Aiken politics came a little early this year! The following article and the one that appeared yesterday regarding Jane Vaughters' plans and businesswoman Liz Stewart's intentions to run for an at large seat on City Council were initiated by the Aiken Standard. It appears that the same old crowd of developers aided by the paper is trying to jump start their chosen candidates campaign so as to discourage others from running. Deja Vu all over again.
From the Aiken Standard
3/14/2009 12:25 AM
Dick Smith won't seek re-election
By HALEY HUGHES
Staff writer
Aiken City Councilman Dick Smith announced Friday he will not seek re-election for his Fourth District seat, joining fellow Councilwoman Jane Vaughters in the decision to step down at the end of eight years of service.
Like Vaughters, who currently fills an at-large seat, Smith said he too believes in term limits. They were both elected in 2001.
"I think it's time to move on," he said. "It has been an honor to serve. Jane Vaughters and I have accomplished quite a bit."
The names of Dr. Bauer Vaughters and wife DeeDee, Jane Vaughters' son and daughter-in-law, have been floating around as possible candidates. Bauer Vaughters said neither he nor his wife will run for City Council at this time.
But the ballot for the City of Aiken's November municipal elections continues to take shape - another Council incumbent will seek re-election and a newcomer has announced he is running for an at-large seat.
Second District Councilwoman Lessie Price said Friday she will attempt to retain her seat on Council, one which she has held since the late 1980s. In fact, she was the first woman to run for and be elected to the governing body.
"We have seen tremendous growth. And I think, overall, it has been well planned. It has had a positive impact. We have dealt with housing, traffic and economic development and have tackled those as a body," she said of the areas she has focused on during her time on Council and will continue to focus on.
And though a formal announcement will come soon, Kent Cubbage told the Aiken Standard on Friday he is running for a City Council at-large seat.
"I decided to do this two years ago," Cubbage said. "I was inspired by the birth of my daughter. I figured I have to get involved because I want her to know the Aiken I love so dearly. I am more youthful than the other Council members and no one will outwork me or outwalk me. I will be the ears and voice of the whole City. I have the skills and experience to help lead the City."
He worked for an environmental consulting firm when he first moved to Aiken during which he said he learned the ins and outs of zoning, green space and adaptive property reuse issues. He is also a graduate of Leadership Aiken County, a 15-year Aiken resident and currently works as the biology program coordinator at Aiken Technical College.
"My motto is 'vision we need now,'" Cubbage said. "The City is at kind of a lull. When we come out of the current economic situation, I think growth will reach a peak again. And we could lose the Aiken we've come to cherish if we don't have the vision we need now. A vision both in favor of the citizens and businesses. Fostering and promoting entrepreneurship will get us through this economic situation. Small business is what is going to get us through this."
Cubbage will run as a Republican.
The City's other at-large seat is currently filled by Councilman Don Wells. Wells said Thursday he will run again.
Aiken Planning Commissioner and business woman Liz Stewart has also declared her intentions to run for an at-large seat.
Tricky Dick - get over it.
ReplyDeleteYou and your crowd have had a nice run but it's OVER. And the only thing that curtailed growth in Aiken was a recession. And even you are not capable of causing that, even with your brilliance and talents...
BTW - Liz Stewart initiated the article. The rest of us are far to busy making money right now to worry about your insipid election/government fixation. Of course you being a government bureaucrat drawing a government pension it is complete;y understandable.
It must really be disconcerting to you that your grip on city government is over and your suggestions and directions are now being ignored and dismissed. Same goes for the Wicked Witch of Hayne Avenue. Good riddance to both of you.
Many in Aiken do not know that City Council was about to approve more taxpayer $ for the Train Depot and AACC - both reasonable projects, but which should be funded privately, not with taxpayer $. Jane Vaughters and Dick Smith planned to shine the light of day on this - and the requests quickly disappeared. No wonder the developers and downtown group want to replace them with their own (or is that "owned") Council persons. These articles are an embarrassing attempt by the Standard to manipulate next fall's City Council election.
ReplyDeleteDon - apparently you don't understand that it's not that Dick's grip on city government is over. He would handily win re-election if he chose to run again. But unlike Democrats, Dick believes in term limits.
ReplyDeleteI know the facts don't matter to you, but they do to the rest of the readers of this blog.