There will be a bit of a shakeup in the Niles City Council come November.

With 4th Ward Council Member Bruce Williams and 3rd Ward Council Member Betty Arndt deciding not to run for another term, it opens the door for a former councilman and a new, young face to city government to join the panel.

Tuesday’s filing deadline saw only Scott Clark register as a candidate for the 4th ward seat. Clark, the owner of Clark’s Service in Niles, was on the council for several years before resigning in 2006 due to a controversy revolving around a conflict of interest regarding his contract to service city police cars.

The only candidate to file for the 3rd Ward seat was 20-year-old David Mann, a theology student at Andrews University and lifelong Niles resident.

“I think I would bring fresh ideas, hopefully a different perspective,” he said in a phone interview Wednesday. “I realize that I have things to learn still, but I feel that I have experience from school and practical things I’ve learned.”

As for the mayoral post, Tim Skalla, the 5th ward representative since 2006, and Bruce Leach, Niles’ former fire marshal, will challenge incumbent Mike McCauslin.

McCauslin said he hadn’t planned to seek a fourth term but reconsidered when it was announced that both City Administrator Terry Eull and Department of Public Works Director Neil Coulston will both retire in September.

“In a really uncertain economic climate, moving forward, I wanted to preserve some continuity in city leadership,” McCauslin said. “We have been diligent with our resources and we need to continue with that going forward in light of the Michigan economy.”

Skalla, whose term on the council doesn’t expire until 2013, threw his hat in the ring for mayor because he wants to see the city go in a different direction.

“I look at things a little differently than the rest,” he said. “I believe we need to take better advantage of the one thing this town has going for it — its history.”

Skalla envisions Niles becoming more of a tourist city focused on its historical attractions.

Leach also wants to see Niles become a “destination city.”

“I want to get involved to boost some life into my city and see if we can get it going again,” he said. “I want to try to get people involved with their city again.”

Leach, who served on the city fire department for 33 years, says he is familiar with many of the workers and department heads at the city.

The three-candidate mayoral race dictates a primary election on Aug. 2, where the two candidates with the most votes will make it to the general election.

1st and 2nd ward incumbents Georgia Boggs and Dan VandenHeede will run unopposed in the Nov. 8 election.