Retired Redding community‑services director Kim Niemer, who spent more than two decades serving the city, announced the formation of Good Governance Redding, a grassroots coalition of eleven local leaders. The group was created in response to a wave of recent vacancies in key city positions—including the police chief, fire chief, city manager, assistant city manager, city attorney, and finance manager—leaving many residents feeling that “city hall is crumbling from the inside.”
Who is Good Governance Redding?
Good Governance Redding is an informal coalition that includes business owners Dan Adams, Chris Haedrich and Amanda Hutchings; nonprofit executives Elizabeth Schroeder and Anne Thomas; attorney Josh Divine; accountant Keith Hunting; retired CH2M/Jacobs director Tim Hill; former Redding mayor Kristen Schreder; and former police chief Bill Schueller, among others. The group’s stated mission is to support candidates who demonstrate a commitment to effective, responsible governance at this “critical” juncture for the city.
Endorsement Process
Last week the coalition interviewed each of the nine candidates running for the three open council seats. Interviews were conducted by three separate panels—one focusing on policy, another on leadership, and a third on integrity and commitment. While the specific questions were not disclosed, panelists said they evaluated candidates on qualifications, leadership experience, understanding of local governance, approach to complex community issues, and dedication to good‑governance principles.
After scoring the interviews, the panel reached a unanimous consensus to endorse two candidates: planning commissioner Russ Wenham and local business owner Christina Prosperi. No consensus emerged for a third candidate, so the group limited its endorsement to those two.
Why Wenham and Prosperi?
According to Niemer, the endorsed candidates “have been engaged with the city, question candidates in depth, and demonstrate the experience and integrity needed to guide Redding forward.” She added that the coalition’s influence “is only as good as our recommendation,” emphasizing that while no candidate is perfect, the three council seats will be filled by individuals who have earned the group’s confidence.
Other Candidates
Two hopefuls—Elise Sloan and Rebecca Anne Miller—did not provide contact information to the city clerk’s office and could not be reached for interviews. Their absence from the endorsement process was noted, but no further comment was offered.
Next Steps
Good Governance Redding does not plan to make political contributions. Instead, the coalition has launched social‑media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and Nextdoor to share information about the endorsed candidates and encourage voter participation in the upcoming fall election, when a majority of council seats will be on the ballot.
Residents are encouraged to review the candidates’ platforms, attend upcoming candidate forums, and consider the endorsements when casting their votes. As Niemer put it, “We’re your friends and neighbors. We did the homework. This is who we’re endorsing, if you’re interested.”
Original reporting: Shasta Scout (Redding) — read the source article.
