Friday, June 26, 2009

Thinking of Running For City Council Office?

Four Emerald City Council seats open; filing period begins Wednesday, July 1

Here's a quick heads-up for those readers who may be thinking of throwing their hats into the ring for the 2009 Emerald City Council races. Filing for the four council seats which are up for grabs this go-round begins this coming Wednesday, July 1, 2009, and closes at 5 p.m. on July 15th. You can check out the city website for additional details:
Four Council Seats Open in Upcoming Election
For a quick overview of the whole process, from the initial filing for office to the ultimate demands of service once a candidate is elected to office, the Deseret News carries an informative article this morning, which even includes some savvy quotes from Emerald City's own four-term council veteran Jesse Garcia:
Want to run for office?
And for any prospective candidate who might be dissuaded from running for office, for lack of insider knowledge about running a local political campaign, we invite you to check out the book that's been listed during the past couple of weeks under our Amazon.Com ads module in the left sidebar:
"How to Run for Local Office"
Your blogmeister has campaign managed three successful local government campaigns in the past, and served as an advisor in dozens more. If your blogmeister had written a campaign manager's primer based on his own experience, it would have looked a heckuva lot like this one. The vast and detailed "nuts and bolts" information contained in this book, if conscientiously studied and applied, will allow any political newcomer to come off the starting line with confidence, looking like a relative pro; and we thus recommend this "how to manual" with our strongest endorsement.

That's it for now, O' Gentle Ones.

Reader comments are invited, as always.

21 comments:

Danny said...

Rudi's info is good, but people interested in running should remember all Amy Wicks (council chairperson) ever did in most of her elections was file as a candidate (from what I understand.)

In the most recent election, she had an opponent from the well-financed Godfrey machine running against her, and so she raised some money and some of us put up yard signs for her. She still won, as usual, by a comfortable margin.

The idea is nobody has to be an expert or have a fancy organization to run for city council in Ogden. It helps to have signs, and to walk neighborhoods knocking on doors, but you don't have to.

The important thing, is if a person feels they would like to run and can make a difference, they should run. City council is supposed to be a panel of ordinary citizens, after all.

If you think you might like to serve on the city council, please file as a candidate.

Thank you.

Stephen Cook said...

Hmmm...

blackrulon said...

Does this mean that good citizen Mr. Geiger will graciously repair damanged campaign signs?

Bob Becker said...

Danny:

But, sadly, one of Councilwoman Wicks' key campaign aides who played a major role in her campaigning at Farmers Markets, her rabbit, has passed on. She used to turn up at the Markets with the bunny. It drew children to her with their parents [also known as "voters"] towed along behind. Conversations with Candidate Wicks ensued while the children ooohed and aaahed over the rabbit. And the rest, as they say, is history.

It was campaign brilliance.

Anonymous said...

She also had acquired deep reserves of people who, over the years, had made her acquaintance at school and various social events; when people meet ms. Wicks socially, they quickly form a favorable opinion, and speak of her intelligent wit and conscientious personal behavior.

In politics, minus name recognition, second is a gimmick. Third comes great people skills, and, only fourth but a great lubricant in any push: cash.

Justin Morris said...

I plan to run for At Large Seat A.

Danny said...

Hey Justin,

Really? Save Our Canyons? Smart Growth Ogden?

Looking good. Very good.

Danny said...

Some tidbits about Justin:

"Soon after graduation I bought a house in East Central, Ogden. I love working on my house. When I am not working or involved with the community I rock climb; boulder; cycle; hike with my dog and family; and contribute to Wikipedia by creating maps of places in Utah.

"I currently serve on the Ogden City Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee and the Ogden Trails Network. Before my appointment to the Parks and Recreation Committee I served as a member on the City’s Board of Zoning and Adjustment, and was a member of the East Central Community General Plan Steering Committee."

Justin, you are pushing all the right buttons.

Justin would be running for Blain Johnson's seat. My prayers are once again being answered.

Bob Becker said...

Danny:

Activities: "hike with my dog." Good sign.

Justin Morris said...

Really!

I have time, a lot of energy, and I have been involved in local government for a few years now as a land use planner for Weber County. I know how government works, more or less, and can learn what I don't already know along the way.

A lot of what the council faces are land use decisions, which is what I have a passion for, went to school for and have a career in. I hope to bring to the council what I know and love to better the city

I really love Ogden and want to see it prosper; that's what it comes down to.

I do read WCF everyday, BTW. :)

captain jorts said...

justin you use the real high adventures of our awesome mountains... sound like my kinda guy...p s keep your signs away from the geigers you might live close to him

BAT_girl said...

As the OGDEN CITY COUNCIL race heats up for this year, I just wish I LIVED in O-TOWN, so I could vote for Mr. Garcia, Justin Morris and the rest.

Good luck to the A TEAM! Lets keep this vetting process going. Right here on WCF.

So SaintStephen/ COOK.........Are you really tempted to run?? I know Stacy Ogden would vote for you and run your campaign. AND the 2009 Farmers Market has not even started. So.........go get a rabbit!!

Anonymous said...

I could never participate in a consensus-based council, except as adviser/outsider.

I hear D.S. Andersen has put together an exploratory committee for a city council run; he is one who can work/play well with others, can sustain interest in a project for more than six weeks, and has the support of thousands of Ogdenites who know him simply as "The Chaplain".

As of right now, I personally support Cthulhu~ Vlad Tepes for City Council 09; or, any other year, for that matter. ;>

Bob Becker said...

Second tier senators with dreams of glory put together "exploratory committees" to look into their chances for a presidential run.

But a potential candidate "putting together an exploratory committee" for an Ogden city council seat?

Now I've heard everything....

Hall and Oates said...

COMING SOON:

We're hearing the red-headed Queen of 25th Street may be throwing her wrath into the circle ...

(Oh oh, here she comes)...
watch out boys, she`ll chew you up ...

"Knows" all the bitches on two-five drive said...

...the red-headed Queen of 25th Street...'

Hmmm. Until now I thought she was only a California beach blondie... with an exceptionlly bad 1988 California perm.

A "red-head," eh? What a surprise.

Of course unlike most of the male 25th street regulars, I've never actually seen her with her pants pulled down, so I that could accurately gauge her "true" hair color, with my trusty pocket color chart.

Ed Burns said...

Oh boy, another round staring the Peyote Princes! Wonder what she has been up to since her last burst of public exposure?

Wm III said...

ATTN: "Knows all the bitches on two-five drive said" ...

Tell me your name ...

Bill Parker

Blaggard Muck said...

Patterson functions as a Political Operative, similar to GG Liddy, Rahm Emanuel, and others of note I could name.

They get things done.
If you agree with what they are doing, they are the silent heroes of many a Haymarket, a Stonewall, a Policeman's Ball, or the usual government-contract number fudging/hotel break-in.

germ said...

"Germ"

Wm III said...

ATTN: "Knows all the bitches on two-five drive said" ...

Tell me your name ...

Let me call you out again - you wimpy chicken shit ...

Bill Parker

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