Council, mayoral races in fall

Newcomer John Rallis will square off against incumbent Mayor Don Barnhart this fall in the Columbia Falls city election.

Barnhart has been mayor for seven years and served on the city council seven years before that. He owns and operates B&F Excavating in Columbia Falls.

Rallis could not be immediately reached for comment.

On the council side, four candidates will vie for three open spots.

Former Flathead County Clerk and Recorder Paula Robinson, who retired in 2014, made it a race when she filed for a council seat. Robinson joins Stephen J. Duffy and incumbents Mike Shepard and Jenny Lovering for three open seats.

Shepard and Lovering are incumbents; Duffy is a member of the city-county planning board and often attends council meetings as a resident.

Incumbent Councilman Dave Petersen did not file for re-election.