###

It’s 2024 and electoral politics in America has turned bitterly bitter, not just nationally but even in the idyllic rural community of Blue Lake. A local couple recently described the Blue Lake City Council race as the most contentious they have seen in their 43 years as residents.

As across the country, the flames of discontent have been fanned by the intemperate winds of social media. In a letter to the city council and mayor, local resident Alex Ricca (one half of the local couple referenced above) described posts on a particular Facebook page focused on Blue Lake as “some of the rhetoric most disgusting policies I have ever read in my life. life and I have read some unpleasant things.”

Much of the controversy has revolved around City Manager Mandy Mager, with critics accusing her of ignoring public input in favor of her own agenda, while her defenders (including City Council members) describe her as dedicated, passionate and effective.

The city is also experiencing growing difficulties, with community disagreements over growth: whether the city should pursue ambitious new business and housing developments (including a controversial mixed-use project proposed by DANCO) or resist the siren song of modernization with hope to retain leadership of Blue Lake. picturesque character.

There are three open seats on the Blue Lake City Council this election cycle and seven candidates filed. That includes three incumbents: Mayor Adelene Jones, Christopher B. Edgar and Christopher Guy Firor, who was just appointed last month. to serve the remaining two years in the position recently vacated by Elizabeth McKay. Think of them as representatives of the status quo.

Jones made his position clear in a Facebook post last month, urging voters to choose wisely. “Four of the seven candidates running for office are motivated by anger toward our wonderful City Manager Mandy Mager and have no ideas or visions for our city. I recommend that you vote for Adelene Johes, Christopher Edgar and Chris Firor for their enthusiasm and for moving our city forward.”

The other four candidates – Michelle Lewis-Lusso, Verda Winona Pitts, Katherine “Kat” Napier and John Sawatzky – represent a slate of disaffected insurgents seeking to overthrow sitting councillors. Their growing discontent was reinvigorated last month when the city council decided to appoint Firor to the vacant seat instead of Sawatzky, even though 63 people had signed a petition supporting Sawatzky’s appointment.

Napier lashed out at the council for that decision and at the most recent City Council meeting condemned Jones for his accusations on Facebook. “These are scathing words,” he said. “They are inflammatory, divisive and they are inaccurate. …It brings no joy to Blue Lake. … Please stop using the city manager to hide and make the city a target.”

when he final vote count on election night According to the Humboldt County Elections Office, some supporters of the challengers mistakenly took the results as final and began celebrating a little prematurely. Those results, which represent only a portion of the votes that will eventually have to be counted, were incredibly close. Lewis-Lusso finished with the most votes (124), followed by Sawatzky (106) and Napier (99).

But two of the three starters are a hair’s breadth away from making the top three. Firor finished election night with 98 votes, a single vote behind Napier. (If he ends up winning this four-year term, he will replace his recent appointment to the two-year vacancy and the council will have to make a new appointment early next year.) Jones is right behind with 97 votes.

In other words, it would take just three votes for Jones to overtake Napier and only two for Firor to do so. And each is less than 10 votes behind Sawatzky. Even Edgar is potentially within striking distance, finishing election night with 75 votes.

We expect a new batch of results this afternoon. We’ll see if the challengers extend their lead or if the incumbents make their way into the top three.