LJS: Businessman announces Lincoln City Council candidacy

Lincoln businessman Gene Carroll announced his candidacy Monday for the Lincoln City Council.

He is the seventh person to announce plans to run for the three at-large seats up for grabs in the spring primary and general city elections.

Those seats now are held by Dan Marvin, Ken Svoboda and Robin Eschliman.

The top six finishers in the April primary election advance to the May general election.

Carroll, who chairs the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission, said he will bring a combination of experience, professionalism, dedication, energy and passion to the City Council.

“The number one priority of city government in this economic downturn should be the creation of new jobs,” Carroll said in a press release.

He said he believes his experience on the Planning Commission and as a certified city planner, along with being a real estate developer, will bring a fresh perspective to the City Council. He also believes he can work with Republicans, independents and Democrats.

Carroll said he would fight to make sure the police and fire departments have the resources they need.

The city is falling behind in infrastructure construction and must find a new way to finance road construction without raising property taxes, he said.

Carroll, a lifelong Lincoln resident, is chairman of the City of Lincoln Board of Zoning Appeals. He has a degree in economics and a master’s degree in community and regional planning from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

He has a background in real estate and land development and works as a site acquisition manager for Viaero Wireless.

Svoboda intends to seek re-election, Eschliman does not and Marvin hasn’t announced his plans yet.

Other announced candidates are Adam Hornung, Jayne Snyder, Bruce Kitchen and Kris Beckenbach. Mike Deal, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2007 as a Nebraska Party candidate, said Thursday he also intends to run for the council.

[From the Lincoln Journal-Star: http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2009/01/26/news/local/doc497e3d08aac98089359350.txt]