League of Women Voters of Hays County, previously known as San Marcos Area League of Women Voters, will hold a public debate for the upcoming election of City Council members. The debate will be held at the San Marcos Activity Center, 501 E. Hopkins Street, Monday, October 12, at 7 p.m.
Jeannie Lewis, Debate Coordinator, encourages all concerned citizens to attend the debate to be informed of issues important to the San Marcos community.
Invited to the debate are the candidates for the upcoming election of City Council members. District 5 candidates on the ballot are Frank Arredondo, Stephen Herrera, and Scott Gregson. However, Stephen Herrera has officially withdrawn from the race. District 6 candidates are Melissa Derrick and Shane Scott. Debate moderator is Kaylene Ray, local attorney.
Candidates have also received questionnaires from the League of Women Voters. Candidates’ responses will be published in the Voters Guide, which will be available to the public.
Also included in the debate will be a discussion of Proposition 1 “Amending the San Marcos City Charter to add a separate section relating to fluoridation of the San Marcos municipal water supply to read as follows: ‘The City of San Marcos shall not add, or direct or require its agents to add fluoride in the form of hydrofluorosilicic acid, hexafluorosilicic acid, or sodium silicofluoride to the San Marcos municipal water supply.’”
Speaking “For” the proposition will be Sam Brannon, a local advocate to remove fluoride from City drinking water. Speaking “Against” the proposition will be Dr. Corey Carothers, a local dentist with Carothers and Sullivan.
Also to be discussed will be Proposition 2 “Amending Section 12.11 of the San Marcos City Charter, regarding charter amendments, to include a cross-reference to the requirements for verification of signatures on any petition paper in Section 6.03 of the city charter and to be worded as follows: Amendments to this charter may be framed and submitted to the voters of the city in the manner provided by state law and in compliance with the provisions of this charter pertaining to the holding of elections, including the requirements in Section 6.03 for verification of signatures on any petition paper that have been continuously in effect since the adoption of the original city charter on February 24, 1967.”
The League of Women Voters of Hays County is a non-partisan organization open to both women and men dedicated to voter awareness and education. The League believes in the representative form of government and individual liberties established in the Constitution of the United States. A guiding principle of the League is that “government depends upon the informed and active participation of its citizens and requires that governmental bodies protect the citizen’s right to know by giving adequate notice of proposed actions, holding open meetings and making public records accessible.”
Early voting is Monday, October 19, through Friday, October 30. Election date is Tuesday, November 3.
See the League’s Voters Guide for the location of local polling places, which may differ from past elections.
For more information about the League or the debate, contact Jeannie Lewis at
jeannie@centurytel.net or (512) 353-2872.