BOSTAIN, CLYDE WIN SEATS ON BURTON SCHOOL BOARD; NAVASOTA & HEMPSTEAD ISDs PASS SCHOOL BONDS
Changes are coming to the Burton School Board as a result of Saturday’s election.
Three candidates filed for the two seats of Brian Hinze and David Warner Sr., the latter of which did not seek re-election.
Ande “Arch” Bostain received the most votes at 212. Bostain is a former trustee who served from May 2015 to May 2018 and then again from December 2018 to November 2020.
Bostain will be joined on the board by retired school administrator Mike Clyde, who tallied the second-highest vote total at 160. Clyde was formerly a principal at Burton High School and was involved in committee work during the 2021 school bond election.
Finishing in third place was Hinze, who accumulated 146 votes. Hinze has been a trustee since May 2021.
A total of 303 ballots were cast in the election, including 88 during early voting, 15 absentee and 200 on Election Day. There are 2,712 registered voters in Burton ISD, meaning the voter turnout was approximately 11.17 percent.
Results are considered unofficial until they are canvassed by the board.
In other elections around the area, voters approved a series of bond propositions in Navasota and Hempstead ISDs, decided on mayoral races in Hempstead and Caldwell, and participated in several other city council and school board races.
Navasota
Proposition A, worth $71 million, passed 437-353. The measure calls for the construction of a fourth elementary school, the purchase of land for future schools, new buses, facility improvements and upgrades to school safety. Proposition B, which was approved 431-354, will refinance $3.04 million, moving it from the existing Maintenance and Operations side of the budget to the Interest and Sinking side over the course of the next six years.
For the Navasota City Council, incumbent B.F. “Bernie” Gessner Jr. defeated challenger Bobby Gentry 203-134.
Hempstead
Proposition A, valued at $42.32 million, received 917 votes in favor to 349 votes against. It will fund a replacement campus for the Hempstead Early Childhood Education Center, cafeteria and band hall additions at the high school, an auxiliary gym addition and roof replacement at the middle school, plus other campus and security improvements. Proposition B, worth $3.4 million, passed 854-400 and will go toward a new synthetic turf field and track at Bobcat Stadium.
The City of Hempstead will have a new mayor, as challenger Katherine Ragston Ward defeated incumbent Erica Gillum 503-457. The Position 1 seat will also change hands, after a three-way race between incumbent Mildred Jefferson, Dave Shelburne and Quinn Anthony Navarre Jr. resulted in Shelburne claiming victory with 438 votes. Jefferson received 358 votes and Navarre tallied 165. Meanwhile, the Position 2 seat of Cindy Pearce, who did not pursue re-election, will be filled by Veronica Celaya Klausmeyer, who received 385 votes to the 301 of Valencia Renita Tompkins and the 254 of Annette Rutledge Baker.
For the Hempstead School Board, the Position 5 seat of Ricky Pearce, who did not run for another term, will go to Susan Hopkins after her defeat of Donald Jeffrey 785-470.
Caldwell
On the Caldwell City Council, Mayor Janice Easter won another term in office, besting challenger Brad Oliver 236-177.
Two newcomers won election to the Caldwell School Board. The top vote-getters were Craig Ayers Jr. at 351 and Michael Cook at 329. Incumbent Gregory Cook received 295 votes. Another incumbent, Erica Chollett, did not seek another term.
Somerville
Three seats were up for election on the Somerville City Council, and two will have new faces. Bobby J. Schoppe, the only incumbent who sought re-election after Deonna Strickland Moses and Amanda Flencher chose not to do so, collected the most votes at 106. Following in second place was Mark Sager with 98 votes, while Laura Hoover took third with 68. Jerri Negrete accumulated 57 votes.
The Somerville School Board had four candidates vying for three open seats. The positions will be filled by incumbent Melissa Tharp with 195 votes, Michael Moses with 156, and incumbent David Idlebird with 148. Jessica Douglas received 45 votes. Joe Gonzales did not run for re-election.
Giddings
The Giddings City Council’s two incumbents in this election will return for another term, as Mark Muniz and Linda Pruitt gathered the most votes at 167 and 123, respectively. Gina Reat tallied 117 votes.
Bellville
On the Bellville School Board, Position 3 incumbent Jim Batson secured re-election after winning against Kara Rathbone 774-211.
Sealy
On the Sealy City Council, incumbent Chris Noack won his bid for re-election, defeating Melaney McShan 101-63.
La Grange
On the La Grange School Board, Calvin Mersiovsky will continue to serve after winning re-election with 433 votes. His position was also sought by Ryan W. Kleiber, who received 149 votes, and Verlia Mosley-Rhodes, who took in 76 votes.
Round Top
The two incumbents for the Round Top Town Council won re-election, with Lynn Conine receiving 27 votes and Owen Massey bringing in 25. Karen Duddlesten tallied 7 votes. Judith Vincent was unopposed to become Round Top’s new mayor, after Mark Massey did not run for another term.