Hargis backs Stephens, but 'it isn't my choice'

• Bill Hargis

Retiring Woodbury Mayor Bill Hargis said he supports Mary Giuliani Stephens to succeed him, but said "it's the people's choice."
• Mary Giuliani Stephens

Woodbury City Council member Mary Giuliani Stephens is among six candidates for mayor. She has the support of retiring Mayor Bill Hargis.

Talk about it

Just over two weeks before the Nov. 2 election, longtime Woodbury Mayor Bill Hargis said he is backing Mary Giuliani Stephens to take his place, but he did not consider his support a formal endorsement.

“It’s the people’s choice, it isn’t my choice,” Hargis said in an interview.

Hargis, who is retiring after 17 years as mayor, said he encouraged Stephens to run and that she would do a good job.

Hargis said he does not know the other five mayor candidates: Art McCloskey, Rachel Homuth, Tom Owens, Nick Kiecker and Eddie Marcus.

“I’m not saying they can’t do the job, but I know she can,” he said of Stephens, a council member four years.

Hargis said he has told people who he supports because that is the most frequent question he gets from Woodbury residents.

Voters also will pick two candidates for City Council. Hargis said he and friends of his encouraged Christopher Burns to run. Hargis also pointed to Julie Ohs, who is seeking re-election, and to Don Place and Daryl Wahl as being qualified candidates.

“When people ask me the question about council, I say there’s more than two qualified,” he said.

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