Dem City Council ticket in November will mix new, familiar faces

And with the filing deadline for party candidates not till Feb. 2 and independent candidates three months later , more individuals could still file for the 2011 election.

Athens County Democratic Party Chair Bill Bias revealed several changes to the party’s slate of candidates this election season at a county party meeting on Monday night.

First of all, Bias himself will not be seeking re-election as president of City Council. Instead, current at-large council member Jim Sands has taken out petitions for that position. Another long-term officeholder, Nancy Bain of Athens’ Third Ward, will also not seek re-election. Democrat Michele Papai has taken out petitions to run for that seat. Papai currently sits on the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals.

Last week, Sherry Coon, a Democrat representing Athens’ Second Ward, announced she would not seek re-election. Democrat Jeff Risner, of Carroll Road in Athens, has taken out petitions for that seat.

Although Sands won’t be running again for his at-large seat, his fellow at-large council members, Elahu Gosney and Christine Knisely, say they’re seeking re-election.

Three other Democrats have announced they will run for at-large seats, which means that the Democrats will have a five-way primary with the three highest vote-getters going on to the general election. Ohio University students Nate Hall and Ibriham Alassaf, and Cycle Path owner Maxine Rantane, have taken out petitions to join Gosney and Knisely in the at-large Democratic primary.

Other Democratic officeholders both on council and in the city administration are seeking re-election. On City Council, Kent Butler is taking out petitions for re-election to Athens’ First Ward, and Christine Fahl has taken out petitions for re-election to Athens’ Second Ward.

Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl announced that he will seek re-election, as has city Law Director Pat Lang and city Auditor Kathy Hecht.

So far, no Republicans in Athens have announced that they will seek office. Currently, all city offices are held by Democrats. Former council member Ed Baum had said that he would run for City Council president if Bias sought re-election. Because Bias is not seeking re-election, Baum said Monday, he has no plans to run. Randy Morris, who faced Christine Fahl for Athens’ Fourth Ward during the last cycle, said he is considering running for office, although he said he has not made a decision and did not specify which office he’s considering.

Athens County Republican Party Chair Pete Couladis said Sunday that numerous people have expressed interest in challenging officials both on City Council and in the city administration. He said that he prefers to leave it up to them to make their own announcements when they are ready.

Declarations of candidacy for partisan candidates must be filed with the Athens County Board of Elections by Feb. 2, and write-in candidates for the primary election must file declarations of intent by Feb. 22.

This year’s primary election in Ohio is slated for May 3, with nominating petitions for independent candidates required to be filed by May 2. Local issues are required to be certified to the board by Aug. 10, and the general election this year is Nov. 8.

Bias told members of the county Democratic Party’s executive committee on Monday night that he will ask them to nominate him to serve on the Athens County Board of Elections following the resignation of current board member Bill Biddlestone. Biddlestone said Monday that he wants to focus on his law practice.

Because a member of the Board of Elections may not also be on the ballot, Bias chose not to seek re-election as City Council president, he said Monday.

“It’s been one of the greatest joys of my life for the last 10 years being president of Athens City Council, but you cannot be on the Board of Elections and be on the ballot,” Bias said.

Bias has received some criticism for alleged conflicts of interest between his position as council president, chair of the local Democratic Party, and administrative role with a company developing a local retirement facility.

Bain said that she thinks Papai will be a great replacement for her on council. Bain has served on City Council since 1985.

“I do think it’s time for us old-timers to go riding off into the sunset,” Bias said.

Papai said she is excited about running.

“This is where I want to be,” she said.

With regard to the at-large primary, Bias said that competition brings more people into the party and makes it stronger. He said that Maxine Rantane is a 28-year resident of Athens with an impressive background in helping foster small business in the area.

Another at-large candidate, OU student Nate Hall, is currently president of the OU College Democrats. He said Monday night that he wants to help the university and local community focus on what they have in common, instead of divisive issues like the controversial noise ordinance. He mentioned environmentalism and the upkeep of properties as areas where students and permanent residents can work together.

Meanwhile, Alassaf, who is also seeking an at-large seat, is an OU junior studying pre-law. He has previously stated that one issue of concern to him is removing fluoride from the city’s water supply.

Gosney said he is looking forward to a good exchange of ideas during the upcoming primary. He said he thinks having contested races is healthy for the candidates, the party and the city.

Knisely said she has learned a lot during her time in office, and enjoys hearing the diverse viewpoints from the citizens of Athens. She said she thinks a primary with a variety of ideas will be energizing and helpful.

As for the city administration, Mayor Wiehl said that he thinks he can do better in a second term applying everything that he’s learned in his first term.

“I still have some unfinished business that I want to attend to,” he said. “I want to make the city more energy efficient. We’re in a period of contraction in terms of finance, and that’s a worry… I’ll probably in this next term be more decisive.”