Wilmington mayor files as campaign season starts

Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo filed to run for mayor Friday in front of a large and cheering crowd of supporters.

He was not the only candidate to file for local elected office in the tri-county region. In all, four candidates filed for office in New Hanover, 28 candidates filed in Brunswick County and five filed in Pender County. The filing period began at noon Friday and runs through noon on July 20.

Saffo arrived right as the filing period began, greeted supporters and then found himself standing in the elections office waiting for the clock to strike noon.

An elected councilman who was appointed as mayor a year ago to replace former Mayor Spence Broadhurst, Saffo stressed teamwork and cooperation and cited it as a reason the city was able to lure PPD to downtown Wilmington. He also said repairing the sewers, recruiting good paying jobs and continued rollout of the parks bond improvements as his priorities.

"This is an important day for our community," Saffo told his supporters from atop a bench in the New Hanover County government complex after he filed. "Let's keep this community moving forward. We want to leave it better than we found it."

Saffo said he has been honored to serve as both councilman and mayor since his election in 2003, and he's excited about running for mayor for the first time.

"At the end of the day, the voters are the ultimate decision makers," Saffo said, adding that he and the current council have accomplished a "tremendous amount of things."

Saffo was the only Wilmington incumbent to file Friday. Council members Laura Padgett, Pat Delair and Lethia Hankins are up for re-election. Padgett and Delair have said they plan to seek re-election. Hankins remains undecided.

One newcomer did file for city council. Ronald Sparks, a Wilmington engineer, filed for city council. It is his first bid for a council seat.

He said he wants to run for office because he can use his professional experience to help with the sewer woes.

In other New Hanover races, Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach both got one new mayoral candidate. Wrightsville Beach Alderman Steve Whalen filed to run for mayor one day after current Mayor Bob O'Quinn said he would not run again. And Carolina Beach Councilman Joel Macon filed to run for mayor.

In Brunswick County, where 28 candidates filed on the first day, 19 towns, two utility boards and the Dosher Memorial Hospital board will have elections in November. Mayors who filed for re-election were Harry Simmons in Caswell Beach, Norman Meares in Holden Beach, Walter Futch in Leland, Johnie Vereen in Oak Island and Debbie Smith in Ocean Isle Beach.

In Pender County, Surf City Mayor Zander Guy filed for re-election. Mayor Pro Tem Nelva Albury and council members Donald Helms and Buddy Fowler also filed for re-election in Surf City. In Topsail Beach, Julian C. Bone filed for mayor.

Chris Mazzolini: 343-2223

chris.mazzolini@starnewsonline.com