Richard Westerman new Marble Falls mayor
A campaign sign for mayoral candidate Richard Westerman sits in the window of Ms. Lollipop Parties, Fun and Gifts, 208 Main St. in Marble Falls. Westerman was elected mayor of Marble Falls during the May 1 city elections. Staff photo by Brigid Cooley
The results of the Marble Falls city elections are in, bringing new and old faces into the spotlight. Councilor Richard Westerman won the mayoral election, while newcomer Bryan G. Walker won the race for Place 4 on the council.
Westerman will replace Mayor John Packer, who finished his third term in the position, the most any person can serve due to a city ordinance. Westerman received 273 votes. Place 3 Councilor Rene Rosales Sr. received 28. Rosales will continue to serve the remainder of his term as council member. His current two-year term ends in 2022.
The election marks the end of Westerman’s third term as Place 5 council member after being elected in 2016. Previously, he served as council member for two terms in the ’90s before serving as mayor from 1997-1999.
Westerman is the president of JB Sales Inc., a lighting manufacturers representative agency based in Marble Falls.
He said he is looking forward to working with the council on a number of issues now facing the city.
“We have a lot to do with all of the new subdivisions, the new proposed wastewater project that has been mandated due to our increase in water use,” he told DailyTrib.com in an email. “The convention center is beginning to make progress. We have the new bridge project to raise Avenue N, allowing our citizens and the citizens of Meadowlakes to have better access to emergency services during flood events. We will be working on a new sports complex with developers south of the river and, at the same time, managing the budget with much emphasis on keeping our tax rate in line.”
In the race for Place 4 council member, Walker beat incumbent Councilor Celia Merrill and challenger Clayton Burney.
Walker received 158 votes, roughly 55 percent of the total, compared to Merrill’s 107 votes and Burney’s 23.
“It’s been an awesome process,” Walker said of his campaign. “My favorite part of all of it was meeting with people in the community to see what they want the city to start working on.”
Walker is a Marble Falls High School graduate and a full-time firefighter for the city of Helotes, near San Antonio. He and his wife currently live in Marble Falls.
As the youngest member of the council, Walker, 27, believes he will add a new perspective. He also believes his work experience will bring useful insight to disaster and emergency planning for the city.
