Three Candidates, Two Council Seats

Three candidates have filed for the November election for Del Mar City Council. Two incumbents, current Mayor Dwight Worden and Councilmember Terry Gaasterland, will face off against Stephen Quirk, twin brother of current Councilmember Dan Quirk. Here is what we know from the record of Worden and Gaasterland and their candidate statements. At this time, much less is known about the issues important to candidate Quirk.

 

Dwight Worden will be seeking his third term as Councilmember. He has proven to be a calm voice of reason and has listened carefully to the opinions of other Councilmembers, and he has clearly explained his concerns when he disagreed with those opinions. He understands the constraints placed on public officials when they represent Del Mar, and he has been very clear in his communications when he is voicing his private opinion. He is a seasoned veteran with regional respect, and a credit to Del Mar.

 

Terry Gaasterland takes credit for many accomplishments in her candidate statement. Some she championed, others she just voted for along with all Councilmembers. If she is half as good as she claims, it’s still pretty good. The Sandpiper has chronicled some of her mistakes, and we hope that, if she is re-elected, she listens to more voices and governs accordingly. She clearly believes in a strong Mayor, and she controlled council meetings to an unprecedented extent during her term. Listening to your colleagues is always a good strategy.

 

Stephen Quirk is an unknown quantity, although we sincerely hope that he is not like his twin brother when it comes to governance. Two Quirks would be one too many, particularly when it comes to advocating council positions before regional boards. For now, we should keep an open mind until Stephen makes his priorities clear.