Municipal candidates face July 15 cutoff date

By Sonny Turner
sonny@athensnews-courier.com

June 21, 2008 09:52 pm

— Those planning to seek office in the City of Athens this summer may start qualifying July 1 for the six elected positions up before Athens voters.
Candidates will have 15 days to file qualifying papers at Athens City Hall. After July 15, qualifying for those offices will end. The deadline is at 4:30 p.m., city officials said.
The office of mayor and all five seats on the Athens City Council are up before voters this year. The election is Aug. 26 with an Oct. 7 runoff set if necessary. The new city administration will take office Nov. 3.
Athens Mayor Dan Williams and four of the five incumbent council members have said they will seek re-election. District 1 Councilman Johnny Crutcher is not seeking another term in office.
Williams, who served two terms as a city councilman, is seeking his fifth consecutive term as mayor. Former Madison Mayor Chuck Yancura has already said he will enter the race along with Ralph Richardson who has run unsuccessfully for the office in the past.
District 2 Councilman Harold Wales, District 3 Councilman Jimmy Gill, District 4 Councilman Ronnie Marks and District 5 Councilwoman Milly Caudle are seeking another term. Caudle was appointed by the council to fill the unexpired term of Henry White who left office in his successful run for the House District 5 position in the state legislature.
To run for city office, candidates must reside in the Athens city limits. There is a $10 qualifying fee.

PSC candidate here
Meanwhile, Matt Chancey, a Republican candidate for president of the Alabama Public Service Commission, was in Athens Friday campaigning.
Chancey, of Chelsea, said as gas prices continue to rise, Alabama families need new conservative ideas — like nuclear power — to keep rates down and bring energy independence to the state.
He said he favors and will attempt to convince the Tennessee Valley Authority to finish and open the Bellefonte nuclear plant in Scottsboro. He also praised the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant saying it is operating safely at full power.
“I say we use our own resources such as nuclear power as leverage to get those gas prices down,” Chancey said. “It can be done and I’m going to push for that.”
Although Chancey, 32, carried Limestone County in the June primary election, he trailed Montgomery resident Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh when all the votes were counted.
“I’ve got some ground to make up, but I believe I can do that as the July 15 run-off approaches,” he said.
Longtime PSC President Jim Sullivan, a Republican, is retiring and did not seek re-election.