This year’s off-season Carmel election, happening April 8, sees three candidates running for two seats. One of those is being vacated by Steve Hillyard, who was appointed by Mayor Jason Burnett to fill Burnett’s seat in 2012; Hillyard isn’t seeking election. The second is held by Councilwoman Carrie Theis, who was appointed to the seat vacated by Paula Hazdovac. Running for the seats are Theis, consultant Steve Dallas and business owner Lucas Austin.
The Weekly endorses Theis, a businesswoman and hotelier, and Dallas, a Carmel planning commissioner and real estate consultant, for election. Both bring the experience of longtime business owners active in the community. Both say they are seeking ways to maximize tourist dollars to the betterment of Carmel. Neither agrees with a ban on Carmel Beach bonfires (an idea being floated) but both agree greater enforcement is needed to keep the beach pristine.
Theis, who’s served nine years as president of the Carmel Innkeepers Association, hopes to create more opportunity to draw mid-week business travelers. She advocated for Measure D, which passed in 2012 and upped the city’s sales tax rate by 1 percent.
Dallas says his time on the planning commission brings him an in – depth knowledge of local coastal guidelines. He wants to oversee how Measure D money is spent; he’d like to invest six-figures into local parks.
In the past year, Carmel City Hall has been hit by accusations that it lacks transparency, the result of a spate of employee firings. Theis and Dallas say they would advocate for more transparency; we look forward to seeing them follow up on that pledge.
(1) comment
Zeve, Cushman, Duan & Anderson, you’re kidding right? About Theis and Dallas saying “they would advocate for more transparency; we look forward to seeing them follow up on that pledge.” Councilwoman Carrie Theis voted with all the Carmel Clique council members to give city administrator Jason Stilwell an increase in salary and benefits and an extension of his contract with the city at a time when she knew there were mayor problems with his handling of public records act requests (and still are problems) and a lack of open and transparent government. As for Steve Dallas, the council has already endorsed him as one of the Carmel Clique members.
What Carmel needs on the council are independent thinkers and voices to shake things up and end the hypocritical and dysfunctional city government status quo.
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