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Volume 169 • Issue 129
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Hidahl takes District 1 in landslide victory Sel Richard Staff writer In a long race that began almost a year ago, District 1 Supervisor John Hidahl has finally secured his seat on the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors. With a vote count of 12,721, incumbent Hidahl trounced challenger and former District 4 Supervisor Ron Briggs’ 4,510 votes, garnering a 63% majority. Coming out with a strong lead early on, Hidahl continued to soar, clinching an easy win by the close of the night. Hidahl has been fighting for his seat since the March primary where he emerged just shy of the majority needed to win outright, forcing him to redouble campaign efforts, although Briggs only captured 24% of the primary vote.
Much of the battle for the supervisorial seat centered on what many consider a crucial issue to the community, Parker Development’s proposed Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan. The development requires a General Plan amendment to rezone the old executive golf course from recreational facilities/high intensity to residential. Briggs was vocal in his opposition to the plan while Hidahl took a more conciliatory tone, stating he is willing to consider a compromise but would not support the project as it currently stands. Over the summer the application was removed from the planning commission calendar pending a new traffic metric standard. Although Briggs graciously conceded, he n
See hidahl, page A6
Mountain Democrat photo by Sel Richard
El Dorado County District 1 Supervisor John Hidahl, right, and wife Eileen toast to victory with friends and family at an election night party in El Dorado Hills as incumbent Hidahl’s strong showing early in the night had him leading over challenger and former District 4 Supervisor Ron Briggs.
Saragosa takes lead in early city council results Thomas Frey Staff writer
Mountain Democrat photo by Kevin Christensen
El Dorado County Board of Supervisors District 2 candidate George Turnboo, center, reacts to election returns with supporter and Placerville resident Bob Stucky, left, and El Dorado County Republican Party Chairman Todd White, right, at his election night party at the Brewhouse at JackZ just outside of Placerville.
District 2 supe’s race still in play Dawn Hodson Staff writer
It’s still a close race between George Turnboo and Ken Pimlott as to who will become the next El Dorado County Supervisor in District 2. As of press time Thursday Pimlott led with 9,322 votes to Turnboo’s 8,555 with 66.32% of total votes for the district counted. Holding an election eve party at the Brewhouse at Jackz just outside of Placerville, Turnboo remained optimistic that this will be the year he wins after four tries at the job of supervisor. “I worked really hard on my campaign this year,” he said, noting it included a lot of grassroots campaigning n
See Supervisor’s Race, page A2
Leading in the race for the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors District 2 seat, Ken Pimlott speaks to supporters from his home via Zoom on election night.
Placerville Mayor Michael Saragosa has taken the lead in a contest of five candidates running for two seats on the Placerville City Michael Saragosa Council. Saragosa had more than a 2-point lead on Jackie Neau and about a 3-point lead over Tracy Bunch as of press time Thursday. A finish in the top two would mean Saragosa will serve Jackie Neau a four-year term on City Council. In a fight for second Jackie Neau leads Tracy Bunch by a mere 81 votes. Neau, a community volunteer and El Dorado Trail champion and Bunch, a community liaison Tracy Bunch for the El Dorado County Office of Education would be making their debut on the council with a top-two finish. So far 5,876 votes have been tallied but there are still 2,322 ballots not yet counted n
See City Council, page A3
Osborne, Veerkamp frontrunners in EID contests Dawn Hodson Staff writer
Sue Taylor 4,528. Osborne, who was out picking up his campaign While votes are signs Wednesday, told still being counted the Mountain Democrat returns so far he attributed his lead reveal a trend of to voters knowing the who might be in importance of having and who might be people on the board out for two open who understand the spots on the El George Osborne Brian Veerkamp complexity of the Dorado Irrigation organization. Osborne, incumbent George Osborne District Board of a retired fire chief, said was in the lead as of press Directors. he will use his management time Thursday. Osborne had In the race for Division 1 experience to continue the 5,163 votes and challenger
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Financing with 1.49%APR and
utility’s mission of providing safe, reliable drinking water and protecting and enhancing the district’s water rights. Taylor issued a written statement Thursday. “I want to thank everyone who did their homework and supported my run for EID. As a group we were hoping to have a voice for more accountability to the ratepayers,” said the small business owner. “My opponent campaigned to
‘keep it rural,’ so it will be up to the ratepayers to be engaged in order to hold those elected accountable to their promises.” In the race for Division 3 there were three candidates vying for the board position. In the lead as of press time was outgoing El Dorado County District 3 Supervisor Brian Veerkamp with 67% of votes counted; his vote total was 4,358. Business owner n
See EID seats, page A3
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