Candidates for June 8th Council Election Emerge

Two seats on the Davis City Council will be up for election in less than three months and candidates have begun to emerge.  Unlike the last time around, the field is decidedly less settled and less contentious.

With the retirement of Mayor Ruth Asmundson and Councilperson Lamar Heystek, there will most likely be no incumbents for residents to grill at the Saturday Farmer’s Market.

The filing deadline for candidates is this Friday, unless one of the incumbents does not file for re-election.  In that case, the deadline will be extended five days until Wednesday, March 17^th.  Heystek, however, may change his mind after seeing the 300+ signatures on a petition to draft him back onto the dais.

Heystek will make another announcement about his intentions just 30 minutes before his deadline to file.  Will he gently let his supporters down or end the filing period by submitting his paperwork? Your guess is as good as mine.  Here is an excerpt from an email that Heystek sent last night,

In light of this public call for me to enter the Council race, I believe a personal statement from me in a public setting is appropriate. Therefore, I will deliver brief remarks about my plans regarding the 2010 Council election at the Davis City Hall courtyard on Friday, March 12 at 4:30 p.m. All interested community members are welcome to be present.

Currently, there are three other announced candidates: Joe Krovoza, Rochelle Swanson, and Sydney Vergis.

Joe Krovoza is Director of External Relations and Development at the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies.  Joe serves on the Bicycle Advisory Commission and has been involved with the Putah Creek Council, Davis Bicycles! and AYSO.

Rochelle Swanson is a licensed Attorney and works as a Land Use Contractor and Consultant with her own firm, RHS Consulting.  She is the President of the DHS Blue & White Foundation and is currently involved with Rotary Club’s Child Abuse Prevention Program Committee, DJUSD Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Committee, and served as a Yolo County Grand Juror in 1997-8 and as a past President of Rotoract.

Sydney Vergis is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Transportation, Technology, and Policy at UC Davis.  She formerly worked as Senior Planner in Sutter County’s Planning Division.  She is currently a member of the City’s Business & Economic Development Commission, Vice-President of the TREE Davis Board of Directors and is a member of the Sunrise Rotary Club and the Yolo County Young Democrats.

Anybody else want to throw his or her hat in the ring?  The clock is ticking to get on the ballot, so get on down to the City Clerk’s office and start filling out some paperwork!