Early voting under way
Two seats open on city council and school board
By Lori Mellinger Bullard Banner News

Early voting is under way for both city council and school board seats. An additional item - a constitutional amendment - will also be voted on.

The amendment - which all registered voters may decide on - is a proposed change to the Texas Constitution that would extend property tax relief to senior citizens and the disabled whose taxes are "frozen."

When the Legislature crafted its public school finance reform package last year, those whose tax bills are at a fixed amount were left out. The amendment would grant about a onethird cut in the school tax rate for those homeowners, and their tax bills would be re-frozen at the lower level.

On the local level, Bullard residents must decide between three candidates for two city council seats.

Mayor Pro-Tem A.W. Hines - because of a lack of opposition - will succeed Mayor Connie Vaughan. Vaughan did not seek re-election.

Running for council are:

Pam Frederick, 40, has served on the Bullard council for four years. Frederick said she wants to keep her seat so she can finish the work she began after winning the seat in 2003. Among her concerns are the revitalization of downtown and the continuing upgrading of O.L. Ferrell Park. She's been instrumental in helping Bullard - with the rest of the council - to get funding and begin work on the much-needed infrastructure for the city. The Bullard schoolteacher is married to Wade Frederick and they have two children, Mason, 14, and Taylor, 10.

Rodger Johnson, 52, is vying for his second term on the council. Johnson said his business acumen - particularly in the financial field - has been an asset to Bullard. For the first time in recorded history, the city has a budget - which Johnson did quite a bit of the work on. Johnson said a proper budget - among other things - places checks and balances to make sure spending is warranted and all money is properly accounted for. Both Johnson and Frederick said they are proud of the relationship the city has forged with the school district and chamber of commerce and are eager to keep that going.

Gerald Jessup, 50, wants to see more training and accountability for the city. The roofing contractor said there needs to be more accountability to the citizens and wants to attract more business to the area to help the tax burden. Jessup - like the other two candidates - said infrastructure is a big area of concern. He also wants to improve the quality of life for residents. School board:

Incumbent Michael Roy faces no opposition in Place 7.

Place 6

Louis Newburn, 37, said since the passing of the $28.5 bond issue, it's time for the district to focus on students' needs for a balanced education. He said state mandates for additional core curriculum and the TAKS test requirements forces BISD to integrate a curriculum that both meets those mandates and provides a balanced education for the students. Newburn is a vegetation manager for SprayMax in Tyler.

Sam Smith, 41, said issue of growth in the Bullard ISD must be dealt with in a proactive manner. He said more and more families are moving to Bullard because of the quality schools, and BISD is now a multi-million dollar organization that must be treated as a business and coveted as an asset of the community. He said he has worked diligently to immerse himself in the issues that face the schools and prepare him to serve on the board.

He said the community must insist upon trustees who have the skills to manage large business issues. He said the key to the future success of the Bullard ISD is to keep the community involved in the daily activities of our schools.

Early voting continues through May 8. Election Day is May 12.

The county's Web site, www.smith-county.com, has information on voting locations and times for both early voting and Election Day voting.

Bullard voting times are: April 30-May 4, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; May 7-8, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; City Hall, 114 W. Phillips St.