Patrick Dean

ARAPOSTATHIS DEFEATS LA MESA MAYOR ART MADRID, BABER & MCWHIRTER WIN COUNCIL RACES

 

Photo, left: Baber and McWhirter's victory party at Tiramisu Trattoria in La Mesa

 

Republicans, developer-backed candidates in Council race

Updated November 5, 2014 (La Mesa) - Mayor Art Madrid, who has led La Mesa for the past 24 years, has been unseated by Councilman and teacher Mark Arapostathis.  With 100% of precincts counted, Arapostathis has received 58.8% of the vote to Madrid's 41.11%.


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LA MESA CANDIDATES AIR IN-DEPTH VIEWS IN INTERVIEWS WITH EAST COUNTY MAGAZINE

 

 

Four of the five candidates sat down for in-depth radio interviews with East County Magazine. 

Hear their full interviews here (listed in the order they aired on KNSJ); or to read highlights click "read more" and scroll down:

Patrick Dean: http://kiwi6.com/file/bchwu7qbqx 

Pete Gregorovic: http://kiwi6.com/file/78puh4vuq3

Bill Baber:  http://kiwi6.com/file/t8a9fxd7io

Mary England: http://kiwi6.com/file/qn2jcyft15

Updated 11/1/14: Bill Baber has clarified his position on recusals and raised questions over possible conflicts of interests by Mary England.  See his remarks in the text below.

Update October 31, 2014: Guy McWhirter, who was not available for a radio interview, provided written responses to our candidate questions today, after the story below was published. Read his responses here.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: L. to R.: Bill Baber, Patrick Dean, Mary England, Pete Gregorovic, Guy McWhirter

October 30, 2014 (La Mesa) –La Mesa has two open seats on its City Council, since long-time Councliman Ernie Ewin is retiring and Councliman Mark Arpostathis is running for mayor.  Five candidates are running—and the winners could swing the Council in new directions for the future.   Overall, this year's pack of candidates brings extensive experience and enthusiasm to the contest to represent the citizens of La Mesa.


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LA MESANS MEET CANDIDATES AT CHAMBER DEBATE

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Mayoral candidate Mark Arapostathis and Mayor Art Madrid (top); City Council candidates (left to right) Bill Baber, Patrick Dean, Mary England, Pete Gregorovic, Guy McWhirter

September 25, 2014 (La Mesa)—Candidates  for La Mesa’s mayoral and city council races made their cases to voters at a forum held by the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce last week, tackling issues ranging from future development to public safety, pensions, and homelessness. 

Art Madrid, who has served as La Mesa’s Mayor for over 24 years, faces a challenge from Councilmember/teacher Mark Arapostathis.  Five candidates are vying for two open seats on the La Mesa Council. They are Bill Baber, an attorney and La Mesa-Spring Valley school board member; Patrick Dean, a chef and member of  La Mesa’s Community Services Commission; Mary England, president of La Mesa Chamber of Commerce;  Pete Gregorovic, a business attorney and youth sports leader; and Guy McWhirter, an insurance agent.

For key points made by each candidate, as well as links to video opening statements and raw audio of the debate, click "read more" and scroll down.


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STERLING, ALESSIO WIN LA MESA COUNCIL RACE

By Miriam Raftery

November 7, 2012 (La Mesa) – Councilwoman Ruth Sterling won reelection to the La Mesa City Council, with 28.06% of the vote.  Attorney Kristine Alessio  also won election with 25.27% of the vote, replacing retiring Councilman David Allan, the Council’s only Democrat, for the second of two seats.

Despite more than $37,000 in special interest money from real estate interests poured into an independent expenditure campaign in support of her candidacy, realtor Laura Lothian finished last out of five candidates, with 10.15% of the vote.


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LAST MINUTE SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY POURS INTO LA MESA COUNCIL RACE

By Kristin Kjaero

November 5, 2012 (La Mesa) -- ECM reviewed the October 25 final financial reports before the election, and discovered that special interest money from out of town and out of state has poured into the La Mesa City Council race.

