PORT ANGELES — The interest of a Port Angeles resident who runs a Sequim business will turn an open Port Angeles City Council seat into a contested race.
Todd Negus, 49, announced late Friday in an email that he will file this week for the four-year Position 1 council slot being vacated by Brad Collins, who is not running for re-election.
Former Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce President Jim Moran already has announced his intention to run for the position.
Candidate filing week for Nov. 7 general election candidates begins today and ends Friday.
Negus, who grew up in Michigan, co-owns OSP Sling Inc. in Sequim with his former father-in-law, John Glover of Forks.
The company manufactures synthetic web slings, polyester slings and cargo nets for Boeing, the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the windmill and oil industries.
Negus said Saturday he has been a Port Angeles resident since 1992 and been employed full-time at the company for 25 years, including about two decades as partners with Glover.
Negus, who has a 21-year-old daughter and 24-year-old son, is a former president and former board member of the Peninsula Golf Club.
He has never been elected or run for public office.
“The company is at a point where I’ve freed up some time,” Negus said. “I pick up on stuff quickly and I’m level minded.
“I think Port Angeles has a lot of potential that has not been tapped into yet.”
Negus said if elected he would follow the decision of residents who cast votes in the citywide fluoridation advisory ballot measure but has not decided how he will vote on the measure.
“I don’t know enough about it,” he said. “There are a lot important issues out there that need to be addressed.”
Negus said he does not support changing the city from code-city status to a second-class designation.
“That does not seem to be a good idea,” he said.
Negus said he chose to run for Position 1 after deciding not to run for Position 2 against business owner Jake Oppelt or for Position 4 against financial adviser Travis Berglund because he knows Oppelt and Berglund.
Position 2 incumbent Lee Whetham has said he intends to seek re-election, and Berglund did not have an announced opponent as of Saturday, with incumbent Dan Gase not seeking re-election.
Lawyer Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin has announced his intention to run for the Position 3 seat being vacated by Mayor Patrick Downie, who is not running for re-election.
Negus has not met Moran, he said.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@ peninsuladailynews.com.
