(Editor’s note: Questionnaires for those who have filed for Dublin School Board, Dublin City Council, Stephenville School Board and Stephenville City Council are being published in The Dublin Citizen as they are received. Except for grammar and spelling, they are published as is. All questionnaires will be published in a free digital voters guide before voting begins on April 22.)
Wyndi Veigel-Gaudette Content Editor
Incumbent Stephenville School Board member Douglas Young has filed to retain his Place 4 seat.
Background/ education/ family info: My wife, Tisha, and I met in college. We were both Agriculture majors. We married two weeks after we both graduated. In May we will celebrate our 28th anniversary. Tisha is a 4th grade math and science teacher at Hook Elementary. We have three children. Our oldest, Haylee, is a 2022 graduate of Texas Tech University and serves as the Business Director for Texas Corn Producers in Lubbock. Aby is a 2021 graduate of Stephenville High School and currently works for Barefoot Outfitters. Our youngest, Reese, is a 2022 graduate of Stephenville High School and is finishing his third year at Abilene Christian University and will graduate in May.
What is your occupation? Are there skills involved in the work that will help in serving on school board?
Since 2020, I’ve served as the President/CEO of Foster’s Home for Children. Foster’s Home has over 30 children enrolled in SISD. That makes me guardian to the most kids in the district. I certainly have a vested interest in the education of kids who come into care. I contend that academics is the first KPI of how a child is doing in our program. I do what I do because I care about children from hard places.
What made you decide to run for the board again? I ran last year for an unexpired term. Therefore, I’ve only been a trustee for 8 months. I did want to test the waters a bit to see if it was something that would serve both myself and the district well. The short time as a school board member has been positive thus far. We have worked well together and think the future is bright at SISD.
What is something you are most proud to have accomplished while on school board? What needs improvement? That is a difficult thing to say given my short tenure so far, but I know our entire board of trustees was honored to be able to name our stadium and field after two Stephenville legends: Art Briles and Mike Copeland. Stephenville athletics wouldn’t be what it is today without both of them. On the flip side, some think athletics is all SISD cares about but that couldn’t be further from the truth. One thing I believe we need to address is the flatline of our enrollment. I want us to be a district everyone wants to attend.
What are some of your goals if elected or re-elected?
While money is tight, I’d like to tackle finding ways to provide certain services for children that we are currently having to contract out to other places. As I mentioned above, I’d also like to focus on growing our enrollment.
Filings as of presstime Filings for local elections for school board and city council are continuing through Feb. 14.
Incumbent City Councilmember Place 3 Darren Turley has filed to retain his seat and Bolek ‘Bo’ Kabala has filed for Place 1 city council. Place 1 is currently held by Barrett Joiner. Place 5, which is currently held by Sammy Moore is also on the ballot.
In order to run for city council, a person must be a U.S. Citizen, been a resident of Texas for 12 months and the city limits of Dublin for 6 months, have a current voter registration certificate, be 18 years of age or older upon the commencement of the term to be filled at the election, Not have been convicted of a felony for which he or she has not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities and not have been deemed mentally incompetent by a final judgment of a court Packets for the seats are available at City Hall, located at 213 E. Blackjack Street.
For Dublin ISD, there are two school board seats up including those currently held by Anjelica Salyer and Pat Leatherwood. Leatherwood has currently filed to retain his seat and Salyer has said she will file to retain hers.
Anyone wanting to file for a seat can either pick up a packet at the school district administration office located at 420 North Post Oak or go online.
In order to run for school board, an individual must be a U.S. Citizen, be 18 years of age or older on the first day of the term to be filled at the election or on the date of appointment, has not been determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote, has not been finally convicted of a felony from which the individual has not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities, has resided continuously in the state for 12 months and within Dublin ISD boundaries for 6 months and is registered to vote in the territory.
Stephenville City Council had all of their incumbents who are running for re-election file on the first open day of filing including Place 1 LeAnn Durfey, Place 3 Lonn Reisman, Place 5 Maddie Smith and Place 7 Brandon Greenhaw.
For Stephenville ISD School board, incumbents for Place 4 Douglas Young and Place 5 Matt Miller have both filed for reelection.
Early voting will be held starting April 22.