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Gilmour joins race for commission seat Central Point councilman to challenge Holt; seeks pay decrease, board increase By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune A Central Point city councilman who wants to cut county commissioner salaries in half and almost double the size of the commission will challenge Ric Holt in November. David Gilmour, 53, is the third candidate to announce his interest in Position 3. He said if elected, he'll fight to slash commissioners' salaries from $60,375 annually to about $29,000 and increase the board to five members from three. "I would not take one cent more than the average (salary in the Rogue Valley)," said Gilmour, who would keep his job as a doctor with Providence Medical Group if elected to the commission. "I would actually feel embarrassed to take what they take for what they do." Gilmour, a registered Democrat, will go head to head against Holt in the November election for Position 3. Gilmour filed for candidacy Thursday morning. "Hopefully it will make things interesting," Gilmour said. "I've been thinking about this for several months." Holt, a Republican, has not formally filed. Earlier, Holt said he planned to run for office again. Attempts to contact Holt Thursday were unsuccessful. Medford City Councilman John Michaels, who filed in September, also will challenge Holt's seat. Michaels is registered as an independent voter and won't run in the May 21 primary because only major party candidates are included. In the race for Position 1, Commissioner Jack Walker, a Republican, will defend his seat against John Hallett, a former Medford councilman and registered Democrat. Position 2, held by Sue Kupillas, is not up for re-election. Gilmour said he made the decision to run for office after stepping down as the county's longtime public health officer in December. Critical of the current administration, Gilmour said Holt, Walker and Kupillas accept too many proposals and ordinances without properly researching them, citing a proposed outdoor amphitheater at the fairgrounds. The Central Point City Council has opposed the county's efforts to build the 5,900-seat structure, citing noise and traffic concerns. Gilmour said the county made no effort to involve Central Point officials in the project's planning process. "The present county administration is so entrenched, they've been there so long," he said. "It has affected policy. We've seen that over and over again." Gilmour would also like to see the county's administration meet at night instead of during business hours. "It would be far better to have the meetings in the evenings, when working people could attend," he added. Gilmour has been a member of the Central Point City Council since 1999 and would resign if elected to the county commission. From 1990 to 1999, he served on the school board for District 6. Gilmour also served on Central Point's planning commission from 1987 to 1990. Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.