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HOME > ABOUT > PRESS > 2 JOIN FRAY FOR WEST COUNTY SEAT
Article published - February 8, 2008
Credit: THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
2 Join Fray for West County Seat
by Bleys W. Rose
More candidates are jumping into the west Sonoma County supervisor's race, with Latino community activist Efren Carrillo filing for the post on Thursday and Palm Drive Hospital's financial angel Dan Smith confirming he's eyeing the contest.
Although the filing deadline isn't until March 12, more than a dozen people have indicated interest either by filing candidacy statements, forming fund-raising committees or taking out petitions for voter signatures to get a place on the June 3 primary ballot.
Carrillo is president of the board governing the Southwest Community Health Clinic, and education and government relations manager for Redwood Credit Union. He said he plans to make formal announcements on Monday during campaign stops in the Roseland area, at Sebastopol's Palm Drive Hospital and at Armstrong Woods State Reserve near Guerneville.
"I want to help improve the community," said Carrillo, who turns 27 next month. "My generation is going to lead at some point."
The official entry of Carrillo also prompted Dan Smith, the Sebastopol high-tech entrepreneur whose financial resources have kept Palm Drive Hospital afloat through bankruptcy protection proceedings, to say he is giving it serious consideration.
"I had hoped to see more broad-based candidates in the field, and I don't see it," Smith said Thursday after hearing that Carrillo had filed for the seat being vacated by Mike Reilly. "Many people are encouraging me to run, so you can put me down as seriously thinking in that direction."
The field of candidates for Reilly's seat includes several well-known residents such as Maddy Hirshfield, an aide to Assemblywoman Patty Berg; county planning commissioner Rue Furch; retired high-tech executive Jim Maresca; and builder Tom Lynch.
In the 1996 primary for the west county seat vacated by then-supervisor Ernie Carpenter, Hirshfield came in fifth among seven candidates. Furch did not run, although she was an announced candidate for the post for nearly a year before the election.
The two top vote-getters in June will advance to a runoff election in November.
Others have officially joined the fray by filing candidacy statements. They include Daniel Kahane, vegetable grower and Water Agency program specialist; Roseland store owner Eddie Alvarez; and former physician Narayan de Vera.
Four other area residents have taken out election documents to obtain petition signatures. They are: contractor and Laguna Foundation board member Guy Smith; gun rights activist Phil Graf; William Kuziara of rural Sebastopol; and Karrie Singler, a Forestville grower. Contacted on Thursday, however, Singler said she is not likely to seek the post.
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