Thursday, March 28, 2024

From the Sidelines – March 2014

Double Oak Town Council Elections

Again this year it appears that there will be no election in Double Oak.  Mayor Mike Donnelly and the current council are doing a great job and apparently the folks that live here are happy with their leadership.  But it has been several years with no election to stir things up.  Is that a good thing or a bad thing?  Elections are expensive and time consuming.  Town Secretary Charlotte Allen would prefer to have election money transferred to her paper clip fund but I’d rather have the voters decide who sits on council.

Three council seats are coming open. John Dondrea, Gary Garrett and John Maynor have terms expiring with Dondrea and Maynor seeking reelection. A new candidate for Council, Anita Nelson, filed for the third seat and Gary Garrett decided to sit out a year.

In my opinion, Gary will be sorely missed because he works hard at this voluntary but important job.  Gary tells me that he will be available for appointment should an opening occur but he will definitely throw his hat in the ring again next year.  I’ll miss your insight on Council, Gary.

Anita Nelson should be a great council member.  Anita is a long time Double Oak resident who has served on the Lewisville ISD School Board and many years on the Double Oak Planning and Zoning Committee.  Double Oak has not had women on council since our glory days when we had both Pam King and Lissa McCarthy.  I, for one, would like to see more qualified women on council. 

Anita, thanks for stepping up and ladies, don’t be shy.  Double Oak needs you!  Don’t get me wrong.  I think we’ll have a great council next year.  I’d just rather have them elected.

Denton County Judge Mary Horn

Judge Mary Horn has been serving Denton County for a number of years.  I honestly don’t know how long but when I was Mayor of Double Oak in 1994 she was serving as Tax Assessor Collector.  I recall that she attended meetings to receive feedback from area mayors and staff and acted on that information.  Later, after Denton Judge Scott Armey left his post to try for higher office, Mary ran successfully for that office and has not been challenged until this year.

I attended a meeting supporting her reelection campaign.  It was most interesting to me to observe the number of local officials there supporting her reelection. I saw Bobbie Mitchell, former Mayor of Lewisville and longtime Denton Commissioner from Precinct 3 and Andy Eads, our commissioner of Precinct 4.  Tan Parker, our representative to the Texas Legislature, and a room full of local mayors and other officials.  Texas Representative Jim Horn was there too which was not surprising since he is married to the judge.

I confess that I do not know the other candidates for the position but I do know that Judge Horn has earned my support with her performance in office.  I urge everyone to participate in the Primary Elections this year.  In our county, the primaries typically choose the eventual election winner.  I strongly recommend voting in all elections so you have a voice in your government.

Flower Mound Mayor Tom Hayden

Mayor Hayden has been in the news lately for his proclamation in support of bible study.  For that proclamation he has had both criticism and support.  I have met the mayor on several occasions but not enough to know him well.  I do know that it took courage to do what he did. 

Most of my life I have had an itch to read the bible.  I had found the King James Version to be difficult and off putting but good friends gave me a copy of a newer translation that is much more accessible.    I have found a group that meets weekly led by the former Senior Pastor of the Crossroads Bible Church.  I really enjoy it and hate to miss a session.

If asked, I would encourage folks to try it.  If you like it you’ll stay with it.  If not, you’ll drop out.  I do consider it a personal preference.  Perhaps not everyone needs or wants to spend the time with it.  My council is to decide for yourself.

 

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