Filing begins for May’s city council, school board races. Here’s what’s happened so far.
If, like me, you enjoy seeing the direction Stephenville is heading, it’s important to pay attention to who is sitting on the city council.
And 2023 could bring a big change to the current group.
Four seats are up for re-election in May and the council is losing two important members – Ricky Thurman and Gerald Cook – who have completed their term limits.
That means place 5 (held by Thurman) and place 7 (held by Cook) are up for grabs.
Shortly after filing opened Wednesday at Stephenville City Hall, Maddie Smith filed to run for place 5 and Justin Slawson filed for place 7.
Maddie works at Barefoot Campus Outfitter and is president of the Stephenville Athletic Booster Club.
She and her husband Jason have lived in Stephenville for 14 years.
“This is where we plan to raise our family and I want to be a part of the change and help shape the way the city is moving and growing,” Maddie told Beneath the Surface News. Meanwhile, Ricky Thurman said he is "delighted" that Maddie filed to run for his position.
"Maddie reached out to me several times to discuss the possibility of running for city council beginning when place 3 was vacated in 2022 and most recently knowing I would be vacating place 5 in May as I come to the end of my two-term limit," Ricky said. "Maddie has been very active in the community for quite some time, and I am delighted to see her desire to further her service to the community."
Current council members Lonn Reisman (Place 3) and LeAnn Durfey (Place 1) are also up for re-election and have already filed for another two-year term.
STEPHENVILLE ISD SCHOOL BOARD
Two school board members - Phyllis Stewart (Place 6) and Donny Hill (Place 7) – are also up for re-election.
Trustees serve three-year terms.
To be eligible to run, candidates must live in the city limits and have been a resident of Stephenville for the past six months.
The deadline to file for a place on the May 6 ballot ends at 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 17.
And if you want to vote, you need to be registered by Thursday, April 6.
