Longtime Sparks City Councilwoman, former American Airlines flight attendant and fiscal restraint advocate Charlene Bybee is getting in the ring for the 2026 Sparks mayoral contest, seeking to fix the budget, ease traffic and unlock land for housing.
"With our city facing serious financial pressures, aging infrastructure, and a growing demand for housing, we need bold, fresh leadership that’s ready to act. I believe Sparks can rise to meet these challenges with a forward-thinking mindset, smart budgeting, and innovative solutions we haven’t tried before,” she said in a statement, rebuking the efforts of current Mayor Ed Lawson, who has been in the position since 2020, first as a replacement appointment and then winning the election in 2022.
Lawson, a former football college player, Vice President of Business Development for Sierra Builders of Nevada, and manager with the Young Electric Sign Company, is seeking re-election, while the Rail City has been struggling with a budget deficit, and his efforts for a toll road into the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center failed to gain the necessary traction during the past legislative session.
"I'm aware one of the City Council members has announced that she is running for Mayor. I wish her well, but coming up with an original idea or strategy that is different from the ones I came up with will be difficult," Lawson wrote on his Facebook.
"I have recieved [sic] 4 different awards as the Public official of the year during my career. Not because I took a picture at an event but because I worked with city staff, I worked with builders, I worked with citizens to find a way to take more government out of your life. Then changed the ordinance to make it work for all of us. I have a proven record."