It's Wood, Feller, and Gibson.

EDITORIAL: Wood, Feller, Gibson best for Oceanside

OUR VIEW: Oceanside needs strong team for future

By North County Times Opinion staff | Sunday, October 5, 2008 12:19 AM PDT

Promoting business growth, development and investment in Oceanside needs to be maintained and re-inforced, especially given the difficult economic times the nation is now in.

Thus we urge city voters to re-elect Mayor Jim Wood, who is continuing a career of service to city residents that began more than 30 years ago, first as a police officer, then as a councilman and for the past four years as mayor.

And for the two City Council positions also on the November ballot, we support Jim Gibson and Councilman Jack Feller, a local businessman who is seeking his third term.

We acknowledge, appreciate and value the dedicated service of Councilwoman Esther Sanchez and thank her for it. She holds the second council seat on the ballot and is running for re-election.

However, we believe Wood, Feller and Gibson, together with Councilmen Jerome Kern and Rocky Chavez, who are not up for re-election this year, make for a better team to lead Oceanside. Together, this new council would provide the city and the business community the strong sense of continuity as well as a proven record of getting things done that is sorely needed in economically troubled times.

Wood is seeking re-election to his second term as mayor, with Chavez also seeking the mayoral spot. Both men are able public servants and have their strengths and weaknesses. And while they differ sharply with each other on some issues, they have a record of working together at critical times for the good of the city.

Oceanside needs to retain both men on its council; in re-electing Wood, voters would still have Chavez on the council for at least the remaining two years of his term.

If elected, local businessman Gibson would be new to the council but not to representing the public on a government body. Gibson serves on the board of trustees of the Vista Unified School District, which includes roughly a third of Oceanside. On that board, he has well represented the best interests of both students and the public.

We thank the other council contenders ---- Zack Beck, Rick Kratcoski, Charles "Chuck" Lowery, Michael Lucas and Rex Martin ---- for their willingness to run for the council and subjecting themselves to public scrutiny.

But for continued growth and prosperity for Oceanside at this time, we believe the city needs Jim Wood to remain as mayor, and we support Jack Feller and Jim Gibson for City Council.