The Contra Costa Times has (safely) endorsed the two incumbents and Council-endorsed Don Kuehne for City Council this November. Oddly, the editorial cites Walmart as a reason to stay the course — and not elect the lone true challenger, John Delgado — despite the fact that Walmart was welcomed into the City with open arms by the two incumbents, a principal factor as to why we are in this Walmart quagmire, an issue that the City Attorney has described as being “far from over.”

The editorial does recognize that “the council were perhaps slow to promote the waterfront development, [but] they have of late clearly heard, and acted upon, the concerns of residents.” That counts for something, I guess. The Council could’ve simply kept stonewalling progress, and continued their ill-conceived support of the now-defunct Szabo plan. (And as former mayor Frank Batara said, residents should roll-over and allow the Council to have free reign over all development decisions.)

The Times’ support of Don Kuehne is mild at best, citing his work with the recently-decommissioned Education Commission and the fledgling Hercules Education Foundation as justification for their endorsement.

Elect Ward, Balico, Kuehne in Hercules

WITH HERCULES CONTINUING to face issues surrounding waterfront development and Wal-Mart’s possible attempt to open an unpopular big-box store, there seems little reason to make major changes in the makeup of the City Council.

There are four candidates, including two incumbents, running for three seats. We urge you to support incumbents Joanne Ward and Ed Balico along with 18-year resident Donald Kuehne. While we think that the fourth candidate, John Delgado, a five-year resident, could have a future in city politics, we would encourage him to start out serving in the community first.

The election will probably make little difference in future policies for the city. All of the candidates oppose Wal-Mart’s plans for a full-size big box store on a 17 1/4-acre site on John Muir Parkway about midway between San Pablo Avenue and San Pablo Bay, and the candidates agree with the council’s decision to approve a developer-sponsored initiative for the Hercules Bayfront project rather than placing the issue on the ballot. That July decision provided conceptual approval for 1,200 homes as well as restaurants, stores, offices and an intermodal transit center.

Thus, the decision for us comes down to who has demonstrated a commitment to the community that merits election to the City Council. Ward and Balico have each served two terms on the council. While they and the rest of the council were perhaps slow to promote the waterfront development, they have of late clearly heard, and acted upon, the concerns of residents.

We support Kuehne for the third seat because of his work with the Hercules Education Foundation and on the Education Commission.