Barry
01-14-2010, 04:27 PM
Perhaps Debra Fudge will finally get her chance!
Barry
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Kelley will not seek re-election
Supervisor decides against run for fifth term on north Sonoma County seat
By BLEYS W. ROSE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 1:50 p.m.
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=SR&Date=20100114&Category=ARTICLES&ArtNo=100119716&Ref=AR&MaxW=250&border=0
PD File
Paul Kelley, Sonoma County supervisor
Paul Kelley, the north county's supervisor since 1995, surprised his supporters and his colleagues on the Board of Supervisors on Thursday by announcing he will not seek a fifth term.
Kelley's announcement means there will be two open seats on the board up for election this year. Last fall, Mike Kerns announced he would not be a candidate for re-election in the south county district.
As he did last week, Kelley declined to discuss whether he had applied for the position of county Water Agency general manager. “The decision not to run again was made independent of anything else, including that issue,” he said.
If Kelley were to become a finalist for the post, county lawyers have said he would have to resign in order to be interviewed by the board, which hires the Water Agency management.
Kelley, 46, said he has accomplished the goals he originally set when running for public office and needs to devote more time to his family.
For 16 years, Kelley has been the conservative voice on the panel and was facing another challenge from more liberal candidates who had come close to unseating him four years ago.
He has been a leading advocate for widening Highway 101, expanded air service at the airport and development of the SMART rail line. But, he had also become the foil of environmentalists and labor forces riled by his support of the Dutra asphalt plant and of cuts to public employee health plan funding.
Kelley also has been a strong proponent of public parks in his district, open space expenditures for agricultural preservation and property rights. The district spans from northwest Santa Rosa to the Mendocino County line and includes Fulton, Larkfield-Wikiup, Windsor, Healdsburg, Geyserville and Cloverdale.
“Being a supervisor is a very important job, but being a dad is more important,” Kelley said during an interview.
Kelley said he reached his decision earlier this month after conferring with his wife and four children, aged 14 to 20. Up until the holidays, he said he had been prepared to devote his energy to another election effort.
However, Kelley acknowledged that, unlike previous elections, he was not looking forward to campaigning.
“I can safely predict that it will be nasty and I am more than a bit relieved that I will not have to participate this time,” Kelley said. “My kids read the newspaper every morning, and they didn't need to read about someone bashing their father every day.”
Two candidates already had announced their intention to challenge him. Windsor council member Debora Fudge, who came within 242 votes of unseating him in 2006, and Healdsburg councilman Mike McGuire. Both have been raising money and rounding up endorsements..
Kelley's announcement, which comes two months before the deadline for filing for the supervisor seat, opens the door for another candidate from the business or agriculture communities to enter the contest.
When speculation surfaced earlier this month that Kelley was more interested in the Water Agency position than the supervisor's post, Lisa Schaffner, former Healdsburg councilwoman and executive director of the Sonoma County Alliance, was mentioned as a prominent contender for Kelley's seat.
Kelley said “it is too early to say” whether he would make an endorsement in the race to succeed him.
Copyright © 2010 PressDemocrat.com — All rights reserved. Restricted use only.
Barry
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/images/logo2.gif
Kelley will not seek re-election
Supervisor decides against run for fifth term on north Sonoma County seat
By BLEYS W. ROSE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 1:50 p.m.
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=SR&Date=20100114&Category=ARTICLES&ArtNo=100119716&Ref=AR&MaxW=250&border=0
PD File
Paul Kelley, Sonoma County supervisor
Paul Kelley, the north county's supervisor since 1995, surprised his supporters and his colleagues on the Board of Supervisors on Thursday by announcing he will not seek a fifth term.
Kelley's announcement means there will be two open seats on the board up for election this year. Last fall, Mike Kerns announced he would not be a candidate for re-election in the south county district.
As he did last week, Kelley declined to discuss whether he had applied for the position of county Water Agency general manager. “The decision not to run again was made independent of anything else, including that issue,” he said.
If Kelley were to become a finalist for the post, county lawyers have said he would have to resign in order to be interviewed by the board, which hires the Water Agency management.
Kelley, 46, said he has accomplished the goals he originally set when running for public office and needs to devote more time to his family.
For 16 years, Kelley has been the conservative voice on the panel and was facing another challenge from more liberal candidates who had come close to unseating him four years ago.
He has been a leading advocate for widening Highway 101, expanded air service at the airport and development of the SMART rail line. But, he had also become the foil of environmentalists and labor forces riled by his support of the Dutra asphalt plant and of cuts to public employee health plan funding.
Kelley also has been a strong proponent of public parks in his district, open space expenditures for agricultural preservation and property rights. The district spans from northwest Santa Rosa to the Mendocino County line and includes Fulton, Larkfield-Wikiup, Windsor, Healdsburg, Geyserville and Cloverdale.
“Being a supervisor is a very important job, but being a dad is more important,” Kelley said during an interview.
Kelley said he reached his decision earlier this month after conferring with his wife and four children, aged 14 to 20. Up until the holidays, he said he had been prepared to devote his energy to another election effort.
However, Kelley acknowledged that, unlike previous elections, he was not looking forward to campaigning.
“I can safely predict that it will be nasty and I am more than a bit relieved that I will not have to participate this time,” Kelley said. “My kids read the newspaper every morning, and they didn't need to read about someone bashing their father every day.”
Two candidates already had announced their intention to challenge him. Windsor council member Debora Fudge, who came within 242 votes of unseating him in 2006, and Healdsburg councilman Mike McGuire. Both have been raising money and rounding up endorsements..
Kelley's announcement, which comes two months before the deadline for filing for the supervisor seat, opens the door for another candidate from the business or agriculture communities to enter the contest.
When speculation surfaced earlier this month that Kelley was more interested in the Water Agency position than the supervisor's post, Lisa Schaffner, former Healdsburg councilwoman and executive director of the Sonoma County Alliance, was mentioned as a prominent contender for Kelley's seat.
Kelley said “it is too early to say” whether he would make an endorsement in the race to succeed him.
Copyright © 2010 PressDemocrat.com — All rights reserved. Restricted use only.