Two vie for seat on Edwards Aquifer Authority Board

By LPR Staff
Editor/POST-REGISTER

A race on this year’s ballot that has gone relatively unnoticed could have big consequences for Caldwell County, in terms of future development and the availability of water in the region.

Eight of the 15 positions on the Edwards Aquifer Authority Board of Trustees came up for election this year. One of those, the District 11 seat, i

s responsible for representing the interests of portions of Hays and Caldwell County. Two candidates, Mark B. Taylor and Peggy Jones, are in competition for that seat.

Taylor, formerly the City Attorney for the City of San Marcos, currently holds the seat, and is the Treasurer for the currently-seated EEA Board of Directors. Taylor was appointed to the position to fill an unexpired term in 2007, and was elected to his current term in 2008.

He currently serves on the Aquifer Management Planning and Finance/Administrative committees. As treasurer, he also serves on the Executive Committee of the board.

Taylor is a practicing attorney and previously served as city attorney for the cities of San Marcos and Victoria. He is a former member of the South Central Texas Water Advisory Committee (SCTWAC), representing Hays County. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Mississippi State University and a law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law.

Jones, a businesswoman and seasoned politician, owns and operates Plum Creek RV Campground in Kyle and is a former manager and licensed operator of three water utility companies. She made an unsuccessful bid for her party’s nomination for Hays County Judge earlier this year.

According to her website, Jones was the Manager/Licensed Operator of three Water Utility companies responsible for providing water to hundreds of families every day for 11 years.

She is a graduate of Texas State University in San Marcos with a Master of Applied Geography majoring in Land/Area Development and Management. She graduated Summa Cum Laude (3.92 GPA) from Texas State University with a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences – special emphasis in Real Estate Development.

The Edwards Aquifer Authority, created by landmark legislation passed in 1993, is a special groundwater district charged with managing and regulating the San Antonio region of the Edwards Aquifer, which covers an 8,800-square-mile portion of eight counties in Central Texas.

One of the key tasks of the Board of Directors is to update and maintain the Aquifer Authority’s Strategic Plan, the blueprint for meeting the organization’s legislative goals for protection and “smart development” of the San Antonio region of the Edwards Aquifer. More information about the EAA can be found at www.edwards-aquifer.org.