Horseshoe Bay taps former councilor to fill seat and selects mayor pro-tem
Horseshoe Bay City Secretary Kerri Craig swears in Jerry Gray to the City Council on Tuesday, May 18. He was appointed to fill the vacancy left by Kent Graham, who resigned due to moving out of the city. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
The Horseshoe Bay City Council appointed Jerry Gray to join the dais and fill the spot vacated by Kent Graham, who resigned due to moving outside of the city.
The council approved Gray’s appointment during its Tuesday, May 18, meeting. He will serve the remainder of Graham’s term, which expires in November 2022.
The council also selected Councilor Elsie Thurman as the new mayor pro-tem.
Gray previously served six years on the City Council.
“I’m honored to be asked to return,” he said. “It’ll be a pleasure to work with you for 17 months or so. I’m looking forward to it.”
Mayor Cynthia Clinesmith outlined her thinking for asking Gray to return to the council.
“We have some great leaders who serve our city. We have a deep pool we could call,” she said. “First, I wanted to work with someone our community would approve and trust. Voters elected him twice. I knew previously he had served us. We hated to see him leave. He did pray and did some soul searching. His heart is about service.”
Clinesmith also shared why she nominated Thurman, who was elected to the council for the first time in November 2020, to be mayor pro-tem.
“She is our junior member, and I’m asking her to be thinking partner and be at meetings with me,” the mayor said. “I have one more term I can serve on this council. I’d like to know everyone on this council has a deep knowledge.”
Graham’s resignation also affected the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission because his wife, Beverley, who was on that board, also tendered her resignation. The couple is moving to the Lakeway area to be closer to their business.
The council approved the appointment of Camille Reasor to the commission.