AURORA | Several Aurora residents have already filed for candidacy in the November 2015 municipal election to fill Aurora City Council seats, including one veteran Aurora politician who hopes to take the mayor’s office.
Five of 10 council seats are open, with two incumbents leaving after serving the maximum three terms. Three are for ward seats, and two are for at-large seats.
Longtime Ward IV Aurora Councilwoman Molly Markert, who is term limited for her city council seat, has filed for candidacy for mayor. She is running against incumbent Steve Hogan, who has said he will run for re-election.
Arnie Schultz, who serves on the city’s Parks and Recreation Board, recently filed to replace Markert’s Ward IV seat. Andrew Bateman, who serves on the legislative staff for state House Rep. Jovan Melton, D-Aurora, has also filed to run for that seat. In addition, former Aurora City Attorney Charlie Richardson has long been rumored to run for the seat, but he has been publicly non-committal.
Councilman Bob Roth is so far the sole candidate in Ward V. Roth was appointed to that seat in 2010, and he serves as the director of pre-construction services at Intermountain Electric, Inc.
Ward VI, where incumbent Bob Broom is leaving his seat because of term limits, has four residents vying for one open spot. Those include Larry Stevenson, Francoise Bergen, PK Kaiser and Brian Arnold.
Stevenson is the director of Safety and Public Affairs for Denver’s office of Excise and Licenses. Bergen moved with her family to southeast Aurora 13 years ago and serves on the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee. Kaiser is a real estate agent who has run for office in the four previous years, including twice for an Aurora City Council seat. Brian Arnold, a motivational speaker and former Cherokee Trail High School assistant track coach is also running for the seat.
Candidates for the at-large council member positions include current council members Debi Hunter Holen and Bob LeGare. Aurora resident Angela Lawson is also running for the available at-large seat. James L. Nelson has also filed for the available seat.
To make the ballot, mayoral and at-large candidates must file petitions signed by at least 100 voters. Ward candidates are required to file petitions signed by a minimum of 50 voters. The last day to file petitions is August 25.
Molly’s been at it for a long time now, she’s as qualified, and probably more, than others. A politician through and through.
a politician through and through is correct I believe
What are you correcting?
ROFL. 🙂
couldn’t agree more – Molly Markert has worked tirelessly for the citizens of Aurora, and would make a
GREAT mayor. You go Molly!
How about we elect someone who cares about the rights of the people they serve? Miss Molly likes to forbide the exercise of consitutionally protected rights if it makes her uncomfortable.
interesting comment here
Can you say more about the constitutional comment, please?
https://www.aurorasentinel.com/news/aurora-lawmakers-ban-people-openly-carrying-guns-city-hall/
The Skip Noe brouhaha shows there is a ‘good old girl’ v ‘good old boy’ schism in Aurora politics. Councilwomen currently make up 6 of 10 council seats. Next election will probably result in a greater female majority on the council … and a good chance Markert will be the next mayor. I suspect the successor to Noe will be a woman.
That schism is not only in the council but it trickles down into areas of the workforce. The ‘good old boy’ club is alive and well.
No, someone must have misunderstood my comment to that last Noe city manager article. I meant I’d LOVE to see a viable female candidate for Aurora mayor who could both be vetted earlier and who people could actually support. I’d rather ruin Nadine Caldwell’s final retirement years than ever support Molly Markert for mayor.
Promotes BSL, no thanks!
No Molly, no Arnie Schultz, no Charlie Richardson. Someone needs to step up and challenge Roth.
Ditch Hunter Hole-n-her-head and LeGare too.