Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
It is down to McCown and Pfaff for mayor in Garfield, the incumbent and the former.
“I have no idea what’s going to happen,” said Ray McCown, mayor since 2014. “It’s up to the citizens.”
He seeks re-election to his second term of his current office, a third chapter after McCown served as Garfield mayor from 1972-1987, followed by another term in the early 2000s.
Jarrod Pfaff held office from 2006 to 2013.
In the Aug. 1 primary, Pfaff received 89 votes, McCown 74 and Terri Linderman was eliminated with 41.
McCown
What does the incumbent think of this campaign?
“There’s been a few untruths, but it hasn’t been too bad,” he said.
He and Pfaff appeared at a candidates’ forum Oct. 15 at the American Legion Hall. McCown, 84, a retired contractor and former Garfield Fire Chief, has put up one campaign sign downtown and sent out a letter.
“That’s enough, I think,” he said. “If they can’t see what I’ve been doing, then it will be tough to do otherwise.”
What about someone new to town, who was not here during Pfaff’s term(s) and just part of McCown’s? How do they vote?
“They just ask a few people what’s been going on, how things have changed in the last four years,” McCown said.
What is the single biggest issue that will decide this?
“Just personalities, and people’s age,” McCown said. “I think the younger people will support Pfaff, and the older people will support me. I think it’ll be very close.”
Will he be able to make up the difference from the August primary?
“I think a lot of people didn’t vote in the primary,” McCown said. “I talked to four or five, they got their ballot in the mail, put it in a drawer, laid it in a pile of mail.”
Pfaff
What does the challenger and former mayor think is going to happen?
“Who’s going to win? I’d say it’s anybody’s guess, you never know,” Pfaff said.
A University of Idaho graduate who works in ag science technology for the USDA (Pullman), he moved to Garfield in 1996 after growing up visiting his father on weekends in town and going to school in Coeur d’Alene.
What does he think of the campaign?
“It’s been a pretty good campaign,” he said.
Pfaff, 42, mailed out a campaign flyer. He has not posted signs, but he has done a little door-knocking.
He thought the candidates forum went well.
“Some very good questions, covered the gamut, there wasn’t one specific thing everyone was harping on,” Pfaff said.
What about someone new to town, how do they vote?
“Hopefully they went to the candidates forum and between Ray’s flyer and my flyer, they would make up their mind between those two,” Pfaff said.
What’s the single biggest issue that will decide this?
“I would assume it is going to be how the budget is handled. The budget is gonna dictate all. If the town manages it correctly, you will have the money for sewer improvements and street improvements,” Pfaff said.
Will he be able to hold the edge from the primary?
“I’m hoping so. It all comes down to how many ballots come back,” Pfaff said.
Does he think the lower turnout of a primary was a factor in his August win?
“I think it was representative,” Pfaff said.
CORRECTION: Pfaff served as mayor in Garfield from 2006 to 2013. A ballot review story in last week’s Gazette incorrectly reported Pfaff served from 1997 to 2013.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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