LAGUNA HILLS : Filing Period Nears for Council Election

People wishing to run for three City Council seats in November can pick up nomination papers beginning July 18.

The seats held by Mayor R. Craig Scott, Randal J. Bressette and L. Allan Songstad Jr. will be contested.

Scott has said he will run for reelection, while Bressette and Songstad have not yet announced their intentions.

Council members serve four-year terms and receive $300 a month.

Nomination papers will be available from the city clerk’s office, 25201 Paseo de Alicia, from July 18 through Aug. 12. The papers must be signed by 20 to 30 registered Laguna Hills voters and turned in by 5 p.m. Aug. 12.

City Clerk Mary A. Carlson suggests that prospective candidates set up an appointment to take out the nomination papers because the process generally takes about 30 minutes.

Candidates must file statements of economic interests at the time of filing nominating papers.

Also, candidates who wish may submit 200-word descriptions of their qualifications, which will be included in the November sample ballot. The cost for filing such a statement is $650.

If any incumbent fails to file nominating papers by Aug. 12, the deadline will be extended to Aug. 17 for other candidates.