Voters will head to the polls starting this month to elect their representatives on local town councils and school boards. In addition, there will be special elections on some ballots in southern Denton County.
Early voting for the Saturday, May 3 General Election runs from Tuesday, April 22 to Tuesday, April 29. Find more voter information on the Denton County Elections Administration website at www.votedenton.gov.
The Cross Timbers Gazette emailed questionnaires to candidates in selected contested local municipal and school board elections. Below is each candidate’s profile, listed alphabetically. Incumbents are marked with an (i). Complete candidate profiles are available at CrossTimbersGazette.com.
Mayor (2-year term)
Ron Schmidt, 65
Town of residence: Argyle
How long have you resided in the town you wish to represent? Nine years
Current occupation: Professor of Accounting, Finance and Business
Education: Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance, Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Corporate Finance, Master of Science in Accounting with a minor in Economics, Certified Management Accountant, Certified Financial Manager.
Previous or current service on governmental/community/civic boards:
Argyle Town Council Place 2 – 8 years
Argyle Mayor Pro Tem – 3 terms
Argyle Finance Oversight Committee Chair
Argyle Municipal Development District Board Member
Argyle Zoning Board of Adjustments
Argyle Education Foundation Board Member & Treasurer
Argyle ISD Bond Advisory Committee – 3 terms
Oak Cliff Economic Development Corporation
United States Army – 30-year Veteran
Dallas Institute of Management Accountants – President 2 terms
Dallas County Community College Accounting Adv. Chair
What motivated you to run for this position and why are you the best choice? Serving Argyle since 2017, I have achieved a long list of accomplishments for the Town. Argyle is unique and continues to face many complex challenges and pressures from nearby towns and legislators, which requires an experienced, results-driven leader with institutional knowledge who will protect our town and citizens. I am focused on Argyle and its citizens and not influenced by outsiders or special interests.
We need an effective collaborator to team with others on the Comprehensive Plan for “One Argyle” with the commercial amenities we desire while protecting property owners. I will assure the financial sustainability with prudent budgeting and planning and by increasing Sales Tax Revenue, reducing the tax burden on residents. I will continue to focus on roads, infrastructure and emergency services. I am the candidate with a proven track record, serving with integrity and never forgetting who I serve!
Mission statement: I will create a vision for “One United Argyle” through a transparent, citizen-led effort and citizen-centric service culture. I want to continue to improve the commercial and retail tax base, assuring our town’s financial future, reducing the tax burden on residents and providing desired retail. I will continue to improve roads, infrastructure and drainage and plan more town-sponsored events. I also want to plan the new building for the Police Department.
Candidate website: schmidt4argyle.com
Candidate Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ronald.schmidt.7547
Chad Sheddy, 53
Town of residence: Argyle
How long have you resided in the town you wish to represent? 7.5 years
Current occupation: Retired small business owner for 27 years
Education: Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation with a minor in Psychology and a minor in Biology from the University of North Texas
Previous or current service on governmental/community/civic boards: United States Marine Corp
What motivated you to run for this position and why are you the best choice? The Town of Argyle deserves leadership that listens to its residents and has our best interests at heart. Many residents feel a new direction is necessary to build a thriving community and have asked me to run. I’m running because I want to give back to the community and give the residents a voice.
Mission statement: Argyle lacks a plan for growth. We have an opportunity to develop the I-35W commercial corridor, but it requires better management of human capital, town resources and land uses. We also need to be working closer with our school district to meet future challenges and create funding sources. I plan to build a strong team and a healthy work environment that attracts talent and thriving businesses.
