The election slates are set for the Gladewater City Council or Gladewater ISD School Board set for May 1.
For the city council – seats Place 4, Place 5, Place 6 and Place 7 were up for grabs. Place 4 councilman Nick Foster decided not to seek re-election, leaving political newcomer Michael Webber and former city councilman Dennis Robertson tossing their hats into the Place 4 race.
Place 6 councilman Rocky Hawkins is unopposed, as are Place 7 incumbent councilman Kevin Clark and Place 5 incumbent councilman Elijah “Sonny” Anderson.
On the school side of the local elections, Place 6 board member Jamie Robertson is unopposed for re-election, and Jeff Cook is the lone candidate for Place 7, currently held by George Glenn, who chose to not seek re-election.
Also on the city’s May ballot will be a request to reallocate some of the sales tax revenue collected by the Gladewater Economic Development Corporation (GEDCO) to “quality of life” projects. This is not a vote for new taxes – just voters’ authorization to use the existing tax money already being collected for a broader range of projects.
Currently GEDCO operates under “Type A” rules. Type A sales tax funding is primarily intended for manufacturing and industrial development. EDCs may use Type A revenue to fund land, buildings, equipment, facilities expenditures, targeted infrastructure and improvements for projects.
The Type B sales tax may be used for any project eligible under Type A rules and several other project types, including quality of life improvements such as professional and amateur sports and athletic facilities, tourism and entertainment facilities, convention facilities and public parks; related store, restaurant, concession, parking and transportation facilities; related street, water and sewer facilities; and affordable housing.
Type B EDCs can also promote and develop new and expanded business enterprises that create or retain primary jobs and may fund public safety facilities; recycling facilities; streets, roads, drainage and related improvements.