Published: May 11, 2008 12:06 am            

Huntsville city voters elect Ray, Forbus

Incumbent Olson Williams, newcomer Baggett win spots on HISD board

Registered voters in Huntsville made their way to the polls on Saturday, casting a vote to decide a contested race for the Huntsville City Council and two for the Huntsville Independent School District.

Approximately 1,380 ballots were cast in both the Huntsville and New Waverly elections — 8.58 percent of a total of 29,007 registered voters.

Voting hours were from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Huntsville City Council welcomes Lanny D. Ray as a new councilmember-at large, Position 4 with a majority of 762 votes against opponent Ray Martin.

Martin had a total of 403 votes.

Ray, a Huntsville resident for four and a half years, is managing partner for Cantrell, Ray, Maltsberger and Barcus, LLP. He and his wife, Sandra, have three children — Zachary, 9, Nathaniel, 7, and Samantha, 4.

Ray has a BBA from Northeast Louisiana University and a Juris Doctor from Baylor University School of Law.

Ray is a member of the Huntsville Downtown Business Association, State Bar Association and served as president for the Walker County Bar Association in 2005-06. He is an attorney and counselor of the United States Supreme Court, previously a lead articles editor for the Baylor Law Review and also serve as Chief Staff Attorney to the Honorable Justice Chet Traylor on the Louisiana Supreme Court.

From 1982-1993, Ray was also an Active Duty Commissioned Infantry Officer for the U.S. Army.

Ray had 65.41 percent of the voter’s support.

Another new member of the council in Position 3 is Charles Forbus, who earned 905 votes in an uncontested race.

Forbus, a Huntsville resident for four years, is retired from AT&T.

He and his wife have nine children and numerous grandchildren.

Forbus earned a BA degree from Stephen F. Austin University, double majoring in history and geography.

A volunteer tutor for the Pro-Literacy Council, Forbus is a returned U.S. Peace Corp volunteer and site review leader. He is a member of the Mystery Writers Association of America and a geography club member for SFA.

Forbus was a Junior Achievement Instructor in Houston and St. Louis and a Hospice volunteer in Little Rock, Ark.

Returning to council are at large member, Position 1 Dalene Zender (969 votes) and at large, Position 2 Melissa Templeton-Mahaffey (956 votes) in contested races.

The Huntsville Independent School District Board of Trustees welcomes new trustee, Position 5 Pamela Baggett, who earned 945 votes against opponents Ron Keeler and incumbent Glenn Green.

Keeler received 166 votes and Green received a total of 571 votes.

Baggett, a Huntsville resident for 30 years, is the Senior Warden at the Holliday Unit for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

She received a BS degree in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University. Baggett and her husband, Bruce, have five children — Zane, 19, Brys, 17, Forbes, 16, Lexus, 15, and Byrne, 12.

Baggett served as an ambassador for the Gatesville Chamber of Commerce, president and secretary for the Gatesville Primary PTO and served as co-chiar for the Coryell County Relay for Life.

She was a chairperson for the 2007 Walker County Go Red Women Luncheon, is fundraising coordinator and secretary for the Huntsville Youth Football League and is a member of the St. Thomas The Apostle Catholic Church.

Baggett currently serves on the Campus Advisory Council as a parent representative for Sam Houston Elementary.

Baggett had 56.19 percent of the voter’s support.

Returning to the board of trustees is Karin Olson Williams, recieving 1,128 votes against opponent Steve Fisher, who received a total of 649 votes.

Williams had 63.48 percent of the voter’s support.

Election results reflected similar opinions of early voting results where a total of 881 registered voters cast ballot during an eight-day run.

During early voting, Ray received 345 over Martin’s 222 votes; Williams received 574 votes over Fisher’s 289 votes, and Baggett received 429 votes over Green’s 323 votes and Keeler’s 61 votes.

        

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