LOCAL ELECTIONS Granite Shoals says ‘no’ to deer feeding ban, ‘yes’ to road bond; and more
DANIEL CLIFTON • EDITOR
BURNET — After forcing the issue on the Nov. 8 ballot, opponents to the Granite Shoals ban on feeding deer got their way. That city’s voters also passed a $3 million bond for several road improvements.
As the numbers started coming in Nov. 8, Highland Lakes residents made their voices clear both in national, state, and local races.
In Horseshoe Bay, voters picked Craig Haydon, Jerry Gray, and Kent Graham for the city council. Haydon earned 986 votes with Gray following at 956 and Graham at 877. They beat out Frank Gracely Jr. and Dennis Hoover for the three spots at the table.
Back in Granite Shoals, residents were asked to vote “yes” or “no” to a ban on feeding deer. In August, the city council enacted such a ban, which also imposed a fine for those who violated it after a warning. Opponents managed to put the issue on the November ballot through a petition.
After the ballots were counted, those against the ban took the night with a seven-vote difference: 583 to 576.
But Granite Shoals residents overwhelmingly supported the issuance of $3 million bonds for improvements to Phillips Ranch Road, Prairie Creek Road, and Valley View Lane. The vote was 783 to 387 in favor of the road bonds.
In Marble Falls, residents had nine proposition on the ballot. Propositions 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8 passed while numbers 4 and 5 failed. Proposition 4 was to amend the city charter “to allow facsimile signatures on the value of checks to be increased from $5,000 to $15,000.”
Proposition 5 would have amended the city charter to reduce the number of times the city manager had to present financial reports to the city council from every month to a bi-annual basis.
Both Llano and Burnet counties stayed strong in their Republican roots. In Burnet County, voters overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump for president with 10,511 votes compared to 2,318 for Hillary Clinton. In Llano County, Trump got 8,283 votes to Clinton’s 1,825 votes.
Neither Burnet County nor Llano County had contested races as only Republicans were on the ballots.
In Burnet County, those races included: Eddie Arrendondo for county attorney; Calvin Boyd for sheriff; Sheri Frazier for tax assessor-collector; Jim Luther for Precinct 1 county commissioner; Billy Wall for Precinct 3 county commissioner; Roxanne Nelson for Precinct 1 justice of the peace; Debbie Bindseil for Precinct 4 justice of the peace; Leslie Ray for Precinct 1 constable; Garry Adams for Precinct 2 constable; Jimmy Ballard for Precinct 3 constable; and Chris Jett for Precinct 4 constable.
In Llano County, the races included: Rebecca Lange for county attorney; Bill Blackburn for sheriff; Kris Fogelberg for tax assessor-collector; John Ables for county surveyor; Peter Jones for Precinct 1 county commissioner; Mike Sandoval for Precinct 3 county commissioner; Gary Olfers for Precinct 1 constable; Richard Harris for Precinct 2 constable; William “Bill” Edwards for Precinct 3 constable; and Joe B. Simpson Jr. for Precinct 4 constable.
Allan Garrett won re-election for 33rd Judicial District judge, and Wiley “Sonny” McAfee won re-election for the 33rd/424th District attorney. Neither man drew an opponent.
daniel@thepicayune.com