February 18, 2008 06:49 pm
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By Tommy Mann Jr.
The Orange Leader
With all of the focus on the upcoming March primary elections, the filing period for the May elections for area city councils and school boards has almost been overlooked.
The filing deadline is March 10 for residents who wish to register for the May 10 elections in their respective city or school district. That is except for the Orangefield and Deweyville Independent School Districts, which will have their school board elections in November in conjunction with each one’s respective county.
In the city of Orange, terms are expiring for Mayor Brown Claybar, and council members Theresa Beauchamp, Place 1, and Cynthia Jackson, Place 3. According to Kerri Kittrell, city secretary, Claybar and Beauchamp have already filed the necessary paperwork to seek re-election.
In Pinehurst, three seats will be open for the May election, which includes the office of mayor and two at-large council positions.
T.W. Permenter, who has been serving as the city’s mayor since Jerry Hussey resigned last September, has filed the appropriate paperwork to run for mayor this election.
Joining him are current councilmembers Bob Williams and John Zerko, both of whom will seek re-election.
The city of Vidor has three council positions open for the election in May as terms are expiring for Weldon LeBlanc, Ward 2, Mike Harris, Ward 3, and Dale Madeley, Ward 5. None have yet filed paperwork seeking re-election.
In Bridge City, four terms are expiring this year, including the office of mayor, which is currently held by Kirk Roccaforte.
Council positions open for filing this election are Mike Reed, Place 2; David Rutledge, Place 4; and Louis Davis, Place 6. Filing information could not be obtained as city offices were closed on Monday in observance of President's Day.
City offices were also closed in West Orange, Pine Forest and Rose City.
Four of the five school districts in Orange County could possibly hold elections this spring depending on the number of candidates who file.
The West Orange-Cove Consolidated Independent School District has two board members whose terms are expiring in 2008. As of Monday neither Nancy Byers nor Dr. Mary Fontenot Hardin have filed the appropriate paperwork to seek re-election this May.
Three terms are expiring for school board members in the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Consolidated Independent School District, and those include Brenda Mott, Ernest Egulf and Keith Kyle. All three have completed the paperwork needed to seek re-election. No other candidates have filed at this time.
The Bridge City Independent School District has two seats which will be available in the election this May. School board members Tom Orozco, Place 6, and Mark Anderson, Place 7, have both filed to seek re-election this May. No opposing candidates have come forward as of Monday.
Two seats are open on the Vidor Independent School District Board of Trustees, and at least one will be occupied by a new board member.
Rollie Burr, who has served on the Vidor school board for approximately 16 years, recently announced he would not seek re-election this year, thus leaving the Position 6 open.
As of Monday, only one candidate, Joe Williamson, a former Vidor ISD superintendent, had completed the required paperwork for the Position 6 seat.
Tim Harland, the current Position 7 school board member, has also completed the required forms in order to seek re-election.
Reach this reporter at 409-883-3571, Ext. 2619 or tmann@orangeleader.com
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