Furniture store owner running for Coralville City Council

A Coralville businessman is running for City Council with hopes of helping the city plan for its future.

John Weber, president and partner in The Luxe Zone furniture and design store, said he wants the city to further promote and develop business districts.

Weber, 69, also said that with Coralville surrounded by other municipalities with little room to expand, the new community plan the city is developing is particularly important to economic growth. He's on a committee working on that project.

“Because they're landlocked, they need to make the best possible use of the land and the businesses,” he said.

City officials have received some criticism for their use of tax increment financing and the size of the city's debt, but Weber spoke positively of the city's actions. In a news release he said he wants “to continue the great work the current city council and mayor have put in motion.”

Weber, of 2133 Lindsay Ct., said he previously worked for Hewlett-Packard.

He is married and has two adult daughters.

Three of the Coralville City Council's five seats and the mayor's office are up for election Nov. 5. Incumbent council member Tom Gill is seeking re-election, and another current council member, John Lundell, is running for mayor.

Challengers Dave Petsel, Laurie Goodrich and Chris Turner also have declared their candidacies for City Council.

The candidate filing period runs through Sept. 19.