County passes over volunteer for seat

However, none of the three commissioners (Precinct 3 Commissioner Steven Goetsch was absent) caught on that DeLuna was applying for the open position ESD 3 board until it was almost too late.

The confusion came at the Dec. 27 session when commissioners were asked to select a new board member because the ESD No. 3 board, which overseas East Wharton County ambulance service with the exception of East Bernard, and could not settle on one.

The meeting began with Wharton City Secretary Paula Favors addressing the commissioners during public comment to request the agenda item be deliberated separately. She was followed by DeLuna, who said he moved to Wharton more than three years ago.

“I have worked in construction the majority of my entire life. I’ve held majority positions as vice president, and also construction manager, superintendent and also an inspector. I am a certified inspector – home inspector – and I have nine different licenses. I have worked and managed a budget of multi-million dollar projects. And my family’s ancestors are from El Campo … Like I said, I’ll do my best,” he said, never mentioning ESD 3.

After working through other items on the agenda, the court started discussions on ESD 3 appointments considering Gary Bonewald.

“My office was provided with three nominees ... Gary Bonewald, Manuel DeLuna and Teresa Priem … We’ve never picked one; we haven’t. We pretty much rubber stamp what the committees have asked because they know who’s involved, they know who attends. So we’ve kind of always done that,” County Judge Phillip Spenrath said.

Favors said she wanted to make sure the commissioners understood there were three candidates – not just Bonewald as the agenda stated..

“The (ESD) board was not able to come to a decision. And normally we don’t have three candidates. I think it’s probably been probably five or six years since we’ve had multiple (candidates) and I think that was when the commissioners had made a decision before,” Favors said.

She said the ESD No. 3 board had questions about a potential conflict of interest because Bonewald is the EMS instructor at Wharton County Junior College. County Attorney Trey Maffett said there was no conflict.

Commissioner Richard Zahn made a motion to appoint Bonewald to the board and Commissioner Bud Graves seconded it. That’s when Spenrath paused and made the connection to the person who spoke earlier.

“I was trying to volunteer my service,” DeLuna said.

After that, the judge and three commissioners voted to appoint Bonewald.

Bonewald’s term started Jan. 1 and runs through Dec. 31, 2024. He replaces Sarah Hudgins, who opted not to seek another term. In the consent agenda, the commissioners appointed Mark Sangalli to another term on the ESD No. 3 board, as he was not opposed for the position.