Two more candidates have joined the race for the three city council seats that will be up for election this November, joining incumbents Spencer Short and Tom Cosgrove and challengers Allen Cuenca and Paul Joiner. The period for filing ends Friday, since current Mayor Primo Santini will not run again.

Tracy Kirk Newton has pulled papers, but has not yet filed qualifying documents. Newton did not return repeated calls for comment.

Stanley Nader, who previously served on the council from 1986 to 1993, is running again.

Nader said he has wanted to serve again on the council for some time, but felt he had a conflict of interest due to a piece of property he owned that he was trying to get annexed by the city. He recently sold that property to developers, however.

“I feel the city is in a position now, with the economic times we’re in, it needs people who are fiscally conservative,” Nader said. “Because of my background and the way I was raised, I’m very much of that philosophy. I’m a farmer and farmers learn to deal with making the best of what little they have.”

Nader added that the economic slump probably will worsen in the coming year.

“It’s going to take people with strong leadership skills who are willing to make difficult decisions,” he said.

No challengers filed for the two open seats on the Western Placer Unified School District board of trustees, meaning incumbents Paul Long and Paul Carras will run unopposed.

Long said Monday he found it “extremely surprising” that no challengers filed for the two trustee seats.

“I’ve been on the board a long time, and have been run against a lot of times, too,” Long said.

All told, Long said, he has served on the board for 30 years.

“I’m elated to be back on the board,” he added. “One of the big things with me is vocational education and the school farm. We’re very blessed in this district to be one of the few schools remaining in California that have such wonderful programs. I want it to be a goal that the remaining land be put in an ag preserve so it can never be touched except for the acreage set aside for a future high school. We really have a jewel out there (the farm). We’ve got a lot to be proud of and it’s important that we preserve that.”

Long said he considers himself a big supporter of public education.

“My wife wants me to retire, but I’m going to go four more years,” he said. “I’m still young — I’m not old yet.”

Carras attributed the lack of challengers to a possible perception that the current board is doing a better job.

“I’d like to think that the people have seen this board and district make some strides forward from where we were a year or so ago,” he said. “We tried to address every problem and we will be addressing the grand jury report (that criticized the district for financial mismanagement). I’d like to think people see things improving.”

Too, Carras said, the attention of some district critics might have shifted in the current economic downturn.

“I think the economic times are causing people to look at other things,” he said. “They’re worried about their homes and jobs. I was prepared to run a campaign if need be, but I’m glad I don’t have to do that.”

Carras, who has more than 40 years’ experience in public education, said his expertise will help the district in the years to come.

“I like challenges,” he said. “I don’t have political aspirations. I just want to assist the district in any way I can to help the students in the community.”