Greg nesteroff
Castlegar News
For the second straight election, Gord Zaitsoff will challenge Lawrence Chernoff for mayor of Castlegar.
Zaitsoff, who is also the incumbent regional director for Area J (Lower Arrow-Columbia), submitted his nomination papers for the city’s top job Friday.
He is also running again in his electoral area, where he faces a challenge from Rick Smith. In 2011, Chernoff defeated Zaitsoff 1,020 to 786.
Zaitsoff also ran once in a by-election for Castlegar council while serving as regional director. He has held the position since 2002.
Chernoff has been mayor since 2005 and was a councillor before that. He has served since 1987 with only one gap.
There are 10 candidates for council, including incumbents Kevin Chernoff, Sue Heaton-Sherstobitoff, Deb McIntosh, Dan Rye, and Florio Vassilakakis. The newcomers are Tyler Maddocks, who ran unsuccessfully in 2011, as well as in the by-election last year that saw Vassilakakis elected; Dave Grantham; longtime local school administrator Kere MacGregor; John Phillips; and Bruno Tassone.
Gord Turner is the only incumbent not seeking re-election.
There are three candidates for Castlegar school trustee. Mickey Kinakin, who has represented the Tarrys, Thrums and Shoreacres areas for many years, is now running in the ward that includes Castlegar, Robson, Raspberry, Deer Park and Renata. The other candidates are Rosann Brunton and Catherine Zaitsoff.
Neither incumbent — Jennifer Carter and Jo-Ann Bursey — is running again.
Seeking to replace Kinakin in his old ward are Teri Ferworn and retired assistant superintendent Peter Moll.
In the Regional District of Central Kootenay, Area I (Rural Castlegar) director Andy Davidoff has been returned by acclamation.
For more on the election, see page A2