With the deadline to submit their council and mayoral bids passing Wednesday at 5 p.m., eight candidates have entered the race for three seats on the city council, and three nominees are vying for the mayoral position. The city’s primary election will be held on Tuesday, March 9.
The incumbent mayor is Anthony Smith. Smith is coming off his first term and sees his skills as a professional project manager being a perfect match for the mayoral job description. “I want to continue guiding our city through these tough economic times and into sustainable growth and prosperity,” Smith said.
Looking to send him back to the planning world are Leon Potter and Ken Hunt.
Potter, a former financial advisor, hopes to inject some fresh viewpoints into a council he believes is full of conflicts of interest. “Maricopa needs a voice for its everyday people and fair representation,” Potter said.
Hunt has been a Maricopa resident for a year and a half, and is also from the financial sector. He could not be reached for comment for this story.
While the pool of candidates for the mayoral position is only three deep, voters will have their work cut out for them when making selections among the choices for council.
Among those candidates are Dallas Paulsen, Bridger Kimball, Peggy Chapados, Alan Marchione, Edward Farrell, Julia Gusse, Brent Murphree and Rosalin Sanhadja.
Chapados is a board member of The Villages at Rancho El Dorado HOA, chair of the city of Maricopa Public Safety Advisory Committee, coordinator and co-founder of the Maricopa HOA Presidents Council, a member of the U.S. Census 2010 Complete Count Committee and a member of the Maricopa Seniors board of directors.
“I believe that even though Maricopa faces significant challenges, we also have many possibilities and opportunities ahead,” Chapados said. “I can't think of a better way to be a part of affecting positive change and serving my fellow Maricopans than as a member of city council.”
Marchione also sits on the board at the Villages HOA, in addition to being a member of the city’s public safety committee and a former Marine.
Marchione says he’ll bring a robust approach toward economic development, eliminate the excessive use of consultants and promote mutually beneficial relationships between the city and Maricopa United School District.
Kimball, another former Marine, is the general manager of a large Valley shooting range and gun store. And while he doesn’t bring a lot of political experience to the table, he said he feels he has what it takes to lead the city.
“Risking again the label as the candidate ‘calling out’ our mayor and city council, I do not believe our current city leaders are capable of moving forward with proposals and plans,” Kimball said. “My aim is to change that, to compel action, to perhaps even advocate term limits for our elected officials so bureaucrats do not become those all-too-familiar politicians comfortably ensconced in power to the extent they audaciously shun their duties, commitments and responsibilities to those of us who elected them.”
Gusse is a former member of the Air Force, a former city of Maricopa employee and was the program coordinator for more than seven years for a multi-million dollar U.S. Department of Education grant at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA).
“My goals are to focus on grant programs, joint ventures with our school district, economic development and community youth/adult/veteran programs,” she said.
Paulsen served on the council back in 2007 in an interim position, but decided not to run for election in that position. He was one of the original members involved with the incorporation of the city.
Paulsen says he doesn’t believe in making promises he can’t keep. “I have no hidden agenda; I’m just going to work hard to represent the residents of Maricopa,” Paulsen said.
The last new candidate Sanhadja is a two-year resident of Maricopa, employee of Squire, Sanders and Dempsey and a vocal supporter of the city’s transit service. However, she could not be reached for further comment at the time of publication.
These council candidates hope to fill one of the spots being vacated by current council member Joe Estes, who chose not to run for re-election, as well the seats currently held by Murphree and Farrell.
Farrell has served on the council since he led the original committee to form the city more than five years ago. “After helping create a city here, for the last six years as your councilman, my highest priority has been to create the best quality of life possible for our residents,” Farrell said.
Murphree, who was also involved in Maricopa’s formation, helped to form the MASH coalition, Maricopa Hispanic Heritage Foundation and worked in advertising for many years.
The primary election is slated for March 9. If necessary, a general election will be held on May 18. Candidates who secure more than 51 percent of the vote in the Primary Election automatically win the seat, but candidates who do not win 51 percent of the vote move on to the general election; there, a majority vote clinches a victory.
The six Maricopa City Council members serve four-year staggered terms, with three seats being up for election every two years. The mayor currently serves a two-year term.
While these candidates will be the only names to appear on the ballots, other interested parties can appear as write-in candidates. To become a write-in candidate, a person must file a nomination paper no later than 5 p.m. on the 40th day prior to the election.
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