Results of the May 10 Joint Election

Results of the May 10 Joint Election

Written by Beth Wade Friday, 13 June 2008

Georgetown

• Mayor
  • George Garver 61.49%
  • Doug Smith 38.51%
• District 2
  • Gabe Sansing 100%
• District 6
  • Dale Ross 53.15%
  • Randall Craig 46.85%
• Georgetown ISD Board of Trustees
  • Place 4
    • Mark Bobinger 53.05%
    • Bert Holmstrom 46.95%
  • Place 5
    • Mike Hewlett 100%
• UPDATE: Councilwoman Pat Berryman is the new mayor pro tem.

Hutto

• Mayor
  • Kenneth L. Love 52.02%
  • Steven (Bear) Salfelder 47.98%
• Place 2
  • Debbie Holland 100%
• Place 3
  • Ronnie Quintanilla-Perez 50.64%
  • Charles Fain 11.19%
  • Daniel McDowell 38.17%
• Place 6
  • Felix P. Madrid 56.74%
  • Kyle Sears 43.26%
• Hutto ISD Board of Trustees
  • Shelli Aday 40.82%
  • Mike Pickard 32.38%
  • Phillip Boutwell 26.79%
• Proposition 1: $128.5 million to build new schools
  • For 50.31%
  • Against 49.69%
• Proposition 2: $9.94 million to build a natatorium
  • Against 55.53%
  • For 44.47%
• UPDATE: Councilwoman Debbie Holland was re-elected mayor pro tem.

Taylor

• Taylor elections were cancelled because only incumbents filed for re-election.
• Taylor City Council members elected a new mayor and mayor pro tem at the regularly scheduled May 27 city council meeting. Rod Hortenstine, who was recently re-elected to his seat as councilman at large, will serve as mayor. Councilwoman Ella Jez will serve as mayor pro tem.
• Council members elect new leadership each year. There are no term limits for mayor, mayor pro tem or city council seats. Hortenstine and Jez replace Benito Gonzales and Donald Hill, who remain on the council.
• Look for a Q&A with mayor Rod Hortenstine in next month’s issue of Community Impact Newspaper

George Garver, newly elected mayor of Georgetown

Garver was sworn in May 20 and replaces former mayor Gary Nelon.

Q. How did you first get into politics?

A. This is my first race and the only time in my lifetime to seek an elected office. I got into it because friends and neighbors encouraged me to participate in this part of the governance process.

Q. What prompted you to run for mayor?

A. My belief is that in a democracy, we all have a responsibility to help make that system work effectively. One of the things about this race that made me uncomfortable was when people would say, “What are you going to do [as mayor]?” I might have some ideas about how the council and the mayor’s office can work together effectively, but unless it is a team approach, it really doesn’t reflect the best interest of the organization — in this case, the city or the people we serve.

Q. What is your favorite thing about Georgetown?

A. That is relatively easy: the wonderful people [who live here]. The depth of talent, the depth of caring of the people who give of their time, their energy, their resources and leadership to help make this city function effectively — I am just amazed. I got to meet people in this race that I never dreamed I would meet. To interact with them and to hear their stories, ideas and dreams about past, present and future of our city … They are just fabulous folks.

Q. What would you change about Georgetown?

A. To say I want to change this, this and this implies people who came before us have not done a good job and nothing could be further from the truth. In any organization there is always room for additional improvement: the way we do business with the people we serve, the way the structure is organized. These are all processes that any good organization continually looks at to make sure they haven’t become stagnant. We are elected and appointed to serve, and it is our responsibility to make that a dynamic relationship within our city.

Q. What are the biggest issues in Georgetown?

A. By far the biggest issue is growth. How are we going to cope with it? How are we going to find the resources to make all of the improvements necessary to allow this growth to take place or create the infrastructure — roads, water, sewer, schools, libraries, all of those things necessary — to attract quality development? The community tax base has to become a very diverse tax base. We currently have 70 percent of property taxes paid by households and 30 percent paid by business and industry. What I would hope is that over time that percentage would change to a 50/50 percent.

Q. What is something you think many people don’t know about Georgetown?

A. We have been acclaimed the best city in the nation in which to retire, and that means a lot of people have been studying us and view us in a very positive light. We have also been acclaimed as the second best environment for new business startups. That, too, is a very positive component in the equation and indicates that some folks have been doing things very well. The bottom line — someone said this a long time ago — is that we are a secret that is no longer a secret. We have been discovered. The thing we hope we can communicate to major investors who can contribute substantially to our city is that the city is open for business and is going to do everything it can to facilitate good, quality growth.

Q. Where would we find you on the weekends?

A. My wife and I just love to get out and explore the countryside. We get into our car to tour and look at the old architecture.

• Background: Georgetown interim superintendent of schools, dean of the college of education at Arizona State University West Campus, superintendent in Michigan school districts
• Education: Bachelor’s, University of Northern Iowa; Master’s, University of Michigan; educational doctorate, Michigan State University
• Grew up in: Salina, Kansas
• In Georgetown since: 1997

Contact: 930-3652, mayor@georgetowntx.org