Four candidates kick off campaigns for 2020 council seats

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Menifee residents can't submit applications to run for city council positions until next summer, but four candidate hopefuls have filed candidate intention statements to kick off campaigns for the November 2020 election.

Submission of that form to the city clerk must be made before any candidate can solicit or receive any contributions or make expenditures from personal funds on behalf of the candidacy, according to city clerk Sarah Manwaring. Official applications for office may be pulled beginning next July.

The latest to submit the candidate intent form is Robert Karwin, currently chairman of the Menifee Planning Commission. Karwin, who filed last week, intends to run for the District 1 Council seat that will be vacated due to term limits next year by Greg August.

District 1 includes the Sun City retirement community. No one else has filed paperwork for that district. In District 3, incumbent Lesa Sobek filed paperwork July 10 to begin her campaign for a second term representing the southeast portion of the city.

Districts 1 and 3 are the only seats that will open up next fall. Dean Deines will be eligible to run for a second term in District 4 in 2022. Matt Liesemeyer is already in his second term in District 2 and will term out in 2022.

The only City Council position for which two residents have filed statements of intention so far is for mayor. Those are incumbent Bill Zimmerman, who filed on July 24, and Ricky Estrada, who was the earliest to file, on June 24, according to city records.

Zimmerman is eligible to run for the next two four-year terms. His current time in office came by appointment in July 2018 to replace Neil Winter, who died while in office.

A 30-year resident of Menifee, Zimmerman served on the Menifee Planning Commission; Parks, Recreation and Trails Commission; and Mt. San Jacinto College Board of Trustees before being appointed mayor. He also has been active in leadership of the Boys & Girls Club, Menifee Historical Association and Arts Council Menifee.

“I’m honored to be in my second year as mayor, and I feel like I’m hitting my stride," Zimmerman said. "There is so much to know about setting policy and representing the city on a regional level for transportation funding, economic viability, clean energy, homelessness and public safety. I’m proud of our awesome city and how well this Council works together. We’re a solid team of servant leaders, and we’re working on the many good things ahead!”

Estrada, 30, has never held public office. A seven-year resident of Menifee, he currently works as a substitute teacher in the Menifee Union School District. He promotes programs to bring revenue to the city other than through taxes, explaining his position in recent City Council meetings and on his campaign website.

"I have a lot of ideas I feel are new to government and have never been brought to the table," said Estrada. "I promote fiscal responsibility and I'm in favor of bringing new young blood to government. I want to send a message not only in Menifee but elsewhere that you don't have to be a career politician to represent the people."

One of Estrada's ideas is a sort of gateway "welcome bridge" that would be built between hills to span the 215 Freeway as motorists drive through Sun City and head south towards Newport Road. His plan would include a message board for tributes to military personnel and to post advertisements by local businesses.

He also is in favor or a "hilltop walk", beautifying the hills and trails between Newport Road and McCall Boulevard.

Karwin's goals for District 1 focus on improved transportation and pedestrian safety for seniors who live in the 55+ Sun City community.

"A lot of movement has been made to improve the lives of residents in District 1, but we need more," said Karwin, an attorney in Menifee. "My No. 1 concern is being able to get people from District 1 to the rest of the city. There’s a lot of growth going on by the Menifee Town Center and all those businesses down there, but there's not a lot of ways for our seniors to get there. I’m a big advocate of public transportation. I would love for us to get a dedicated bus line serving our area.

"We have a lot of people riding golf carts and we have seniors who feel unsafe on the roads. That’s something I’m working with city engineering on. Transportation and pedestrian safety are two things that as the city continues to grow, will become bigger issues in the future."

Karwin said he will also push for timely construction of the planned Bradley Road bridge over Salt Creek. That bridge would address the issue of flooding that sometimes cuts off a major north-south route from the Sun City core to Newport Road and the bulk of Menifee's business district.

Sobek is a 30-year Menifee resident who previously served on the Planning Commission. She also is an active member of the Menifee Interfaith and Community Service Council and has worked tirelessly to help address the homeless situation.

"I’ve enjoyed so much serving the residents of Menifee and have been overwhelmed by just how much I’ve enjoyed meeting and getting to know the people that I otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet," Sobek said. "I believe I’ve grown as a person in my service to our Menifee city and residents; I’ve come to love and care about each of them."

"I see the impact we’ve made every day, whether it’s building an all ability-inclusive park for all children to enjoy, or repaving a pothole-filled road, seeing our efforts reduce homelessness, taking donuts to our school crossing guards, just to say, thank you ... to approving our city’s own police department. I get to interact daily with the people who benefit from the work you’re doing so you’re always connected to the purpose of public service.

"This is an exciting time in our city and there is still so much more I would like to accomplish, and things I would like to finish. My leadership style continues to be the same as the first time I ran -- service above self. I hope the residents of District 3 will allow me to continue to serve them another term."