Center-city issues dominate Seat A race

The city of Springfield will April 3, 2001, elect a new mayor and three City Council members.

A general election will be held Feb. 6, 2001, to narrow the field of candidates for the Zone 1 and General Seat A positions. Danny Marler, Denny Whayne and David Brown are seeking the Zone 1 seat, now occupied by Councilman Bob Vanaman. The candidates for the Zone 4 seat, now occupied by Councilman Russell Rhodes, are James Moore and John D. Wylie. The Zone 1 candidates and Zone 4 candidates were featured in the Dec. 18-24 issue of SBJ.

The General Seat A candidates are Billy D. Tharp, John Murphy and Mary Collette. Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Gary Gibson is unopposed in his bid for re-election to General Seat B. They are featured in this issue of the Business Journal.

Vanaman, Rhodes, Councilman Tom Carlson and Mayor Lee Gannaway are not seeking re-election. Carlson is running for mayor against former state Rep. Chuck Wooten. The mayoral candidates discussed their perceptions of the challenges ahead for the next mayor and council in the Dec. 11-17 issue of SBJ.