Library district on New Waverly ballot

By Jay Ermis
Managing Editor

May 09, 2008 10:06 pm

— Voters in New Waverly will decide today if they want an additional sales and use tax for the city or if they want to create a library district.
In addition to the two propositions, they also will cast ballots in City Council and school district trustee elections.
The school district’s central office will serve as the polling place for today’s elections. Voting hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Early voting closed out with 42 ballots cast Tuesday and 223 ballots cast during the seven-day period.
There were 181 ballots cast through six days of voting.
According to the Walker County Voter Registrar’s office, there are 638 registered voters in the City of New Waverly, and 2,921 registered voters in the New Waverly Independent School District.
New Waverly residents will vote on “the adoption of an additional sales and use tax within the City of New Waverly at the rate of one-half cent of 1 percent to be used to reduce the property tax rate.
If approved, the second proposition would create “the New Waverly Library District and adoption of a local sales and use tax in the New Waverly Library District at the rate of one-half of 1 percent to provide revenue for the district.”
In addition to the proposition to create a library district, there are five candidates — all unopposed — seeking election as board of trustees.
They are Bob Vanwassehnova, Becky Powell, Karla Fratt, Dr. Kim Vanwagner and Marlene Allen.
Six candidates seek four at large positions on the City Council ballot.
Incumbents Vince Paulsel, Nathaniel James and Jacob Slott seek re-election to two-year terms. They are joined by Cynthia Vance, Mike Kilgore and Allen Koonce.
Three incumbents seek re-election to the New Wavery board of trustees with the one contested race for Position 2.
John Holland is opposed by challenger Kerman Sykes, who filed as a write-in candidate.
Declarations of write-in candidacy could be filed until March 17.
James Gregory and Joyce Goffney, who hold Positions 1 and 3, respectively, are unopposed.
Gregory has served on the board since May 2005 and Goffney since May 1991. She is seeking her seventh three-year term.