Councilman to join race for Henderson mayor

By Jeremy Twitchell

Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008 | 1:41 p.m.

Henderson City Councilman Steve Kirk could become the second name on the ballot to run to succeed Mayor James B. Gibson next spring.

At a meeting of the Republican Women of Henderson Club in late October, Kirk told a small gathering that he planned to seek the office, though a formal announcement is not expected until next week.

Gibson, who was elected mayor in 1997, is prohibited from running again by term limit laws, which limit municipal office-holders to 12 years.

If he makes it official, Kirk would join a former colleague, Amanda Cyphers, who served on the City Council from 1995 to 2007. Kirk, elected in 1999, is in the middle of his final term in office, which ends in 2011.

In his remarks at the club meeting, Kirk said he believes the city is in good shape overall. But with recently announced revenue projections forcing the city to make about $28 million in cuts, he said Henderson's next mayor will have to be sensitive to budgeting issues.

"The budget of the city of Henderson is just like the budget of your home," he said. "You make estimates, and if the estimates fall short, you have to make cuts."

Kirk, who grew up in Henderson and graduated from Basic High School, said he would also be a strong supporter of the city's Parks and Recreation Department.

"One of my real passions has been Parks and Recreation," he said. "That's going to be a real priority in my administration."

Jeremy Twitchell can be reached at 990-8928 or [email protected].