Latest news with #District1
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Santa Fe City Council, mayoral candidates raise concerns about rocky rollout of election website
First-time Santa Fe City Council candidate David Montoya showed up at the City Clerk's Office at 9 a.m. May 5, the first day he could begin seeking signatures to get on the November ballot. He asked if he needed a packet of information, he said, and was told all he needed to get started was a nominating petition, posted online. He was surprised, then, to discover he was not included on the city's election website, created by a vendor through a contract with the City Clerk's Office; nor had he been notified when the portal went live, allowing residents to submit signatures and make donations electronically for candidates to qualify for public financing. He received a lackluster response from the office when he reached out again, he said. IMG_0013.jpeg David Montoya "Everyone was indifferent about it," said Montoya, a District 1 candidate, adding the situation "raises serious questions for me about how the city interacts with everyday people on a customer service level." He wasn't alone. It's been a rocky start to the municipal election, with tensions flaring. Several candidates running for mayor and City Council expressed similar frustrations about the rollout of the election website, which didn't go live until more than a week after the target date and initially didn't include all the candidates. Some described what they characterized as dismissive responses from city staff when they raised concerns — however, City Clerk Andréa Salazar said some of her employees have been treated disrespectfully by candidates as well. "I had a lot of angry candidates threatening lots of things, being very aggressive with me and my staff, which I am not happy with," Salazar said Thursday. "No one has a right to yell at anyone or to threaten people." 'This isn't a fair race' Mayoral candidate JoAnne Vigil Coppler, a former city councilor, said she learned about the election website on Facebook. When she visited the site, she realized a link for people to sign her petition wasn't live. Joanne Vigil Coppler mug JoAnne Vigil-Coppler She contacted the City Clerk's Office last week, she said, and Salazar told her she was out of the office and would look into the issue Monday. Vigil Coppler spoke with Assistant City Clerk Xavier Vigil, who told her the office couldn't fix the problem because it was an issue with the vendor. After more back and forth, Vigil Coppler said she notified the city she would file an injunction if the problem wasn't fixed or the website taken offline. The problem was then solved. "If not everybody could get their petitions signed, this isn't a fair race," Vigil Coppler said. "Is that too much to expect? No, it's not." Part of the issue stemmed from emails the City Clerk's Office sent to candidates asking for their information — not everyone received one. Salazar said that also was a vendor-related problem and was corrected Monday. 5007723_030718_RonTrujillo002_CMYK.jpg (copy) Former City Councilor Ron Trujillo Former City Councilor Ron Trujillo, who is running for mayor for the second time after an unsuccessful bid in 2018, didn't receive an initial email but heard over the weekend he wasn't listed on the website. He has since been added. The site shouldn't have been published until all problems were resolved, he said. "There probably are kinks like that with every system … until you've gotten all the glitches out," Trujillo said. But, he added, "It shouldn't go live. That's the way I've always worked." Mayoral candidate Oscar Rodriguez said he wasn't listed initially but received an email from the City Clerk's Office on Monday. Oscar Rodriguez headshot Oscar Rodriguez "I trust there's no skulduggery," he said, "but still, it does give an advantage to those whose face appeared and who knew this technology was coming." Rodriguez, a former city finance director who is running a campaign focused on improving basic city services, said the glitch felt emblematic of why he decided to enter the race: "There's just so much stuff that plagues the city with execution." 'They really should read up' Like some of his rivals, Rodriguez said the website issues created an imbalance in the race. Salazar pushed back on that assessment, saying candidates were able to use paper forms to collect signatures and donations starting May 5; the electronic option was an added bonus. "It's a convenience that we're trying to make for people," she said. "We created this to help people, and we can not do it in the future, so no one has access to it. I guess that's the alternative." City Councilor Michael Garcia, who is running for mayor, said he is familiar with the process because he has run in two past elections but is worried people running for the first time will be at a disadvantage. michael_j._garcia_headshot_.jpg Michael Garcia Prior city clerks scheduled sit-down meetings with the candidates to answer questions and make sure they had everything they needed, he said, while this year, information was just posted