Contenders line up for city leadership

With a recent addition to the Spring 2024 ballot, Gladewater has a contested race for the mayor’s seat, and the final ballot isn’t set.
Incumbent Place 3 council member Brandy Flanagan filed early for the central spot on the dais and has drawn a late challenger in a recent filing by Jim Valentine.
There are at least two more candidate packets out in the wild (council member Rocky Hawkins and Stoney Stone picked up the paperwork), but there have been no other new filings as of press time Tuesday. Elsewhere on the city’s ballot, current Mayor Scott Owens is unchallenged in his bid for the Place 3 spot Flanagan is vacating, and council member Michael Weber has no contenders for re-election to Place 2.
Across several local entities, would-be office-seekers have until 5 p.m. Friday (Feb. 16) to toss their hat in the ring for the Spring contest. Early voting runs April 22-30 before Election Day polling Saturday, May 4.
To file for a local council post, candidate packets are available from City Secretary Judy Von Houten at Gladewater City Hall.
At Gladewater ISD, three spots are up, and the three incumbents have filed for re-election – Corina Arevalo (Place 5), Danielle Budro (Place 6) and Jeff Cook (Place 7) are all seeking re-election as trustees. There were no other updates to filings Tuesday morning.
Applications for office are available from Board Secretary Melissa Dennis at the GISD Administration Building.
In White Oak, there are also three seats on the May 4 ballot – mayor, Place 4 and Place 5. Four application packets have been picked up, but only Mayor Kyle Kutch has filed, seeking another term in his post. The Place 4 incumbent is John Frazier, and Place 5 is currently held by Kevin Hood.
Candidate paperwork is available at White Oak City Hall.
With just Thursday and Friday left to file, White Oak ISD’s ballot currently has two contenders for two available posts: incumbent Donna Stagner is seeking another term in Place 6 while Ricky Bodovsky has filed for Place 7 (incumbent Dr. David Ummel has stated he’s not seeking another term).
Packets are available from the school’s administrative office and due back to Administrative Assistant Julie Bodovsky (married to the Place 7 candidate) by the general deadline at end-of-business Feb. 16.