Will vie against Mayor John Kovash for seat

Showing a change of heart, West Linn City Council candidate Ron Le Blanc is now running for mayor.

Le Blanc filed the paperwork at city hall on Tuesday, July 3. He originally filed for a council position back in April.

Le Blanc has lived in West Linn since 2007 with his wife, Kate. He owns and operates Le Blanc Photography in West Linn. He is also a retired deputy sheriff, having served in law enforcement for 22 years.

“After knocking on my neighbors’ doors, talking with community and business leaders and reevaluating the issues facing the people in West Linn, it’s clear the real need in this community is for leadership at the mayoral level,” Le Blanc said.

Le Blanc said he believes the city plays a role in creating a successful business economy.

“In addition to the businesses that make up our downtown and other commerce areas, West Linn has a significant number of home-based businesses,” he said. “Ensuring those businesses are supported takes strong relationships. I’ll focus on building coalition partnerships with all levels of government and other south metro cities to help champion the growth of our local businesses.”

Le Blanc said he’s well-prepared to lead West Linn. He has served on the board of the West Linn Chamber of Commerce, the West Linn Arts Festival, the Hidden Springs/Bluegrass Circle Home Owners Association and the Portland Metropolitan Photographers Association.

Le Blanc was a deputy sheriff for 22 years, spent seven years as a manager responsible for resolving problems for a theater chain and was an adviser for the Boy Scouts for four years.

“We are blessed to live in a wonderful city, but we can do better. West Linn needs strong leadership and fresh, new ideas. I thought contributing as a city councilor would make an impact, but having talked to key leaders and everyday citizens, it’s clear we need decisive leadership in the mayor’s office to tackle our most-pressing problems,” Le Blanc said.

Le Blanc, citing discord on the council, said he believes that, in order to get West Linn back on track, the city council needs to be more responsive to citizens.

“I am committed to resolving the city’s current challenges and putting an end to the negativity associated with the council. Our community deserves a city council that is accessible, accountable and puts the needs of our neighbors first.”

Le Blanc and his wife live in the Hidden Springs neighborhood.

For more information about Le Blanc, visit ronleblanc4mayor.com.

Mayor John Kovash has also announced that he intends to run for re-election this year.

On the city council, the terms of Jenni Tan and Teri Cummings end this year. Tan has also announced her intention to run again and planning commission member Thomas Frank has filed for city council. Cummings has not made any statements.

Filing for city office positions closes Aug. 24.