Politics & Government

Kellner Formalizes Bid for Second Council Term

Being part of the decision-making team during such a tumultuous budget-cutting time is an asset, she says.

Novato Mayor Madeline Kellner filled out candidate forms with the Marin County Registrar of Voters' office a few weeks ago, but she clarified her intentions this week with a press release about her bid for a second term on the Novato City Council.

Kellner, in the mayor’s seat since December, joins as current council members seeking re-election. Carole Dillon-Knutson that she would not run for a fifth term.

The challengers in the race are Manny Fernandez, Jerome Ghigliotti, Eric Lucan, Leslie Peterson Schwarze and Eleanor Sluis. The three top vote-getters would join incumbents Denise Athas and Pat Eklund on the council.

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Kellner, a health care executive, has served on a council that has been forced to make severe budget cuts because of the sagging local economy, triggered by lower property taxes and sales taxes. Novato has reduced its city workforce by about 20 percent.

Being part of the decision-making team during that challenging time span is an asset, she said.

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“Four years ago, you elected me to the City Council to look after the health of our city,” she said in her release. “Today, I’m proud that our city is poised for recovery from this economic storm, and I am seeking a second term this November to help keep Novato moving forward.”

An 18-year Novato resident, Kellner said she has listened to citizen concerns and worked at improving city services despite fewer resources. She called the budget cuts “painful.”

“Despite these cuts, we have balanced the budget, protected senior services, maintained our police force to keep our streets safe, fixed , made progress toward reopening the Novato Theater and done our part to widen the (on Highway 101),” she said.

The San Marin resident said attracting new business, creating partnerships with other local agencies and ensuring quality of life will be important in the coming years.

Kellner previously worked at Kaiser Permanente, the Marin County Health Services Department (as director) and on the Novato Planning Commission.

Election day is Nov. 8, and the last day to register to vote is Oct. 24. For more about the election, check the registar's website.


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