TUSTIN : 2 Make Early Bid for Council Seats

In a move rarely seen in local politics, two residents have declared their candidacy for the City Council six months before the April 12 municipal elections.

Tracy Worley, a member of the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission, and Mike Doyle, a restaurant owner, announced their bids for council seats Thursday, saying they needed the early start to overcome the disadvantage of being challengers.

Worley and Doyle, who promised to share campaign headquarters, materials and volunteers, will run for the council seats currently held by council members Leslie Anne Pontious and Charles E. Puckett, whose terms expire in April.

Mayor Jim Potts endorsed Worley and Doyle on Thursday. Potts said he wants allies in the council who will work to open bidding of all city contracts and hire an in-house attorney.

Pontious, 48, and Puckett, 50, both said they will seek reelection.

“It’s awfully early, but everyone has the right to run,” said Pontious, a member of the city’s Planning Commission before she was elected to the council in 1990. She was mayor last year.

Puckett, also a former mayor and planning commissioner, said that he welcomed the challenge, but said the city needs experienced people on the council because of the planning problems posed by the anticipated closure of the Tustin Marine Corps Air Station.

“This could be one of the most critical city elections because of the issues involved,” Puckett said.

Chief Deputy City Clerk Valerie Whiteman said that candidates’ nomination forms will be available by Dec. 20, and the filing deadline will be on Jan. 14. A candidate must be nominated by 20 registered voters to qualify for the nonpartisan municipal elections, she said.

The usual practice in the past has been for candidates to begin their campaign three months before the election.

Winners will be sworn in on April 20 to join Potts and council members Thomas R. Saltarelli and Jeffrey Thomas in the five-member council, Whiteman said.

Potts said he endorsed Doyle and Worley because he feels the current council has not been strong enough to thoroughly scrutinize staff proposals and question city practices such as the cost of legal services.

“I feel it’s my obligation not just to bring issues up but to get something done,” said Potts.

He added that he does not have the votes to do that in the current council.