FCEC general manager joins race for City Council
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com

Farmers Co-op of El Campo General Manager and annexation opponent Jimmy Roppolo is the latest person to announce his candidacy for the upcoming May El Campo City Council at-large race.

As a resident of the recently annexed Sandy Corner neighborhood, Roppolo became qualified to run for the municipal office.

Roppolo has opposed annexations since public hearings last year.

He announced his candidacy Monday night during the Citizens for a Responsible El Campo meeting.

Representing 1,200 FCEC members for 22 years, Roppolo said, "I've dealt with a lot of people. I'll do what is best for the community and the people. I'll do what they wish. The last thing I want to do is run for City Council, but I felt like it was time for me to stand up."

Roppolo joins Tim Ryan, a business owner suing the city and its Council in an effort to force recent annexations to a vote, on the Citizens for a Responsible El Campo platform.

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

"I want to try to keep moving forward for the progress, economic development and growth of El Campo," Spenrath said of his candidacy, saying he is working to make goals set out in the city's Comprehensive Plan a reality.

"I have no other agenda than to do what the majority wants and continue to see El Campo grow and prosper," he added.

"I'm going to proceed on as I have done for the last 16 years," Martin said.

Also running for the position is El Campo volunteer firefighter and pastor Otha Edison.

Edison said bringing more jobs to El Campo was a priority and added he supported recent annexations.

"We need to expand as much as possible," he said, adding "We should annex because we need growth, and the only way we can start growing is by annexing these neighborhoods."

Although Ryan's lawsuit challenges recent annexations, he says it is more about the right to vote.

"This is for the people of El Campo - not about doing what I think is good for El Campo. If ever there is a disagreement between myself and the people of El Campo (as a Councilman), your voice will be heard, I promise you," he told those gathered at the citizens meeting.

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.

Candidate filing for the city of El Campo continues though March 10.