Lockhart City Council declines to put monument on its next agenda

By Wesley Gardner
LPR Editor

The Lockhart City Council on Tuesday declined to take action regarding potentially placing an item on their next meeting’s agenda that would have discussed the possibility of moving the Confederate monument on the Caldwell County Courthouse lawn to the Lockhart City Cemetery.
Last week, Caldwell County Commissioners voted to create a committee that would be tasked with solution concerning the monument. That committee will be officially formed next week at the commissioner’s next meeting.
Lockhart resident and business owner Cody Kimbell spoke to councilmembers during the public comment session of the meeting, proposing the statue be moved to the cemetery as a means of honoring Confederate soldiers buried there.
Lockhart Mayor Lew White noted that while there are Confederate soldiers buried at the cemetery, they weren’t all buried near each other.
Mayor Pro Tem Angie Gonzalez-Sanchez suggested that councilmembers should wait until the county received further guidance from the committee before discussing the monument.
Councilmembers ultimately agreed to wait for the county’s response before taking any action.
In other business, councilmembers voted to approve an ordinance setting the stage for Nov. 3 General Election, which will include three spots on the city council.
To date, four residents have requested applications to challenge Mayor Lew White, including former city councilmember John Castillo, Chris Nayla, Juan Alvarez Jr., and Andrew Cardenas.
District 3 Councilmember Kara McGregor and District 4 Councilmember Jeffry Michelson have also requested applications to be placed on the November ballot, though they have no potential challengers at this time.
Candidates can file to request an application until Aug. 19.
Early voting for the election will run from Oct. 19-30 at the Caldwell County Election Administrator’s Office on Blackjack St. Early elections for the July 14 runoff election were extended by two weeks in the wake of continued COVID-19 outbreak, though it remains unclear if similar measures will be taken if dangerous conditions persist.
Officials noted the county has not yet revealed polling locations, noting they would be made available as the election neared.
Councilmembers also unanimously approved the selection of Fuquay, Inc. to complete the city’s roughly $383,000 street improvement project.
Through the project, improvements will be made to Blanco St., Prairie Lea St., Main St., Commerce St. and Bee St.