Filing Window Status
Monday 5PM Ballot Filing Window Closed
The filing window for places on the ballot for the city election has closed. There is one candidate for each seat. None are contested. The ballot for the May 12 election in 61 days will read as follows:
Mayoral candidate: Dan Dunlap
Council candidates (2 year term): Rudy Garcia, Scott May
Council candidate (1 year term): Roger Amis
Thanks to those that have volunteered to serve as elected officials in order to represent the best interests of the citizens of Marfa.
Mary Williams and Leo Salgado will continue to serve for one more year in their elected term as council members.
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Monday afternoon update
Roger Amis has filed a packet for the one-year term special election spot on the ballot. All ballot positions have a candidate at this time.
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Saturday morning update
As of late Friday afternoon, no new packets had been filed at city hall. There is one seat for a special one-year term on city council that remains open. None of the four incumbent officials (Lanman, Martinez, Petrosky and Rivera) have filed for re-election. I imagine that Lanman and Rivera are eyeing the possibility of a return to power through an unopposed election if nobody else files. Given the sorry way that Marfa has been run in the last two years, I remain hopeful that somebody new will step up to help out. Marfa needs a new direction and new energy. Let's remove that glass barricade and let some fresh air into city hall. It is time for quiet competence and a spirit of working together for all of Marfa.
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Friday morning update:
No new packets have been filed at city hall.
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Wednesday Update: There are now three candidates for four places on the ballot.
Mayoral candidates: Dan Dunlap
Council candidates (2 year seat): Rudy Garcia, Scott May
Council candidates (1 year seat): none
There has been some discussion about canceling an election if all seats are unopposed. While the state allows elections to be cancelled if the outcome is certain and money can be saved, there will be a State constitutional amendment on the municipal election day, so the election must take place.
Candidates can file for a place on the ballot for four more business days until the close of business on Monday.
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All's quiet on the filing front. Everybody watches; almost nobody moves. What's going on? Are people waiting for somebody else to make the first move? It's hard to say.
There are four spots to fill in the upcoming May 12th municipal election: mayor (2-year term), two council seats (2-year term) and special council seat (1-year term). The special seat is to finish out a two-year term for a seat that was vacated less than a year into its term.
So far, only former council member Rudy Garcia has tossed his name into the hat for a council seat.
I am not sure when the filing window closes. The official calendar says that the last day to file for a place on the ballot is "March 12, 2007 (deadline is extended to next business day)." So I am not sure what that means. Perhaps someone can get a definitive answer.
[And here is the explanation: A concerned citizen called the election officials in Austin. They acknowledged that their web site is confusing and plan to change it. (See what happens when you take the time to get involved.) The ballot closing date is technically Sunday, March 11, 2007 but was extended to the next day, Monday, March 12, 2007, at close of business. That usually means 5PM in Marfa. We don't know if that means the door is locked at 5PM for insiders to review the packets and slip theirs in... You gotta keep your eyes open. Can we get an official statement of the deadline from City Hall?]
The unofficial word is that the mayor is not running again. A formal statement has not been issued. I interpret the situation as the mayor not wanting to run in a competitive race but reserving the right to throw his name in at the last minute if he thinks it would be a gimme.
Council member Oscar Martinez has not made a move yet. He could run for mayor, council or neither. His campaigning started earlier with handouts of his funny "Do not call this number" campaign pen including his name and home phone number. Oscar has dedicated the last six years to serving Marfa. He takes the position seriously and deserves sincere appreciation whether you agree with him all the time or not.
He spent four years as mayor, starting in 2001 if I recall correctly (somebody let me know if I get any dates or details wrong). In 2003, the earnest and young Dan Keane put his name in for mayor and ended up being the only one on the ballot. He ran a wonderful campaign and made an amazing stand against Oscar who beat him as a write-in candidate. In 2005, Oscar decided he wanted to have a vote on council and won a seat in the race.
Today, he is undecided about his next move. He has a strong interest and desire to serve. On the other hand, it might be time for a break after six years. If he runs, he could run for mayor and bring the mayor's office back into shape. He would defeat Lanman easily and regain the gavel as presiding officer to restore order to meetings. On the other hand, he could run for council and maintain a voting seat in the governing body.
