Indrieri welcomes rivals in campaign for Colusa board

Colusa County Supervisor Tom Indrieri looks forward to the campaign ahead.

The two-term District 2 incumbent filed his ballot documents with the Elections Office on Monday, and said his record of fiscal responsibility, economic development and community service stands on its own.

"When it comes to community service, I give my all because the community has supported me," said Indrieri, who owns Tommy's Market Street Grill in downtown Colusa. "That is the primary reason why I am running."

Colusa City Councilman Tom Reische also filed his candidacy papers on Monday, one of two challengers for Indrieri's office.

The other, Curtis Boewer, was the first to file. He is the former county mental health director.

While the campaign issues have yet to be fully defined, one bold line clearly is drawn between Indrieri and his challengers: continuity versus change.

"I do look forward to a good campaign," said Indrieri, adding he even waited to file his papers in hopes it would encourage others to run. He thinks the debate is healthy.

"And I think my record stands on its own," he said.

Reische and Boewer have said they have nothing personal against Indrieri, and have even been complimentary to a degree, but believe the voters deserve a choice and change is not a bad thing.

Reische said he had been encouraged to seek the county post, in part because of some discontentment with Indrieri — specifically over his involvement in city matters.

Reische does not agree with that particular criticism of Indrieri, who is his neighbor, but said one of his personal strengths is the ability to build bridges between the county and cities.

For Indrieri's part, he is not apologizing for speaking up on city issues, and said the vast majority of people he has talked to have been supportive of his efforts.

At the heart of that debate is the City Council's decision last March to hire an economic development consultant at nearly $8,000 a month, plus some expenses.

Reische did not support that decision, and Indrieri has been on of the most vocal detractors in recent weeks.

Boewer said that running for the office is the next step in his public service, and has made fair treatment of county employees one of his platform planks.

He does not think the current board has a strong record on that point.

But Indrieri believes he has been part of a board that has worked very well together and served the county well, and that continuity is critical.

He points to projects like the PG&E plant near Maxwell and the Nicor underground gas storage facility near Princeton as economic positives, but also notes the overall fiscal stability of the county.

"I think this board speaks for itself. We are fiscally solvent, we have not had any layoffs, or furloughs or an major reduction in service in some of the hardest economic times," Indrieri said.

In other supervisorial races, three-term District 3 Supervisor Mark Marshall is facing a challenge from Williams City Councilwoman Angela Plachek-Fulcher.

Again, continuity versus change will be a foundational issue.

District 1 Supervisor Gary Evans is facing a challenge as well. Kenneth Cohen filed his papers Tuesday afternoon.