Ashvegas, meet your next mayor

Today, I’m going to go way out on a limb and introduce you to who I think your next Ashvegas City Council will be. I reserve the right to change my predictions in a few weeks, since today is really just Day 1 of the campaign.

Meet Mayor Joe Dunn.

Councilman Joe Dunn ended speculation and filed for mayor, so that we have three current council members now running for mayor, which is a bit uncomfortable (Mayor Charlie Worley, Joe Dunn and Terry Bellamy). Bill Branyon, a writer, is running, too, and he’s got an outside shot. But more on that later.

Gene Ellison was down at the board of elections office Friday, too, but he decided not to run. He told the newspaper that he just wanted some viable candidates to run. He and Joe talked privately before Dunn came out and officially signed his paperwork.

That little meeting could be critical to Dunn’s chances. Ellison’s dislike for Worley goes back a few years to the contest in which they faced each other. It got mean and there were some hurt feelings, and a public make-up followed. Still, I think Gene wouldn’t mind seeing Worley go down like a lead balloon this election season.

Dunn doesn’t pull any punches, and yesterday he was already throwing some jabs at Worley’s lack of leadership during the water negotiations with the county. Dunn’s a straight ahead, take-no-prisoners kind of conservative who doesn’t care who he pisses off. He’s a strong leader, but that sometimes comes at the expense of not thinking through an issue, or bulldozing people he doesn’t need to bulldoze to get what he wants.

Worley, on the other hand, knows the art of the deal. He’s an adroit player, but that comes at the expense of getting things done sometimes. He, too, knows how to throw and absorb some body blows. Folks, this is going to be a wild race.

Joe Dunn will be your your next mayor. He will run as an outsider, someone ready to stop the politically correct pattycaking and get things done.

On council, look for Vice Mayor Carl Mumpower and Councilwoman Holly Jones to win again, with Haw Creek neighborhood guy Chris Pelly joining them. I’m still thinking restaurant owner Dwight Butner might make the cut, but at whose expense? I’m not sure.

For now, I’m penciling in your next Ashvegas City Counciil as Mayor Joe Dunn, with council members Carl Mumpower, Terry Bellamy (she loses mayor, but keeps her council seat), Jan Davis, Brownie Newman, Holly Jones and Chris Pelly.