Craig Starkey appointed to Yuba City City Council

Craig Starkey was appointed Tuesday to the Yuba City City Council by a 4-0 vote that followed a series of deadlocks when council members ranked applicants for the position left vacant with the resignation of Leslie McBride.

Starkey, 60, a State Farm insurance agent, and retired attorney John Sanbrook were tied after ballots by the four council members.

But the motion by Councilman John Buckland to appoint Starkey won unanimous approval.

Starkey said it was interesting to observe the council decisions.

"The result turned out to be pretty nice," he added.

READ CRAIG STARKEY'S SUBMISSION TO THE COUNCIL.

Starkey said he doesn't know if he'll run when his term ends in November 2014.

"Never say never," he said.

Nine people applied for the council seat after McBride resigned in September to take a position with the state.

Council members, in ballots that were counted and displayed in the chambers, ranked the applicants in first, second and third place. After a three-way tie among Starkey, Sanbrook and Dan Flores, Councilman Tej Maan joked, "I've got quarters," in case the council wanted to flip a coin to select a new colleague.

Mayor John Miller said he supported Starkey in part because of his run for the council in 2006. Starkey, during a three-minute address, said after losing the race that, "I didn't pack my bags and go."

Stephanie Ruscigno, who was among the nine applicants, said she is pleased the council selected Starkey. "We do have a good guy," she said.

Ruscigno had told the council before the balloting began that, "I don't envy you," as members decided who to name. Applicants had met privately with council members.

Timothy Core said he spoke for two hours with Buckland at the Starbucks on Bogue Road.

The part-time position pay $6,023 a year, includes health insurance and a $4,860 annual car and technology allowance.

Starkey has been elected chairman of the city Planning Commission for the past five years. Starkey was born in Oakland and raised in Berkeley. He graduated from Chico State College with a degree in business administration. He taught skiing at Squaw Valley for a season after his college graduation and sold cars for two dealers in Chico before beginning a sales position in 1975 with Ray Morgan Co.

He started his State Farm agency in Yuba-Sutter in 1982. Starkey, in his biography, included being the first two-time president of the Marysville Rotary Club. He was recently recognized with a Four Way Test Award by the district governor for the person who best represents the four values a Rotarian lives by.