Four Run For City Council
Putting rumors to rest whether or not they would run, four current members of the Jackson City Council filed to run for their seats again last Thursday.
Incumbents Alfred Turner, Mildred Rogers, Rose Wolfe and Steve Bowling made it official after the lunch hour at the Breathitt County Courthouse, signing their papers and paying the necessary fees with the County Court Clerk’s Office.
Both Rogers and Turner denied the four of them together were part of a “slate” of candidates being put up for office. “Earlier we were at the presentation of the new police cruiser down at City Hall, and over lunch we just thought we’d do it all at once,” said Rogers after she did some paperwork with County Court Clerk Tony Watts. Turner agreed. “It was just easier to do it this way, so there’s no talk of a slate.”
Bowling, Wolfe, Rogers and Turner are the first candidates to announce for the council seats in the General Election, which will be Tuesday, November 7th. A total of six seats will be up for grabs in Jackson City Council, with the deadline for filing being August 12th. All the candidates in city elections run on a non-partisan ballot.
Of the four, Turner is the senior council member. He’s running for his seventh term in office, having served the last ten years in the council chair, and prior to that Turner served a term back in the 1970’s. After filing, Turner said, “I’d just like to see some of these projects in Jackson updated and completed. I have no personal agenda. I’m just out there to make life better for the residents of our city.”
With the November run, Rogers will go for her fourth consecutive term in the City Council. She also had a comment after doing the paperwork last Thursday. “I’m looking forward to continuing the business of running our city, and hope people will look to me to help do the job of making Jackson more progressive.”
Wolfe, who presently serves as Vice-Mayor, is running for her third term in the council, and she too is upbeat about her chances for re-election in the fall. “I hope the citizens feel I’ve done a good job as a council member, and I hope they’ll re-elect me. I feel I’ve served them fairly and honestly.”
Bowling was elected two years ago, and is going for his second term in office. In his remarks, Bowling thought of family as one reason he decided to run again. “I think it’s another chance to continue the improved quality of life in Jackson. I want to be part of my children’t future, and the city’s future. It’s been my honor and a priviledge to serve. We’ve accomplished quite a bit and the city’s moving in the right direction.”
As of press time, no other candidates have announced for City Council, or for Mayor. Incumbent Mayor Mike Miller announced last winter that he would run for re-election. Upon election in November, those selected will be sworn in on New Year’s Day 2007.