The California Real Estate Committee PAC located in Los Angeles filed an Independent Expenditure Report that showed they spent $30,000 on mailers for Laura Lothian, and had received a $7,716 contribution for a poll from the National Association of Realtors Fund located in Chicago.


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ONE STOP SHOP FOR VOTERS: LA MESA CITY COUNCIL ELECTION

By Kristin Kjaero

October 10, 2012 (La Mesa) -- Absentee Ballots went out yesterday. Do you have a particular topic that would influence your vote for La Mesa City Council? See what the candidates have said in their own words at candidate Forums.  Topics are organized alphabetically in categories, to make it simple to find what you are looking for.

 

We also provide links to their websites and articles from prior campaigns, for those who want to know more about the candidates themselves and their histories.


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IN THEIR OWN WORDS: VIDEO OF THE 2ND LA MESA CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES FORUM

 

Forum offers candidates a chance to touch on more topics from Parking in the Village, to the Homeless at the Library, to Global Warming.

 

By Kristin Kjaero

September 29, 2012 (La Mesa, Ca.) – The League of Women Voters hosted the second City Council Candidate Forum.

East County Magazine was there to record so you can hear the candidates in their own words, and we have provided separate video links so you can peruse their responses topic by topic. 


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LA MESA CANDIDATE FORUM SEPT. 27

September 15, 2012 (La Mesa)--The League of Women Voters will sponsor and moderate a candidate forum for La Mesa City Council candidates in the 2012 election. The forum will be held on September 27 from 7 to 9 pm at the La Mesa City Council Chamber.


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VIDEO: LA MESA CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE FORUM

By Kristin Kjaero

September 15, 2012 (La Mesa, Ca.) – The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce hosted the first City Council Candidate Forum, and East County Magazine was there to record so you can hear the candidates in their own words.


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DEMOCRATS OPEN CAMPAIGN OFFICE IN EAST COUNTY

 
By Miriam Raftery
 
August 30, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Congresswoman Susan Davis and Congressman/Mayoral candidate Bob Filner were among the many candidates on hand last weekend for the grand opening of a Democratic Party campaign headquarters at 7839 University Ave., Suite 106, La Mesa.
 
County Democratic Party Chairman Jess Durfee spoke of “fulfilling a promise” to help Democrats in East County.  While much of East County remains solidly “red”, redistricting has shifted many communities in East County into Democratic districts and voter registration is increasingly favoring Democrats in some areas that have long been considered Republican strongholds. 

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CHURCH INVITES CANDIDATES TO FORUM ON SOCIAL ISSUES

Homelessness, crime, affordable housing, youth and senior issues among topics discussed

By Kristin Kjaero

October 5, 2010 (La Mesa) – La Mesa residents got a chance to see a different side of the City candidates last night, when the La Mesa First United Methodist Church invited them to a forum on social issues, in what has become a Church tradition for the last three election cycles.


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LA MESA SPOTLIGHT: CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE PATRICK DEAN


It’s All About Priorities

 

By Kristin Kjaero

 

In Part Four of this series on election races in La Mesa, East County Magazine spotlights City Council candidate Patrick Dean. For this series we asked all candidates the same set of questions on local issues, with an open invitation to bring up anything else they would like to discuss at the end of the session. 

September 15, 2010 (La Mesa) – Quality of life issues lead La Mesa City Council candidate Patrick Dean’s priorities, from his personal approach to life to his visions for the City.


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SEMPRA (SDG&E) & LA MESA COUNCIL ENDORSE “NO ON DIRTY ENERGY” EFFORT TO DEFEAT PROP 23


“It’s the moral and ethical thing to do to protect the health and well-being of our residents,” Mayor Art Madrid

By Miriam Raftery


September 15, 2010 (La Mesa) – La Mesa's City Council voted yesterday to oppose Proposition 23. Sempra Energy, parent company of San Diego Gas & Electric Company, also announced its opposition to Prop 23.  

 

The ballot initiative would repeal California’s landmark AB 32, the law which protects clean air, requires greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and provides incentives for renewable, clean energy jobs in California.


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COUNTY DEMOCRATS ANNOUNCE RALLY IN EAST COUNTY SUNDAY, AUGUST 29


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