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Lodi school district Trustee Ken Davis eyeing seat on Stockton council

By Jennifer Bonnett
News-Sentinel Staff Writer
Monday, November 17, 2008 6:46 AM PST

Lodi Unified School board president Ken Davis is interested in the soon-to-be vacant Stockton City Council seat and may apply for the position.


Ken Davis

The city is expected in the coming months to appoint someone to finish the unexpired term of Steve Bestolarides, who was just elected to the Board of Supervisors. Bestolarides' city council term expires Dec. 31.

Davis, who has served on the school board for 16 years, said he was contacted personally by several citizens he declined to identifiy about applying for the city council seat.

"I simply told them I would not be opposed," he said of seeking nomination. "I really am exploring it."

The north Stockton resident, who lives within Bestolarides' district, has gone as far as contacting the county Office of Elections to determine if he could hold both seats concurrently.

Apparently he can, except that the meetings are both held on Tuesday evenings, Davis said.

Before making a decision, he wants to learn more about the appointment process, and Mayor-elect Ann Johnston is meeting with City Manager J. Gordon Palmer, Jr., to determine that process. Applicants will be accepted beginning next month.

Davis anticipates that whomever is chosen will have to hit the ground running at the start of the year since Stockton is currently searching for a new police chief and struggling like other public agencies to balance a budget with less revenue.

"When it comes to the concerns of the (council) district ... I already represent very similar issues with those people," said Davis, who has also been involved in city politics.

"It would be a really difficult decision for me because I'm so tied to the district."

If Davis was selected to serve on the city council and resigned from his position on the school board, a replacement could be appointed by majority vote of other trustees or they could decide to hold a special election, per board bylaws.

Others who have made public their interest in Bestorlarides' seat include Stockton Planning Commissioner Mark Martinez, retired chief District Attorney Investigator Elbert Holman, Jr. and Miracle Mile business owner Arnold Chin, according to Davis.

Lodi Unified trustee Peter Johnson, who was not re-elected to the board earlier this month, was also reportedly interested. However, he does not live within the district.

Contact reporter Jennifer Bonnett at jenniferb@lodinews.com.

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