor Bob Hensel will retire from the council following this term.

Residents Nigel Herbig, Patrick O’Brien and Charles Crouch are running for the position.

Herbig, 34, has been endorsed by Hensel.

“Nigel cares deeply about Kenmore,” said the deputy mayor, who was first elected to the seat in 2003. “He has worked hard to make the Kenmore City Council meetings more accessible to folks who can’t make it in person.”

Herbig said that his political involvement in Kenmore started when he attended a town hall meeting.

“[I] realized that even with a brand new city hall, there was no live-streaming (audio for video) of the council meetings,” said Herbig. “I’m a big believer in government transparency, and took it upon myself to start going to meetings and ‘livetweeting’ them at www.twitter.com/kenmorepolitics … More than once I’ve been the only citizen in the audience. I think it’s good for them to have at least one constituent watching them when they are making decisions that affect our lives and our city’s future.”

He has worked for high profile Democrat candidates in the past and is endorsed by many regional leaders such as King County Executive Dow Constantine and King County Councilman Rob Dembowski. He currently serves as a legislative assistant for Kenmore’s State Rep. Jessyn Farrell.

Herbig thinks it is great that so many people are running for office this year.

“It’s great that so many folks are showing interest in their local government, and it bodes very well for Kenmore’s future,” said Herbig.

Crouch, 30, is a former Navy SEAL and affiliate owner and operator of CrossFit Kenmore, which he opened two years ago.

“As a father, husband, neighbor, and Kenmore business owner, I understand the challenges and wants of our people,” said Crouch. “I first served our great country as a Navy SEAL, and now I want to serve the city of Kenmore. I look forward to adding another voice of leadership, expertise, and experience to Kenmore’s City Council.”

Crouch wants to make Kenmore a more family friendly city where locals come to spend their time and money.

“Having this perspective will be an important voice in the city council deliberations and debates because Kenmore is made up of mostly families,” said Crouch. “If elected I look forward to making this city a place where families want to come and spend their money, including my own [family].”

He said being a council member is his “dream job.”

And because he owns a business in Kenmore, he said he is very invested in the city’s future.

“The city is doing a good job at verbalizing support for businesses, but that doesn’t always come through in their actions,” said Crouch. “My position to daily see these two entities allows me to keep a constant pulse on the people of Kenmore and hear their opinions and thoughts and gives me an inside view into how to make Kenmore a place that businesses thrive.”

O’Brien has been an advocate for environmental issues within the city. He has also been critical of the city’s business initiatives.

While this is the first time that Herbig and Crouch are running for council, this is not the first time for O’Brien. He ran against Allan Van Ness in 2009 and has been active within the Kenmore community for years.

Van Ness, who has held Position 6 since 2005, is currently slated to run against Kenmore residents Ken Smith and environmental activist Elizabeth Mooney.

“Kenmore has made good progress on a number of fronts in the eight years I’ve been a Councilmember,” said Van Ness. “The city has made significant improvements in roads, parks, other infrastructure and commenced an ambitious economic development program.  Yes, we’ve accomplished a lot, but there is much more to do.”