on the city's website. Salazar said she has been too busy to hold similar candidate sit-downs but is happy to meet with any candidate — and some meetings already have been scheduled. "Part of the problem is, how can we reach out to people who we don't know are candidates?" she said. She encourages anyone who wants to run for office to do their own research. "What I tell candidates is they really should read up on the code, they should look at our website, they should make sure that they understand both the statutory sections that are in New Mexico statute, they should look at our charter, and they should also look at our public campaign financing and election code, and be as familiar with those to understand what the requirements are," Salazar said. Voter ed effort coming As of Thursday, most candidates who have publicly said they intend to run for office are listed. The exceptions are mayoral hopeful Tarin Nix and District 3 City Councilor Lee Garcia, who has said he intends to run for a second term. Lee Garcia did not respond to multiple requests for comment on whether he has submitted paperwork. Nix is the deputy commissioner of public affairs for the New Mexico State Land Office and has said she will not start seeking signatures until June. Once she is a certified candidate in August, she has said, she intends to take a leave of absence from her state job. Salazar said the City Clerk's Office is committed to being transparent and communicative, and is beginning to develop plans to educate people about how Santa Fe's ranked-choice voting process works, which may include sending out information with utility bills. "We want to make sure that everyone has the tools they need to move forward, and we want to make sure the community also understands what's going on in this election cycle," she said.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Standing in Power co-founder seeks Decatur City Council seat in District 1
May 21—The cofounder of a local social justice group announced his candidacy for the District 1 Decatur City Council seat, promising to become more involved in the Decatur community and expressing a commitment to fostering a more inclusive environment. Terrance R. Adkins, 37, announced Tuesday that he is running for the City Council seat representing District 1, which will be open as current Councilman Billy Jackson has decided to run for mayor. Adkins said he is running to represent the voices of the district's residents he says have too often been overlooked. "I'm running for City Council because I believe District 1 deserves a leader who listens, who acts, and who will fight for the resources and respect our community deserves," Adkins said. "This is about our streets, our schools, our safety and our future." Adkins helped create Standing in Power, a group that has been especially active since the fatal police shooting of Decatur resident Steve Perkins in 2023. He previously ran for District 2 in 2020, losing to current Councilman Kyle Pike. City qualifying for the municipal election runs from June 10 to June 25, with a registration fee of $50. The election is scheduled for Aug. 26, and if a runoff is needed, it will be held on Sept. 23. The winner's four-year term begins Nov. 3. — or 256-340-2442.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
ODOT hones skills at district 'roadeo'
May 15—LIMA — There were no bucking broncos, bull riders or calf roping, but Thursday's "roadeo" had Ohio District of Transportation workers putting other skills to the test. Thursday's contest brought equipment operators from throughout the district to its maintenance garage in Lima to compete for bragging rights and the opportunity to compete in a statewide roadeo event, while at the same time sharpening the skills they use in their work keeping the roads clear in the winter months. "Maneuverability is No. 1," ODOT District 1 Highway Management Administrator Rod Nuverman said, speaking of an obstacle course set up behind the garage for plow trucks. "But it's also backing up into a confined space, which we do all the time when we're plowing outdoors, let's say on the highway. We're trying to show off blade control and making sure that the blade is to the right just far enough to plow but not hit anything, like mailboxes. So each one of the events is tied to something that we do." Another event involved a barrel push with loaders, which can simulate moving debris off of roadways, Nuverman said. "That shows your ability to manipulate the debris to a spot that you wanted," he said. While the public is accustomed to seeing ODOT trucks on the road in winter keeping roadways clear of snow and ice, the skills honed in these events are used in many ways. "What you see here is a snow plow, but if you look at most of the trucks that we use after winter, we take those plows off, and those are now dump trucks," ODOT District 1 Deputy Director Chris Hughes said. "So we're using this equipment for other things." With District 1 encompassing Allen, Defiance, Hancock, Hardin, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert and Wyandot counties, this yearly event also