Apples to Apples

MAYORAL CANDIDATE DEVIN VYNER

Devin Vyner grew up in nearby Georgetown and moved to Liberty Hill in 2019 with his three young children. Devin serves as a full-time Sergeant for the Bertram Police Department and throughout his career has received numerous accolades and commendations for his police service, including his most recent 100 Club Officer of the Year award received on March 7th, his second such award. Devin fills his spare time with concerts, fixing things his babies break, and he can often be found around a driveway fire pit with friends and family, making s'mores and occasionally enjoying a fine glass of bourbon.

The Liberty Hill Digest presented every candidate for mayor and school board with a set of questions to provide voters an “apples to apples” review regarding issues and platforms. Responses are published in the order in which they were received, exactly as submitted. Below, we have included the complete responses from candidates who returned their answers prior to our print date.

Why did you decide to run for mayor of Liberty Hill?

I’ve lived a life of public service for 14 years as a police officer and it just makes sense to pour that dedication, integrity, and devotion that I’ve shown throughout my career into the town my family and I call home. Being an officer has been an amazing ride, but I was created to be a father, and having a hand in providing an atmosphere for my family that’s safe, that has leaders who understand that they serve the citizens, and that promotes transparency in government should be the focus of all city leaders, especially the Mayor.

Share your qualifications and experience for the position of mayor.

I’ve been on the “inside” of government most of my professional life, helping build budgets, negotiate concessions, and seeking ways to improve the lives of our citizens and employees alike. I had the opportunity as a citizen to serve on the city’s Home Rule Charter Commission and throughout that tenure, it was essential to remember that just because you can govern one way, doesn’t mean you should.

If elected, what things will you prioritize?

Employee retention. Turnover is expensive, and creating an environment where our city employees feel valued, where they enjoy coming to work, translates to them providing a higher quality of service for our citizens.

Transparency. Nearly everything we do as public servants should be available for review by those we serve. The notion of, or begrudgingly even the reality of, impropriety, should be absolutely avoided.

Your voice matters. People should feel like they’re being heard. It’s impossible to cater to everybody, but affording citizens the chance to speak with their city leaders shouldn’t be cumbersome. That’s why I’ve listed my mobile number and email address on the fliers I hand out, I want to hear what you have to say about your city.

What sets you apart from your opponent?

I’ve lived a life of public service. I’ve seen the good and the bad of small government, from the inside, and my opponent has not. Seeing what it takes to make a city run smoothly for its residents, especially on the ground level, is an education that can only be learned from being one of those “cogs” for over a decade. From Streets, to Utilities, to Police, and City Administration, remembering that it’s a dedicated group of valuable individuals that create the quality of life we all desire is paramount.

Is there anything else you would like to mention?

My friends and family originally pushed me to run for Mayor, planting that seed, encouraging me, mentoring me, it wasn’t personal ambition. We have to focus on what is actually the business of government and avoid the things that are not. Sometimes well-intentioned public servants forget how small their role should be in citizens’ lives. Create a safe environment for families, seek viable water sources, promote smart growth, and avoid toothless proclamations that only pit neighbor against neighbor, that should be the focus of your city leaders.

SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES

SHARON YAGER

My name is Sharon Yager, I spent my entire 32 year career as a Sr. Administrative Assistant in one of the biggest school districts. I served as the union president of all classified employees for 15 years, which serves 30,000 students across 18 schools. As union president, I sat on the budget committee of AUHSD, which had an annual budget of over $200 million, Insurance committee and the hiring panel for Principals and Asst. Principals. I have fallen in love with my community of Liberty Hill. I’m a Conservative, Christian woman with a heart for service to my community.

KATHY MAJOR

I am married with two children who are alumni of LHISD. My grandgirl currently attends LHHS. We moved to Liberty Hill in 1987 and I worked for the district from 1991-2017. As a teacher, principal and now school board member, I have served the Liberty Hill community for 33 years. My undergraduate degree is from Michigan State University in Child Development and Teaching. My masters was earned at the University of Texas at Austin in Educational Administration. I support the Panthers in academic and athletic endeavors and look forward to doing the same for the Legacy Ranch Wranglers.