Over the next few months Fountain Hills residents will have the opportunity to hear from those wanting to serve on the Town Council for the next four years.

Voters will go to the polls March 9 to fill three seats and the mayor’s office for the seven-member council.

In this instance there is no mystery to the mayor’s contest. Mayor Jay Schlum is running unchallenged, giving him a free ride to a second two-year term as mayor.

For the three council seats there are two challengers to the three incumbents, who are all seeking re-election.

Councilmembers Mike Archambault, Ginny Dickey and Henry Leger all want another four-year term on the council.

Trying to take a couple of those seats are Tait Elkie and Hugh Henry.

Here is a brief introduction to the council candidates:

Mike Archambault is seeking an unprecedented third term as a council member. If successful he would be the first to serve on the Fountain Hills council for that length of time.

Archambault, 58, arrived in Fountain Hills in 1972 when he and his dad went into the construction business. He and his wife, Charla, were married in 1975, and they have two children, Michelle and Eric. Both of his kids went through 12 years of school in Fountain Hills.

In 1981 he started his Fountain Hills Wood Whims that evolved into the cabinet business it is today.

Over the years he has been involved with Sunset Kiwanis and Boy Scouts of America. He was first elected to the Town Council in 2002.

“I am seeking another term not because of some personal reason. If that were the case I would stop now,” Archambault said. “I seek to continue to serve this last time for a much more noble reason. To steer Fountain Hills through these dark days ahead.

“I believe that all my experience, history and investment in Fountain Hills can help us through the darkest of storms.”

Ginny Dickey has been a Fountain Hills resident for 26 years and has a long history of being active in education, civic affairs and volunteerism.

Seeking her second four-year term on the council, Dickey, 53, also served eight years on the Fountain Hills Unified School District Board. She served as president for two years, 1998 and 2002.

She has also been a Democratic candidate for the Arizona State Legislature, a state party committee member, precinct committeeperson and co-founder of the Fountain Hills Democratic Club.

She was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2000 and in 2008.

Dickey holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Tufts University and is employed by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality as assistant director of legislative affairs.

“As a 26-year resident of this great community, I want to continue to be a part of a council dedicated to realizing our town’s goals and visions,” Dickey said.

“Successfully balancing our interests for an overall sustainable and extraordinary community, including economic recovery and growth, preserving natural beauty and environmental resources, strong public safety, reasonable town amenities for all ages, encouraging the arts and open, tolerant, welcoming governance, is the reason I seek again to serve.”

Henry Leger is an 18-year resident of Fountain Hills. He and his wife have two daughters attending Fountain Hills public schools.

Leger, 61, holds a master’s degree and has worked in the field of leadership development and organizational effectiveness for 25 years. He said his professional career has focused on improving individual, team and organizational effectiveness and business performance.

Throughout his career he had held a number of leadership positions within corporate, education and government settings. He has served on the Fountain Hills Town Council since 2006 and is seeking a second four-year term.

Leger has been active in the volunteer arena also. He is a member of the Civic and Cultural Association, the Chamber of Commerce, Sister Cities and a Senior Services board member. He is a member of the Business Vitality Advisory Council and services on the committee of architecture for his neighborhood homeowners association.

“I am running for re-election to Town Council to continue to serve the citizens of Fountain Hills.  Our town is at a critical juncture in its history when leadership must act responsibly to ensure Fountain Hills remains the most livable community in the Valley,” Leger said.

“I will continue to put community first and work to advance the vision and values of the citizens.

“I bring to the table the leadership experience, decision-making skills and fiscal responsibility to lead our town through the current downturn in the economy and position our town to thrive in the future.”

Tait Elkie, 38, has lived in Arizona for more than 25 years and has been a resident of Fountain Hills since 2006.

He has strived to become an active member of the community and serves as president of Sunset Kiwanis, judge advocate for VFW Post No. 7507 and is a member of American Legion Post No. 58.

He is treasurer of the Fountain Hills Republican Club, a Fountain Hills Teen Court mentor and a CARE advisory board member.

Elkie is president of his HOA and a member of the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce.

Elkie served in the U.S. Marine Corps after high school, serving in the Gulf War in 1991 and Operation Restore Hope in Somalia in 1993.

He attended Arizona State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in justice studies. He earned a Juris Doctorate from California Western School of Law. He is a practicing attorney in Arizona and has had his office in Fountain Hills for a year and a half.

“I have chosen to run for Town Council because I believe the town needs some strong and fiscally responsible leadership to make some tough decisions, and to chart a real economic plan for our town’s future financial sustainability and success,” Elkie said.

“I have been disappointed by the town’s handling and pursuit of a number of lawsuits that has cost our town millions, which has put a significant strain on our current budget. 

“If elected, I would offer a much needed new perspective and energy to our town government that has been missing for a number of years.”

Hugh Henry, 78, has been a Fountain Hills property owner since 1984 and has been a civic activist in such matters as tax policy.

Henry is a mechanical engineer and graduate of the three-year General Electric management-training program.

In the past he has served as a member of a school board, a medical review board and as a certified mediator for the State of Arizona. He also served as a receiver for the Arizona Superior Court, acting as chief executive officer for a publicly held company. Previously he reported to the CEO of two different Fortune 500 companies.

Having served on boards in the past, Henry said he likes the idea of having citizen boards oversee various operations in government.

“The town will be facing some tough problems to solve in the future,” Henry said. “I believe my experience in running businesses that have been in receivership will be helpful in facing difficult financial questions.”

Henry said he believes the town must be certain it is operating as efficiently as possible.