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55 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, September 20, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend September 8, 2004 Five vie for Central Point council seats By BUFFY POLLOCK for the Mail Tribune CENTRAL POINT — The leader of a Wal-Mart opposition group, an investment consultant and a former City Council member are among contenders for three council seats in the November general election. In Ward 4, incumbent Dick Halley will face former council member Carol Fischer in his bid for reelection. Running for the two at-large seats are incumbent Kay Harrison; Becca Croft, chairwoman of anti- Wal-Mart group Central Point First; and Ed Lindbloom, an investment representative for Edward Jones. Council president Bill Stults is not seeking reelection. Fischer, 68, said she is ready to get back into politics after giving up her council seat in 2000 to run for mayor (she lost to incumbent Bill Walton). Fischer said she supports properly managed growth and opposes excessive taxation. Having served from 1995 to 2000, the former reporter and longtime resident opposed a no-smoking ordinance and in 2001 led an unsuccessful ballot measure campaign that would have forced the city to seek voter consent every time it imposed or raised fees. "I wanted to get back into it — just not for mayor this time," she said. "I’d like to see the city complete some unfinished business that was brought up when I was on council before. Advertisement "I’d like to see some things through, like if the kids still want a skateboard park or the people still want a Wal-Mart. My goal is to not have any personal agenda. I sincerely want to listen to the people." Fischer supports Wal-Mart’s proposal to build a 207,000-square-foot supercenter on the corner of Hamrick Road and East Pine Street. The proposal was rejected unanimously by the City Council in April. Wal-Mart has appealed to the state Land Use Board of Appeals. Halley, 65, said he had no comment on being challenged by Fischer. Retired from Boise Cascade, the former volunteer firefighter served on the City Council from 1980 to 1988 and has served a number of years on planning, budget and other committees. He was elected back on the council in 2000. Halley said he was seeking reelection to provide the council with some continuity. "There are some new people that are going to be running and they have no experience at all," Halley said. "I didn’t want to leave the council without a lot of experience. I thought it would be best if I stayed on one more term to help out. There’s a lot going on right now." First elected in 2000, incumbent Harrison, 52, said her goals for the city were to continue to focus on responsible growth and create an identity separate from being "a bedroom community of Medford." Harrison works for U.S. Cellular in Medford and has lived in the city for more than 25 years. Croft, 29, a technical writer for a software company, said she had decided to seek office to help "make good decisions for Central Point." "It’s a crucial time," Croft said. "The city is growing and there are a lot of very important decisions that will have to be made in the next several years. I just want to make sure the citizens’ voices are heard and good decisions are made." Lindbloom, 32, said he felt running for council was his civic responsibility. "I was complaining about something I saw in the city and someone told me to put up or shut up. So I decided to put up," Lindbloom said, adding that he would like to encourage more businesses and recreation for families in the city. The 1990 South Medford graduate said his father, the late Ken Lindbloom, longtime Medford School Board member, instilled a sense of civic duty in his children. "Dad was heavily involved in politics," he said. "He really encouraged us as kids to get involved in the city to try to make it a better place to live in, so that’s what I’m going to do." Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected]. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. 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