No council race: What a disappointment
Mary Henkel Judson

Profound disappointment is my reaction to lack of a single contested race for any position on the Port Aransas city council.

The race between Place 1 incumbent Beverly Charles and Keith Donley, who filed for the position, was the only contested race on the ballot until Charles withdrew last week.

Voters in the city election are now left without choices and without the opportunity to have the issues discussed in a public forum.

Initially, it was disappointing that only one race formed for city council. That there is now no race is profoundly disappointing.

Port Aransas is on the brink of significant growth as developments under construction and on the drawing board begin to take shape and become populated. Serious issues are attached to that growth. They deserve and need to be discussed by, and in front of, the community at large.

Candidates' Night has provided that forum for candidates in contested races. It is an opportunity to compare and contrast the individuals offering their services.

Without a contested race there is no forum to air divergent views.

Last week, I asked readers to send me their concerns to help me develop questions for Candidates' Night. This week I'm asking readers to do that anyway, and I'll share them so that the council members-by-default and the incumbents will know what is important to their constituents. (By the way, I haven't had any response to that, so people, kick it up a notch! E-mail me at southjetty@centurytel.net or mail me at P.O. Box 1117, Port Aransas, TX 78373.)

Voters, take note: We still will have a city election. Charles withdrew one day too late to have her name removed from the ballot. Had she withdrawn a day earlier, not only would her name have been removed from the ballot, we would not have had a city council election because there would not have been a single contested race.

But there remain 27 proposed changes to the city charter - the basic document that governs Port Aransas - on the ballot for voters to decide.

And another note: We still have a race - for school board. So there will be a Candidates' Night. It will just be the shortest one on record.

I'm open to questions for the school board candidates, too, so bring 'em on.

It's not too late to start thinking about next year. Volunteering to run for public office is a big decision. It takes time away from family, business and pleasure. Many of the people who have served and are serving have been doing so for years.

It's time for the "next generation" to begin stepping up to the plate. Cities and schools can't rely on retirees who have the time to devote to public service.

A mix of interests and ages that represents the community and school at large is needed to provide broad representation.