The 2008 City Council elections will be important for our neighborhood and for the city. Our District 3 council seat is in play as Anne Sinclair has decided not to run again, and an at-large seat is open.
Candidates for our City Council seat replacing Anne Sinclair include Brian Boyer, Belinda Gergel, and Reed Swearingen.
Candidates for the at-large City Council seat include incumbent Daniel J. Rickenman and Cameron A. Runyan and three other recently declared candidates.
DISTRICT 3
Brian Boyer (
http://boyerforcouncil.com) is a graduate of West Point and served in the U.S. Army as a fire support officer in the Army Rangers. Brian served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. He currently works for Hallmark Homes and is a brother-in-law of Don Tomlin, a local developer heavily involved in city issues.
He states that "I am deeply committed to fostering a sense of involvement, accomplishment, and growth among Columbia’s citizens. I take pride in my work as a member of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors, Columbia Opportunity Resource’s Board of Directors, and Mayor Coble’s Affordable Housing Task Force. My efforts on behalf of these organizations are focused on bringing healthy economic development to Columbia and providing opportunity to our citizens. The experience I gained from my military service and from helping to build secure communities has solidified my position on crime. I look forward to working with law enforcement to provide them with the necessary tools to disrupt violent crime and gang activity."
Belinda Gergel (
http://www.runbelindarun.com) is a retired educator with a Ph.D. from Duke University. She has taught in Richland District One schools and Columbia College. She is retired from Columbia College and has focused on scholarship and public service. She is the author of several works on Columbia's history. She is the immediate past president of the Historic Columbia Foundation and presently co-chairs the Foundation's committee promoting the creation of a twenty-one block Garden District in downtown Columbia. She has recently been active in the effort to control in fill development in Columbia's in town neighborhoods.
She states that she is a candidate "because at this critical moment in our city's history, I believe that I can offer the leadership, independence and vision to help Columbia achieve its great potential."
Reed Swearingen (
http://www.swearingenforcouncil.com) has a Master’s Degree in Teaching (Mathematics) from The University of South Carolina, a Master’s Degree in Professional Accounting from The University of Texas at Austin, and a Bachelor of Business Administration (Economics) from Francis Marion University. He is president of Crescent Partners, LLC, a real estate investment and management company specializing in multifamily housing. He serves on the Board of the Forest Hills Neighborhood Association and Chairs the Traffic, Lighting, & Streets Committee.
He states that "I look forward to bringing a bright perspective to City Council and if elected, I pledge to be fiscally responsible, remain independent and uninfluenced, and be readily accessible and responsive to all citizens of District 3. With your help, we can set Columbia on a better path."
AT-LARGE SEAT
Daniel J. Rickenmann (
http://danielrickenmann.net)
Daniel J. Rickenmann attended the University of South Carolina, and a short time in medical sales, opened Birds on a Wire. He has expanded that business into two restaurants, three Ben and Jerry’s ice cream franchises, and a new concept called MoMo's Bistro.
He states that "I firmly believe that by working together we can continue to overcome the challenges our city faces. From managing to work within our finances to create a stable base, to placing into action the retention plan that will keep our talented officers, firefighters and employees here in the city, to continuing our efforts to increase the growth in our small businesses by spending our dollars at home – together, we can make Columbia the BEST place to live, work, and raise a family."
Cameron Runyan (
http://www.cameronforcolumbia.com) is a graduate of Furman University with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and the University of South Carolina with a Masters in Environmental Management. He is now Director of Development and Public Information for Richland County CASA Inc., where he is responsible for recruiting members of our community to become volunteer advocates for our county's abused or neglected children. Prior to joining CASA, Cameron served in former South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges' re-election campaign, former state Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum re-election campaign, and in State Senator Phil Leventis' campaign for Lieutenant Governor. He also spent two years in a successful fight against ExxonMobil on behalf of South Carolina’s land owners.
He states that his "vision for Columbia is simple - I want to create a vibrant, healthy community for all the citizens of our capital city."
If elected, Cameron pledges to:
- Fight for our historic neighborhoods.
- Return to community policing and take better care of our officers.
- Tackle the difficult issues facing our city including homelessness and financial accountability.
- Focus on long-term planning for Columbia’s future with the county, state and other institutions.
- Work to make city government more transparent and accountable to citizens.
- Create a productive business environment throughout Columbia.
- Ensure that all parts of our city receive an equitable distribution of city services.
Cameron and his wife Jenni live in the Historic Elmwood Park Neighborhood.
Larry Holman (aka) Nammu Muhammad, 1517 Manning Avenue, Columbia, SC 29204
803-708-0113 (Day), 803-414-4426 (Evening)
Larry Holman is the 56-year-old president of the Progressive Black Caucus. A Muslim, Holman is in the process of changing his name to Nammu Muhammad and plans to campaign under that name.
Lea Walker, 1708 Greene Street, Columbia, SC 29201
803-252-9086 (Day), 803-695-2993 (Evening)
Lea Walker, 50, is the director of the Chinese Culture Center in Columbia, which sponsors a Teach English program in China, among it’s other projects. She came to America in 1992 after working as a professor at Wuhan University in the Hubei Province of China.
More info...
John Burbage, 2901 Wheat Street, Columbia, SC 29205
803-261-9999
John Burbage, a 44-year-old lifelong Columbia resident, is a computer consultant for the University of South Carolina School of Arts and Sciences.
