Jerry Thorne launches council bid Jerry Thorne launches council bid (January 07, 2005)

Former candidate seeks Hosterman's vacant seat in June 7 special election
by Jeb Bing

Retired business executive Jerry Thorne announced Wednesday that he will seek the empty seat on the City Council in a special election scheduled for June 7.

The vacancy is the seat held by Councilwoman Jennifer Hosterman who was elected mayor of Pleasanton in the Nov. 2 municipal race. By Pleasanton ordinance, a special election must be held to fill the vacancy, with the special election expected to cost $150,000.

Thorne lost his bid for a council seat in that election, coming in third with 12,937 votes, just 444 behind Matt Sullivan and 3,345 votes behind front-runner Cindy McGovern, who are both now on the council.

"I'm running again for the same reason I ran before," Thorne said. "I believe that with my business experience and longtime service as chairman and a member of the Pleasanton Parks and Recreation Commission that I have a lot to contribute."

Thorne, who co-authored the Initiative to Save Our Community Park, gained the City Council's adoption of the proposal last fall. It guarantees that lighted sports fields will be built on the northeast corner of the Bernal Property, a plan that was reinforced Tuesday in a council vote to proceed as soon as possible in getting the fields established.

Thorne and his wife Sandi have lived in their Pleasanton Valley home for 26 years. When their daughter Kari, now grown, was on the Seahawks, her father was president of the swim club. He was also instrumental in getting the 50-meter swimming pool built as part of the Dolores Bengston Aquatic Center.

Thorne began forming his campaign team Wednesday and expects to start campaigning next week. He will file papers as an official candidate when the filing period opens Feb. 14.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.