Candidates jockey for vacated council seat

Monroe County Prosecutor-elect Chris Gaal is leaving his at-large City Council seat up for grabs among Democrats in January when he assumes his new office.\nA past council candidate and an economics professor have already declared their candidacies, and more are expected to contend to fill the soon-to-be-vacated seat, which comes up for election in November 2007. \nDemocrats retain the seat through the final year of the four-year term.\nMonroe County Democratic Party chairwoman Lee Jones said a caucus date would be announced by week's end, allowing candidates to formally file. Party activist Susan Sandberg and IU-Purdue University Indianapolis economics professor Martin Spechler have announced their intentions to run.\nPrecinct committee chairs will choose Gaal's successor at the caucus, which will likely be sometime in December. As a citywide at-large seat, it's open to any registered Democrat who lives within city limits.\nPolitical pressure exists to add a woman to the nine-member council, currently occupied by nine men. Patricia Cole, who left office in 2003, was the last councilwoman.\nCity Clerk Regina Moore, who chairs the Democratic Women's Caucus, chalks up the council's current makeup to fluke. Many qualified women prove reluctant to run, she said, and the only female candidate to stand for council in 2003 suffered a narrow defeat.\nStill, Moore said she wouldn't mind seeing a woman restore some measure of gender equality to the council.\n"This could be an excellent opportunity for more balance," she said. "Everyone profits from more of a diversity of voices."\nGaal, who toppled three-term Republican incumbent Carl Salzmann last week, plans to serve through the year's end so he can see through the overhaul of the city's zoning ordinance, which comes before the council for approval in December. He represents the City Council on the Bloomington Plan Commission, which has been drafting and revising the comprehensive zoning update for years.\nGaal refrained from endorsing any candidate yet but said he hopes to turn his seat over to a progressive candidate "who will be a voice of reason for the community." \nSandberg, who ran for the council in 2003, said she aspires to fill Gaal's role.\n"More qualified women need to step into leadership positions so our elected offices more accurately reflect the population," she said. "I'm dedicated to the long-term best interest of Bloomington, and I'm ready to work professionally with the gentlemen on the City Council and Mayor (Mark) Kruzan."\nThe program coordinator for IU's School of Public and Environmental Affairs arts administration program, Sandberg has worked in local social services for 13 years. The vice president of the Democratic Women's Caucus, she has been active in community service, including tenure as an officer on the Utilities Service Board and involvement in New Leaf-New Life, which stages theater productions for the Monroe County Jail inmates.\nIn 2003, she lost a close race to two-term incumbent Jason Banach in the traditionally Republican 2nd District.\nSpechler, the senior member of the faculty council, has also thrown his hat into the ring. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Harvard University, Spechler serves as president of the Bloomington Jewish Community and precinct chair of Bloomington 19.\nSpechler identifies himself as a "social liberal" and a "middle-of-the-road Democrat" who would urge fiscal responsibility.\n"I'm by nature a money guy, conservative on fiscal matters, and would devote my attention on the council to examining the budget more closely than we have done in the past," he said, "with an eye to devoting available funds to building sidewalks, planting more trees to protect the environment, providing convenient public transportation, bicycle racks and paths, and improving our parks."\nJones said others have expressed interest in the seat but have not yet chosen to come forward.\nAny interested and qualified parties can submit a formal letter of candidacy to the county party secretary within five days of the caucus.