Cuclis first to declare in Supervisor race

The race for 1st District Supervisor is on as Springs resident Gina Cuclis, who served nine years on the City of Sonoma’s Planning Commission, became the first to announce candidacy for the county seat.

Incumbent Valerie Brown has been non-committal on her plans to seek reelection. She said she would reveal her decision in August.

The primary for the non-partisan post is next June. The top two finishers will then face off in the November 2012 general election.

“I am not running to run against the incumbent,” Cuclis told The Sun.  “I’m running because I feel I can do the job.”

Cuclis said she is driven by the belief that “a Supervisor ought to be approachable, accessible, and respectful of all constituents.”

“You should be able to call and get a response,” she said. “This isn’t Washington DC, or Sacramento.” Responding to constituents’ requests and concerns “will be a top priority.”

Cuclis described her style as one of “inclusive leadership. I’m a big believer in getting out into the community and bringing people together to reach solutions. It’s what I’ve been doing for the past two decades, going back to my days asking residents what they wanted for their community as President of the Verano Springs Association.”

Cuclis operates a public relations firm that serves small businesses, nonprofits and public agencies. She served on the Sonoma Valley Health Care District’s Strategic Planning Committee from 2006-2009 and she is currently on the Sonoma County Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Advisory Board.

Cuclis lives in Boyes Hot Springs with her husband, Roy Tennant. Their twin daughters, Olivia and Elena, are off to college this fall.

Always interested in public service, Cuclis said initial discussions about a run for the Supervisor seat were very encouraging. A steering committee of volunteers was formed, and she has amassed 100 endorsements.

“We’ve been building this,” she said. “It’s time to go public.”