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Incumbent Dan Helix has huge fundraising lead in Concord City Council race
By David DeBolt Contra Costa Times
Posted:
10/09/2012 01:09:12 PM PDT0 Comments Updated: 3 years ago
CONCORD
-- The lone incumbent in a crowded Concord City Council race has a huge
campaign fundraising lead, with backing from the family who operates
the city's trash disposal and contributions from business owners, unions
and a prominent developer.
Dan Helix has raised $72,599 since Aug. 1, putting him more than $50,000 ahead of the second place fundraiser in the race of 11 candidates vying for two seats on Nov. 6.
The fundraising totals were released Friday and are from a reporting period beginning July 1 and ending Sept. 30.
"It's from having friends of many years. I'm just overwhelmed and humbled by the amount I've been able to raise," said Helix, who was first on the council in 1968 and returned in 2010, when he was appointed to fill a vacancy.
Most prominent on the list of donors is the Garaventa family and their employees, who operate Concord Disposal Service, the company that has historically provided garbage services for Concord and currently has a long-term franchise agreement with the city.
They have donated $7,600 to Helix. Local developers Tom Seeno and Albert Seeno Jr. each contributed $1,000 to Helix, according to finance reports.
Most of Helix's big donations came from two fundraising events that were $1,000 and $500 to attend respectively, he said.
The retired Army general said he has been friends with the Garaventas for 50 years and has voted against Seeno proposals, including in April 2011 when the council voted 3-2 to deny a Seeno family company's request to extend the deadline to build the second office tower of the Metroplex development on Willow Pass Road and receive financial help from the city.
"I'm not for sale. Your support indicates you believe I could do a good job, but you're not buying me," he said of his donors. "I think the record is clear."
Housewives, restaurant owners, auto body shop owners, insurance agents and commercial real estate brokers are also among Helix's donors. Any leftover campaign money will be donated to local food banks, homeless outreach groups and organizations along the Monument Corridor, Helix said.
Planning Commissioner Tim McGallian was second in fundraising, raising $15,055 this reporting period for a total of $20,505. His donors included the Garaventas, who contributed $4,000; former Councilman Guy Bjerke, who chipped in $250; and Contra Costa District Attorney Mark Peterson, who donated $100.
The Concord Police Officer Association, which has endorsed Helix and McGallian, gave each candidate $1,500.
To date, Carol Longshore has raised $7,050, Ed Birsan $6,353, Terry Kremin $775, Alany Helmantoler $300 and Harmesh Kumar $100. Suzanne Davis-Lucey reported no contributions. The City Clerk's office did not receive financial reports from Robert David Camacho and Marnie Sheehan-Carter.
Birsan and Kumar are running largely self-financed campaigns, having loaned themselves to date $68,941 and $38,353, respectively. A portion of the loans are a carry-over from previous campaigns, Birsan and Kumar each said.
David DeBolt covers Concord and Clayton. Contact him at 925-943-8048.
Dan Helix has raised $72,599 since Aug. 1, putting him more than $50,000 ahead of the second place fundraiser in the race of 11 candidates vying for two seats on Nov. 6.
The fundraising totals were released Friday and are from a reporting period beginning July 1 and ending Sept. 30.
"It's from having friends of many years. I'm just overwhelmed and humbled by the amount I've been able to raise," said Helix, who was first on the council in 1968 and returned in 2010, when he was appointed to fill a vacancy.
Most prominent on the list of donors is the Garaventa family and their employees, who operate Concord Disposal Service, the company that has historically provided garbage services for Concord and currently has a long-term franchise agreement with the city.
They have donated $7,600 to Helix. Local developers Tom Seeno and Albert Seeno Jr. each contributed $1,000 to Helix, according to finance reports.
Most of Helix's big donations came from two fundraising events that were $1,000 and $500 to attend respectively, he said.
The retired Army general said he has been friends with the Garaventas for 50 years and has voted against Seeno proposals, including in April 2011 when the council voted 3-2 to deny a Seeno family company's request to extend the deadline to build the second office tower of the Metroplex development on Willow Pass Road and receive financial help from the city.
"I'm not for sale. Your support indicates you believe I could do a good job, but you're not buying me," he said of his donors. "I think the record is clear."
Housewives, restaurant owners, auto body shop owners, insurance agents and commercial real estate brokers are also among Helix's donors. Any leftover campaign money will be donated to local food banks, homeless outreach groups and organizations along the Monument Corridor, Helix said.
Planning Commissioner Tim McGallian was second in fundraising, raising $15,055 this reporting period for a total of $20,505. His donors included the Garaventas, who contributed $4,000; former Councilman Guy Bjerke, who chipped in $250; and Contra Costa District Attorney Mark Peterson, who donated $100.
The Concord Police Officer Association, which has endorsed Helix and McGallian, gave each candidate $1,500.
To date, Carol Longshore has raised $7,050, Ed Birsan $6,353, Terry Kremin $775, Alany Helmantoler $300 and Harmesh Kumar $100. Suzanne Davis-Lucey reported no contributions. The City Clerk's office did not receive financial reports from Robert David Camacho and Marnie Sheehan-Carter.
Birsan and Kumar are running largely self-financed campaigns, having loaned themselves to date $68,941 and $38,353, respectively. A portion of the loans are a carry-over from previous campaigns, Birsan and Kumar each said.
David DeBolt covers Concord and Clayton. Contact him at 925-943-8048.



Laura
Hoffmeister, a lifelong Concord resident, was first elected to the City
Council in 1997 and reelected in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014. She served
as Mayor in 2001, 2005, 2009, and 2011, Vice Mayor in 2000, 2004 and
2015, and Chair of the Concord Redevelopment Agency in 1999, 2003, and
2008.
Ron
Leone, a resident of Concord since 1978, was elected to the City
Council in 2010, re-elected in 2014. He served as Mayor in 2012 and Vice
Mayor in 2014. Leone served 35 years in education as a high school
teacher and principal. He was the teacher of the year in the San Ramon
Valley Unified School District and teachers' association president. He
coached high school baseball, and several championship mock trial and
constitutional academic teams.
Edi
E. Birsan was elected to the City Council in November 2012 after being
the runner-up in the 2010 election. He is an active community leader and
has served in many positions, from the Director of Community Services
for Concord-Diablo Rotary to the President of the Friends of the
Library, to volunteer for numerous non-profit organizations.
Tim
Grayson has been a Concord resident since 2001 and was elected to serve
on the Concord City Council in 2010, and re-elected in 2014. He served
as Vice Mayor in 2013, Mayor in 2014 -15, Chair and Vice‐Chair of the
Local Reuse Authority, and Redevelopment Chair and Vice‐Chair.
Daniel
C. Helix was appointed to the City Council in February 2011to fill a
vacant position, and was subsequently the top vote-getter in the
November 2012 election. He served as mayor in 2013. Helix was previously
elected to the City Council in 1968, was reelected in 1972 and served
as Mayor from 1972-74. In 2007-08, he served as co-chair of the
Community Advisory Committee for the Concord Naval Weapons Station Reuse
Project.
Tim
McGallian was appointed to the City Treasurer position by the City
Council after the retirement of Thomas Wentling in July 2015. McGallian
previously served on the City of Concord Planning Commission from 2010
to 2015 and is president of the Todos Santos Business Association Arts
Foundation.