Political newcomer joins Forest Grove council race

Jonathan Kipp, who sought a seat on the council last year, will run in November election

By Christian Gaston

The Forest Grove News-Times, Jul 21, 2010, Updated Jul 21, 2010

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This fall’s race for Forest Grove City Council might be a bit more lively than usual, with at least one political newcomer entering the fray.

Jonathan Kipp, who sits on the city’s budget committee, will seek one of three seats on the council up for the taking this fall. But he’ll have an uphill battle: all three incumbents, Camille Miller, Tom “TJ” Johnston, and Ron Thompson, are running for re-election.

Miller welcomed Kipp’s jump into the race, saying a little healthy competition for a seat on the council will be fun.

“It’ll be nice to have some action,” Miller said.

Miller is seeking a second term. In 2006, Miller was the top candidate in Forest Grove’s free-for-all council election, netting 3,575 votes, or 27.6 percent of the vote. Johnston came in a very close second, with 3,570 votes, about 27.6 percent. Thompson earned 3,307 votes, or 25.6 percent of the vote, and Aldie Howard took 18.2 percent.

In Forest Grove’s at-large city elections, the top candidates divvy up the open seats, so Kipp or any other challenger would have to best the third-most-popular incumbent in order to make it onto the council.

Kipp vied for an appointment to an open seat on the council created by the elevation of Pete Truax to mayor last year. He came in third behind Tom Beck, chair of the planning commission, and the council’s top choice, Tom BeLusko Jr.

But Kipp didn’t leave the world of local government after BeLusko won the seat. Instead, he joined the city’s budget committee and Washington County’s public safety coordinating council.

Since the appointment process, Kipp’s been posting to his website various tidbits about why he’s running.

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