The comments above are from users of theworldlink.com and do not necessarily represent the views of The World or Lee Enterprises. Participation Guidelines
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Bandon council races contested
By Jessica Musicar, Staff Writer
Thursday, August 07, 2008 | 1 comment(s)
Bandon’s city elections may get a bit spicy leading up to the November election. At least three community members will challenge an equal number of incumbents for three council seats.
Mayor Mary Schamehorn’s position remains uncontested. But the last date to file is Aug. 26, so the game isn’t decided yet.
Councilors Joe Briscoe, Geri Procetto and Chris Powell will battle Bandon Library volunteer Claudine Hundhausen, former Bandon Mayor and councilor Brian Vick, and a retired judge turned used bookstore owner, Phil Arlen, to maintain their titles.
On Tuesday, City Recorder Jo Anne Lepley said only Briscoe has completed his paperwork and has filed a petition with the signatures of 25 registered voters. The other candidates are working to collect signatures or have them approved by the county’s elections department.
Joe Briscoe
Briscoe, 73, has sat on the council since January 2005 and also served on the planning commission. He’s lived in Bandon for about 12 years.
He said he is running for his second term because he wants to be involved in a number of projects, including completing the comprehensive plan and the parks and recreation department’s outline for trails, bicycle paths and parks.
“I think there are a lot of items that are not quite finished, so I want to be part of the city leadership while we finish those things,” Briscoe said.
He also hopes to improve communication within the council and believes his leadership experience makes him a worthy candidate.
Geri Procetto
Procetto, 76, who completes her third term this year, joined the council in 1997, about two years after she moved to the area.
She also served as a school board member for more than two years in Merced, Calif.
“I think the city has been doing a good job. And I would like to continue helping improve whatever needs to be improved,” Procetto said.
She said she has no agenda as a councilor and makes her decisions based on what is good for Bandon.
“I just hope that the people of Bandon who voted for me in the last election will vote for me again this year,” Procetto said. “(I hope they) are happy with what I have done to represent them for the last four years.”
Chris Powell
City councilors appointed Powell to the council in March 2004 and was elected in January 2005. He also served on the city’s Architectural Review Board.
Powell was unavailable for comment.
Mary Schamehorn
Schamehorn, 69, is completing her second two-year term as mayor. In the late 1970s, she also served on the City Council for about nine years and sat several terms on the city planning commission.
A Bandon native, Schamehorn said she’s proud of what the city has accomplished, including its latest venture — remodeling of The Barn, Bandon’s Conference and Community Center, which is nearing completion.
“There are other things I’d like to see accomplished, including some changes in the city’s zoning ordinance that would require houses to be set back further from the bluff on the west side of Beach Loop, and changes in the size of a home in relation to the lot,” Schamehorn said in an e-mail. “We have seen some huge developments along the bluff in recent years, that have all but destroyed the ambiance of the area, along with the view. I think we need to scale down the development on whatever property we have left, if at all possible.”
She said she also would like the city to consider banning plastic grocery bags in coming years, as many larger cities are doing.
“Once people get used to the idea of carrying a cloth, reusable bag, to the store, it will become second nature,” she said.
Mayor Mary Schamehorn’s position remains uncontested. But the last date to file is Aug. 26, so the game isn’t decided yet.
Councilors Joe Briscoe, Geri Procetto and Chris Powell will battle Bandon Library volunteer Claudine Hundhausen, former Bandon Mayor and councilor Brian Vick, and a retired judge turned used bookstore owner, Phil Arlen, to maintain their titles.
On Tuesday, City Recorder Jo Anne Lepley said only Briscoe has completed his paperwork and has filed a petition with the signatures of 25 registered voters. The other candidates are working to collect signatures or have them approved by the county’s elections department.
Joe Briscoe
Briscoe, 73, has sat on the council since January 2005 and also served on the planning commission. He’s lived in Bandon for about 12 years.
He said he is running for his second term because he wants to be involved in a number of projects, including completing the comprehensive plan and the parks and recreation department’s outline for trails, bicycle paths and parks.
“I think there are a lot of items that are not quite finished, so I want to be part of the city leadership while we finish those things,” Briscoe said.
He also hopes to improve communication within the council and believes his leadership experience makes him a worthy candidate.
Geri Procetto
Procetto, 76, who completes her third term this year, joined the council in 1997, about two years after she moved to the area.
She also served as a school board member for more than two years in Merced, Calif.
“I think the city has been doing a good job. And I would like to continue helping improve whatever needs to be improved,” Procetto said.
She said she has no agenda as a councilor and makes her decisions based on what is good for Bandon.
“I just hope that the people of Bandon who voted for me in the last election will vote for me again this year,” Procetto said. “(I hope they) are happy with what I have done to represent them for the last four years.”
Chris Powell
City councilors appointed Powell to the council in March 2004 and was elected in January 2005. He also served on the city’s Architectural Review Board.
Powell was unavailable for comment.
Mary Schamehorn
Schamehorn, 69, is completing her second two-year term as mayor. In the late 1970s, she also served on the City Council for about nine years and sat several terms on the city planning commission.
A Bandon native, Schamehorn said she’s proud of what the city has accomplished, including its latest venture — remodeling of The Barn, Bandon’s Conference and Community Center, which is nearing completion.
“There are other things I’d like to see accomplished, including some changes in the city’s zoning ordinance that would require houses to be set back further from the bluff on the west side of Beach Loop, and changes in the size of a home in relation to the lot,” Schamehorn said in an e-mail. “We have seen some huge developments along the bluff in recent years, that have all but destroyed the ambiance of the area, along with the view. I think we need to scale down the development on whatever property we have left, if at all possible.”
