By Richard Dyer
Twitter: @RHDyer

Six Apache Junction residents have filed statements of interest to run for mayor and eight for City Council.

The statement of interest is a new requirement and must be filed prior to collecting petition signatures, Apache Junction City Clerk Jennifer Pena said.

According to a spreadsheet provided by Ms. Pena, those who filed statements of interest for mayor are: Jeff Bartlett, Robin Barker, Chip Wilson, Charles Austin, John Insalaco and Mohiuddin Mehmood.

Those who filed for council are: Braden Biggs, Jeff Struble, Darryl Cross, Kelly Gremmel, Walker Waldie, Bradley Collins, Tess Nesser and Todd Kanz.

Three residents have also filed a statement of organization, which then requires them to file campaign finance reports, Ms. Pena said. They are: Mr. Barlett, Ms. Gremmel and Mr. Insalaco.

The mayor and the seats of three members of council --- Vice Mayor Wilson and Councilmembers Barker and Struble --- who were elected in November 2016 are up for re-election. Incumbent Mayor Jeff Serdy is not running as he is seeking office on the Pinal County Board of Supervisors.

In addition to the six for mayor and eight for council, there may be others who have downloaded the candidate packets and have not filed the statement of interest, Ms. Pena said.

“It is the nomination paper that is the official trigger for candidacy. I will not see those until the filing time of March 9-April 6,” she said.

Candidates must file certain documents with the City Clerk’s Office between March 9 and 5 p.m. April 6, including a nonpartisan nomination paper declaration of qualification and nonpartisan nomination petitions signed by at least 269 and no more than 538 registered voters of Apache Junction, according to ajcity.net/969/2020-Candidate-Election-Packet.

The primary election is Aug. 4 and, if needed, the general election is Nov. 3.

The City Clerk’s office is at the city hall complex, Building C, 300 E. Superstition Blvd. in Apache Junction. Hours are 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Thursday, excluding holidays.

For additional information, call the City Clerk’s office at 480-982-8002.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley
@RHDyer

rdyer@iniusa.org

Meet Richard
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.  

Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. 

Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.

Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.

Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.