Here's my opinion: Oscar, you are the elder statesman in the city government today in terms of political service. You have strong community support and could win any position. My guess is that all eyes are on you to make a move first. You have a responsibility to make your decision as soon as possible and let others react to you. You are arguably the most electable person in Marfa.
Many people might be interested in filing but would rather run for a seat that Martinez is not pursuing. I think it is in the city's best interest to declare now so that other candidates can react accordingly. That's my two cents.
As I recall, David Lanman filed for mayor last time when he thought nobody else would file and it would be a default win. It would not surprise me to see a repeat of this situation should the same conditions occur again.
I don't think Dan Petrosky is running again, but I have not heard one way or the other.
Gloria Rivera is another story. She sold her house in Marfa, and then was appointed to council. The story I heard is that she wanted to back out of the contract but could not and is moving to El Paso. Then I heard she was considering staying in Marfa. She was not at the last meeting; no explanation was presented. So I would consider Gloria a last-minute wild card. She enjoys being on council.
Let's talk about negativity. Many people are turned off by the current mess down at city hall. For good reason. The city has been managed poorly these last two years: budgets were not passed; budgets were not followed; one audit had errors and the other started months late; opportunities to increase property taxes were lost for two years; voluntary EMS and Fire funding is not going well; EMS staffing has been a problem; city staffing is a big problem with forced exits and voluntary resignations; many positions are vacant today; the MAC building is a mess; the Youth Program needs direction; tax dollars are wasted on frivolous things; city hall is rife with divisive favoritism and retribution; valid committees are disrespected while secret committees are nourished; council meetings are run with a heavy and biased gavel; I could go on but you get the picture.
Many people are turned off. It does not need to be this way. All we need are a few good citizens that just want to serve Marfa. If you think the city needs help and you have the ability to help, consider putting your name on the ballot. With just a few people, the city can turn around and start working in a productive and cooperative way with quiet competence. There is no need for the current drama. City government should be boring and responsible. I look forward to the day when there is nothing controversial to write about.
My concern is that the incumbents who have contributed to this mess have scared away the good-natured competent people, and we will be left with those same pols running again by default. I am optimistic that just a few people can make a big difference. Marfa has many serious problems today. Marfa also has many citizens who want to help out as volunteers. We need leadership that can address the serious issues of finances, infrastructure and growth in a way that serves both old and new Marfa. We need a leadership that can help people work together instead of against each other.
I hope we get firm decisions from the incumbents to let others weigh the available options. Otherwise, we should assume they will run again if they think they scared the rest away. If you want to dip your toe in the municipal pool, consider the one-year council seat. If you have time, understand budgets, can communicate priorities, and play well with other children, consider running for mayor. If you don't mind hard work and a thankless job, go for a council seat and help make Marfa better. I am optimistic.
The filing window for places on the ballot for the city election has closed. There is one candidate for each seat. None are contested. The ballot for the May 12 election in 61 days will read as follows:
Mayoral candidate: Dan Dunlap
Council candidates (2 year term): Rudy Garcia, Scott May
Council candidate (1 year term): Roger Amis
Thanks to those that have volunteered to serve as elected officials in order to represent the best interests of the citizens of Marfa.
Mary Williams and Leo Salgado will continue to serve for one more year in their elected term as council members.
-----
Monday afternoon update
Roger Amis has filed a packet for the one-year term special election spot on the ballot. All ballot positions have a candidate at this time.
-----
Saturday morning update
As of late Friday afternoon, no new packets had been filed at city hall. There is one seat for a special one-year term on city council that remains open. None of the four incumbent officials (Lanman, Martinez, Petrosky and Rivera) have filed for re-election. I imagine that Lanman and Rivera are eyeing the possibility of a return to power through an unopposed election if nobody else files. Given the sorry way that Marfa has been run in the last two years, I remain hopeful that somebody new will step up to help out. Marfa needs a new direction and new energy. Let's remove that glass barricade and let some fresh air into city hall. It is time for quiet competence and a spirit of working together for all of Marfa.
-----
Friday morning update:
No new packets have been filed at city hall.
-----
Wednesday Update: There are now three candidates for four places on the ballot.
Mayoral candidates: Dan Dunlap
Council candidates (2 year seat): Rudy Garcia, Scott May
Council candidates (1 year seat): none
There has been some discussion about canceling an election if all seats are unopposed. While the state allows elections to be cancelled if the outcome is certain and money can be saved, there will be a State constitutional amendment on the municipal election day, so the election must take place.
