Archive for December 16th, 2009

County commissioner appointments due Dec. 28

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Bastrop, Tx–Bastrop County commissioners plan to meet Dec. 28 to take care of some year-end business, including appointing directors of two voter-approved emergency service districts which collect property taxes to pay for fire protection in some rural parts of the county.

Seats to be filled by commissioners include positions on the Bastrop County Emergency Service District No. 1 board which covers the Red Rock, Rockne, Cedar Creek and Bluebonnet Acres areas south and west of Bastrop. Board members Shawn Barnes and David Gahagan have asked to be reappointed.

Others seeking a seat on the ESD No. 1 board include former Pct. 3 Commissioner Don Loucks, caterer Leroy Gilbert and accountant Mark Clingan. The term of current board member Terry Wright also ends this year.

Two seats are opening on the ESD No. 2 board which serves rural areas immediately surrounding Bastrop. Kay Linenburger has asked for reappointment, but Len Snyder wants to be replaced.

At a meeting Dec. 14 county commissioners reappointed Doug Prinz and Carl Steinbach to the board of the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District which covers Bastrop and Lee County. Also named to the 10-member board was former Smithville school trustee Mike Morgan, who replaced former Aqua Water Supply Corp. official Michael Neese.

Bastrop County commissioners appoint five members to staggered terms on the groundwater board. Lee County commissioners appoint the other five members.

Incumbent Democrats seeking re-election, few challengers in view for any county position so far

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Bastrop, Tx–Bastrop County Democrats who hold elective offices are lining up to seek another term in next year’s elections, and few challengers are on the horizon so far–either Democrats or Republicans.

Bastrop County Judge Ronnie McDonald, County Court at Law Judge Benton Eskew, County Clerk Rose Pietsch, Treasurer Kathy Schroeder and District Court Clerk Cathy Smith–all Democrats–have filed papers to place their names on ballots in the March party primaries. Others seeking Democratic Party endorsement in 2010 include incumbents Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Raymah Davis, Pct. 3 Justice of the peace Kathy Hanna and Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace Larry Dunne. None have opponents from any party so far.

Donald “Dickie” Henderson has filed as a Democrat to seek the Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace position. Incumbent Pct. 1 JP Bill Weddle said today he probably won’t file until Jan. 4, the last day to get his name on the party primary ballot.

Donna Van Gilder is also seeking the JP 1 post on the GOP ticket, and she remains the only official Republican candidate in Bastrop County so far. GOP incumbents Pct. 2 County Commissioner Clara Beckett and District Attorney Bryan Goertz are expected to run again, but neither have filed with party officials, said Republican Party Chair Albert Ellison.

In an interview today Ellison said he expects more Republican challengers to step forward before the filing deadline.

No one to date has filed for the Pct. 4 County Commissioner seat currently held by veteran Democrat Lee Dildy who is widely expected to run again. Michael Flowers has indicated he may challenge Dildy in the Democratic Primary next March.