Filing period begins for city elections





 

 

It’s officially election season in Port Aransas.

The filing period for the spring city elections began on Wednesday, Jan. 20. (This edition of the South Jetty went to press too soon to report on any filings that may have occurred this week, but several people have told the newspaper that they planned to file. See below.)

The filing period runs through Friday, Feb. 19. Election Day is Saturday, May 7. Early voting will be conducted from April 25 to May 3.

City elections were cancelled last year after no contested races developed.

Statements

The South Jetty invites candidates to submit statements regarding their candidacy, reasons for running and qualifications for the offices they seek. Statements should be about 600 words, typewritten and emailed to editor@portasouthjetty.com, with “candidate statement” written in the subject line.

Statements will be accepted for publication at no charge through noon on Monday, Feb. 22.

Candidates may submit photos of themselves to be published with their statements, or they may arrange to have a South Jetty photographer shoot the photo.

Candidates’ Night

The South Jetty will host a Candidates’ Night at council chambers in city hall, 710 W. Ave. A, at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20. It will be a voter education forum for candidates in contested races.

Candidates must confirm their participation in Candidates’ Night at the time they file or no later than noon on Monday, Feb. 22. They may confirm by calling the South Jetty office at (361) 749-5131 or emailing editor@portasouthjetty.com and writing “Candidates’ Night” in the subject line.

Candidates in contested races who do not confirm participation in Candidates’ Night will not be included in the forum.

Mayor, city council

Mayor Keith McMullin cannot run for re-election because term limits prevent it. He will finish his third term in May.

Also unable to run due to term limits is Place 6 Councilman Steve Lanoux, who will finish his third term in May.

Place 2 on the council will be up for grabs. It currently is held by Beverly Bolner, who is serving her first term on the council. Bolner said she plans to run for re-election.

Place 4 Councilman Charles Bujan’s term also expires in May. Bujan announced through social media last week that he will run for mayor.

If Bujan indeed files for mayor, he won’t hold Place 4 for another term even if he isn’t elected mayor. The city charter won’t allow anyone to run for a council seat and mayor at the same time.

Bujan served three consecutive terms in Place 3, with his last term ending in May 2013. He couldn’t run again for that spot in 2013 due to term limits. However, under rules of the city charter, he could run for a council seat the following year because it wouldn’t be consecutive to the previous three terms he served.

Bujan won the Place 4 seat after running unopposed in 2014.

Filing to run for council or mayor may be done at City Hall, 710 W. Ave. A.

School board

Port Aransas Independent School District Board of Trustee terms expiring in May are held by:

• Michele Lorette, in Place 4;

• Kelly Owens, in Place 5;

• Rick Adams, in Place 6;

• and Alfredo Gonzalez, who was appointed in August by trustees to serve out the unexpired term of Jay Jones, in Place 3. Jones resigned, saying he needed to devote more time to his business.

Lorette, Adams and Gonzalez said they will run. Owens said he hasn’t decided yet.

Folks can file by visiting the district offices at 100 S. Station St.

Water department

Nueces County Water Control and Improvement District No. 4 Board of Director seats coming up for election currently are held by Suzette Freeman, Ed Reed and President Russ Miget. They serve at-large.

Freeman and Miget said they plan to run for re-election. Efforts to reach Reed were unsuccessful.

The water district office at 315 S. Ninth St. has forms people can fill out to run for the board.


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