She said she also would like the city to consider banning plastic grocery bags in coming years, as many larger cities are doing.
“Once people get used to the idea of carrying a cloth, reusable bag, to the store, it will become second nature,” she said.
Bandon challengers
Newcomers Hundhausen and Arlen hope to bring fresh perspectives to the city’s leadership, while Vick hopes to bring his past experience in Bandon to continue to maintain infrastructure and the city’s historical character.
Phil Arlen
Arlen, 65, is the newest candidate to the community. He’s lived in Bandon for three years.
He’s a former judge who oversaw cases involving workers’ compensation, appeals in unemployment insurance, disability insurance and tax appeals. Arlen now operates Bandon Beach Loop Books and U-NEEDA-BOOK in Old Town. He also served as the president of his homeowners association in Ventura, Calif., for six years.
“I think I’ll be the common sense candidate. I know how to work with people to get them to agree or compromise. I like doing that kind of work,” Arlen said. “I think that the city needs people who want to help, who look for ways to solve problems, not create or hinder what merchants, contractors and others in the community want to do.
Arlen, who described himself as a potential agent for change, said his aim is to help community members and to listen to all sides of every issue.
“I don’t have any agenda, which allows me to come in unbiased with fresh eyes,” he said.
He noted that his experience as a judge and familiarity with the law in general should aid him at the dais.
“I would certainly ask all the relevant questions so I understand the issue fully before voting on it,” Arlen said.
The candidate said he has 35 signatures for his candidacy petition and is gathering a few more before turning in his paperwork.
Claudine Hundhausen
Hundhausen, 62, who has lived in Bandon since 1999, is the former president of the Friends of the Bandon Library and is now a board member for the Bandon Library Friends and Foundation, a position she’s held for seven or eight years.
Although she’s never run for a city council position before, Hundhausen said she believes she can bring a greater focus on renewable energy resources to the table.
“We need to pay close attention to the needs of our children our families and the people who really live here year round,” Hundhausen said. “I think the times coming up are going to be tough times, and we need to seek to learn how to use energy and other resources differently.”
She said the council needs to be sensitive to community efforts and what others are doing to solve their problems.
Hundhausen said Bandon voters should choose her because she’s going to work hard, listen to constituents and will work well with others.
Brian Vick
A Bandon resident for more than 30 years, Vick said he served on the Bandon council as mayor and councilor on and off from the 1980s to the earlier part of this decade. He serves on the Southern Coos General Hospital board.
“I just have a real affinity for the community,” Vick said. “I think we need to keep an eye on the ball when it comes to maintaining our infrastructure.”
He said he had a hand in the construction of the water and sewer plants and the paving of Bandon roads.
“I have a tremendous amount of experience and I’ve worked really hard,” Vick said.
He noted that had Bandon residents and city officials not worked to keep up municipal infrastructure, the city would be dealing with expensive projects similar to those faced by neighboring communities.
Newcomers Hundhausen and Arlen hope to bring fresh perspectives to the city’s leadership, while Vick hopes to bring his past experience in Bandon to continue to maintain infrastructure and the city’s historical character.
Phil Arlen
Arlen, 65, is the newest candidate to the community. He’s lived in Bandon for three years.
He’s a former judge who oversaw cases involving workers’ compensation, appeals in unemployment insurance, disability insurance and tax appeals. Arlen now operates Bandon Beach Loop Books and U-NEEDA-BOOK in Old Town. He also served as the president of his homeowners association in Ventura, Calif., for six years.
“I think I’ll be the common sense candidate. I know how to work with people to get them to agree or compromise. I like doing that kind of work,” Arlen said. “I think that the city needs people who want to help, who look for ways to solve problems, not create or hinder what merchants, contractors and others in the community want to do.
Arlen, who described himself as a potential agent for change, said his aim is to help community members and to listen to all sides of every issue.
“I don’t have any agenda, which allows me to come in unbiased with fresh eyes,” he said.
He noted that his experience as a judge and familiarity with the law in general should aid him at the dais.
“I would certainly ask all the relevant questions so I understand the issue fully before voting on it,” Arlen said.
The candidate said he has 35 signatures for his candidacy petition and is gathering a few more before turning in his paperwork.
Claudine Hundhausen
Hundhausen, 62, who has lived in Bandon since 1999, is the former president of the Friends of the Bandon Library and is now a board member for the Bandon Library Friends and Foundation, a position she’s held for seven or eight years.
Although she’s never run for a city council position before, Hundhausen said she believes she can bring a greater focus on renewable energy resources to the table.
“We need to pay close attention to the needs of our children our families and the people who really live here year round,” Hundhausen said. “I think the times coming up are going to be tough times, and we need to seek to learn how to use energy and other resources differently.”
She said the council needs to be sensitive to community efforts and what others are doing to solve their problems.
Hundhausen said Bandon voters should choose her because she’s going to work hard, listen to constituents and will work well with others.
Brian Vick
A Bandon resident for more than 30 years, Vick said he served on the Bandon council as mayor and councilor on and off from the 1980s to the earlier part of this decade. He serves on the Southern Coos General Hospital board.
“I just have a real affinity for the community,” Vick said. “I think we need to keep an eye on the ball when it comes to maintaining our infrastructure.”
He said he had a hand in the construction of the water and sewer plants and the paving of Bandon roads.
“I have a tremendous amount of experience and I’ve worked really hard,” Vick said.
He noted that had Bandon residents and city officials not worked to keep up municipal infrastructure, the city would be dealing with expensive projects similar to those faced by neighboring communities.
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
- No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
- No deliberately false information.
- No obscenity or racially offensive language.
- No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
- No information that invades another person's privacy.
- No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.
Close Guidelines