Mon
Dec 6 2010
08:04 pm
So who's running for City Council?
By: Rachel

While everybody and his/her dog seems to be running for Mayor next year, there's been little activity on the City Council front.

There are three at-large seats and one (5th) district seat up for election. The at-large incumbents are all term-limited and can't run. (The district seat is Bob Becker's and will presumably be filled by a caretaker in January.)

John Stancil has announced for an at-large seat, but other than that I'm not even hearing chatter.

What do ya'll hear?

Topics:
Anonymous 123's picture

George Wallace

Submitted by Anonymous 123 (not verified) on Mon, 2010/12/06 - 8:10pm.

George Wallace

GDrinnen2's picture

I have heard Mark Campen's

Submitted by GDrinnen2 on Mon, 2010/12/06 - 10:01pm.

I have heard Mark Campen's name for fifth district

Pam Strickland's picture

I heard him as a place holder

Submitted by Pam Strickland on Mon, 2010/12/06 - 10:10pm.

I heard him as a place holder for when Becker resigns. Hadn't heard that he wanted to run, but if he did that would certainly be cool. Can the placeholder in that position run? How would the partial term count in the term limit merry-go-round?

Rachel's picture

The placeholder could run

Submitted by Rachel on Tue, 2010/12/07 - 12:31am.

The placeholder could run BUT... Council is extremely unlikely to appoint someone who plans to run, viewing the appt as an advantage for one candidate.

They were careful to appoint someone who is strictly a placeholder for Mark Brown's seat when he resigned. I'm sure they will do the same with both the interim Mayor and Becker's replacement.

I HAD heard Campen's name mentioned as a candidate for the 5th district seat, but forgot about it.

Bbeanster's picture

Campen wants to run for a

Submitted by Bbeanster on Tue, 2010/12/07 - 7:45am.

Campen wants to run for a full term.

Bbeanster's picture

Campen wants to run for a full term, afaik

Submitted by Bbeanster on Tue, 2010/12/07 - 7:52am.

Unlike the county*, under the city charter partial terms are considered full terms for term-limit purposes.
This will limit the interest in the interim term.
Campen has been talking about making a run as Becker's replacement, allegedly with Becker's blessing.
Renee Hoyos expressed interest in the interim appointment, but I haven't talked to her since I wrote about it at the end of October.

*The county's interpretation (that a partial term doesn't "count" against the term limits quota) has not yet been challenged in court. I suspect it will not pass muster.

The Patriot's picture

How do you figure?

Submitted by The Patriot (not verified) on Tue, 2010/12/07 - 7:34pm.

"Unlike the county*, under the city charter partial terms are considered full terms for term-limit purposes."

Based on what? Are they not the same?

"*The county's interpretation (that a partial term doesn't "count" against the term limits quota) has not yet been challenged in court"

Unless you count the Beeler case where Judge Fancler ruled a partial term is not a term.

Pam Strickland's picture

I think Campen would be a

Submitted by Pam Strickland on Tue, 2010/12/07 - 8:39am.

I think Campen would be a good fifth district person, which leaves the place holder position open. Hoyos seems reasonable.

Rachel's picture

I've heard another good name

Submitted by Rachel on Tue, 2010/12/07 - 11:03am.

I've heard another good name for a 5th district caretaker but am not at liberty to repeat it.

JHayes's picture

That knocks out the 5th District

Submitted by JHayes on Tue, 2010/12/07 - 11:19am.

So what about the At-Large seats? Only 1 guy is running for 3 seats at the moment.

Bbeanster's picture

Mark wasn't real impressive

Submitted by Bbeanster on Tue, 2010/12/07 - 11:55am.

Mark wasn't real impressive in his poltical debut as an appointed County Commissioner. Nice guy, but never opened his mouth.

chuckservingthecommunity's picture

I think that he didnt say

Submitted by chuckservingthe... on Tue, 2010/12/07 - 4:37pm.

I think that he didnt say much because of his caretaker status.
I have Campen running and possibly Renee, I would like to see her go for at large since Mark is going for the 5th District, and also Bentley Marlow the man (that along with Dustin McGhee really set my campaign in motion) to run for an at large seat.

rikki's picture

You're not going to run for

Submitted by rikki on Tue, 2010/12/07 - 10:26pm.

You're not going to run for an at-large seat, Chuck?

chuckservingthecommunity's picture

I have had conversations with

Submitted by chuckservingthe... on Wed, 2010/12/08 - 5:57am.

I have had conversations with various members of the City Council and I gave my word I would not run, I will however seek to finish Bob Becker's term out until the election.

JHayes's picture

Someone else please

Submitted by JHayes on Wed, 2010/12/08 - 8:58am.

Mr. Williams,

You have run for office like 4 times in the last 6 years, including just coming out of a campaign in November, you recently came on Knoxviews and absolutely blasted all Democrats (I dont care if city council is non-partisan, you don't go on blog sites and attempt to destroy a group of people if your goal is to be a public official). Plus, the district you are now asking to take over, along with 6th District, is probably the most liberal district in the city.

On top of all of this, in your most recent election, you only garnered about 6 percent of the vote. Perhaps you should take a step back from the political arena for a while.

chuckservingthecommunity's picture

I never blasted the Dems, I

Submitted by chuckservingthe... on Wed, 2010/12/08 - 12:01pm.

