Troy mayor nixes run for re-election

The Troy mayor and two councilmembers who are up for re-election chose not to run this fall, while the Libby mayor and its four incumbent councilmembers will be campaigning to serve another term.

Philip Fisher and Frances McCully will run for two full-term Troy City Council seats currently filled by Laura Schrader and Larry Baker.

Edward Hanson and current councilmember Don Banning are running to fill Jim Hammons’ position as Troy mayor. Banning ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2005, served on the council from 2000-06, and was elected again in 2007. Hanson is a former Troy School Board member and is on the city’s police commission.

Current Libby mayor Doug Roll and councilmember Peggy Williams will be competing for mayor. Roll served on the council for five years before being appointed mayor last winter to fill the vacancy created when Tony Berget was appointed county commissioner. Williams has been on the council since 2007.   

Robin Benson, Barbara Desch and Vicky Lawrence will run against incumbents Lee Bothman, Ron Carter and Walter McElmurry to fill three full-term seats on the Libby council. McElmurry has been on the council since 2003, and Bothman since 2004. Carter was appointed to the council in March after Charlene Leckrone retired.   

Charlie Berget and current councilmember D.C. Orr will run to complete the two years left on Leckrone’s term. Orr was appointed to the council last winter when Roll took over as mayor. Berget is a 2009 Libby High School graduate and son of Tony Berget.