Politics & Government

Bomgaars, Getzendanner Announce Re-election Plans

Getzendanner would serve his third 3-year term and Bomgaars his second.

Councilmen Dave Bomgaars and Tom Getzendanner have both announced plans to run for re-election in November.

Both candidates will be formally nominated at tonight's Summit Republican Party Mini-Convention.

Bomgaars, who would be elected to his second 3-year term, said his decision to run for re-election wasn't made until he became council president.There are several things going on in the city right now that Bomgaars says he would like to be a part of such as helping the city weather the current financial crisis and to help revision the downtown and deal with a longstanding issue of more shopper parking.

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But on a council with three newbies, Bomgaars also said less turnover this year would be helpful.

"I think it would benefit the community for to have some stability," he said.

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Bomgaars got his taste of public service in 2001 when he filled the vacated seat of Eric Munoz for a few months until now Mayor Jordan Glatt was officially elected to the position. Bomgaars filled out another term in 2006 when Mike Helmer resigned.

If re-elected this November, Bomgaars says while he never says never he is confident he wouldn't seek re-election again as a council member or higher office as mayor.

"I wouldn't run again," he said. "I think it's time for a new perspective and all."

Bomgaars is the only council member to have served on the council, board of education, zoning and planning boards and on the board of Summit Downtown Inc.

Bomgaars will be joined by Getzendanner who is running for his third 3-year term.

Getzendanner said he wasn't sure he would run for re-election again either but the chemistry he thinks the current council has is positive and his colleagues would like to see him remain.

"Fiscal conservativism is now in fashion," he said.

In his third term as councilman, Getzendanner says he would like to continue to improve workflow at city hall, ridding the city of manual processes. For example, he gives Department of Community Services Director Beth Kinney high praise for the technological improvements she has brought DCS, including a work order management system where residents can file complaints electronically that then enter a queue at city hall. Within a week, Getzendanner says, residents receive an electronic notice back updating them on the status of their claim.

Getzendanner said he would also like to see Summit continue down the path of shared services, saying he feels dispatch services within Summit–among fire, police and EMS–should at least be merged even if Summit decides not to merge dispatch with another municipality.

Getzendanner has also taken over responsibility of writing the budget edition of the Openline Newsletter, which this year he said will be much more detailed and transparent than in years past.

While some have suggested Getzendanner run for County Freeholder, Getzendanner said he isn't a politician and doesn't think anyone from Summit, regardless of how qualified, could be elected until the county is redistricted.

"I'm not in this for ego," he said.

Residents can expect to see the Tom Getzendanner of late campaigning this year, not the Getzendanner they originally elected six years ago.

"My methods have changed," he said. "I am now the voice of reason. I've toned down."

Any one wishing to run against Bomgaars or Getzendanner in the June primary needs to file a petition with signatures to the city clerk's office by 4 p.m. April 12. For Republicans in Ward I, you need 571 signaturess and in Ward II you need 668.

For Democrats in Ward I you need 187 signatures and in Ward II, 245.

 


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