provides an opportunity to promote friendly competition among coworkers who may not get to interact on a regular basis. "They're not always together on projects, so this might be the only time they see each other," Nuverman said. "The other thing is that there are times when we're out doing chip seal in another county, and you're asked to go there. Now, instead of showing up and not knowing anybody, hopefully you now know somebody and can relate to them. Hopefully that helps with our teamwork and camaraderie when we're doing projects." The roadeo also featured 23 plow blades painted by area schools, including Lima Senior and Perry, as part of the district's "Paint the Plow" contest. Submissions can be viewed and voted on at the district's Facebook page, Featured Local Savings
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Milwaukee police search for missing 74-year-old man last seen near UWM
Milwaukee police are seeking a missing 74-year-old man last seen the morning of May 15 near the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. William G. Lau was last seen 6:30 a.m. in the 3200 block of North Cramer Street, Milwaukee police said. He left the address on foot, headed in an unknown direction, police said. He is considered critically missing, a designation for people who are deemed vulnerable. Police described Lau as a slim White man standing 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing about 140 pounds, with gray hair and blue eyes. He wears glasses and was last seen with a lime green jacket with black sleeves as well as black pants and white-and-gray shoes. Milwaukee police asked anyone with information to call District 1 at 414-935-7212. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee police search for missing 74-year-old man last seen May 15
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Baltimore City Council candidates sue mayor; accuse him of ordering their firing
BALTIMORE — Two city employees who were fired after making failed bids for local office last year sued Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott last week, accusing him of directing their firings because he saw them as aligning with his political opponents. The lawsuit was filed May 2 by Margo Bruner-Settles and Liam Davis, who ran for city council seats in last year's Democratic primary election and were terminated from their municipal jobs in the months following their losses. It claims that Scott ordered their terminations in the months after their campaign losses and his win over Sheila Dixon, because the incumbent mayor perceived the two as being aligned with his opponent. The mayor's administration declined to comment, with a spokesperson noting that the office doesn't 'comment on pending legal issues and will not until those proceedings are complete.' Neither Bruner-Settles nor Davis was given a specific reason for being fired in their formal termination letters The 30-page complaint does not quote Scott directly but cites unnamed city employees who relayed that administration officials 'gave an instruction' at a post-primary meeting to fire both candidates. It alleges that an unnamed mayoral official told Davis that a Scott staffer had overheard the candidate in a restaurant saying he was 'neutral' on the mayoral race — and that comment 'didn't sit well with' the mayor. It also accuses Scott's administration of coercing a city contractor to withdraw a job offer from Davis as he sought new employment. Davis, who ran to fill the District 1 seat vacated by Zeke Cohen, was a legislative affairs manager for the Baltimore City Department of Transportation. Bruner-Settles, who ran against District 3 incumbent Ryan Dorsey, was the chief of the city's Employee Assistance Program. Both candidates were 'at will' employees, their termination letters note, meaning they could be dismissed for any reason without notice — unless the reason is illegal. The lawsuit claims that their firings violated their Constitutional rights to free speech and free assembly, in addition to being 'traumatic' and 'devastating.' Neither of the candidates formally endorsed or exchanged campaign funds with Dixon, but the lawsuit suggests that Scott's administration saw them both as being indirectly aligned with the former mayor's bid to unseat him. Both candidates received financial support from then-Councilman Eric Costello, who endorsed Dixon in the 2024 primary and lost his re-election bid in an upset. Davis did not take a strong stance on the mayoral race, running a straightforward campaign focused on improving city services and infrastructure. The lawsuit notes that Davis is close friends with Costello, and was endorsed by his former employer and Scott's predecessor as mayor, Bernard C. Jack Young. The District 1 candidate received 35% of the vote during the primary but ultimately lost to Cohen's endorsed successor, pastor Mark Parker. Bruner-Settles became a semi-controversial figure during the 2024 primary election, focusing most of her campaign on opposition to bike lanes. She lost to Dorsey, a strong advocate for those, by nearly 40 percentage points. -------------
