EC school trustee race contested as first week of local filing continues
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com

The El Campo school district reported a contested trustee race on the first day of candidate filing - the only one so far.

Local candidate filing got under way Monday in the city of El Campo, El Campo school district, Wharton County Junior College, Isaacson Municipal Utility District and the Louise water board.

Those wanting to vote in the city's May election have until April 10 to register.

El Campo ISD

Last year El Campo ISD voters ousted one incumbent, but returned a former board member to a vacant post.

For this election cycle positions held by Trustees Melissa Erwin (Position 7) and Tommy Turner (Position 6) are up for a vote.

Retired high school German teacher and former El Campo Mayor Paul Soechting has filed for the Position 6 seat along with Turner, the incumbent.

For the Position 7 seat, Erwin is currently unopposed in her re-election bid.

Total votes cast in the last school board election were 2,340 out of a total of 10,404 registered voters within the El Campo school boundaries.

City of El Campo

This May city voters will be asked to decide on their three at-large representatives in the first ballot which will include those in annexed areas.

Currently Mayor Phillip Spenrath and Mayor Pro Tem Kenneth Martin are the at-large representatives. There is also a vacant at-large chair previously occupied by Kyle Smith.

In El Campo, the top three vote-getters of all at-large candidates earn the posts. Historically, the mayor and mayor pro tem are selected from these three posts.

On the first day of filing, Spenrath and Martin signed up at City Hall. Tuesday El Campo volunteer firefighter Otha Edison also filed for office.

In the last at-large election, Mayor Spenrath collected 770 votes to win his spot on Council while Martin garnered 529 and Smith 465.

Wharton County Junior College

Three positions are up for election this year. They are Position 3 held by Georgia Krenek of Wharton, Position 4 held by Phil Stephenson of Wharton and Position 8 held by Oliver Kunkel Jr. of Needville.

Stephenson is the only filer so far.

West Wharton County

Hospital District

In the West Wharton County Hospital District, the terms of incumbents Michael Appling, Stephen Cooper, Kristi David, Chip Jenkins, Richard Kerzee and Billy Rioux are up for election.

The hospital district opened its filing period early.

District clerk Irma Rocha reports all incumbents with the exception of Rioux have already announced their intention to seek another term.

The 11-member board rarely draws enough candidates to hold an election.

Water Districts

In the Isaacson Municipal Utility District, seats currently held by Floyd Fisher, Floyd Shimek and Joe Juroska Jr. are up for contention.

Fisher and Shimek have filed for reelection so far.

The district serves about 180 residences on El Campo's northeast side.

In the Louise water district, positions held by A.E. Thomas and Paul Blumrick are set to expire. Manager Eula Mae Crowell says no one had filed as of presstime.

Please look to future editions of the Leader-News for information on who local candidates for office will be and where they stand on the issues.