A fourth candidate has entered the race for a seat on the Lecompton City Council.

Jennifer L. Jones, 46, paid her $5 filing fee to run for one of three council seats up for election April 6.

Jones, a collection development professional for the Topeka Shawnee County Public Library, said she wanted to work toward establishing an “intelligent” approach for governing the city’s growth.

Supporting a developer’s plans should be based upon the community’s overall needs and expected benefits, she said, and not any one person’s desire for increased construction activity.

“Growth is important,” said Jones, who has lived in town for 12 years. “Growth for the sake of growth is not necessarily a good thing.”

Jones joins three other candidates who already have filed: Ed Smith, an incumbent council member; Chuck Folks, a plumber for Action Plumbing in Lawrence; and Leah Ann Nichols, a production clerk for Sagebrush Corp. in Topeka and saleswoman for Mary Kay Cosmetics.

Nichols, 28, worked for two years as city treasurer, before leaving in 2000 to move out of town for family reasons. She has lived in Lecompton for all but one year of her life, and hopes to get a chance to serve the city as an elected official.

“I already know what the city is about. I know the ins and outs,” Nichols said. “Every area has to have growth. I want to see Lecompton grow to some extent, but still have some restrictions and be a small community.”

The council has five members and a mayor. Council members serve two-year terms and are paid $20 for each of their two meetings per month.

The filing deadline for candidates is noon Tuesday. Candidates may pay their $5 filing fees and accompanying paperwork from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday at Lecompton City Hall, 327 Elmore, or from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday or 8 a.m. to noon Tuesday at the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Mass. in Lawrence.

If seven candidates meet the deadline, a primary would be conducted March 2.