Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the method of filling the vacancy that Laura Wilkinson Sinton considered to be the most transparent option. She said a special election would have been the better choice. The story has been updated to reflect the correct wording.
The Coronado City Council has one vacant seat and local residents are lining up to apply for a position that will be filled through an appointment rather than a special election.
It is anticipated that the City Council will vote on a vacancy appointment at the next regularly scheduled meeting on Jan. 21.
So far, 10 applicants have been recorded on the city website, three of whom were contestants in the Nov. 5 election: Laura Wilkinson Sinton, Mark Warner and Andrew Gade.
One of the remaining seven applicants, Whitney Benzian, 45, was a council member from 2016-2020, when he chose not to seek re-election.
Others vying to fill the open seat are David J. Hock, a computer engineer, Keith James, a police officer, Richard Negrete, a semi-retired special agent, John Peterson, a recently retired Marine Corps Reserve officer, Steven Joseph Phillips, a doctor and Vietnam veteran, and Kelly Purvis, currently the senior management analyst for the city.
Only two of the applicants are women.
Wilkinson Sinton was runner-up in November’s balloting with 19% of the votes, only 80 votes behind newly elected council member Amy Steward.
Warner received 16% of the votes.
Gade finished last with 8% of the votes.
Whitney Benzian
Benzian said he didn’t run for re-election in 2020 because he wanted to spend time with his family, but filling the open seat for two years makes sense for him.
“I have four years of experience on the City Council, so in that sense, I’m a proven entity,” he added. “… I just don’t want the city to go spend all this money on an election, and I think I can do a good job.”
Benzian still has a real estate business and his family, but he said his life has changed since 2020 and he believes he can help fill the gap.
Andrew Gade
Gade, 43, who received the fewest votes during the last election, said he wants to protect the city he calls home.
He is also a business owner, owning an auto tinting shop in La Mesa.
“Being in the state of California, a lot of large cities, including San Diego, are in dire financial conditions with infrastructure deficits, budget deficits,” Gade said. “So it’s extremely refreshing to be in Coronado, in a city that’s had good leadership, good governance.”
David J. Hock
Hock, a computer engineer and entrepreneur, wrote in his application that his extensive community service as an assistant scoutmaster for a Boy Scouts troop, captain of the Blind Stokers Club and a team leader for the American Cancer Society’s relay for life has given him “a broad perspective of the challenges facing our community.”
He also is battling prostate cancer and noted in his application that he embraces challenges.
“I pride myself in applying common sense and critical thinking when solving problems … I also believe that new and existing laws are useless without enforcement,” he said.
The Coronado News was unable to contact him.
Keith James
James has been a police officer in Coronado for just around four decades and also owned and operated his own business for the last 10 years.
He wrote in his application that his experience in “sensitive investigations involving highly publicized incidents” has made him a valuable asset for this position.
James’ passion for serving the public doesn’t stop with his role as an officer as he said he’s developed a deep understanding of the policies and regulations that surround Coronado and wants to continue to stay up to date on the best practices of the community.
Richard Negrete
Negrete, 65, has lived in Coronado for the past three decades. He started his career as a Coronado police officer before becoming a special agent with the Department of Justice (DOJ) for 26 years.
He retired in 2020 but came back to the DOJ in 2022 and still works part time as a special investigator. This is his first time applying for a local government position.
“My focus has always been on serving the community through my professional role in law enforcement. And I was on call 24/7, so it just didn’t make sense for me to try to do both assignments or play both roles,” said Negrete, now semi-retired.
“I see this as the right time to use my experience and dedication and capacity by representing the residents of Coronado as a member of the council.”
John Peterson
Peterson is a recently retired Marine Corps Reserve Officer and a small business owner.
“My service in the Marine Corps Reserve instilled in me a dedication to public service and a strong sense of duty, which I am eager to bring to the City Council,” Peterson wrote in his letter of interest to the city.
He added that his military career honed his skills as a leader in strategic planning and community engagement.
Peterson did not respond on deadline to inquiries from The Coronado News.
Stephen Joseph Phillips
Phillips is a board certified general and thoracic surgeon who also served in the Vietnam War from 1968-1969, remaining in the reserves from 1970 until his retirement from the military in 1993.
He was interviewed by the White House search committee for the position of commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration in 1997.
“I am passionate about improving the quality of life for all residents and fostering a city government that is transparent, inclusive and responsive to the needs of the people,” Phillips wrote in his application.
Phillips cites around 300 personal publications, 130 of them which have been peer-reviewed medical publications.
Kelly Purvis
Purvis has worked for the city since 2013 starting as contract arts administrator and then became the senior management analyst for arts and culture in 2018.
“I made significant contributions to city projects, including pandemic response coordination, the 2024 Capital Improvement Project Downtown Beautification Project, and planning and implementing civic events and celebrations,” Purvis wrote in her resume.
She also worked as the Development Director for the Coronado Historical Association where she said she gained a deep appreciation for Coronado’s rich history and heritage.
“Having spent nearly 11 years in the City Manager’s office, I have a firsthand understanding of municipal operations,” Purvis said. “I know Coronado’s staff, projects and challenges.”
Mark Warner
Warner, 66, who finished fourth in the November election, has said Coronado boasts good leadership and is doing relatively well, but he wants to dive in and see what improvements can be made.
“Some people may posit that the city is not a business, but a political organization meant to provide health and human services. I would disagree, slightly,” Warner said in a previous interview with The Coronado News. “Coronado is a city that must be run like a business so that there are funds available for health and public services. How many candidates have operated businesses at a higher level? The answer: not many.”
Warner prides himself on owning and operating several real estate businesses in the last 44 years and wants to give back.
Laura Wilkinson Sinton
Wilkinson Sinton, 66, was the runner-up in last year’s election.
She is an entrepreneur whose background includes a professional career in media and founding large and small businesses, including Caligrown and Acme Inventions LLC.
Wilkinson Sinton said she thought a special election would have been a more fair and transparent option to fill the vacancy rather than an appointment that doesn’t allow voters to have agency in the choice.
“I will bring the needed qualifications and the most solid “across the bridge” relationships at agencies who affect Coronado to protect our community’s future,” Wilkinson Sinton said.
