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There’s been a lot of pre-election season hemming and hawing lately. It’s to be expected, since this year’s City Council filings don’t begin until July.

But let’s try to keep score here. Cyndy Hayworth, would-be challenger for Councilman Zack Matheny in District 3, backed out last week. As president of Junior Achievement, she said she would need to focus her attention on that role while the economic crisis continues to stretch nonprofits’ ability to raise money.

Meanwhile, rumors abound that school board member Deena Hayes is interested in a City Council bid.

Hayes said she had been approached by “people in the community” to run for City Council but said she is happy where she is. She added, however, that community urging is what got her to run for school board.

More on that employee survey

City employees last week gave the City Council an earful about their jobs — and the job council members are doing.

The redacted version of the 190-plus-page report was released electronically by the city Thursday.

Names of specific employees were blacked out, but it still gives you a good flavor of how the employees feel.

A couple of things the employees like: Their benefits and merit raises, although some think they could be better.

They also like an internal city e-mail called “In The Loop” and the budget sessions the top managers held this year to share information about the city’s economic difficulties.

They liked the communication.

Speaking of communication, they wanted a little bit from the City Council, too. Some asked the council to spend more time with city staff to better understand them — something some council members already do. Others felt it was an inappropriate overstepping of their duties.

The list of things staff members don’t like is long.

Here’s a sample of their unedited comments.

Keep in mind that the survey wrapped up three days after Mitchell Johnson was fired as city manager, so some of that drama is at play:

• “All I would have to say to the management team for the City of Greensboro is to keep up the good work and that I am proud to work for the City of Greensboro and to be part of a vastly growing city. Keep up the good work City Council and (blacked out.)”
• “City Council needs to stop running the police department.”
• “Start supporting your beleaguered police department instead of looking for ways to tear us down. Move forward. It’s hard for me to state what you should continue doing because I perceive that Council has you so far stretched that you have been rendered ineffective for three years now. Council needs to take a long, hard look at (its) responsibilities, stop fighting and encourage city management instead of pointing fingers at (it) all the time.”
• “The city should continue seeking input and feedback from employees so that underlying issues can be resolved.”
• “The City of Greensboro provides great services to residents. Many employees really care about the city and representing City Government well. The City Council simply has no respect for employees. These employees deserve to be shown some respect.”
• “Management should punish the individuals who have tarnished the reputation of the GPD and regain the public’s trust.”
•  Start ... “Looking for a competent and ethical city manager.”
•  Stop... “Bowing down to special interest! Withholding Information!”
• “Stop allowing developers to run to the City Manager office whining about when they have to do something and then the Manager’s officer let’s them off the hook so that the city can be more 'developer-friendly.’ Why do we have the rules, regs, etc. in place of we cannot enforce them?”

Early challenger

Scoop got a call last week from Marcus Brandon, who said he would be challenging Rep. Earl Jones for the 60th District state House seat in 2010. Now, having seen many-a-candidate declare early only to be a no-show come filing time, Scoop is skeptical of such announcements.

But Brandon has something of a political background — he was a lead fundraiser for Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s presidential bid — and has at least filed his own campaign finance papers.

Brandon, 34, a Democrat, said he was born and raised in Guilford County and is a graduate of Southern Guilford High School and N.C. A&T.

Of Rep. Jones, Brandon said, “He’s a friend of my family’s and they’ve known him for years. I just think it’s time for us to move forward.”

Is he sure he’s running?

“I’m 100 percent sure, I’m raising money right now.” Brandon said he was starting early on organizing because it would take work to unseat a four-term incumbent.

Staff writers Amanda Lehmert, Mark Binker and J. Brian Ewing contributed.