John Abel, a longtime Boulder Creek resident and former Boulder Creek Recreation and Park District board chairman has entered the race for Fifth District Santa Cruz County Supervisor.
Abel, a building analyst and licensed general contractor, enters the race on a platform to improve the overall living environment in the county. He wants to improve safety, roadways, parks, sidewalks, lighting, recreation facilities, parking and more in an effort to promote Santa Cruz County as a positive place to live and visit.
Abel, 56, has lived in Boulder Creek for 19 years with his wife Katy. They have raised three children.
Why has Abel entered the race?
“To create healthy, safe, prosperous, vibrant community,” he said. “I want to drive common consensus for what people want.”
Abel said a safe and clean environment – something that he said is missing in parts of downtown Santa Cruz down to the beach flats area near the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, as well as parts of the San Lorenzo Valley – would be an area he wants to work on.
“You’ve got to create the environment that people want to come through,” Abel said.
Abel said he would use the position of supervisor to meet with business associations and business owners to help get grants, organize architects and create visions for communities to improve.
A people person, Abel said he would not sit behind a desk and make decisions. Rather he wants to meet with stakeholders to develop ideas and drive consensus.
‘You’ve got to communicate your ideas, and bring people to the table,” Abel said. “And then follow through so they know the progress and if there’s a delay, they know the reason.”
Abel also said he is interested in the University of California, Santa Cruz expansion issue, the homeless problem in Santa Cruz County, and desalinization.
Abel characterizes himself as a moderate and centrist. He said he did not enjoy the last several years of his four years on the Boulder Creek Recreation board because of excessive conflict between board members in the early 2000s. He served on the board from 1999 through 2002.
Abel has also coached little league, served on a parent teacher association group at the former Redwood Elementary School, served on the board for Youth First, a teen advocacy center in Felton and as a road association president. He also serves lunches at St. Michael’s Church in Boulder Creek.
Abel acknowledged that he is running against Eric Hammer, another Boulder Creek resident who currently serves on the Boulder Creek Recreation board. Asked if he would step back from running if Hammer asked, he said no, he would not.
“If I thought there was somebody out there, I would not be running,” he said.
Abel said he would have supported Dene Bustichi’s candidacy before he was excluded from the fifth district and was disappointed that Jim Reed chose not to run.
“If Jim had run, I probably wouldn’t be running,” Abel said.
Abel said that he has never met Bustichi and has not spoken with Hammer about the supervisorial seat, but was complimentary of the other candidate.
“He worked with real interest and dedication to make things happen,” Abel said of Hammer.
Bill Smallman of Lompico has declared that he will enter the race, but as of Tuesday, had not filed statement of intent papers that would allow him to raise money for the campaign.
Abel said that he will not use the supervisor position to achieve higher political office. Rather, he hopes to serve the community by helping the community become a more inviting place.
“I want people of all walks of life to feel comfortable here,” Abel said.
