Rob McNelis

NO CHALLENGERS FOR TWO SANTEE DISTRICTS, SO COUNCIL OPTS TO APPOINT

By Mike Allen

August 28, 2022 (Santee) -- In a first for the city of Santee, two incumbent members of the City Council were appointed to another four-year term and will avoid the November election, because no challengers in either district filed papers to challenge them.


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SANTEE COUNCIL APPROVES FANITA RANCH BEFORE VOTERS CAN WEIGH IN ON NOVEMBER BALLOT

By Mike Allen
 
September 24, 2020 (Sante) -- By a 4-1 majority, the Santee City Council approved the controversial Fanita Ranch development that will add nearly 3,000 homes and about 8,000 residents to a city that has been fighting over the project for most of its 40-year history.

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HOMEFED YANKS FANITA RANCH PLAN BEFORE COUNCIL VOTE

 

By Mike Allen

 

Cancelling Magnolia extension, as proposed, would remove key evacuation route for wildfires, critic says

August 30, 2020 (Santee) -- Fanita Ranch, the 3,000 unit residential project planned for Santee’s northwest quadrant, is being delayed by developer HomeFed Corp. to make some significant changes, including removing an extension of a key arterial serving the project.

In a letter posted on the Fanita Ranch Facebook page last week, Jeff O’Connor, the company’s vice president, said HomeFed requested the delay “to remove the extension of Magnolia Avenue from the project in order to direct those funds towards the improvements to SR-52.”


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CONSERVATIVES SWEEP IN SANTEE

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Zack Gianino and Evlyn Andrade-Heymsfeld await final election results in Santee

November 6, 2018 (Santee) – A grassroots effort to elect slow-growth, progressive candidates to the Santee City Council appears unsuccessful, with a conservative slate leading handily for all three seats and two Republican incumbents headed to reelection.

This was Santee’s first election since dividing the city into districts instead of at-large elections.


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DEVELOPMENT IS KEY ISSUE IN SANTEE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 1 RACE: HEAR OUR INTERVIEWS



 

East County News Service

November 1, 2018 (Santee) – This is the first election in which Santee residents cast votes by district. In District 1, Councilman Rob NcNelis, a market leader with a mortgage banking company and former Chamber of Commerce president, is running against Evlyn Andrade-Heymsfield, a software engineer and business owner who worked at U.C. Berkeley’s school of public health as a program manager and chair of the staff advisory council.

Key issues are development vs. quality of life, as well as how to address the city’s budget deficit. Andrade-Heymsfield claims her opponent puts developers’ interests over those of residents; she pledges to oppose Fanita Ranch. McNelis says he’s voted against some developer donors’ projects and votes for what's best for Santee. He pledges to keep government small and out of people’s pockets; Andrade-Heymsfield says she has ideas for new revenue sources to address the city’s deficit without raising taxes. 

We interviewed both candidates on KNSJ 89.1 FM radio. Hear the full interviews by clicking the audio links (Evlyn Andrade Heymsfield audio and Rob McNelis audio) plus read highlights below.

Audio: 

Evlyn Andrade-Heymsfield interview
Rob McNelis interview

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SANTEE CANDIDATE FORUMS SET FOR OCT. 4 AND 9: READ ABOUT THE 7 CANDIDATES RUNNING

 

 

 

East County News Service

October 2, 2018 (Santee) – Santee's Council races have attracted seven candidates for three seats, drawing strong public interest following a heated Council meeting recently over the future of growth and development in the community.  Scroll down for details on two candidate forums, as well as information on all candidates in the race.

Two candidate forums are slated on October 4th and 9th for Santee City Council candidates running in districts 1, 2 and 3:

Thursday, Oct. 4, 6 p.m. at Carlton Oaks Golf Club Crest Room, 9200 Inwood Drive, Santee

Tuesday, October 9, 6 p.m. at Pride Academy School, 9303 Prospect Dr., Santee


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SANTEE BANS SMOKING ON TRAILS, TAKES FIRST STEP TO DISTRICT ELECTIONS

 

By Mike Allen

January 12, 2018 (Santee)--Smoking or vaping on Santee’s city trails such as the Walker Preserve and near Mast Park will no longer be legal following the City Council’s amending its code at its Jan. 10 meeting.

The newly amended law, that also bans smoking electronic cigarettes in the same areas, takes effect after the second reading of the measure Jan.24.

