City Hall Shocker: Dave Allan Won’t Run for a 4th Term on City Council in 2012

Councilman Dave Allan announced to shocked colleagues Tuesday afternoon that he won’t seek a fourth four-year term, but said: “I don’t plan on going away” as far as civic involvement.

He said he made his mind up during an eight-day, 3,100-mile motorcycle trek this summer and didn’t tell anyone at City Hall about his decision to step down until 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, when he sought confirmation from City Attorney Glenn Sabine that he could make the announcement as he did—about 10 minutes into the 4 p.m. meeting.

Why is he leaving?

“Just time to move on,” he said after the meeting. “It’s time to let somebody else step up.” (See video.)

Allan, a retired firefighter who in November 2010 endorsed Parking Commission member Jim Wieboldt for council in 2012, said: “I plan to be involved in the next election cycle.”

In February 2008, Allan announced at a council meeting that he wouldn’t run for a third term. But three months later he opted to seek re-election.

Tuesday night, he alluded to that reversal, saying that some people reminded him that “you’ve said that before”—that he wouldn’t run.

“But I think this time it’s really clear in my mind—[having] been gone for eight days” on the road trip, he said.

Allan, in his mid-50s, and his wife, Carie, have four grandchildren and a stepson still living at home, he said.

Although he and his wife own the Pepper Valley Learning Center—a child care center in El Cajon—Allan said he might be looking for something to do.

“Maybe someone will want to give me a little job,” he said. “Maybe I can continue doing things in public safety.”

Allan was a major mover behind the 2010 consolidation of the La Mesa, Lemon Grove and El Cajon fire departments into the Heartland Fire & Rescue agency, and he has been active in the public safety work of the California League of Cities.

An Army veteran and retired 17-year firefighter in the San Miguel Fire Protection District, Allan also led that Spring Valley department’s firefighters union.

In 2000, Allan was the top vote-getter for two seats in a seven-person field. In 2002, he challenged Art Madrid for mayor, losing by 1,697 votes (55.5 percent to 44.4 percent).

In 2004, Allan won 42.5 percent in a field that included Sterling (35.6 percent) and Kristin Kjaero (21.6). And in 2008, he again led the field, with Sterling second and Village merchant Shannon O’Dunn third.

Tuesday night, Madrid said he was “shocked and disappointed” in Allan’s decision to step down in late 2012, saying he had been one of the most conscientious colleagues he had ever served with—with a sense of humor that broke the tension at council meetings.

Madrid jokingly said “Hell, no,” he hadn’t been informed beforehand—“or I would have talked him out of it.”

Councilwoman Ruth Sterling, whose own term ends in late 2012, said that while Allan’s seat is open, “my seat is not open. … I just automatically draw my [candidacy] papers every four years.”

Allan said he purposely avoided “politics” in his announcement. But four hours later—after the council approved biennial budgets for 2011-12 and 2012-13—Allan said he would “maybe be involved in the process of who’s going to run for council.”

Last November, Allan stood alongside Madrid and councilmen Mark Arapostathis and Ernie Ewin and endorsed Sheriff's Department employee and travel agency owner Wieboldt for council.

A week later, after losing a race for mayor, real estate agent Laura Lothian said she would run for council in 2012.

But Sterling, one of Lothian’s supporters in 2010, said Tuesday night: “If she wants to run for City Council, then I would like to see her attend council meetings. Jim [Wieboldt] is in the audience, and he’s learning [about council business]. I don’t see Laura in our council meetings at all.”

Allan said one of the reasons he announced 15 months ahead of the election was because “it gives individuals who really want to run for office … a little time to think about it.”

He said he thought there were some potential hopefuls “who haven’t said anything” that would prove good candidates. “I hope those individuals come out.”

Sterling said she’s sorry to see Allan go, calling him someone with “a lot of charisma, a lot of energy” and very effective on the council.

“When he sets his mind to something, he doesn’t let up,” she said. “Dave Allan’s a winner and he’s a good man. … It won’t be the same without Dave Allan.”