From the Pierre Capitol Journal, it sounds as if one of the more hotly contested races this year might be for the mayor of South Dakota’s Capital City:
As he said he would more than a year ago, riverboat captain Caleb Gilkerson announced this week that he is running for mayor of Pierre. He faces the incumbent mayor, Steve Harding, who Gilkerson has accused of bad faith in long discussions over a place to dock the Sunset paddlewheeler.
“I went to pick up petitions,” Gilkerson told the Capital Journal on Thursday, Jan. 9. “You can’t begin to collect signatures until March 1.”
Mayor Harding announced Tuesday at the close of the Pierre City Commission’s weekly meeting, that he would run for a second three-year term this summer.
It would not be far off to call Gilkerson Harding’s nemesis, in a city where local government officials just don’t have such open foes.
and…
He said, obviously to Harding: “It’s very hard to work with someone who isn’t going to be honest with you from the git-go. And that’s what we have been running up against.”
This type of angry criticism just doesn’t happen hardly ever in City Commission meetings in Pierre in recent years.
Harding, who normally is cheerful and puts a positive spin on about everything, clearly was angry, although he did not raise his voice as much as Gilkerson did.
Harding said, “… I’m offended by your personal attacks, which are untrue.” And a little later, seemed to nearly lose his temper: “I’ve got way more that I can say. But we don’t have time here.”
If you read the article, it sounds as if there’s an undercurrent of discontent in my hometown that might be bubbling to the top. Keep an eye on this one. Could develop into a battle.
It sounds like Gilkerson is totally self interested in his reasons for running. He operates that riverboat and wants the city to build him a dock. If he is elected mayor will he refuse himself from this issue?
I predict Harding wins this 75-25.
I doubt you’ll do quite that well, Steve. I see money coming in statewide to support a young entrepreneur.
BTW, it would be to “recuse himself” and I’m sure he would.
I don’t know. When I looked at his facebook announcement, it had gone from about 40 to 450 well wishers, most of them local. I had asked a friend about it and his comment was that he was “going to send him a check.” You don’t need a very big fraction of a group of people like that in a local race, and things can get interesting.
That being said, as long as I’ve known the mayor, Steve Harding, I’ve always found him to be more than friendly and cordial, and he’s the mayor, so he’s obviously the favorite in the contest.
But I’ve seen it before in Pierre, where the people who normally don’t say much get their nose out of joint, and they get out and vote. And it ends up being closer than people assume. I can’t help but question if this is one of those years.
There’s a lot of activity politically statewide this year, so It’s not just Pierre. They’re kind of coming out of the woodwork.
I’m with you PP.
I don’t have a problem with Harding but I think the council could work to help Gilkerson find a solution.
Harding will win with 65%+ of the vote. But it may be a wild ride.
I have known Caleb Gilkerson and the Gilkerson family my whole life. Caleb is a hard working independent business owner who has taken many business risks to promote tourisim in the Pierre/Ft Pierre area.
I appreciate his willingness to get involved in city government and to try to make a difference.
I also strongly agree with Caleb that the riverfront is the most underdeveloped resource in the Pierre/Ft Pierre area.
Please take the chance to get to know Caleb, then go out and vote for the candidate that best represents your individual interests regarding Pierre.
Very true pierre is the only place that chooses to not develop the river front. Many who move to town are often dumbfounded by this.
The only place for a long time has been the legion. Fine but pierre deserves better.
Remember the flooding of 2011? Enough said.
Don’t know Caleb but know his family. Good people. I suspect his accusation is just heat coming out. Runs in the family (in a good way).
Know Steve. Good people. Steve is of impeccable honesty.