Meet the Candidates for Lemon Grove City Council

Six candidates will vie for two seats in the Lemon Grove City Council race. One is seeking re-election, while the others are a mix of those who are making a first run for public office or trying their chances again.

The seats up for election on the November ballot are currently held by incumbent George Gastil, who has served one term on the council, and Mary England, who is seeking a higher office in the race for the 79th Assembly District seat.

Here’s a quick look at the candidates:

• Gastil is a community college teacher and served on the governing board of the Lemon Grove School District.

• Racquel Vasquez is a planning commissioner in Lemon Grove and public information officer for the City of San Diego’s public works department.

• Mark Gracyk is an account manager and serves as chairman of the Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee for Proposition W.

• Matt Mendoza is a Boeing Satellite Systems operations manager who in a field of six contenders came in third behind England and Shirley Weber for a place on the November ballot in the 79th Assembly District race.

• Lou Melendez is a Caltrans engineer who took fourth place with 15.65 percent of the vote in the 2010 city council race in which Howard Cook was elected and Jerry Jones was re-elected.

• Michael Richards is a purchasing manager for Western Radio Electronics and Air Force veteran who sought a seat on the council in 2008.

You can read more about each candidate here: