Candidate makes bond issue priority.

Byline: Edward Russo The Register-Guard

Eugene resident and City Council candidate Chris Pryor is campaigning this weekend, but not for himself.

Pryor, public affairs manager for Springfield's Willamalane Park and Recreation District, is unopposed on the Nov. 2 general election ballot for the west Eugene seat on the council. He was unopposed in the May primary election, too.

With a clear shot at election, Pryor this weekend is knocking on doors in Springfield, urging residents to vote for a $4.5 million Willamalane bond issue.

"Even though I may not have an opponent, I am doing a lot campaigning related to this bond issue," he said.

None of the other city candidates - for mayor, city council and the Eugene Water and Electric Board - have opponents either, all but assuring their elections next month. If elected, they will take office in January.

Pryor and the other candidates got more than 50 percent of the vote during the May primary, which allowed them to advance alone to the November election.

When Eugene residents get their ballots, therefore, Kitty Piercy, a former state representative and current Planned Parenthood employee, will be the lone candidate for mayor.

Incumbent City Councilor Bonny Bettman will be the Ward 1 candidate.

Two-term City Councilor Betty Taylor will be the candidate in Ward 2.

First-time candidates Andrea Ortiz and Pryor will be the candidates in wards 7 and 8, respectively.

Three candidates for the EWEB also are unopposed: John Simpson, for wards 1 and 8; Pat Lanning, in wards 2 and 3; and Mel Menegat, for wards 6 and 7.

City officials are elected on a nonpartisan basis.

Not long ago, it looked like Piercy might have a challenger for mayor.

Last month, departing Mayor Jim Torrey, a Republican, contemplated whether to challenge Piercy as a write-in candidate. He declined, disappointing some of his most ardent conservative backers. Piercy, a liberal-leaning Democrat who had waged an energetic campaign with hundreds of volunteers to eclipse City Councilor Nancy Nathanson in the May primary, breathed a sigh of relief.