lDistrict 1: George O. Stewart, Mark T. Sumsion, Charles "Pat" Cochran, Howard Stone

lDistrict 2: Paul R. Warner (i), David Acheson, David Armond, Ray Christensen, Cindy J. Clark, Kirt Oler, Mark A. Peterson

lDistrict 5: Cindy Richards (i), Adam Clark

Follow all The Tribune's local election coverage by visiting http://www.sltrib.com

PROVO - It's not often a former mayor decides to pull his political shoes out of the closet, shine them, and then make a run for a city council.

George O. Stewart is doing just that, eight years after his one term as Provo's mayor earned him the nickname "King George."

"The former mayor running for the council - that's unique," said Councilman Paul Warner. "I don't know if that's ever happened before."

"It does change the complexion of this race," said District 2 candidate David Acheson. "I think it makes it an interesting race . . .. It provides spice."

Stewart headlines a list of more than a dozen candidates running this fall for the three open council seats. Running as incumbents are Cindy Richards in District 5 and Warner in District 2.

With Dave Knecht choosing not to run again, Stewart understands he'll be the one defending his record while facing Charles "Pat" Cochran, Howard Stone and Mark T. Sumsion for the citywide seat.

Stewart doesn't shy away from the task. In fact, the former mayor is quick to point out that while there were many who disagreed with him during his administration, few found him disagreeable - a philosophy he wants to see reinforced on the council.

"That's the problem on the council right now: There is a 4-3 split, and it's become personal," he said. "I don't think that is healthy. It's OK to disagree, but it's not OK to be disagreeable. I want to help that."

Sumsion, a registered investment adviser and lifelong Provo resident, said he, too, would like to see something done about the "dissonance and disharmony" on the council.

But he feels he should be the one to do the job. In fact, his campaign slogan, "A new voice on the Provo City Council - Yours," was fashioned with his recognition that Stewart has a well-known name.

"Provo has been under the Stewart-[Lewis] Billings aura for 12 years," Sumsion said. "I think additional perspectives and points of view are valuable."

If Stewart is elected and Mayor Lewis Billings is re-elected, the "aura" would continue in an interesting role-reversal. Billings was Stewart's chief administrative officer during Stewart's mayoral term.

Cochran, another citywide council hopeful, believes there should be some City Council diversity in this predominantly Mormon community.

"I'm not LDS. Everybody else is," said Cochran, a database administrator for NuSkin. "That formulates into an attitude, and sometimes there isn't enough separation between church and state."

Cochran would like to see better use of federal funds and city-taxpayer dollars, Stewart has zeroed in on improving public safety, quality of life and home ownership, while Sumsion is focused on increasing access to city information, protecting property rights and fostering business development.

Stone, the other citywide hopeful, said he doesn't have any particular issues he's focused on - other than devotion to service.

Platforms in the other Provo council races run the gamut, but mending the apparent divide on the council seems to be a recurring theme among those candidates, too.

Adam Clark, who is challenging Cindy Richards for the council District 5 seat, said the divide doesn't stop with members of the council.

"I see it everywhere in the city," Clark said. "I'm so surprised at how negative and divisive people are. That divisiveness isn't healthy for the city. It's not going to solve our problems."

Current council members acknowledge there have been differences of opinion among Provo's elected officials, but they say the debates have been productive.

Cindy Clark disagrees.

As one of six candidates vying for Warner's District 2 seat, Clark is concerned most about enhancing and protecting the family feel of neighborhoods, but she says she also has noticed something lacking on the council.

"We ought to have more of a camaraderie relationship," Clark said. Depending on who makes it past the Oct. 4 primaries and through the Nov. 8 general election, that could change in Provo.

Because, as Warner said, "One new person could change the council."

thollingshead@sltrib.com