Gordon, Mineral Wells groups investing in MW council races
Apr. 9—MINERAL WELLS — Competing groups are funding the lion's share of campaigns for city council as Mineral Wells residents look to the May 4 election.
Seats are up for mayor, to represent the south-central Ward 1 and the city's northwest section in Ward 3. All three are contested.
The mayoral race pits incumbent Mayor Regan Johnson against Ron Davis.
And challengers Bryan Sleeman and D.B. Thomas are squaring off against respective incumbents Jerrel Tomlin in Ward 1 and Beth Watson in Ward 3.
Tomlin also is targeted in one of three recall elections. His term is up anyway, hence his office being on two ballots as he seeks reelection.
The other two recalls are on Ward 2 Councilman Carlos Maldonado, representing Northeast Mineral Wells, and Ward 4 Councilman Doyle Light from the city's southwestern area.
Finance reports turned in last Thursday draw a clear line for voters to distinguish at the polls.
Large outlays — for a small-city council election — are shown in the reports from groups on either side of a lake and a substantial water rate hike.
The increase was enacted by the incumbents, and the rest of a unanimous council, both to meet a substantial increase the city faces from its water provider and to back hoped-for loans to build Turkey Peak Reservoir.
In one corner, a Gordon-based group called Grass Roots Mineral Wells reported raising $12,100 to support challengers opposing the rate hike — and the incumbents.
Each challenger lists a $4,033 contribution from Grass Roots Mineral Wells.
In the other corner is a committee calling itself Mineral Wells Tomorrow, which lists $10,900 raised and $4,500 spent in support of the incumbents during the reporting period covering Feb. 25 through March 25.
The 146 percent, five-year hike in most residential and commercial meters began showing up in December bills.
It has two culprits.
One is a $3 million annual increase in what the city pays its water source, the Palo Pinto County Municipal Water District No. 1 which owns the city's water source, Lake Palo Pinto.
The other is a $277.5 million loan the water district is seeking to build the $200 million Turkey Peak Reservoir, immediately below the first lake's dam (the city had planned to apply for the bonds, but that idea was clogged up by two ongoing challenges filed with the Public Utility Commission).
The rest of the hoped-for funds will replace the 60-year-old Hilltop Water Treatment Plant and fund other supporting water infrastructure.
Despite its Mineral Wells-dressed name, Grass Roots Mineral Wells reports one $500 donation from a resident of the city.
Most of the rest of its war chest — $11,000 — is credited to the Palo Pinto County Conservatives, which lists a Gordon Post Office box in the report's address box.
Its treasurer, who filed the report, is Johanna "Joey" Miller of Palo Pinto. The filing lists council challengers Davis, Sleeman and Thomas as its chosen candidates.
Mineral Wells Tomorrow lists its treasurer as Brad Bennett, a Mineral Wells resident like eight of its nine donors.
The pro-incumbent out-of-towner is listed as RLW 2012 Trust of Fort Worth. RLW is the group's second-biggest contributor, behind Famous Mineral Water Co. co-owner Carol Elder of Mineral Wells, with a $2,500 donation.
Spending by incumbents has been modest, with Watson the most active. She reported a $1,708 outlay, from Jan. 16 through April 4.
Watson also held $2,500 as of that latter date. Her war chest has gone for advertising including direct mail.
Johnson reports no spending and just $100 in cash contributions. She does report a $1,200 in-kind contribution from Watson, which went to a mailout.
Watson's opponent, Thomas, had yet to spend any of the Grass Roots Mineral Wells money as of last Thursday.
Neither of the other two challengers had dipped into their $4,033 donations by last Thursday.
Incumbent Tomlin did not turn in a finance report, City Clerk Sharon McFadden reported.
