6 candidates running in Morro Bay, including a rematch for mayor
Facing a strained economy amid the coronavirus pandemic in a city heavily reliant on tourism, Morro Bay’s City Council race includes four candidates, along with two additional familiar candidates for mayor.
Incumbent John Headding will face off against John Weiss in the mayoral race, a repeat of the 2018 election in which Headding won by 184 votes. The seat has a two-year term.
The Morro Bay City Council race includes four candidates — incumbent Robert “Red” Davis, Laurel Barton, Richard Sadowski and Betty Winholtz — vying for two open seats with a four-year term.
One of the city’s biggest challenges over the next term will be to bring in revenues that cover costs and balance the budget, amid 8% pay cuts for top officials and dozens of layoffs of part-time employees due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Infrastructure and road improvements, pensions, and city planning around COVID-19 remain important civic topics as well.
After years of debate and division, the city’s wastewater treatment facility project, including a water recycling facility, currently is under construction.
Here’s a look at how the candidates compare based on their filed statements:
Morro Bay mayor
▪ John Headding, incumbent mayor, pharmacist and business owner: Headding cites his work to preserve quality of life for residents; he advocates for “preservation of local police and fire services, sound fiscal policies, expansion of our economy, transparency in government, preservation of our natural beauty, protection of our bay and harbor, and the growth of our tourism and fishing industries” while seeking to eliminate wasteful spending amid “looming pension liabilities.”
▪ John Weiss, local business owner: Weiss emphasizes his understanding of business challenges. He vows to serve with integrity and to “bring business back to life for our families and future generations,” while delivering services to community members, saving taxpayer money and ensuring accountability of elected officials, adding that “Morro Bay will come back stronger than ever.”
Morro Bay City Council
▪ Laurel Barton, retired local administrator and grant writer: Barton seeks to build on the work of the current City Council and past councils, citing years of balanced budgets and encouraging a strong visitor-based economy. She anticipates working through a challenging financial time of pension and infrastructure costs amid COVID-19. Barton supports “moving the community ahead to take on important forward-looking projects like the Water Reclamation Facility.”
▪ Robert “Red” Davis, incumbent Morro Bay City Councilman: Davis cites past work on drafting a vacation rental ordinance that “balances community needs” and another that keeps tobacco and vaping products away from young people, in addition to balanced budgets during his term. Davis will work toward water recycling, a more diverse economy and new revenue streams, affordable housing opportunities and supporting fishermen and offshore wind energy, among other goals. He supports a proposed 1-cent sales tax measure, saying it could determine the city’s survival as a full-service government agency.
▪ Richard Sadowski, retired mechanical engineer: Sadowski says he’s concerned about the city’s direction and leadership, wanting a change of course. He said his goals are to “put a stop to wasteful and unnecessary spending,” balancing the city’s budget without tapping into reserves, updating the General Plan and vacation rental ordinance and supporting local businesses and quality of life.
▪ Betty Winholtz, academic tutor and former city councilwoman: Winholtz calls for a change of leadership and fiscal responsibility, saying the sewer project “continues to grow above the ‘guaranteed maximum price.’” Winholtz seeks a vacation rental ordinance that better protects neighborhood quality of life with an owner-occupancy requirement. She opposes a new sales tax and supports upgrading the existing sewer system and “fixing the leaky pipes.”
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