Mayor
’s race set for November; no one files for 2-year school board
term
With one deadline passed and another just ahead, the Morgan Hill city and school board election picture is changing daily.
The lineup for the two-year mayor’s term is set with current Mayor Dennis Kennedy and Councilman Greg Sellers the only two to file.
Filing deadline for the four-year school board terms is extended until 5 p.m. Wednesday because the incumbents are not running. The two-year term left vacant when Tom Kinoshita resigned in March will have to be filled by board appointment because that deadline passed at 5 p.m. Friday, and no one filed.
Because school board incumbents, George Panos, Jan Masuda and Del Foster, declined to run again, and because the school board has been the scene of controversy over the past two years, a large number of candidates to replace them has appeared.
Bob Griesinger, who is in construction; stay-at-home mom Kathleen Sullivan; Peter Mandel, an IBM manager, and Michael Davenport have filed papers and qualified to run. Apple Computer manager and entrepreneur Rick Page and R.. G. Cassibba, Jr. have pulled papers and said they intend to run.
New to the list is Harlan Warthen, who has attended almost every board meeting for the past two years and frequently criticizes Superintendent Carolyn McKennan and the board’s handling of finances surrounding the renovation of Live Oak High School and construction of Barrett Elementary and Sobrato High.
“The district has made some attempt at change,” Warthen said Monday, “but there is still quite a bit that needs to be done.”
Warthen originally went to the Registrar’s office to file for the two years remaining on Tom Kinoshita’s board position. However, because he missed Friday’s deadline, Warthen instead pulled papers for a four-year term.
Board President George Panos did not return a phone call by press time seeking comment on the board’s next step on filling the vacancy.
Former Councilman John Sorci decided against joining the mayor’s race, according to City Clerk Irma Torrez, but did pull papers for a council seat. That deadline doesn’t arrive until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 11.
Councilwoman Hedy Chang bowed out of the race last week and, while Councilman Larry Carr filed Friday morning for a second term, both seats, which are for four years, are up for grabs.
When an incumbent – as Chang is – decides not to run, the filing date is extended by five days, moving the date from Friday to Wednesday for nonincumbents.
As of Monday afternoon, Julia Starling and Allan Abrams have filed their papers.
Starling is retired from a social services career and is now a part-time playground supervisor at El Toro School. She said she is a slow-growth proponent and wants to be sure young Morgan Hill residents know about and use the city’s recreational services as much as possible.
Abrams said he wants on the council because he was displeased that the city plans to allow more auto dealers to build behind his house. He is also unhappy with the way the council is handling the controversy over spending up to $100,000 to pursue an investigation over a local attorney hiring a private investigator to follow the city manager.
Susan J. Hughes, Frederick H. DiMeo and Marby Lee were considering a run. Hughes and DiMeo still have until Wednesday, but Lee announced last week that she would not be able to give the job the time it requires.
Torrez said that Lee Schmidt pulled papers Monday afternoon but has not decided to run.
City Clerk Torres and city Treasurer Mike Roorda are unopposed.
All Gavilan Community College trustee incumbents will seek another term.
Gilroy Trustee Mark Dover, Morgan Hill Trustee Leonard Washington and San Benito County Trustee Tom Breen filed for re-election to four-year terms. Only Dover will face opposition in November for a seat on the Gavilan College board. He is challenged by Manly Willis.
Washington is a San Jose resident who lives within Morgan Hill School District boundaries.
Carol Holzgrafe covers City Hall for The Times. She can be reached by e-mail at ch********@*************es.com or phoning (408) 779-4106 Ext. 201.
