Mary Engle, a senior residential appraiser in the Island County Assessor’s Office, announced Monday that she plans to run for election against incumbent Democrat Dave Mattens in the November election.

The office of the assessor is a partisan position that carries a four-year term. Mattens is in his first term, having taken office in January 2007. The job pays $70,646 a year.

Engle, 40, is running as a Republican. Although she supported Mattens when he ran office in 2006, she said she feels he has demonstrated a lack of leadership that has begun to cost both the department and the taxpayer.

“I feel he has a great heart, but I don’t feel he is directing the office the way he should be – and I need to make a change,” Engle said.

As a 16-year veteran of the Assessor’s Office staff, Engle said the biggest problem is inadequate employee training. She said it has resulted in fluctuating property assessments and poor office morale. Engle said she would like to institute a mentor program to help address the training issue.