Who’s Leaving, Who’s Staying in Cathedral City?

Cathedral City Mayor Stan Henry has confirmed he will not seek re-election the November 2018 city election.

“Our city, city staff and City Council are doing great things and are moving in a very positive direction. I love Cathedral City and have enjoyed serving the community for the last 32 years,” Henry told Uken Report. “We have accomplished a lot over the last five years that I have been on City Council and I am very excited about all the new projects and events we have, or will have, for all to enjoy in Cathedral City.

Henry said he has been in public service for the past 40 years and is looking to do some more personal things in the future with his family.

“I’m not going away and will plan to be involved with the city, but in ways I can free up some time for personal adventures,” Henry said.

In the newly drawn districts in Cathedral City, Henry and Councilman Mark Carnevale both live in District 3. Both councilmembers are termed out in 2018. If both councilmembers had decided to run for re-election, then they would have had to run against each other.

Carnevale confirmed he will seek re-election to a four-year term. .

Each of the five districts has 11,000 residents, said Mayor Pro Tem Greg Pettis. District 3 includes the neighborhoods of Rio Vista, Verano, Rio Del Sol, Tapestry, Aldea, and Montage. It also includes the Desert Sands Mobile Home Park and Caliente Sands Mobile Home Park.

District 4 and 5 have no current councilmembers living in these districts and both districts are up for election in 2018. The voters in those districts will elect a new councilmember.

No one has yet announced for District 4, which includes the Dream Homes, Outpost and Desert Princess Country Club.

Raymond Gregory, 53, who retired last year from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department after more than 27 years, is seeking election in District 5. District 5 is comprised of the Panorama and La Pasada neighborhoods, as well as the southern and western portions of Rio Vista and the Park David Senior Housing complex, and is one of the districts open in the November 2018 election. Together, these neighborhoods make up approximately 20 percent of the city’s population.

Currently, Mayor Pro Tem Greg Pettis lives in District 1 and he serves as an “at large” member of the council until 2020. Likewise, Councilmember John Aguilar lives in District 2 and he also holds an “at large” seat until 2020 as both councilmembers were elected to four-year terms in the November 2016 election.

Councilmember Shelley Kaplan lives in District 1 and his term ends in 2018, so he will be leaving the City Council. Kaplan said the only way he could seek re-election to the City Council is to move to another District. “And, I like my house,” he said with a laugh.

Kaplan told Uken Report he is pleased that the city is moving forward.

“I would have liked to seen more shovels in the ground but things take time, and we’ve got a lot of good things going,” Kaplan said.

Additionally, the Council’s motion stipulated for Districts 3, 4, and 5 to have a city council election in 2018 and Districts 1 and 2 have elections in 2020.