Deadline nears for council elections

By LPR Staff
Editor/POST REGISTER

With less than a week left to file for a spot in the upcoming Lockhart City Council election, interest in holding office seems lacking.
According to City Secretary and election coordinator Connie Ortiz, only two individuals, both incumbents, have filed applications to run for office in May.
Incumbent Councilmember

At Large Paul Gomez was the first candidate to announce his intentions, filing his paperwork on Feb. 12, the day filing opened. His counterpart, incumbent Councilmember At Large Dick Wieland has also picked up an application packet, but at press time had yet to return his application information.
Four other citizens, Frank Coggins, Benny Hilburn, Mark Brown and James Bliss have also picked up packets for the At Large election, but none has officially filed.
In the event more than two candidates file for the at large seats on the city council, the seats will go to the two highest vote-getters, meaning that candidates will not be forced to run against one another, per se.
In the two single-member district races, District One and District Two, only the incumbent councilmembers, Kenny Roland and Frank Estrada respectively, have picked up packets for election. Only Estrada, however, has returned his application information.
Of the currently sitting city council, only Gomez, Wieland and Mayor James “Jimmy” Bertram were elected in contested races. The others earned their most recent turns at the council table through unopposed election.
Information packets are still available at Lockhart City Hall. The deadline for filing interest in the upcoming May 12 election is March 12.
For more information, contact Ortiz at City Hall, 398-3461.