Karen Kearney will return to ballot in August in hopes of landing a seat representing Northwest Spokane on City Council.

Kearney pledges to be more visible in the district than the current council members who serve Northwest Spokane, Nancy McLaughlin and Steve Corker.

"When I go into businesses and multiple businesses and they say they have never met their councilperson, and they don't even know who they are, I have issues with that," Kearney said.

Kearney, 59, challenged McLaughlin in 2009 and came in second in a six-way primary. McLaughlin defeated Kearney, taking about 67 percent of the vote in the November election.

She said her top issue will remain improving public safety. Kearney said she hasn't yet developed specific propposals to deal with the city's budget shortfalls.

Kearney, chairwoman of the Balboa South Indian Trail Neighborhood Council, used to be active in the Spokane County Republican Party, but said she won't seek party endorsements.

"I'm asking for the people to vote for me. I'm not asking for the party," she said. "I'm an independent who's fiscally conservative."

Kearney said that Mayor Mary Verner has a good mayor and that she endorses her re-election bid.

"She's really been there for the city," Kearney said.

Kearney is at least likely to face Steve Salvatori, who owns the Spokane Entrepreneurial Center . Salvatori has announced his candidacy, but had not filed for the office by the close of business today.

Here are the Spokane candidates so far:

Mayor

Mary Verner, incumbent

Mike Noder, co-owner of MoMike Inc., a demolition company

Barbara Lampert, former nurse’s assistant, frequent candidate for office

City Council president

Ben Stuckart, executive director of Communities in Schools

Steve Corker, Spokane City councilman

City Council, northeast district

John Waite, owner of Meryln's, a science fiction store in downtown Spokane

Gary Pollard, chairman of Riverside Neighborhood Council

City Council, south district

Mike Allen, former city councilman

Richard Rush, incumbent

City Council, northwest district

Karen Kearney, former regional operations manager at Capital Savings Bank in Seattle

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