Voters headed to the polls Saturday to determine the outcome of numerous municipal and school board elections across southern Denton County. Here is how the races turned out:
Flower Mound
Riding in on a wave of economic development and civility issues, Flower Mound sitting councilman Tom Hayden, along with Bryan Webb and Steve Dixon, swept out the “NFL” trio of Mayor Melissa Northern, Al Filidoro and Steve Lyda.
Hayden, who has been on the town council since 2009, garnered 3,701 votes (64.54 percent) to defeat Northern (1,970 votes, 34.35 percent) and resident Al Cloud (63 votes, 1.10 percent).
Bryan Webb unseated Filidoro in Place 2 on town council with 3,592 votes, representing 63.65 percent, to Filidoro’s 2,051 votes, 36.35 percent.
Steve Dixon, a former town council member who did not run for re-election in 2011, topped Lyda and HOA president Jay Cannon in Place 4. Dixon earned 3,471 votes (61.28 percent), while Lyda had 1,988 votes (35.10 percent). Cannon had 205 votes (3.62 percent).
Mayor-elect Hayden said that he is excited to have the opportunity to bring Flower Mound’s leaders together and plan for the future.
“The first thing I’ve got to do as Mayor is get everybody on council together and as a group come up with a long term objective for our town,” said Hayden. “We need to work towards diversifying our tax base and continue to make this a place where people want to come and live.”
Flower Mound voters also approved 9 out of 12 Town Charter Amendments.
Propositions 6, 7, and 8 – pertaining to the minimum number of signatures on an initiative or referendum petition – were narrowly defeated.
Proposition 11, requiring that any amendment to the town’s strict oil and gas drilling ordinance has to be approved by a super-majority of Town Council, sailed through with 74 percent of voters approving.
See all of the Town Charter Amendments that were on the ballot here.
The town’s residents had a strong showing at the polls, with 5,789, or 13.49 percent, of 42,913 registered voters participating. In the last mayoral race in 2010, a record-breaking 19.95 percent of registered voters cast ballots.
Highland Village
Two sitting councilmen – Patrick Davis and Bill Irwin – ran for the mayor’s seat vacated by Scott McDearmont. In the end, Davis edged out Irwin by 27 votes.
Only one candidate ran for and claimed each of the available council seats: Michelle Schwolert will take Irwin’s expired seat in Place 2, Louis Robichaux has secured a fourth term in Place 4, John McGee will serve a second term in Place 6, and Frederick Busche will fill the remaining year in Davis’ Place 5 seat.
Lantana
The community had a pair of low-key Fresh Water Supply District races, with only 4.62 percent of registered voters in District #6 and 3.63 percent of District #7 voters casting ballots.
The top three vote-getters in a field of 8 candidates for Fresh Water Supply District #6 board seats were Bob Baird, Kurt Sewell, and incumbent Jim VanVickle.
In less-populated District #7, newcomers Todd Beggs, Jim Lieber and Steven Martini won the three at-large seats.
Argyle
There looks to be a runoff in Place 3, where Joan Delashaw and Jackie Thomas sit at a dead heat with 320 votes each. If no provisional ballots are found this week, the two candidates will face off again on June 23.
In Place 1, incumbent Joey Hasty took 55.64 percent of the vote and defeated challenger Larry Simmons.
Peggy Krueger had a strong showing in Place 3, with 55.59 percent of the vote over Dona Schroetke and Trey Thurston.
Bartonville
In Place 4, Gracie Egan lost her re-election bid by 2 votes to Jim Strange, 92-90.
Longtime Mayor Ron Robertson, along with Place 2 councilman Jim Farrell, ran unopposed. This will be Robertson’s sixth term in office and Farrell’s second.
Residents also green-lighted the sale of liquor for off-premise consumption by a vote of 127-57, paving the way for the town’s first liquor store.
Argyle ISD
Newcomers Eric Fields and Spencer Jefferies got the most votes to claim the two at-large seats on the school board, topping Jim Manos and incumbents Wendee Long and Randy McKellar.
Denton ISD
In Place 1, Barbara Burns received 2,751 votes and Sheryl English, 1,628.
Burns, a retired teacher, won her first term for the school board position. English is an area Realtor that had run two pervious times unsuccessfully. Dr. Curtis Ramsey has served in Place 1 for 18 years and did not seek re-election.
“It was disappointing, however, I would have been disappointed in myself for not trying again,” said English. “I’ve met a lot of amazing people on this journey and learned a lot. I’m not going to stop working or advocating for children, all children and what I believe is right. I’ll continue my work with PTA and in the community.”
Dr. Jeanetta Smith was unopposed in Place 2 and received 3,485 votes. She has served on the board since 2006.
Lewisville ISD
Former trustee Kathy Duke is back on the board in Place 1, easily defeating June Ehinger, Tracee Ali, and Paige Shoven. Place 1 trustee Tom Ferguson did not seek re-election.
Incumbent Vernell Gregg was ousted in Place 2 by former LISD employee Trisha Sheffield.
Click here to see Municipal Election results for southern Denton County races.
 GIF.gif)
