Deadline approaches for May election filing

By LPR Staff
Editor/POST-REGISTER

A call for action is echoing across Caldwell County.
As communities stand on the edge of the unknown and progress as a result of State Highway 130 hangs in the balance, towns and taxing entities are seeking leadership to bring new prosperity to the area.
The City of Lockhart, the City of Uhland and the Lockhart Ind

ependent School District are all preparing for elections and possible shifts in leadership this spring.
Three seats on the Lockhart City Council, the mayor”s seat and the single-member seats for District 3 and District 4 will be decided on May 10, 2008, as will two seats on the Uhland Council of Aldermen and the Uhland mayor”s seat. The Lockhart Independent School District has four single-member seats up for election.
Residents interested in running for any of the available offices will have the opportunity to file applications until March 10, 2008. Application packets can be picked up at the election coordinator”s office in the following three locations:
City of Lockhart – City Secretary Connie Ortiz: Lockhart City Hall, 308 W. San Antonio, Lockhart;
City of Uhland – City Administrator Diana Woods: 15 N. Old Spanish Trail, Uhland; and
Lockhart ISD – Election Coordinator Janie Wright: LISD Central Office, 105 S. Colorado, Lockhart.
Specific information as to candidate and campaign requirements are available from the respective organizations” election coordinators.
At press time, enough candidates had not filed applications for places on the ballot to fill the seats available.
Uhland incumbents Gordon Sassman and Glenn Smith, as well as Mayor Daniel Heideman, have picked up election packets, but have not yet filed for election. Only one candidate, Robert Wilson, has filed for election as an Alderman.
In Lockhart, incumbent Mayor James “Jimmy” Bertram and District 3 incumbent Lew White have both filed for reelection. Richard Banks has filed for the District 4 seat, which is currently occupied by Michael Sanders. Sanders has suggested he may not seek reelection.
Another candidate has picked up a packet for District 4, but has not yet filed.
Two candidates, Fred Wiegand and Deward Cummings have filed applications to run for Mayor.
The Lockhart Independent School District election may be the most closely watched and sparsely populated election this year.
Voters have the opportunity to turn over four of the seven members of the LISD Board, which has been plagued of late with staffing turnovers, contentious decisions and plummeting community support.
Only two candidates, incumbent Timoteo “Tim” Juarez and newcomer Lawrence A. McKee, Jr., have filed applications to run for office, Juarez in Place 1 and McKee in Place 4.
Place 2 representative Gary Allen tendered his resignation from the board last week, and no other candidate has yet expressed an interest in replacing him. Place 4 incumbent Carl Ohlendorf has not yet picked up a packet, but three other candidates in his precinct have. Place 3 incumbent Clint Mohle picked up a packet, but has not yet filed, and no other Place 3 candidates have picked up packets.
Filing for election in the May 10, 2008 election continues until March 10, 2008. Watch future issues of the Lockhart Post-Register for election updates.