Ledger-Dispatch

By Jerry Budrick (jbudrick@ledger-dispatch.com= )=20

Sharon Long

Photo by: Jerry = Budrick

Nancy Baldi

Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger=20 Dispatch
Who would have thought that = there would be=20 competition for a city job that pays $200 a month, demands at least 25 = hours of=20 work (less than $8 an hour), and costs money and time to campaign for = it? Well,=20 that's the case in Ione this year, as incumbent City Treasurer Sharon = Long faces=20 off against challenger Nancy Baldi.

There is rarely any = competition for=20 an elective office on this level. In small towns, where the elected = position of=20 city clerk or treasurer is generally regarded as a thankless, underpaid = and=20 overworked job, someone is drafted, if not dragged, into it, kicking and = screaming.

The treasurer's job in Ione, until shortly before the = filing=20 deadline, would have been an uncontested walk in the park for Baldi, had = not=20 appointed incumbent Long decided to run.

Both candidates are = officially=20 retired. Both have lived in Ione near the golf course for eight = years.

"I=20 felt this part-time position would fit in with my other part-time job, = at Castle=20 Oaks Golf Course," Baldi said. "I went to inquire about part-time work = at city=20 hall, where I found out that the job of city treasurer had no = applicants. I=20 didn't expect any competition for the job."

Baldi has spent the = last 40=20 years working in jobs that appear to qualify her for this one. She was = an=20 administrative assistant at Apple Computer for 12 years, held a similar = position=20 in Sunnyvale for nine years and, through all of that, did the = bookkeeping for=20 her husband, Dino's, transportation company.

Long also has = lengthy=20 experience behind her, having spent 25 years in senior management = positions in=20 high tech marketing. "To take all the things I've learned over the = years," Long=20 said, "and use them to benefit the community is very = satisfying."

"Four=20 years ago, nobody ran for the job," Long explained, "and I was = appointed. The=20 best part has been watching the transition with the new finance director = (Mark=20 Smith) and city manager (Kim Kerr). We've had three interim city = administrators=20 and Kim's the first city manager. She's brought a lot of discipline and = builds=20 consensus."

For Baldi, a deeper involvement in city affairs looks = very=20 appealing. She and Dino have been attending city council meetings for = the last=20 couple of years and they'd like to participate more.

"There are = people=20 who are very hungry around here," Baldi lamented, "and there's almost no = public=20 transportation. You have to grow the town, including a few more stores = and some=20 boutique shops."

Both candidates are especially pleased by the=20 construction project that is going to become a new firehouse in the very = near=20 future. The complicated financing for the project, involving a mortgage = on city=20 hall and money from the Ione Police Department building fund, with a = lease=20 buy-back, may be of great fascination to the city = treasurer.

Long's four=20 years as treasurer have been a pleasure. "I enjoy doing this," she said. = "I=20 enjoy giving back to the community. I don't do it for the money." = Contributions=20 Long has made to the community include extensive work on getting the = skate park=20 built and co-chairing the junior girls golf program for girls 7 to = 17.

"I=20 believe in growth that is well-planned and managed," Long said. "My hope = for the=20 city is that they're able to fulfill their strategic plan. I hope we can = maintain the historic feel of the town, but somehow get the big trucks = off Main=20 Street."

The job description states that the treasurer will be = expected=20 to help the city council and the finance director.

"I would do = everything=20 I can to help the council and Mark (finance director Smith)," Baldi = pledged. "I=20 like working with people. I actually like to work."

"It's = exciting to be=20 in the middle of where things are going on in your community," Long=20 said.

This contest has taken on the look of another tough = decision for=20 voters in this volatile election year.

Jerry = Budrick