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A press conference inside City Hall confirmed rumors that have circulated for some time about her possible candidacy.
Lenard said she spoke with Johnsrud before the press event Monday. “It wasn’t a lengthy conversation,” she said.
Lenard has represented the city’s 8th district for four years, also serving as chairwoman of the city’s Board of Park Commissioners and co-chairwoman of the Alcohol Oversight Committee. She has until Jan. 6 to decide whether to simultaneously run for her council seat.
“My philosophy is to listen, learn and lead,” Lenard said. “The future of our city promises to be rich with opportunities and challenges. It will demand a leader who will listen to the people and creatively solve problems through collaboration and cooperation.”
She vowed a Lenard administration would be inclusive, collaborative and transparent. “I’ll be a different type of mayor,” she said.
Council members Jai Johnson and Dick Swantz, often her allies on the 17-member council, already endorsed Lenard.
“She’s the real deal,” Johnson said. “She really understands the importance of listening to people. Mark (Johnsrud) is a hard-working mayor, and he really cares about the city, but Dorothy will bring a very different style and approach. She will make government as open and honest as it can be.”
Lenard joins Johnsrud and three lesser-known mayoral hopefuls — Mick Lesky, Gary Padesky and Matt Harter — who already have declared their candidacies.
Council member Andrea Richmond, who also was rumored to be considering a run, told the Tribune on Monday she would not, instead throwing her support behind Lenard.
I think Dorothy will run a great campaign, and I think she’ll come up with some great changes and efficiencies at City Hall,” Richmond said.
But council president Bill Harnden, a Johnsrud supporter, said Monday a council member challenging an incumbent mayor could undermine the council’s operations.
“When council members run for mayor, it has a tendency to paralyze the council, and I don’t think any council member should be running for mayor,” he said.
While Harnden seemed surprised by Lenard’s announcement, he said it explained away her opposition to his paramedic fact-finding commission last week as “positioning.”
“I was confused by her lack of support for the fact-finding group to solve the EMT and paramedic issue since she has supported studying alcohol issues and she has supported studying a city administrator,” Harnden said. “But I understand it now. It’s not in the best interest of her mayoral campaign if I can solve this.”
bliss wrote on Nov 21, 2008 11:31 AM: