SURREY – A former mayor and an expelled alderman are among candidates in races to fill four seats on the City of Surrey’s six-member city council June 9.

Travis Dalby is seeking re-election in Ward 1, which has two openings to fill. Steve Fennewald, a former council member and mayor, is looking to get back on the board. Elaine Christianson also has filed to run.

In Ward 2, where two openings exist, Twyla Gantzer and Brent Dickinson have filed. Tammy Hein-Sack, who was appointed in March, did not file. Gantzer was appointed to her seat earlier this year after Dickinson was kicked off in January – an action he has protested as illegal.

“They know it’s wrong,” Dickinson said. “You don’t remove people from the council because you don’t like something they said.”

Minutes of the Jan. 13 council meeting indicate an effort to eject Dickinson for Facebook posts last fall that were believed to be derogatory. Dickinson said his negative post about the police chief was in jest, although he added he has been dissatisfied with the operations of the local police department. When the wife of another council member replied to criticize his post, Dickinson had responded with an obscene comment.

Dickinson said he does not believe the posts warranted his removal from the council. The council voted 3-1 to remove Dickinson, with two members abstaining and Dickinson objecting. When Dickinson took a seat at the council table in February, the council voted 4-1 to remove him.

Voting for removal were Dalby, Mike Thiesen, Lindsay Coca and Rod Hjelden, who soon after resigned from the council. Coca’s term in Ward 1 is expiring but she did not file for re-election. Voting against Dickinson’s removal was Jenny Johns, seated in January after winning a December election to recall council member Karla Walsh.

Mayor Chuck Tollefson, elected last December to replace former mayor Jason Strand, who resigned, supports Dickinson.

“I was pushing to get him back on because I felt it was not legal that he be removed,” Tollefson said. He said without a process in its ordinances for removal of a council member for inappropriate behavior, the city must follow state law. The removal process in state law requires a petition to the governor, signed by 10% of qualified electors.

Last December, council members at the time signed a Leadership Code of Conduct, which states, “If a Council member or Committee member discusses City business on social media and it is discovered, a complaint will be filed with the Mayor. The Mayor will remind the Council member or Committee member of the Code of Conduct but if the problem persists, the Council member or Committee member will be removed by a majority vote of the Council.”

Tollefson noted the code is not a legally binding document.

“It’s a good idea, but there’s no teeth in it, in my opinion,” he said.

The council has been without a city attorney to weigh in. At a March 16 special meeting, the council selected Andrew Schultz of Minot as the city’s legal counsel.

Tollefson said Dickinson’s demeanor at times at council meetings has generated animosity from other members, although he noted there has been dissension among members generally.

Troubled relations in the city have led to turnover both on the council and within city offices, contributing to the city being short-staffed for a time last year. Most recently, felony charges were filed against Johns related to water bill discrepancies during her time as Surrey’s deputy city auditor.