Candidates can file for a place on the ballot for four more business days until the close of business on Monday.
-----
All's quiet on the filing front. Everybody watches; almost nobody moves. What's going on? Are people waiting for somebody else to make the first move? It's hard to say.
There are four spots to fill in the upcoming May 12th municipal election: mayor (2-year term), two council seats (2-year term) and special council seat (1-year term). The special seat is to finish out a two-year term for a seat that was vacated less than a year into its term.
So far, only former council member Rudy Garcia has tossed his name into the hat for a council seat.
I am not sure when the filing window closes. The official calendar says that the last day to file for a place on the ballot is "March 12, 2007 (deadline is extended to next business day)." So I am not sure what that means. Perhaps someone can get a definitive answer.
[And here is the explanation: A concerned citizen called the election officials in Austin. They acknowledged that their web site is confusing and plan to change it. (See what happens when you take the time to get involved.) The ballot closing date is technically Sunday, March 11, 2007 but was extended to the next day, Monday, March 12, 2007, at close of business. That usually means 5PM in Marfa. We don't know if that means the door is locked at 5PM for insiders to review the packets and slip theirs in... You gotta keep your eyes open. Can we get an official statement of the deadline from City Hall?]
The unofficial word is that the mayor is not running again. A formal statement has not been issued. I interpret the situation as the mayor not wanting to run in a competitive race but reserving the right to throw his name in at the last minute if he thinks it would be a gimme.
Council member Oscar Martinez has not made a move yet. He could run for mayor, council or neither. His campaigning started earlier with handouts of his funny "Do not call this number" campaign pen including his name and home phone number. Oscar has dedicated the last six years to serving Marfa. He takes the position seriously and deserves sincere appreciation whether you agree with him all the time or not.
He spent four years as mayor, starting in 2001 if I recall correctly (somebody let me know if I get any dates or details wrong). In 2003, the earnest and young Dan Keane put his name in for mayor and ended up being the only one on the ballot. He ran a wonderful campaign and made an amazing stand against Oscar who beat him as a write-in candidate. In 2005, Oscar decided he wanted to have a vote on council and won a seat in the race.
Today, he is undecided about his next move. He has a strong interest and desire to serve. On the other hand, it might be time for a break after six years. If he runs, he could run for mayor and bring the mayor's office back into shape. He would defeat Lanman easily and regain the gavel as presiding officer to restore order to meetings. On the other hand, he could run for council and maintain a voting seat in the governing body.
Here's my opinion: Oscar, you are the elder statesman in the city government today in terms of political service. You have strong community support and could win any position. My guess is that all eyes are on you to make a move first. You have a responsibility to make your decision as soon as possible and let others react to you. You are arguably the most electable person in Marfa.
Many people might be interested in filing but would rather run for a seat that Martinez is not pursuing. I think it is in the city's best interest to declare now so that other candidates can react accordingly. That's my two cents.
As I recall, David Lanman filed for mayor last time when he thought nobody else would file and it would be a default win. It would not surprise me to see a repeat of this situation should the same conditions occur again.
I don't think Dan Petrosky is running again, but I have not heard one way or the other.
Gloria Rivera is another story. She sold her house in Marfa, and then was appointed to council. The story I heard is that she wanted to back out of the contract but could not and is moving to El Paso. Then I heard she was considering staying in Marfa. She was not at the last meeting; no explanation was presented. So I would consider Gloria a last-minute wild card. She enjoys being on council.
Let's talk about negativity. Many people are turned off by the current mess down at city hall. For good reason. The city has been managed poorly these last two years: budgets were not passed; budgets were not followed; one audit had errors and the other started months late; opportunities to increase property taxes were lost for two years; voluntary EMS and Fire funding is not going well; EMS staffing has been a problem; city staffing is a big problem with forced exits and voluntary resignations; many positions are vacant today; the MAC building is a mess; the Youth Program needs direction; tax dollars are wasted on frivolous things; city hall is rife with divisive favoritism and retribution; valid committees are disrespected while secret committees are nourished; council meetings are run with a heavy and biased gavel; I could go on but you get the picture.
