New analysis by Adam Aasen
The 2015 election is more than a year away, but races might soon start heating up for Carmel’s city government.
Behind closed doors, strategies are being discussed to consolidate political power among local players with similar philosophies on how to govern.
It long has been assumed by many that City Councilor Rick Sharp would run against incumbent Mayor Jim Brainard. Sharp has not denied his interest in the post, but he insists he hasn’t made a decision. Brainard quietly announced he will run for a sixth term.
Robo-call pollsters reportedly have called Carmel households to ask potential voters what they would think of Sharp as mayor. No results are available.
But one thing apparently is mostly decided; Sharp said it’s unlikely he would run again in his City Council district. If he does decide to run for council again, he would run as an at-large candidate, which would likely put him up against incumbents Kevin “Woody” Rider and Ron Carter.
Rider and Carter often are seen as agreeing with Mayor Jim Brainard’s vision for the Carmel and would show as distinct contrasts to Sharp, who has been critical of Brainard’s decisions.
It’s all part of a part of a plan to shift power. It often is believed that there are two “factions” on the current council. The Four S’s – Sharp, Carol Schleif, Luci Snyder and Eric Seidensticker – are seen as the councilors who most often vote against Brainard-backed issues. They often have a 4-3 majority, although a few of those councilors switch on some issues and cast swing votes.
There’s a push among some to attract mayor-friendly candidates to run against this group of four.
One name that often is bandied is that of Jeff Worrell, current board member for the Carmel Redevelopment Commission. Worrell has gained much popularity after 22 years (including his recently vacated chairmanship) as member of the executive committee of CarmelFest. His pulling back from the festival’s helm has led many to speculate that he is freeing his time to run for council. Several civic leaders have acted as if his candidacy was a done deal and he would run against Snyder in the Southeast District, but Worrell denied candidacy when asked by the Current.
“I’ve said the same thing I’ve told people for years, which is that I’m happy with what I’m doing right now,” he said.
But when people asked him at Porchfest on Sunday if he was running, Worrell simply said, “I don’t know. I haven’t decided.”
Worrell has business experience as president of Advantage Medical Rehab Equipment. He also has been active in the Carmel Chamber of Commerce and he has hosted a series of videos promoting the arts scene for the city of Carmel and The Palladium.
One council candidate that is confirmed is Bruce Kimball. He’s planning to run against Seidensticker in the Central District. He’s a former board member for the Carmel City Center Community Development Corporation and is widely believed to be reliable vote for Brainard’s vision.
While he hasn’t sent out his official announcement yet, Kimball handed out business cards at Porchfest to begin to spread the word about his candidacy.
Kimball became known throughout Carmel for his active use of social media. He often is found on Twitter, Facebook and Web site message boards promoting Brainard’s plan for Carmel. He currently is “semi-retired,” but he previously worked as a mortgage advisor for many years.
More candidate announcements are expected soon. If you are a candidate who plans to file, contact me at [email protected].
