When the filing deadline for the November election rolled around, there was one name noticeably absent from the Jackson file.
For months, a buzz was spreading from Main Street to City Hall that Kam Merzlak - a local business owner, community volunteer and board member of the Historic Jackson Business Association - would be running for one of the three vacant seats on the Jackson City Council. But Merzlak, like a number of other would-be candidates whose names have swirled through Amador County's rumor mill, decided not to run.
Speculation around Merzlak's candidacy began last year when he applied to be appointed to the city council after former Jackson Mayor Drew Stidger stepped down. Merzlak was one of five individuals who sought the job, which eventually went to Wayne Garibaldi.
Two of the other three applicants, Dave Butow and Judy Jebian, are running in the current city council election. The other two, Merzlak and Jim Laughton, chose to sit this contest out.
"The biggest reason I didn't run is that I have too many oars in the water right now," Merzlak told the Ledger Dispatch. "I've been helping organizations and committees all year, plus running my own business. I think I have to catch up. It's true a lot of people had approached me about running in the election. They're also approaching me now about applying for the new appointment for Andy Rodriguez's seat. But I'm not doing either. This just isn't the time. Don't get me wrong, I'll still be doing everything I can to help Jackson - but it won't be from a seat on the city council."
Merzlak added, "In fact, when you're outside of the beltway and can talk to whomever you want, any time you want, without worrying about violating the Brown Act and/or being on the wrong side of politics, I think sometimes you can actually get more done." Merzlak hasn't ruled out running in the future.
In Sutter Creek, a well known name was also abstaining from its light city council election. Mike Kirkley has a lot to say about his city, its government, its history and its future. Having served as a city councilman from 1992 to 1996, an Amador County planning commissioner and a Sutter Creek planning commissioner, Kirkley has broad knowledge of government affairs. Coupling that with his career as a CAL FIRE chief, what emerges is a man with high-level organizational skills and lengthy experience dealing with substantial budgets. "You've got to balance your budget," he insisted, "and get your hand on the purse strings."
Among his disagreements with the present city policy, Kirkley included relatively small matters like the parks landscape contract and use of the present visitor center on Main Street. The landscaping could be done by city staff, he argued, saving the city some $20,400 a year. Moving the visitor center back to the old Monteverde Store could save another $14,400 annually.
Some issues deal with larger numbers. The Strategic Sewer Management Program, recently implemented by the city under a state mandate is budgeted at $368,000 for this fiscal year and projected to require another $200,000 annually thereafter. Kirkley felt that the city should be more forthcoming about personnel in the SSMP.
"Developers should make deposits for all project applications," he said, "which would prevent accumulation of unpaid planning and engineering costs for development projects." According to Kirkley, the city is presently carrying $200,000 in such costs.
So, given the changes he would like to see, why wouldn't Kirkley follow through on his initial impulse to run for the council on Nov. 4?
"My wife works for the city," Kirkley said. Marta Kirkley is the board secretary for the Amador Regional Sanitation Authority, which makes Sutter Creek City Manager Rob Duke her boss.
"I love my job," Marta Kirkley said, "and working with Rob is wonderful."
Still, the Kirkleys worried, complications could arise. City staff are union members and the council must occasionally engage in negotiations over various matters. Mike Kirkley, as a councilman, would have a conflict of interest in all such cases. "Maybe later on," Kirkley said, "if Marta retires, it might work."
The seat on the Sutter Creek City Council that Kirkley is not running for is being vacated by incumbent Councilman Brent Parsons, who has been on the council since 1992.
In Plymouth, it was a change of address that prevented a former council member and planning commissioner from running again.
"I do not live in Plymouth anymore. But if I did I would have run again," said Fiddletown resident Elida Malick. Malick has instead given her support to incumbent council members Greg Baldwin, Jon Colburn and Patricia Shackleton.
Down in Ione, there was scuttlebutt that Elmer Rohde would be making a bid for election to the Ione City Council, after having applied for Jeff Barnhart's vacated seat earlier this year.
Contacted after a round of golf at Castle Oaks Golf Course, Rohde was clear and concise about his decision not to run.
"I have two reasons," Rohde explained. "One, I'm a strong fan of Andrea (incumbent Mayor Bonham) and David Plank and I didn't want to muddy the waters in their race against Jerry Sherman (incumbent city councilman). Two, I'm 69 years old and it's a four-year commitment." He added, "I like the council that we have right now," Rohde expanded. "The only one I would like to see changed is Sherman. Once the two (Bonham and Plank) announced to run, I decided there was no need for me to run."
| Jerry Budrick |