LA PINE, OR -- La Pine Mayor Dennis Scott is not running for re-election, citing health issues. That means the city's top job is up for grabs. The two candidates running in November share a love of La Pine, but have different visions for its future.

City Councilor Connie Briese tells KBND News, "Paying attention to the values that La Pine was incorporated on, so keeping it small, even though we are going to grow, but keeping that feeling of we're still a small town." She says she wants to make sure, "What we do, when we grow, we are looking at all those things that are important to us." Briese says while on Council she's been working on the city's future, and wants to continue, "Part of what I intend on doing is just making sure that the projects that are currently going on keep moving forward at a good pace, and that we're paying attention to what our goals were in achieving those projects."

Businessman and Marine Corp veteran Dan Richer says growth is inevitable, but can be well-managed, "We really don't want to be a metropolis. We enjoy the type of lifestyle that we have here, but we also would like a few conveniences in our town." And, he says, he'd like to see La Pine become a destination point, "For events and for tourism, bring in some business as people pass through, it would be nice if they stopped and enjoyed our restaurants, shopped in our stores, visited our items that are just unique to La Pine." He tells KBND News, "It would be very nice to direct growth in a beneficial manner for La Pine. We don't need to increase our tax base, we have a very strong sense of community here."

Both Candidates took part in a breakfast forum, Friday morning, hosted by the La Pine Chamber at the Senior Center. Click HERE for more on the November Election.