Blogger John Odum to run for city clerk

MONTPELIER — Political blogger John Odum announced this week that he intends to run for city clerk.

Odum said he hadn’t really considered running for elected office until a couple of people asked him to think about running.

After considering it for a couple of days, he said, he decided to go for it.

The incumbent, Charlotte Hoyt, is retiring after having worked in City Hall for 39 years. 

Odum has been the publisher of the left-wing Green Mountain Daily blog, which he founded six years ago.

If elected, he said, he plans to leave his role at the blog, as well as his position as news editor for The Bridge.

Even if Odum doesn’t win the election, he said, now is a good time for him to step back from the Green Mountain Daily.

The blog, Odum said, makes his life very “dynamic,” and now that he’s approaching 44 years old, he’s looking for things in his life to mellow a bit.

His platform for running for city clerk is based on his database programming skills — namely Microsoft SQL Server.

He said he can bring some efficiency to the city clerk’s office and perhaps save taxpayers some money.

The notion of running the city’s elections also appeals to him, he said.

Odum is married to Cary Brown. They have two sons, Tucker and Zane.

Hoyt took on the role of city clerk/treasurer on April 24, 1991. Starting this year, however, the city clerk and treasurer positions will be split into two jobs, with the treasurer moving into the finance department.

Last year, the city’s charter was changed to make the treasurer an appointed, rather than an elected, position.

http://www.timesargus.com/article/20120125/NEWS02/701259946

Comments

[Morgan W. Brown]

Kevin wrote:

"Odum said he hadn’t really considered running for elected office until a couple of people asked him to think about running."

Although that might be true depending on when one is referring to or otherwise whether what was stated along these lines was meant in terms of this particular office only and, while he could have simply forgotten about the previous occurrence or having shared such with certain people including myself, it is also true that both he and his wife were seriously mulling running for city council last year as well.

[Morgan W. Brown]

with apologies, had *meant* to write:

*Keith* wrote:

[Morgan W. Brown]

Keith: Unless you have already covered this and I missed it, it would really help a lot to learn what each of the various duties and many tasks of the city clerk are as well as what the job description is and also what if any qualifications and training might be required for anyone filling such a position after being elected to the office and also what the salary is, etc.

[Keith Vance]

Thanks for your comment Morgan, and your help on Saturday.

I'm putting together a story about the upcoming elections here in Montpelier, and will give more details about the City Clerk's job.

[Morgan W. Brown]

You're welcome Keith.

Okay. Good. Thank you.

Hope you are feeling better as well as taking better care yourself and the family is comfortably settling down within the new digs. Enjoy!