Two challenge O’Malley for mayoral seat

Posted: 2:12 pm, August 26, 2016 by Heather Young

Four vie for two open city council seats

–Open seats for Atascadero Mayor and Atascadero City Council will all face competition this November. The incumbent for Atascadero Mayor, Tom O’Malley, will face off against Nicholas Mattson and Ann Ketcherside. Atascadero City Council incumbent Roberta Fonzi will be challenged by former city council member Charles Bourbeau, Daniel J. Eister and Bret Heinemann. Two-term councilman Bob Kelley will not seek re-election.

O’Malley has served as elected mayor since 2012, when Atascadero voters approved a ballot measure to elect a mayor every two years, and has been a council member since 2002. He sited many council accomplishments in his candidate’s statement: securing funding for the Highway 101/41 overpass, Lewis Avenue Bridge and the transit center, as well as Sunken Gardens, downtown revitalization, Galaxy Theatres, Colony Park Community Center, Atascadero Lake Park, Charles Paddock Zoo, Faces of Freedom Veterans’ Memorial, and restoring historic city hall.

“I advocate for local control where every local jurisdiction functions as independent as possible,” O’Malley said. “My vision for Atascadero includes a balanced local economy, activities and venues for residents and visitors of all ages, the opportunity for all families to have a home, and preservation of our small-town ambiance.”

Mattson is the sports editor for Atascadero News, as well as a member of several community organizations.

“I hold a vision of Atascadero that preserves the small-town appeal, promotes small business, engages the community and creates an export economy to survive the next 100 years of Atascadero,” Mattson wrote in his candidate statement. “My platform is simple. World-class jobs and education are my top priority. We live in a connected world, with energy and resources at a premium. Changes are occurring around us that will alter the course of our community. We can be a leader, or a victim of indecision.”

Ketcherside is a local businesswoman, law student, and 30-year resident of Atascadero, according to Smartvoter.org. She lists her top priorities if elected as: Promoting downtown, making building permits more affordable, and taking a stand for property rights.

Fonzi has been on the council since 2008, reelected in 2012. In her candidate’s statement, she said she strives to be fair and listen to all points of view, as well as works hard to keep the public process open for the citizens.

“Personally, I strive to maintain absolute integrity in my personal and public affairs,” Fonzi said.

Bourbeau was appointed to the council in April 1987 and served through November 1988. He is currently a planning commissioner.

“I am not running on any single issue,” he said. “I am interested in the whole range of subjects coming before the council. Simply put, I am focused on good government, well-managed, financially prudent and support of economic development.”

Heinemann has run for seats on the Atascadero City Council and Atascadero Unified School District Board of Trustees in the past. He said that jobs, the economy and budgets are his number one issues, “along with our character and values — honesty, integrity, work ethic — that make Atascadero the best place to live, visit, work, shop and conduct business.

Eister is a new face to the race for council, though he was born in San Luis Obispo and graduated from Atascadero High School.

“Helping people is what I love to do,” he said. “I want to be an advocate for our local citizens. I’d like to bring the human kindness aspect of healthcare to city government. I believe in doing so, everyone leaves city hall feeling like they were heard and treated fairly with dignity and respect.”

Incumbent Bob Kelley chose to not seek reelection. “After careful consideration I have decided not to run for another term for the Atascadero City Council,” he said. “I have served the city for some 16 years which included 7 1/2 years on the planning commission. I have had a mostly fulfilling experience trying to support the citizens and businesses in Atascadero.” He was elected to the council along with Fonzi in 2008.

Both seats will be on the November ballot.