Six File To Challenge A Councilman If He Wins, He May End Up Losing

 

By ROBERT E. BARNES
Special to the Chronicle

 

Six candidates have filed to challenge City Councilman Ronald “Skip” Kelly (Ward 7) in the March 5 election.
Filing for Wards 1, 3, 4 and 7 closed at 5 p.m. Thursday.
By far, Councilman Kelly drew the largest field of challengers than any of the four incumbents seeking reelection.
Two candidates are challenging Councilman Gary Marrs for the Ward 1 seat.
Councilman Larry McAtee (Ward 3) and Councilman Pete White (Ward 4) are unopposed for reelection.
John E. Bilbury III, 57; Lillie R. Buckner, 74; John A. Pettis Jr., 30; Star Young, 29; Ben T. Robinson, 65; and Randon Gibson, 25, filed to oppose Councilman Kelly.
Councilman Kelly, 63, faces a felony charge of driving while intoxicated after he was arrested in January of last year.
That was the second DUI complaint against the Ward 7 councilman in three years.
His preliminary hearing on the second alleged offense was delayed until next month after Councilman Kelly filed an appeal, arguing that the law under which he was charged does not apply to him.
His new preliminary hearing is March 15, which, of course, is 10 days after the election for the Ward 7 seat.
If he is elected and subsequently convicted on the charge, Councilman Kelly would have to resign.
Another election will be held on April 2 if neither of the seven candidates gets more than 50 percent of the vote.