Longtime Lemoore resident Ray Etchegoin told The Leader Friday that he intends to pull nomination papers on Monday (July 25) to run for a seat on the Lemoore City Council.
The only candidate to return his nomination papers is Eddie Neal, who is seeking another four-year term on the council. Lemoore's Holly Blair has also taken out papers. She ran in 2014 in an unsuccessful bid for a council seat.
Etchegoin, 59, grew up in Stratford and attended Lemoore High School and has lived in Lemoore for at least 30 years. He has been active in the community and recently stepped down as the Kings Lions’ Club president. He currently works for Vandersteen Audio in Hanford. He has a wife Pini and son Kyle.
“I think the city’s going in the right direction now,” said Etchegoin, “and I want to see it stay that way.”
Former Lemoore Recreation Department Head Joe Simonson has also pulled papers to run for city council. Simonson, earlier this year, was placed on administrative leave by the city, and he later retired with a $100,000 settlement from the city.
Three seats are up for grabs this year in the city’s at-large election. Currently the seats are held by Neal, Billy Siegel and Mayor Lois Wynne. According to The Hanford Sentinel, Siegel has decided not to run for reelection. Wynne has not picked up papers and it’s unclear whether she will try for a second term.
The nomination period for city council began Monday, July 18 and closes on August 12.