Wyatt ends council bid
July 1, 2009 · Updated 11:26 AM
Former Port Orchard City Councilman Rick Wyatt has ended his attempt to regain a seat on the council in order to care for his ailing wife.
“The city has been my life,” he said on Tuesday, “but I am withdrawing from the race because I feel that I need to take care of my wife. This is the right thing to do.”
Linda Wyatt was diagnosed with a stroke the morning of June 24 at home.
Wyatt called paramedics, who rushed her to Tacoma General Hospital before a significant amount of damage had occurred.
“There is a short window of opportunity in these cases,” Wyatt said. “The South Kitsap Fire and Rescue crew responded quickly. They were really great, and we were able to get her to the hospital in time.”
The couple, who met when they were in high school, celebrated their 45th anniversary in the hospital on June 27.
As of Wednesday, Linda Wyatt had regained much of her vocabulary and “is improving in leaps and bounds,” according to her husband.
Wyatt was on the council for 17 years prior to his defeat in 2007, by Fred Olin, and had filed to run against incumbent Rob Putaansuu.
Wyatt informed Putaansuu on Wednesday about his withdrawal from the race.
Putaansuu, now unopposed, will be elected to a full four-year term by acclamation.
Fellow councilman Jerry Childs is also unopposed, while Carolyn Powers and Fred Chang respectively face challenges from Cindy Lucarelli and Amy Igloi Mantsuno.
Wyatt has not filed a formal notice of withdrawal with the Kitsap County Auditor.
Elections Supervisor Dolores Gilmore said that ballots had not been printed so there will be no effect on the election.
Gilmore said that his filing fee of $92.55 would not be refunded, but would be returned to the city of Port Orchard.
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