Deadline to file for chance at City Council seats approaches.

Byline: CITY BEAT/SPRINGFIELD By Jack Moran The Register-Guard

SPRINGFIELD - Any resident of city wards 1, 2 or 5 who has been thinking about seeking a seat on the City Council this year has until Tuesday to file all required paperwork with election officials.

So far in Ward 1, incumbent Councilor Christine Lundberg is the only person to file for office. Current council President John Woodrow is seeking re-election to his Ward 5 seat, and is being challenged in the May 16 primary election by former Councilor Fred Simmons.

Two Ward 2 residents filed for office late this week. E Street resident Mark Molina, a Springfield Chamber of Commerce board member, turned in his paperwork Thursday. Late Friday, former Lane Transit District board President Hillary Wylie threw her hat in the ring.

Molina and Wylie hope to succeed current Ward 2 Councilor Tammy Fitch, who announced earlier this year that she would not seek a third term in this year's election.

Winners of the election will begin four-year terms on the City Council next January. In Springfield, candidates must live within the ward they represent, but city voters cast at-large ballots for candidates in all wards.

Councilors, planners to meet

Will Springfield try to pull out of the metro area's Region 2050 planning process?

City councilors will consider the question Monday night during a joint meeting with the planning commission. The session begins at 6 p.m. in the Library Meeting Room at City Hall.

The next step of the regional planning effort that thus far has been carried out by a number of cities in the Lane County area involves consideration of a growth concept that Springfield officials say does not reflect their city's priorities. Region 2050 was formed in 1999 to develop a strategy for managing population growth in the southern Willamette Valley during the next 50 years, and determine areas where municipal urban-growth boundaries should be expanded.

"The (City Council's) non-negotiable position that this process must benefit Springfield (and) must improve and simplify the land use decision process is still unconfirmed," states a memorandum to councilors issued by Springfield planning officials Bill Grile and Greg Mott.

City officials say they do not know if Springfield's commitment to the "regional problem solving" consortium is voluntary or required, and they are seeking clarification on that point from the state Land Conservation and Development Commission.

Climb for a cause

A dozen Springfield city firefighters are headed to Seattle this weekend to participate in the 15th annual Scott Firefighter Stairclimb, a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

More than 1,000 firefighters are expected to compete in Sunday's event. The winner will be the person who climbs the fastest up the Columbia Center's 69 stories - that's 1,311 grueling steps.

Last year's climb raised more than $215,000 for blood cancer research and patient services programs.

For more information on the event, visit www.lls.org. Donations to the cause can be made at Pacific Cascade Credit Union to the Springfield Firefighter Stairclimb Fund.

Jack Moran can be reached at 338-2373 or [e-mail].