With the vote, Santee joins the rest of the 18 cities and San Diego county in prohibiting smoking on public trails, which is an obvious fire hazard. But the change didn’t go far enough for nearly all the speakers who testified before the council took its vote.


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RONN HALL WINS SEAT ON SANTEE COUNCIL; INCUMBENTS REELECTED

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Ronn Hall

November 5, 2014 (Santee) -- Santee City Council members John Minto and Rob McNelis have won reelection with  26.02% and 22.79% of the vote respectively with 100% of precincts counted.  But the biggest vote getter was Ronn Hall, who drew 27.39% of the vote to fill a vacant seat on the Council. Hall, an insurance broker, is past President and a current board member of the Santee Chamber of Commerce, with strong name recognition in the community.

Challengers Maggie Acerra and Keshav Damoor, who ran on reform platforms, drew 15.44% and 8.32% of the vote.

Unlike some local cities that are built out, Santee weathered tough economic times with a sound budget due in part to new development including a sports complex that created new property tax revenues.  The fate of remaining undeveloped lands in the city was a key campaign issue, with pending projects including Fanita Ranch, a proposed theater complex, and land around the Carlton Hills Golf Course that recently sold.


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SANTEE COUNCILMAN ROB MCNELIS AND CHALLENGER KESHAV DAMOOR: RADIO INTERVIEWS NOW ONLINE

 

Photos: Keshav Damoor, left, and Rob McNelis, right

 

November 3, 2014 (Santee) – Last week, East County Magazine sat down with Councilman Rob McNelis, a realtor who is proud of the city's achievements on his watch, and challenger Keshav Damoor, a UCSD graduate who works with nonprofits on poverty issues and seeks to represent a new generation on the Council. 

The candidates shared their views on smart growth for Santee and the future of the community.  Will there be a theater complex and entertainment center in Santee's future?  What about Fanita Ranch?  Listen to our interviews now:

Keshav Damoor: http://k007.kiwi6.com/hotlink/mvfi330sul/Newsmaker-KeshavDamoor-SanteeCouncilx.mp3

Rob McNelis: http://k007.kiwi6.com/hotlink/ib0vuopj8h/Newsmaker-RobMcNellis-final-x.mp3

For our previous coverage of these and other candidates in this race, click "read more" and scroll down.


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HEAR INTERVIEWS WITH SANTEE COUNCILMAN JOHN MINTO AND CHALLENGER MAGGIE ACERRA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

East County News Service

East County Magazine invited all five candidates running for Santee City Council to be interviewed on our radio show on KNSJ.  Two have participated thus far. (We hope to add more soon, so check back.)

 Incumbent Councilman John Minto, a former detective and chair of the East County Economic Development Council, says Santee is enjoying a robust economy and takes pride in his accomplishments, such as creating a public-private partnership to build a sports park and creating jobs.

Challenger Maggie Acerra, a budget and finance specialist, says she is running to be a voice for the people, increase public awareness of upcoming issues, and believes the council is too cozy with developers.

Hear our interviews ( note: audio files may take a few moments to load):

Maggie Acerra interview: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

John Minto interview: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/audio/2019/August/MintoInterview-FINAL.mp3

Audio: 


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SANTEE COUNCIL CANDIDATES SHARE VIEWS ON GROWTH, HOMELESS, RENT CONTROL AND MORE

 

 By  Leon Thompson

 

 

Photo, left to right: John Minto, Rob McNelis, Maggie Acerra, Ronn Hall, Keshav Damoor

September 11, 2014 (Santee) – Santee City Council candidates introduced themselves to the Santee Mobile Home Owners Association on Saturday, drawing sharp distinctions betweenchallengers who seek to represent citizens, youth, and smart growth vs. incumbents on a council long dominated by business and development interests.

Mobile home owners make up more than 10% percent of registered Santee voters and they turn out to vote in huge percentages.  Mobile home owners tend to be engaged and well informed, leading to some very pointed questions. 

Two incumbents and three challengers are running for three seats on the Council.  Council member John Ryan will not be running for reelection, leaving one seat open.


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8 COMPETE TO WIN 3 SEATS ON SANTEE COUNCIL

 

By Lola Sherman

September 19, 2010 (Santee) - They call it a race when candidates compete for election, and in the case of the contest for city Council here, the word “race” seems appropriate.

 


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