Adams Takes out Petitions in Ward 1 Race

Don Adams has taken out petitions to run in the Aug. 5, 2014 Democratic city council primary in Ward 1, according to Ann Arbor city clerk staff. He took out the petitions on April 14, 2014.

Incumbent Sumi Kailasapathy, who was first elected to the city council in 2012 and is seeking re-election, has taken out petitions and had 102 signatures verified by city clerk staff as valid.

Adams serves on the PTO Council of the Ann Arbor Public School District. The PTO council is an umbrella organization of PTOs for the district. He’s described  on the PTO council’s website as having a background in health administration. Kailasapathy is an accountant.

Like all candidates for city council,  Adams will have until April 22 to submit at least 100 signatures from voters in the ward in order to appear on the ballot. Mayoral candidates must submit 50 signatures from registered voters in each of the city’s five wards.

Adams’ entry into the Ward 1 race means that four out of five council races will likely be contested in the Democratic primaries, provided those who intend to submit signatures do so. All prospective candidates so far are Democrats.

In Ward 2, the council race looks to be between Ann Arbor District Library board member Nancy Kaplan and current planning commissioner Kirk Westphal.

In Ward 3, a race will likely unfold between former park advisory chair Julie Grand and University of Michigan student Samuel McMullen. And they might be joined by downtown barber Bob Dascola, if his lawsuit asserting this eligibility to run is successful. Today, on April 14, the city filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit and a response to Dascola’s motion for summary judgment that would find Dascola eligible. The city contends that Dascola does not meet city charter durational residency and voter registration requirements for council candidates. The case is being handled on an expedited schedule so that the question can be settled by the time ballots are finalized in June.

In Ward 4, Graydon Krapohl, who currently serves as vice chair of the city’s park advisory commission, is the only candidate to take out petitions so far. The incumbent, Democrat Margie Teall, has stated that she does not intend to run for re-election.

In Ward 5, incumbent Chuck Warpehoski is seeking re-election and faces a challenge from Leon Bryson.

No incumbent is running in Ward 2 or Ward 3 because Sally Petersen (Ward 2) and Christopher Taylor (Ward 3) are running for mayor, instead of seeking re-election as councilmembers representing their respective wards. Joining those two for mayor are Ward 1 councilmember Sabra Briere and Ward 3 councilmember Stephen Kunselman. Briere and Kunselman would serve out the remaining year of their two-year terms on the council if not elected mayor.

For a comprehensive update on the status of petitions and filings for city council and mayoral races see previous Chronicle coverage from last week.