Tribune endorsements: Who are the best candidates to lead Morro Bay?
Seven candidates are running for office in Morro Bay, and the majority are newcomers to city politics.
There’s only one incumbent on the ballot: Mayor John Headding, who was elected to the City Council in 2014, elevated to mayor in 2018 and is now running for his third consecutive term.
Outgoing councilmembers Jeff Heller and Dawn Addis — who is a candidate for state Assembly — are not seeking reelection.
Headding’s only opponent is Morro Bay restaurant owner Carla Wixom, who served on the City Council from 2008 to 2012.
Five candidates are competing for two seats on the City Council, and all but one are first-time candidates.
David “Dave” Duringer, a tax attorney and gun-rights advocate, lost a bid for the Grover Beach City Council in 2020.
The other council candidates are marketer Casey Cordes; esthetician Cyndee Edwards, who chaired the Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce for three years; homemaker Robin “Zara” Landrum; and server Sarah Robinson.
What are the issues?
With California turning away from fossil fuels, Morro Bay is in line to become a green energy hub. Some residents look forward to that, but there also are misgivings about what it might mean for the community.
The federal government has designated nearly 241,000 acres located off the North Coast for offshore wind development; the leases will be auctioned on Dec. 6.
Plus, the old Morro Bay Power Plant could be transformed into the world’s largest lithium battery storage facility — a proposal that’s raised concerns about safety, especially after a September fire at a similar facility in Moss Landing closed a freeway and forced residents to shelter in place..
On top of that, Morro Bay is coping with other long-standing issues: Homelessness. A harbor in need of major repairs. Deteriorated streets. Drought. A housing shortage. Lack of parking, especially on busy weekends.
In other words, there will be some challenging times ahead for Morro Bay, and it’s critical for the city to have strong and competent leaders.
Headding vs. Wixom
For the top spot, voters would do well to stick with Mayor John Headding.
Both he and Carla Wixom know Morro Bay inside and out and care deeply about the community, but Headding’s more recent experience gives him the edge.
He’s proven himself to be more than capable of seeing the community through tough challenges, including the COVID pandemic and the struggle to build a wastewater treatment/water reclamation facility.
He’s protective of Morro Bay and its citizens. Like all the other candidates, he’s concerned about the proposed battery storage facility and isn’t ready to sign off on that.
Yet he’s highly supportive of offshore wind development.
“Our children should not have to worry about oil spills, rolling blackouts, heat waves, droughts and fires caused by our overconsumption of fossil fuels. We must move away from fossil fuels to a clean energy economy by accelerating offshore wind energy,” he wrote in a Tribune viewpoint.
The other candidates for mayor and council were either more cautiously supportive or opposed to offshore wind altogether, in part because they worry the fishing industry will suffer.
Local leaders should advocate for keeping Morro Bay safe and secure, but climate NIBMYism is shortsighted and dangerous, and it’s important to have a leader who recognizes that.
Cordes and Edwards for council
For City Council, we endorse Casey Cordes and Cyndee Edwards.
They are smart, they’ve studied the issues and they would bring youthful energy to the council.
Edwards is especially tuned in to the business community. Having spent years as a Chamber of Commerce executive, she knows the needs of businesses both in the downtown and along the waterfront.
Cordes has a refreshing outlook that’s compassionate, sincere and pragmatic.
For instance, when the moderator at a candidates forum asked how he would address the homeless population, his response was disarmingly simple: “I would address our unhoused population by saying hello. I mean, these are our people. These are our neighbors.”
He went on to support a countywide approach to providing homeless services, “but that does not alleviate us of the responsibility to do more.”
Both Edwards and Cordes would be strong additions to the council, especially under Headding’s leadership.
The Tribune strongly endorses John Headding for mayor and Casey Cordes and Cyndee Edwards for Morro Bay City Council.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhy do we endorse?
Making endorsements during election season is an important role for newspaper editorial boards, including The Tribune Editorial Board. Elections are key to determining the future of our Central Coast region, and through endorsements, we share our opinion of the qualifications of the candidates and recommend those who would best serve our communities.
Due to the large number of races on the 2024 General Election ballot, we are unable to issue endorsements in every race. We chose to focus on the most competitive contests.
For more about our process, click the arrow on the top right.
Who endorses?
Endorsement decisions are made by Editor Joe Tarica and Opinion Editor Stephanie Finucane.
How do we decide?
Candidates are invited to participate in an interview with The Editorial Board where they are asked a series questions about major issues. It’s our opportunity to learn the candidates’ positions and to gauge how well informed they are about issues they are likely to confront if elected.
We also research voting records of candidates who have held public office; we watch candidate forums; we look at back stories from The Tribune, as well as other publications that have covered the candidates; and we examine public documents. We also take a look at the candidates’ advertising and campaign statements. Are they overpromising, for example, or misrepresenting their opponent’s record?
In the case of ballot measures, we study the background of the issue, the pro and con arguments and consider who is supporting and opposing the measure.
Tell us what you think
If you disagree (or agree) with our endorsements, share your thoughts with us by writing a letter to the editor (200-word maximum). Email your submissions to letters@thetribunenews.com. Due to the volume of submissions we receive during campaign season, we do not publish Viewpoint-length pieces (600-800 words) in support or opposition to candidates.