Early notice

It’s an election year, and though voters don’t get to pick the four Chico City Council positions until November, candidates are beginning to make their presence known.

That would include former Councilwoman Kimberly Rudisill, whose last name was King when she served on the council from 1994 to 1998. Rudisill held a lightly attended press conference on Friday (May 25) to announce her intentions.

“I’m running because I love this town and I want to make sure that our children have a future here,” she said.

Her goals, she added, include increasing the number of jobs and the city’s sales-tax revenue. She would like to see the Saturday farmers’ market stay in its current location and not impose an increase of the vendors’ fees. There have been efforts in the past to move the market to the parking lot outside the Chico Municipal Center two blocks to the south.

“The market helps bring people downtown,” she said.

During her term on the council, Rudisill tended to vote on the progressive side of most issues, but was not a knee-jerk liberal. On the demise of the redevelopment agency, the state sponsored means of financing housing projects, she said its disappearance “will really hurt the community, but at some point these pet projects just aren’t going to be built anymore.”

She would like to see a public recreation facility built in Chico but said sometimes reality steals a wish.

“When I was on the council before, I was really pushing for a recreation facility, but then we ended up spending $27 million on the expansion of the water treatment plant. Oh well, what are you going to do?”

Rudisill also said she supports the sales-tax increase proposed by former City Manager Tom Lando. The proposal was recently shelved in light of the number of state tax measures already slated for the November election.

“I would support it because it would help build a sports facility and support fire and police,” she said.

The time, she said, is right for her to serve again.

“Yes I’m announcing early to be sure,” she said. “I have four kids—three boys in the military and my daughter works in a local retail store. I am 57, in good health and have no intentions of leaving this town I’ve been in since 1978.”

She said she is a semi-retired substitute teacher at Chico High School and remains very active in the community.

When asked if she would run on a slate with other candidates, she said, “Nobody gets elected running as a straight independent.”

As she was talking with the press, Ali Sarsour walked past and said he, too, had just pulled papers to run for council. He last ran in 2008.

Incumbents Ann Schwab and Bob Evans have also pulled papers to run, while Councilmen Andy Holcombe and Jim Walker have announced they are not running.

Others who have pulled papers, more formally known as the 501 form, are Andrew Coolidge, whose Facebook page says he produces the Chico Home and Garden Show and is a former PTA president; realtor Dave Donnan, who ran two years ago; and Dave Kelley, who chairs the city’s Planning Commission. He filed last June. Sean Morgan is a business instructor at Chico State, and his Facebook page includes a photo of the then-teenage Morgan standing next to former President Ronald Reagan.

Business owner Tobart (Toby) Schindelbeck has also filed and has become a regular speaker at council meetings. Part of his reason for running is the traffic realignment along Forest Avenue in front of his Nutrishop store that he says has greatly affected his business.

City Clerk Deborah Presson explained that the 501 form is simply the first step in running and at this point there are no official candidates. Between July 16 and Aug. 10 those looking to run can collect signatures of support and file the necessary forms to become certified candidates.

Each election year, she said, some people take out papers but don’t return them. “A couple of students just came in and took out papers sort of as a joke,” she said. “And then there was a fellow who said his minister told him running for council would be a character builder. But he backed down, and I never saw him again.”