Town filings continue;

Pepin will not run

By Melanie Marshall

Candidacy filing opened Monday for municipal races in Watauga County and four new candidates filed Tuesday while one incumbent decided not to run.

Boone incumbent mayor Loretta Clawson, incumbent council member Rennie Brantz, and Jamie Leigh and Andy Ball filed for the open positions on the Boone Town Council on Monday.

George Sudderth and Jim Steele filed for Blowing Rock town council.

The mayor and three council seats are up for election in Boone and Blowing Rock. Three council seats each are open in Beech Mountain and Seven Devils.

As of 9 a.m. Tuesday, four additional candidates had filed. Pat Fountain of Kings Drive filed for a position on the Blowing Rock council. Paul Piquet of Hollow Tree Road will vie for a Beech Mountain council seat.

Incumbent mayor Bob Dodson and newcomer David Ehmig filed for Seven Devils.

In both Seven Devils and Beech Mountain, residents elect council members and the mayors are appointed by the councils.

Incumbent Boone town council member Janet Pepin announced she does not have plans to file for the coming election.

“I am not seeking to serve beyond my four years of service to the Town of Boone community and have thoroughly enjoyed my time in leadership,” Pepin said. “For whomever will take my seat, he/she will find the experience the most challenging and interesting of their lives. Public service may call me once again in the future but for now it is time for me to concentrate on the rest of my life.”

Filing for municipal positions will end at noon on July 17. Election day is November 3.

CORRECTION
In the July 6 edition of the Watauga Democrat, Incumbents whose terms expire this year in Seven Devils and Beech Mountain were reversed. The terms of Beech Mountain current mayor Gil Adams and council members Randy Corn and Pete Chamberlain expire this year. Seven Devils mayor Bob Dodson and council members Kay Ehlinger and Bill Wilkinson are also up for election.