There were no Election Day upsets in Fort Bend Independent School District, as Board President Sonal Bhuchar and newcomer Marilyn Glover easily won seats on the board against candidates supported by the local teachers union.
Bhuchar took 3,411 votes – more than 66.5% – to 1,712, or 33.4%, for challenger Carlos Cain in the Position 2 race. Glover had 2,948 votes, or 60.5%, to easily win the Position 6 seat in her race against Bruce Albright (1,601 votes) and Rodrigo Carreon (322 votes).
In Lamar Consolidated ISD, however, incumbent Kathy Hynson lost to challenger Karen Mendoza, 281-308.
And in Missouri City, challenger Robin Elackatt upset incumbent District C Councilwoman Barbar Gibson, by a 515-380 count. Bobby Marshall took the vacated District A seat, in a 284 to 224 victory over Rodney Griffin.
Rosenberg Mayor Joe Gurecky hold off a well-funded challenge by Ace Hernandez, winning another term in office by a count of 1,079 to 859.
But longtime At-Large Position 1 Councilor James Carl Hopkins was upended by Susan Kroll Euton, 914-994.
Other Rosenberg City Council incumbents – Waline Sebesta, Joe Segura, Dwayne Grigar and Tom Suter, retained their seats. Suter won over Charlie Nays 433-278; Grigar beat Cowboy Bill 370 to 125; Segura beat Cynthia Flores McConathy by just 20 votes – 251 to 231; and Sebesta bested Mike Parsons 1,120 to 747.
Juan Salazar will join them, having run unopposed for the vacated District No. 1 council chair.
In Sugar Land’s only contested race, voters chose Don Smithers to serve in City Council District 1 by a 573-347 count over George Kakkanatt.
In Needville, Tim Sbrusch easily won the race for Needivlle ISD Position 5 board seat, taking 756 votes to Brigitte Echols’ 259.
In Fulshear, Stephen Gill and J.B. Collins Jr. won city aldermen seats while Carl Utley did not. Gill took 161 votes, Collins had 159 and Utley garnered 85.
In Arcola, Greg Abarr, Tom Hilton and Florence Jackson kept seats on the City Council, taking 48, 46 and 42 votes, respectively.
Five other candidates ran unsuccessfully for those seats – Abraham Jones (39), James DeVoge (37), James Wark (29), Rosie Rojas (21) and Javier Flores (11).
In Kendleton’s only contested race, Etta Marie Patterson won the Position 3 City Council race, taking 28 votes to 21 for Reuben Young III and 12 for Carolyn Kindred Jenkins.
In the only issue on the ballot, 18 people living within the Kingsbridge Muunicipal Utility District voted in favor of a $23 million bond issue while 11 voted against the measure.
May 11th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
I am happy for DistriCt C. I have to complement Robin for running a clean race BUT props to the 515 people that showed up to vote. Robin went door to door and earned every vote and his energy and positive outlook brought out the Voters. Great grassroots story. DistriCt C residents nice job. This type of landslide will be felt at the City level and hopefully the Mayor will understand that we need NEW IDEAS, A NEW VISION and more importanyly a NEW ENERGY in DIstrct C. DistriCt is the gateway between Sugarland and Mo. City on HWY 6 and Robin’s leadership will better link these 2 cities.
May 11th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Eleckatt’s victory over Gibson was by a very decisive 135 votes, very much a landslide. I think this says volumes about the direction that the City is going, that our current Council Members aren’t getting the job done and that voters recognize the need for change. Numerous store locations along Highway 6, Cartwright Road, and Texas Parkway are vacant. The retirement village next to the Goodwill Store (another Council triumph) is now either cancelled or postponed indefinitely. Why is that? Why are all these commercial vendors rejecting Missouri City for other locations? Missouri City residents are catching on that their elected officials should work hard and not just attend Council meetings and photo ops. We need Council Members with energy and initiative, not just placeholders. Its past time for change to happen. Clearly, we need to term limit our City Council Members. If they don’t function and perform, vote them out!
May 10th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
The teachers union failed to get the job done. It looks like teachers staff and students continue to leave themself behind. Another twelve months or longer? Will just waite an see.
May 10th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Will this race winner Of eastside FBISD save Marshal HS EE engineering acedemy? Your vote to race victory for your service tobe improve?