Ask Billie

Last week we talked about the upcoming election and it did happen, so congratulations to Dr. David Samuelson who will soon be known as Mayor Samuelson. We have endured months and months of national politics, and it certainly will not get any better between now and November. It has been refreshing to be made aware once again that elections to public office can be friendly.

We, as a community, thank both Domingo Montalvo and David Samuelson for the gentlemanly way they conducted their mayoral campaign. Last Saturday morning at the dedication of the church mural the two candidates were visiting with each other. A citizen standing nearby commented that they were encouraging each other to get extra votes.

The voter turnout was pathetically low and I hope it was not from apathy. When talking with folks over the weekend the majority of comments were "it is a win-win situation so I went to the Youth Fair or guests were in for Mother's Day weekend." That is probably not a good reason not to vote, but it does show that we had two good candidates.

New councilmen

Soon two other citizens will step into City Council positions and I am excited to have new faces that come with different elements of expertise.

Lewis Fortenberry, Manager of Zarsky Lumber Company, has been a tireless volunteer with many community volunteer organizations. He also brings knowledge of running a business to the council table. We never forget city government is one of our largest businesses, both in numbers of employees and size of total budget.

The Wharton medical community has provided health care and economic stability to Wharton County and beyond for decades. When demographics are studied, both South Texas Medical Clinics and Gulf Coast Medical Center are at or near the top in number of jobs, added strength to the tax base and overall dollars back into the community.

It seems fitting that a local, active in the community, physician, should sit at the City Council table. We are delighted that Dr. Jeffery Gubbels will soon be sworn in as a City Councilman. Of course he is busy, those are the folks who get the jobs done and we appreciate him for stepping into this position.

Everyone has a special invitation to join families and friends on Monday, May 19 at 7 p.m. at City Hall as the baton is passed. This is our opportunity to welcome Mayor David Samuelson, Lewis Fortenberry and Dr. Jeffery Gubbels. In addition, we owe a debt of gratitude to outgoing Mayor Bryce Kocian and City Councilman Ray Linseisen.

Okay, so we have a new group of leaders. They will be effective if we as citizens expect and help them to be. Can they take care of all our needs in this community by meeting two Monday nights a month? Not by themselves. A great community happens because many folks are involved. Do you know there are dozens of boards, commissions and committees listed under city government? Those are volunteer positions made up of folks just like you and me. There are positions that need to be filled but no one will know you are willing unless you let someone know. Information is always available at City Hall.

Yes, this can be a great new day and the future will be bright. Someone said "Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps if you are not willing to move your feet." This can be said for Wharton.