CANDIDATES PREPARE TO FILE; 2 CITY COUNCIL TERMS ENDING.

Byline: Angela M. Lemire Staff Writer

Another former contender plans to put his political gloves up again in the next fight for two at-large City Council seats.

Rein Schurger, 39, a Canyon Country resident who works as a Los Angeles County sheriff's sergeant in East Compton, said Friday he will file candidacy papers within the next week for the nonpartisan municipal election on April 11.

The nomination period will begin Monday and end Jan. 14. If no incumbents file by that time, the filing period will be extended until Jan. 19, city officials said.

Having made an unsuccessful run for City Council in 1996, Schurger said he considered that campaign his foray into the local political scene and more of a ``fact-finding effort.''

His expertise in community policing and law enforcement would bring unique skills to the City Council that would focus on quality-of-life issues, said Schurger, a Scoutmaster with Boy Scouts of America. He has been married 20 years and has four children.

His policing schedule now frees up much more time to commit to the City Council position than in the past, Schurger added.

Although candidates may begin to file nomination papers Monday, Schurger already knows he will face another candidate with City Council campaign experience.

Cameron Smyth  deputy chief of staff to state Sen. W.J. ``Pete'' Knight, R-Palmdale announced his candidacy last week for one of the seats now held by Councilwomen Jill Klajic and Jan Heidt.

Smyth, 28, a son of former Councilman Clyde Smyth, finished fourth in the 1998 City Council race, behind Councilman Frank Ferry and Councilwomen Laurene Weste and Mayor Jo Anne Darcy, whose terms expire in 2002.

Two other potential challengers are former William S. Hart Union High School District Board member Paula Olivares, who vacated her seat in the fall and cited an interest in the council seat, and Eileen Connolly, former president of the Saugus Union School District Board.

Both Olivares and Connolly say they continue to talk the matter over with family, but expect to make final decisions shortly.

Incumbents Heidt and Klajic have not confirmed their intentions for the April 2000 election yet, although Klajic said in a recent interview she is now ``leaning toward no'' and expects to make a decision in coming weeks. Supporters are urging her to seek re-election, she said.

Klajic initially announced last summer she would seek re-election and began fund-raising efforts early, in anticipation of a tough race against opponents she perceived would be developer-friendly. Klajic considers herself a ``slow-growth advocate.''