John Stafsholt, a Park City Council candidate unhappy with the Sweeney family’s Treasure development proposal, received three campaign donations from people tied to the Treasure opposition movement, a financial statement filed at City Hall indicates.

The three are associated with a group known as the Treasure Hill Impact Neighborhood Coalition, Stafsholt says on the statement. The group, which often goes by its acronym, THINC, formed as City Hall and the Sweeneys were locked in long-running talks about Treasure, but it has been difficult to gauge its influence.

According to Stafsholt’s financial statement, the leader of the group, Brian Van Hecke, gave the candidate $75. Meanwhile, a man named Stuart Shaffer gave Stafsholt $250 and a woman named Laura Suesser gave $100. The first donation, from Shaffer, was logged on Aug. 5 and the two others came in during October.

“I’m flattered. As a person, I’m honored they support me . . . It shows trust,” Stafsholt said.

The neighborhood coalition has endorsed Stafsholt. In a letter published in the Oct. 31 edition of The Park Record, Van Hecke writes that he has been “extremely impressed” with Stafsholt’s interest in Old Town. The letter says the City Council will likely be the panel that casts the decisive Treasure vote, “and we need John Stafsholt to represent our voice.”

Stafsholt said his stand against Treasure has been more pronounced than his three City Council opponents.

“None of them had a position on Treasure,” he said.

Treasure has been an overriding issue in Campaign 2009. Each of the candidates has said they have concerns about the development proposal, and the neighborhood coalition held a well-attended campaign forum with the candidates.

For Stafsholt, the money from members of the neighborhood coalition represents one out of every five dollars he raised.

He took in $2,135 in donations and spent $3,759.72, mostly on typical campaign expenditures like printing costs, leaving him with a deficit of $1,624.72 as the balloting approaches. Another disclosure form is required after Election Day.

The City Hall candidates filed financial statements early in the week, and the disclosures are the first for the four people competing for two spots on the City Council. Mayor Dana Williams and his opponent, Brad Olch, submitted financial statements in anticipation of the September primary.

Highlights of the other City Council candidates’ financial statements include:

City Council candidate Mark Blue raised $600, half coming from a Midway man named Charlie Colin. Blue spent $600, mostly on signs.

City Council candidate Alex Butwinski raised $2,092, with a $500 loan from himself being the largest contribution. He spent $1,942, with much of the money going toward signs.

City Council candidate Cindy Matsumoto raised approximately $3,004, with loans from her personal finances accounting for nearly half of her donations. A California not-for-profit group known as the Spirit of Liberty Foundation gave $100. The foundation’s Web site indicates the group promotes “the meaning and symbolism of American liberty for all our citizens and the world.”

Highlights of the mayoral candidates’ financial statements include:

Williams raised $21,903.08 and spent $5,988.08, meaning that his campaign coffers had nearly $16,000 in them as Election Day neared. One of the mayor’s largest donations, $500, came from the Armstrong brothers, Herb and Mel, the family that recently sold City Hall open space in Thaynes Canyon.

Williams said there were no prior agreements between himself and the Armstrongs linking the donation to the $5 million open space purchase. Williams logged the donation on Oct. 18, more than two weeks after the deal with the Armstrongs closed.

The mayor said he has been longtime friends with the Armstrong family and there have been discussions at City Hall about the Thaynes Canyon land since 2003.

“At no point until a couple weeks ago did we even talk about campaign donations, and I did not approach them,” Williams said, adding that he is “delighted” the family donated to the campaign.

Olch raised $7,150 and spent $7,655, leaving him with a $505 deficit heading into the last days of the campaign. A Rossi Hill man named John Benear is Olch’s biggest contributor, giving $2,000 in early October.

Olch said he does not know Benear well and has only met him a few times. Olch said he was campaigning in the neighborhood, knocked on Benear’s door and left with the check. Olch said he was “surprised” and “thrilled” with the donation.

Olch said he had previously met Benear at the recent opening of the Park City Medical Center.

Benear is with a Salt Lake City private equity firm that concentrates on the health care industry.