Stacey Karvoski

Enterprise voters are making an important decision in the coming weeks as four candidates have stepped up to become the city’s next mayor.

The winner will be in charge of running meetings and certainly may have influence over fellow councilors. There’s also an opportunity to work closely with City Administrator Michele Young to shape the council’s agenda for years to come.

Beyond all that, the mayor also serves as the “face” of the city and as its primary ambassador.

We strongly urge Enterprise voters to elect current councilor Stacey Karvoski to fill the important role of mayor. We believe her prior experience and aptitude for administration make her the clear choice. We also believe her background in the medical profession and familiarity with our local health care district will be a valuable asset for the community, as the health care industry is so vital to our community’s citizens and its economy.

As for the rest of the Enterprise council, we endorse Larry Christman for Position 5. Mr. Christman’s past experience on council, including a stint as mayor, sets him apart.

And while experience is important, a fresh perspective also can help a city grow. To that end, we’re endorsing Pastor Micah Agnew for Position 4. We’re eager to see what his unique vision might bring.

In Wallowa, we urge voters to support current councilor Garrett Lowe, who already has shown a knack for leadership and has been an early driving force in the town’s most recent revitalization efforts. We also support newcomer Shawn Sealey, whose wildlife management experience should prove useful.

In Joseph, we believe current councilor Tyler Evans should be retained. He has a solid administrative background and has shown a propensity for truly listening to his constituents. Beyond Evans, we’ll leave it to voters to select two of the three remaining candidates. We see nothing at this point to warrant our recommendation either for or against them.

We applaud all who have stepped forward to serve. Thank you for getting involved and giving voters some tough choices.

— Scot Heisel