Conservative former Eureka city councilman looking at Kerrigan's seat
A small item in today's Times-Standard got the attention of Eureka's progressive community. Frank Jager, the County Coroner for the past decade or so, told the Times-Standard he plans to run for the Eureka City Council seat, Ward 4, currently filled by Chris Kerrigan.
Jager and Kerrigan are hardly political bedfellows. Until the election of Larry Glass 2006, Kerrigan was the City Council's only liberal member. Jager, a conservative, a registered Republican, would represent a giant step back for Eureka's progressives if he were to win that seat. The progressives have made significant strides toward getting a voting majority on the Council in recent years, with Glass' victory over Mary Beth Wolford in the same election that Ron Kuhnel came within 30 odd votes of unseating Jeff Leonard.
Jager, who said he plans to "retire" from his job as coroner, served on the Eureka City Council from 1992-98, which raises the question of whether he can run again under the term limits law that prohibits Kerrigan from running again. I don't know the specifics of the law, but it might be that Jager served on the City Council before there were term limits and is therefore eligible to run again. It might be a question the city attorney would have to answer. Hopefully the Times-Standards' Karen Wilkinson will do some follow-up reporting on this issue.
Jager is an outspoken supporter of Rob Arkley's mega-controversial, Home-Depot-anchored Marina Center proposal for Eureka's Balloon Track. You can bet his campaign, if there is one, will be well-financed by certain local business and developer interests.
The progressives have yet to come up with a candidate for Kerrigan's seat. I've heard George Clark, former owner of Kyoto in Old Town, tossed about as a possibility, but nothing definite yet.
UPDATE: The Eureka City Charter on Term Limits:
SECTION 209. TERM LIMITS - COUNCIL MEMBERS.
No person may serve more than two consecutive full terms as a Council Member. If a person serves a partial term in excess of two years, it shall be considered a full term for the purpose of this provision. Any term of office commenced prior to June, 1994 shall not be counted for purpose of applying this provision.
Nothing in this section shall act as a bar to service as Council Member a previously elected or appointed Council Member after at least four years absence from office.
(Amended by election on June 7, 1994)
Does this part in bold mean Jager indeed can run again? The language is rather convoluted, even for legalese.
Comments
George would be an excellent addition to the council.
Posted by: Heraldo | February 22, 2008 10:16 PM
You wrote, "Jager is an outspoken supporter of Rob Arkley's mega-controversial Home-Depot-anchored Marina Center...".
I'm not so sure about that. According to Greg Conners, over at his blog, well...here's a quote from a recent post about Jager:
I asked him about current proposals for Eureka's waterfront. He feels the same as before, but starts out with "after the property is cleaned up". He also said he is not sure Big Box is the right use for the property..
I'll have to ask Frank, next time I see him.
Posted by: Fred Mangels | February 23, 2008 06:49 AM
Frank Jager is a good man who has volunteered thousands of hours of his time to the city's youth. I am very glad to hear he is running & I warn the left you will not be successful if you try to smear him!
Posted by: John | February 23, 2008 08:25 AM
You wrote: "Jager, a conservative, a registered Republican, would represent a giant step back for Eureka's progressives if he were to win that seat."
Is that a racial slur, a moment of failed humor, or just sophomoric political posturing.
I left Humboldt County after living there for 30 years. I did so because there were no decent jobs. You claim (without evidence or links) "bad things" about a guy running for office...
Isn't that like saying "scientists have stated that 90% of bloggers are either necrophiliac pedophiles or right-handed"?
Progressives in Humboldt County will not be hurt by one voice on the Eureka City Council (unless they're only speaking through Kerrigan). They still have their First Amendment rights and they can still influence the locals--on a personal level--to do the right things for our country and environment...
Or does that "teach a man to fish" thing only hold true when one is selling the licenses?
Posted by: jtb | February 23, 2008 08:52 AM
I see you corrected the spelling in both your blog and my comment without making a note of it.
Very low indeed...
Posted by: No Fence, No Peace | February 26, 2008 05:58 PM
Hi Andrew -
I helped get Frank elected to city council back in '92, so he called me to talk about running again. Hopefully he can craft some kind of statement that can reassure all sides of the BT Zoning issue. When I talked with him last week he said he is not sure a Big Box is a good idea, but he would like to see the property cleaned up and developed. We'll meet this weekend and I will ask Frank to sharpen and clarify where he is currently on this issue. He's certainly not going to be able to avoid it in a campaign.
Frank is a big Boy Scout, literally and figuratively. He is a Republican, poor man. He is also independent and honest. If that sounds like no big deal, ask around.
When Frank was first elected to council, that WAS considered progressive in Eureka. As I said on my blog, a "flat-foot with a surfer cut".
Best,
Greg
Posted by: Greg | February 27, 2008 04:24 PM
Admittedly, George Clark's philosophy is closer to mine in some ways, and I like George. A Clark-Jager race? It's a November election so there is lots of time to speculate.
Posted by: Greg | February 27, 2008 04:27 PM
Greg, thank you for your comment. Are you sure that Frank has an open mind about Home Depot on the Balloon Track? I would like to think so, but my understanding is that he is an advocate for the proposal as it now stands. Please let me know if I am wrong about his position. Thank you.
Posted by: Andrew Bird | February 27, 2008 04:31 PM
Sure - I'll put it to him just like that. He can take it, and he'll want you to know where he stands. Meanwhile, he's been a pretty good coroner, hasn't he? No comlaints, anyway.
Posted by: Greg | February 27, 2008 05:02 PM
By the way, Greg, I read the Eureka City Charter section on term limits. The language is confusing, but it might be that Jager can run again because he has been absent for four years.
Posted by: Andrew Bird | February 27, 2008 08:04 PM
From the section you provided, the Coroner is eligible to run again as four years have passed and because the provision only applies to consecutive terms
Posted by: Anonymous | February 27, 2008 09:02 PM
I gathered that too, but if you ask me it's not real clear. I'd like to get an interpretation from the city attorney.
Posted by: Andrew Bird | February 28, 2008 12:37 PM
We had a good lunch with Frank. I'll post some notes under the Jager post on my blog.
Posted by: Greg | February 29, 2008 05:44 PM