Many people are turned off. It does not need to be this way. All we need are a few good citizens that just want to serve Marfa. If you think the city needs help and you have the ability to help, consider putting your name on the ballot. With just a few people, the city can turn around and start working in a productive and cooperative way with quiet competence. There is no need for the current drama. City government should be boring and responsible. I look forward to the day when there is nothing controversial to write about.
My concern is that the incumbents who have contributed to this mess have scared away the good-natured competent people, and we will be left with those same pols running again by default. I am optimistic that just a few people can make a big difference. Marfa has many serious problems today. Marfa also has many citizens who want to help out as volunteers. We need leadership that can address the serious issues of finances, infrastructure and growth in a way that serves both old and new Marfa. We need a leadership that can help people work together instead of against each other.
I hope we get firm decisions from the incumbents to let others weigh the available options. Otherwise, we should assume they will run again if they think they scared the rest away. If you want to dip your toe in the municipal pool, consider the one-year council seat. If you have time, understand budgets, can communicate priorities, and play well with other children, consider running for mayor. If you don't mind hard work and a thankless job, go for a council seat and help make Marfa better. I am optimistic.
posted by RobC at 5:00 PM
14 Comments:
There are three council spots and the mayoral. If one person files for mayor and three people file for council, there will not be an election. Automatically put into office.
How about running with scissors?
We found out last week that there will be a constitutional proposition on the ballot so voting must take place.
Once again, Sauceda has missed a noticing deadline. The deadline to Order a General Election (that would be the Marfa City elections and constitutional election) is Monday, March 12. The county will be sharing City Hall as a polling place. The county published and posted its order on time and was met with objections from the Marfa City Attorney because it contained Marfa details. So the county covered Flo's responsibilities, for which he complained.
Unbelievable. He not only missed the deadline, he complained about the county bailing him out. He has a poor track record of meeting deadlines for public notice postings.
And it is not for lack of legal counsel. Sauceda talks to the attorney every other day on average. If you look at the invoices, you will see that he discusses almost every aspect of his job with the attorney. He is simply unable to take care of anything on his own. If it is not the attorney, it is his "management consultant" Dan Painter to do the budget for him. He also has his consultants to do his ORCA grant administration.
For every job that Sauceda does, we pay twice. Once to Sauceda and then again for the person Sauceda hires to do his job. It is a hidden expense that few people understand.
The way I am reading the election code, even though the offices are unopposed, there is still a constitutional amendment to put on the ballot. Therefore, the election cannot be cancelled, and according to Flo, it will still take place at city hall as originally scheduled. If the election were to be cancelled, Flo would have to certify the unopposed status to city council, council would meet, accept this certification, and issue an order or ordinance declaring the election cancelled and the unopposed candidates elected. Even then, though, the candidates take the oath of office on or after the date of election. So it appears to me the schedule for taking office remains the same, after May 12 election day.
A new day dawns! Four bright civil citizens with no private agendas. Will we hear laughter in City Hall again???
Good men all. And our gratitude to the outgoing admin. for their consideration to us in choosing not to run again. Coupled with that, "Goodbye and good riddance."
The cheese stands alone.
Well, we do have to muddle through until May.
Lest we get complacent:
The water loan must have public hearings held and receive citizens' approval to accept the loan by March 29. It was approved by the TWDB on Feb. 27.
Thanks to Rob for keeping us informed although we are not out of the woods yet. "They" still have 4 more meetings to mess up yet. Maybe they won't have a quorum like "they" use to.
Water loan. Public hearings by March 29. Today is March 14.
Public hearingS, plural? Can they comply with the noticing requirements?
City already has $1.265M zero percent loan to be paid for by each account paying $5 a month. Four million at 4-5% interest. Another $15-20 each account per month? Someone better have a killer presentation to explain it to the citizens.
There wasn't an agenda posted on the blog for a Council Meeting on March 13th. Did they have the meeting? Are there any meetings scheduled/posted/planned at this time?
I don't know how Flo gets away with mangling due process. Knowing that the TxDOT meeting was going to be on March 12, and he definitely did know that because he mistakenly thought the TxDOT meeting was February 12 and started to shuffle the February meetings, he should have put an item on the February agenda to move the March meeting and he would not have had to post on Friday, March 9. Well, I actually asked City Hall last week about the posting on March 9 and nobody knew anything other than that the meeting would be on the 20th. So the regular meeting has been moved a week without any official notice.
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