Petaluma's City Council election is coming into clearer focus.
Longtime Petaluma lawyer Dave King said Tuesday he is seeking a council spot, the third candidate to officially announce a campaign for three seats that will appear on the November ballot.
Newcomer Ken Quinto has also announced a run, along with former Councilwoman Pam Torliatt and incumbent Chris Albertson, who is seeking a second term.
Councilman Mike Harris is challenging Mayor David Glass for the separately elected mayoral position.
Teresa Barrett, whose term expires at the end of the year, has not announced whether she will seek re-election.
King, 57, describes himself as a moderate who will run an independent campaign.
A lawyer for more than a quarter-century, King has run his downtown Petaluma law practice for 22 years. He has represented more than 1,000 clients in state and federal courts, in all areas of employment law including wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, wage and hour law, trade secrets litigation, contract disputes, contract drafting and general commercial and business litigation.
He also serves as a mediator in civil litigation matters.
He said he is neither a progressive nor a conservative.
"I'm a civil rights lawyer who has also been the president of the chamber of commerce," he said. "I think there's a balance.
"My campaign isn't defined by being in either camp," he said. "I have the ability to listen to — and, more importantly, the willingness to actually hear from — the public to make those decisions."
He said he wants to concentrate on attracting and retaining businesses to encourage job growth; working with state and federal transportation authorities to finish Highway 101 construction and the Rainier Avenue cross-town connector; and improving city streets and parks.
"There are parts of the city where the roads are embarrassing," he said.
King, who ran for county supervisor in the 1998 primary, said the timing was right personally and professionally for him to seek a council seat. He has coached his two daughters' sports teams for years and was the city's first chairman of the youth commission.
He has served on the Sonoma County Bar Association board of directors and judicial evaluation committee. He was President of the Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce from 2005 to 2006 and was on its board of directors from 2000 to 2007.
A 23-year resident of west Petaluma, King is married and has two daughters. The youngest is a junior at Petaluma High School. He is not related to John King, who is running for county supervisor.
You can reach Staff Writer Lori A. Carter at 762-7297 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com.
UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy: