Spokane Valley City Council Position 1
The Candidates
Rod Higgins
- Party:
- No party
- Age:
- 82
- City:
- Spokane Valley, Washington
Political experience: Appointed to Spokane Valley City Council in 2013 and elected to the position in 2013 and 2017. He served as a city of Spokane Valley planning commissioner from January 2012 until his appointment to the council. Served as Spokane Valley mayor from 2016 to 2020.
Work experience: Spent much of his career in the mining industry. Was executive director of the Nevada Mining Association for four years. He is the retired director of International Society of Mine Safety Professionals.
Military experience: Served two years in the Army.
Education: Graduated from high school in Wallace. Earned bachelor’s degree from the University of Idaho in finance in 1964.
Family: Married to Gloria Higgins for 50 years. Has two kids.
Campaign fundraising: Raised $17,900, as of Oct. 11, 2021, including more than $5,800 that he loaned to himself. Contributors include Spokane Valley businessman Jack Pring ($1,000), former Spokane County Republican Party chairwoman Cynthia Zapatocky ($1,000), Associated Builders and Contractors ($500), Republican state Sen. Mike Padden ($125), candidate for Spokane Valley City Council Position 7 Laura Padden ($125), Spokane County Assessor Tom Konis and Kathy Konis, ($50 each), and Spokane Valley City Councilman Arne Woodard ($500).
Chris Jackson
- Party:
- No party
- Age:
- 37
- City:
- Spokane Valley, Washington
Education: Graduated from Spokane Valley’s University High School in 2005. Earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology from Western Washington University. He is defending a doctorate in social psychology submitted to the University of Otago in New Zealand in about a month.
Political experience: This is his first run for public office; involved in family campaigns.
Work experience: Mostly teaching and tutoring at colleges he has attended; swim instructor for many years and a houseparent at Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery.
Family: In a committed relationship. Has no children.
List of top priorities if elected: Creating a more transparent City Council and hosting more community-oriented events. Wants to bring back civil political discourse.
Al (Albert) Merkel
- Party:
- No party
- Age:
- 38
- City:
- Spokane Valley, WA
Education: Graduated from University High School in 2004. Graduated from Whitworth University in 2009 with bachelor’s degrees in mathematics, political science and economics.
Political experience: Unsuccessfully ran for Spokane Valley City Council in 2017 and 2019. Was elected to the city council in 2023, beating longtime Valley Councilman Arne Woodard. Serves as a Republican precinct committee officer.
Work experience: Co-owns Dee's Dog Grooming with his wife. Works as an emergency substitute teacher for the Central Valley School District. Was chief financial officer, and briefly, chief executive officer of Sequoia Detox Centers. Has worked for several companies and agencies as a contract specialist, including the Centene Corporation, the U.S. Agency for International Development, Chemonics International, Premier Management Corporation and Louis Burger.
Family: Married to Stephanie Merkel. Has one child.
Campaign Fundraising: Has raised a cumulative $1,171 as of July 12, comprised of $470 in small cash gifts and $701 of in-kind donations to himself.
Complete Coverage
Jackson challenges Higgins for Valley Council Position 1
Spokane Valley City Council Position 1 pits incumbent experience against challenger’s youth.
Higgins, Merkel in Valley council race
The race comes down to the experience of Rod Higgins, and the fresh perspective of Al Merkel. We think both should advance and continue that debate.
Spokane Valley Mayor Rod Higgins faces two challengers in re-election bid
The 2017 City Council election in Spokane Valley has turned into a barnstorm of new faces challenging incumbents. The five open seats have attracted 13 candidates resulting in two contested primary races, one of which is the race for Position 1, held by Mayor Rod Higgins.
Eight, including 5 Spokane Valley council members, to seek election in fall
Five open positions on the Spokane Valley City Council draw early filings with the PDC from new and veteran politicians including Ben Wick
Neighbors around Spokane Valley’s Mayhew Road are furious about proposed development - say they received no notice
Spokane Valley residents in the semi-rural neighborhood between Mayhew and Keller Roads protest a proposed single-family development that will change the look of their neighborhood forever.
Valley council cleared
The Washington State Auditor’s Office has issued a detailed report clearing the Spokane Valley City Council – specifically Councilmen Ed Pace and Sam Wood, and Deputy Mayor Arne Woodard and Mayor Rod Higgins who were serving at the time – of violations of the Open Public Meetings Act and mismanagement of public funds in connection with the firing of former city manager Mike Jackson.
Spokane Valley City Council names Mark Calhoun city manager in unanimous vote
For a secret mission it had an anticlimactic outcome: the Spokane Valley City Council unanimously appointed acting city manager Mark Calhoun its new city manager Tuesday evening, putting an end to rumors about Rep. Matt Shea and county commissioner candidate Josh Kerns being shoo-ins for the job.
Valley looking for new funding source for roads
With decline of landlines, Spokane Valley faces a tough reality: Switch utility tax to natural gas or power, or run out of road maintenance funds.
Spokane Valley leaders still optimistic about new library
Spokane Valley City Council wants a new library by its new city hall, but is uncertain how to make it happen.