I never blasted the Dems, I defended myself. I will do what I feel is best for the people that I deal with in the community.

JHayes's picture

Look Below

Submitted by JHayes on Wed, 2010/12/08 - 12:34pm.

Here are three comments you recently left on Knoxviews Mr. Williams, for proof, here is the link:

"Than I have nothing to worry about on the Democrats side, the party is in such a shambles, that I am sure there will be plenty of crossover votes!"

"If you did live up to your name you would KNOW that I have left the Democratic Party and I am a better person for it. As for a misspelled word, at least I do know how to type and use proper grammar and how to treat people with respect, whether I agree with them or not. As for the party not needing me, well that's quite fine with me. Taking votes from Randy, yes I am taking votes from Randy and Stacey. You will see on Nov. 2nd who the winner is, the people will decide."

"Coming from you I am very THANKFUL and blessed to have left a party so fragmented on ALL levels, devoid of any real leadership, dumping your grassroots members that put their while lives into the party. Yes I am happy and philosophically I am delighted to have left too. So I thank you for wishing me well in my election thing, and I wish you well in that little thing and I do mean little thing, that you call a political party. Its more like a joke. Now I will continue my campaign and totally embarrass all of you when I take out Randy and Stacey."

JHayes's picture

Also

Submitted by JHayes on Wed, 2010/12/08 - 12:38pm.

The first thing I always admit is that I'm not the smartest person in the world, but you are clearly taking full punches at the Democratic Party there. "Most" elected Republicans in this town would not swing away at Democrats like you have.

chuckservingthecommunity's picture

I was defending myself, what

Submitted by chuckservingthe... on Wed, 2010/12/08 - 2:36pm.

I was defending myself, what am I to think when only certain people made sure and forced the leaders to allow me to speak with the rest of the candidates? When the Party Chair on the State level denies on the air that he knows me or that I was running, less than 24 hours after shaking my hand, hearing me speak and saying we will have coffee later in the week? When at a meeting with 4 Democratic Candidates (I included at the time), and 3 Republican Candidates are also present and a well-known and respected Democrat stands up check book in hand and says, "I have $100 for every Democratic Candidate present here now. Not only did he give to the 3 other Democrats, but to the 3 Republicans and than pushed me aside. What am I to think when I am not invited to any Democratic events, or the County Chair does not return phone calls. She said she reached out to me it was not the truth. So I defended myself.
I have no regrets with what I am doing nor with the path I have chosen.

JHayes's picture

To be ho

Submitted by JHayes on Wed, 2010/12/08 - 3:19pm.

I understand your point there, but that does not mean every Democrat is out to get you or that the whole party is in "shambles" as you put it because someone did not give Chuck Williams 100 dollars, that is way over the top.

My opinion for what it's worth (Not Much), is that you should take a step back from the political arena. A person waters themselves down by continuously running for office and continuously losing. It just makes their candidacies look like a joke, for lack of a better word.

chuckservingthecommunity's picture

I am not seeking an elected

Submitted by chuckservingthe... on Wed, 2010/12/08 - 4:07pm.

I am not seeking an elected office and there is a whole lot more that has happened and has been said to me by so called Major Democratic officials here, but I am not going to get into that and I have moved on and doing what I do which is serve the people. Thank you for your comments, I am not addressing this again, I was giving my opinion of who is running and what I think, and I answered a question. I have also talked to some of the Mayoral Candidates whom want me to introduce them to leaders of the Urban Community and other areas that I have dealt with. I will see whom I will support and what they are standing for before I support their run for office.

Bbeanster's picture

Beeler didn't appeal

Submitted by Bbeanster on Tue, 2010/12/07 - 7:57pm.

Beeler didn't appeal Fansler's decision, so it hasn't been fully adjudicated. Serious questions remain unanswered about the interpretation of the county charter.

(link...)

The Patriot's picture

Why

Submitted by The Patriot (not verified) on Tue, 2010/12/07 - 8:09pm.

Why would Beeler appeal a ruling he won? The Judge ruled he could run.

Bbeanster's picture

I misspoke. Nobody appealed:

Submitted by Bbeanster on Tue, 2010/12/07 - 8:15pm.

I misspoke.
Nobody appealed: Beeler decided not to run.

barker's picture

Beeler

Submitted by barker (not verified) on Wed, 2010/12/08 - 12:52pm.

If I recall correctly, and I haven't looked up all this stuff in a while, Beeler was appointed law director in 1990 to replace Dale Workman. Beeler was first elected in 1992. Term limits passed in 1994. Beeler was reelected in 1996. Beeler considered running again in 2000, but a lawsuit alleged he had already served more than one term (as the term limits provision states) and could not serve again. Fansler ruled that the term Beeler began serving in 1992 could not be counted against him because term limits weren't in effect when the election was held. That meant the term limits clock for Beeler would begin running in 1996, allowing Beeler to run in 2000. As I recall, the ruling only addressed Beeler's situation. And since Beeler opted not to run in 2000, the issue was moot.

BBeanster is right in that the matter hasn't been completely adjudicated. A candidate who has served more than one term (J.J. Jones, for example) could have his or her candidacy challenged in court. Obviously, this could have implications in the next county election.

Again, I haven't looked this up in a while so take it with a grain of salt. Also, I haven't passed a bar exam so my legal analysis might be off.

Scott Barker
KNS

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