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Voters to decide on four council seats in spring election
Thelma Grimes/San Pedro Valley News-Sun
All the talk surrounding the primary and general elections this fall has prompted discussions about this spring's Benson City Council vote.
Already thinking about the future elections, four seats are up for election, including mayor.
Mayor Mark Fenn has already announced that he has no intentions to run for a third term, but others are showing interest.
Fenn said after eight years of service, he has other commitments to his church and personal life and felt it was time to move on.
"With church and my personal responsibilities, something had to give," he said. "Now it's time for someone else to take over."
Councilman John Lodzinski, who is in his seventh year on the council, said he is 95 percent sure he will run for mayor.
"I think we've done a lot of work to get the city moving in the right direction, and I want to see this work continue. We have a clear direction, and I want to carry it forward," he said.
Lodzinski said since he joined the council, Benson has grown an estimated 15 percent, people are happy and city staff continues to be more qualified.
The prospective mayoral candidate said salaries for staff continue to increase because standards are higher. This is a good direction, he noted, because at one time anyone was being hired for the low salary being offered.
Lodzinski also stressed that as growth and businesses come Benson's way, he will respect citizens' opinion and make developers pay for the cost of growth along with assuring the water supply is kept intact.
Lodzinski may be facing competition in a familiar face, since Vice Mayor Toney King confirmed he is "seriously" considering running for mayor.
King's current term does not expire until 2013, which means if he runs for mayor, he will have to resign as a council member.
Like Lodzinski, King is a longtime council member. The vice mayor's platform centers around the town's youth and their well-being.
Councilmen Al Sacco and Councilwoman Jo Deen Boncquet are also up for re-election next spring. Both are serving their first four-year term.
Sacco said he hasn't decided if he will seek a second term.
While the actual elections aren't until spring 2011, the election season is closer than one might think.
Prospective candidates must collect the required signatures to get on the city ballot, and the petitions will be ready in November.
The signatures must be from registered voters living in Benson. The required number has not been established, but will be determined by a percentage of total votes cast in the last city election.
Dec. 8 is the deadline for candidates to file nomination papers, nomination petitions, financial disclosure forms, political committee statement of organization or $500 threshold exemption statement.
Council members David Lambert and Lori McGoffin have terms that expire in 2013.
All the talk surrounding the primary and general elections this fall has prompted discussions about this spring's Benson City Council vote.
Already thinking about the future elections, four seats are up for election, including mayor.
Mayor Mark Fenn has already announced that he has no intentions to run for a third term, but others are showing interest.
Fenn said after eight years of service, he has other commitments to his church and personal life and felt it was time to move on.
"With church and my personal responsibilities, something had to give," he said. "Now it's time for someone else to take over."
Councilman John Lodzinski, who is in his seventh year on the council, said he is 95 percent sure he will run for mayor.
"I think we've done a lot of work to get the city moving in the right direction, and I want to see this work continue. We have a clear direction, and I want to carry it forward," he said.
Lodzinski said since he joined the council, Benson has grown an estimated 15 percent, people are happy and city staff continues to be more qualified.
The prospective mayoral candidate said salaries for staff continue to increase because standards are higher. This is a good direction, he noted, because at one time anyone was being hired for the low salary being offered.
Lodzinski also stressed that as growth and businesses come Benson's way, he will respect citizens' opinion and make developers pay for the cost of growth along with assuring the water supply is kept intact.
Lodzinski may be facing competition in a familiar face, since Vice Mayor Toney King confirmed he is "seriously" considering running for mayor.
King's current term does not expire until 2013, which means if he runs for mayor, he will have to resign as a council member.
Like Lodzinski, King is a longtime council member. The vice mayor's platform centers around the town's youth and their well-being.
Councilmen Al Sacco and Councilwoman Jo Deen Boncquet are also up for re-election next spring. Both are serving their first four-year term.
Sacco said he hasn't decided if he will seek a second term.
While the actual elections aren't until spring 2011, the election season is closer than one might think.
Prospective candidates must collect the required signatures to get on the city ballot, and the petitions will be ready in November.
The signatures must be from registered voters living in Benson. The required number has not been established, but will be determined by a percentage of total votes cast in the last city election.
Dec. 8 is the deadline for candidates to file nomination papers, nomination petitions, financial disclosure forms, political committee statement of organization or $500 threshold exemption statement.
Council members David Lambert and Lori McGoffin have terms that expire in 2013.
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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of bensonnews-sun.com.
Taxpayer wrote on Aug 25, 2010 12:54 PM:
Not one was able to admit it was the sum total of Mayor, City Council and Business Manager who started the whole conflict. When Kendrick did not bow to their power play as expected, they were left holding the bag. The City Attorney started in a Little League game but was not ready for the Majors. There is plenty of blame to go around. All should apologize to Kendrick and the taxpayers.
Acknowledge those who do. "