29 minute read

CANDIDATE Q&A

COUNTY COMMISSIONER, PCT. 2 Brigid Lester (D) vs Cynthia Long (R), Incumbent

LHI MONTHLY: In your view, is the Commissioners Court doing enough to address the infrastructure needs of our growing community? If yes, provide some examples from the recently adopted budget as to how Liberty Hill will benefit directly. If no, explain what you believe should have been done. LESTER: Definitely NOT. LH is growing and infrastructure is not keeping pace. Maintenance of existing roads has been ignored in favor of lucrative contracts for new roads. Broadband coverage in LH is among the worst and clean air is completely left to TCEQ without county direction. Water addressed in #6. LONG: There are numerous County provided services that residents of Liberty Hill and the greater Liberty Hill area utilize and access; including but not limited to EMS/ambulance service, law enforcement, first responder emergency radio system, 911 call taking and dispatch, the judicial system, county roads, county parks and more. Law enforcement and the judicial system compromise the vast majority of the County personnel budget. In the recently passed budget; law enforcement officers received a substantial pay increase, an additional ambulance was put into service, two new courts were funded, funding for county road maintenance was increased, and funding was increased for security of the emergency radio systems. These are some of the important functions that received increases in funding in the recently adopted budget. These funding increases and improvements will have a positive impact on people who call the Liberty Hill area home.

LHI MONTHLY: How much influence will your political party affiliation have on the decisions you are called on to make if elected to the Court? Please explain. LESTER: None! As you have seen on my political signs, “Political parties should have nothing to do with county politics.” My campaign color of purple verifies this commitment. My credentials for this office are education, coupled with a lifetime of selfless service and leadership. LONG: As Commissioner, I represent everyone in Precinct 2 regardless of political party affiliation. I make decisions based upon the best information available and what I believe is best for the county and its citizens. My values help shape who I am and also guide my decisions. I am a fiscal and social conservative who believes in faith, family, and freedom. I always remember that every penny the County spends comes from a taxpayer’s pocket.

LHI MONTHLY: Water availability is a major concern among Liberty Hill residents. As commissioner, what role can you play in making sure there is enough water for residents and businesses in the future? Are you for or against Williamson County creating a groundwater conservation district, and why or why not? LESTER: I have already gone on record - want to establish a GCD. Uncontrolled water use is draining the Trinity Aquifer. Our residents’ wells are going dry and the city’s water source is at risk. It is disgraceful the way some say there is nothing the court can do. Once elected, I’ll show you what we can do. LONG: It is important for Liberty Hill Independent readers to understand that county government in Texas has no authority to regulate or provide water. The State has granted cities, municipal utility districts, river authorities, ground water districts, etc. (not counties) the ability to provide and/or regulate the use of water. I am keenly aware of the importance of water to a growing community. Because I have developed relationships with decision makers in the water arena, I have been able to work with cities, MUD’s, special water districts and others to be at the table when they are planning for our water future. This year, the Commissioner’s Court voted to allocate $70 million dollars of federal ARPA funding for water infrastructure for entities who do provide water to our citizens, including $4 million for the City of Liberty Hill. Additionally, I am listening to constituents in the Liberty Hill area who believe a ground water district should be formed or entered into to address the growing demand on ground water. In forming an opinion, I must weigh the impacts on everyone in a potential ground water district. LHI MONTHLY: Liberty Hill’s rapid growth has created much more traffic and congestion on county roads in recent years. As commissioner, what will you do to ensure county roads can handle the increased traffic, while also providing safe intersections? LESTER: The current court ignores the safety of existing roads, leaving county roads dangerous. They site new roads through homesteads and ranches. New roads are needed, but plans must involve community input. Residents provided a viable solution for the I2 corridor and the court simply ignored them. LONG: The roadway system in the Liberty Hill area is a mixture of State roads (29, 183, 1869), county roads, and city roads. Even though 29, 183 and 1869 are the State’s responsibility, I have led county funded safety initiatives on those roadways which included center turn lanes and traffic signals. Some of the recent County funded improvements to County roads in the Liberty Hill area are as follows: the second phase of improvements to CR 200 is nearing completion, Seward Junction Loop south was completed, planning is underway for safety improvements to CR 201, an engineering firm was just hired to redesign and expand Seward Junction Loop on the north side of SH 29. Construction will begin next year on the widening of Ronald Reagan north

Candidates in contested races share views on issues of local interest

Candidates seeking the support of Liberty Hill area voters in the Nov. 8 General Election recently participated in a Q&A interview with THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENTby responding to questions of importance locally. Contested races for County Commissioner, Pct. 2; Williamson County Judge; Justice of the Peace, Pct. 2; and State Representative, District 20 are featured on the following pages. Candidate responses appear in their entirety and were not edited by the newspaper. Due to space limitations, the complete interviews with additional questions can be found at www.LHINDEPENDENT.com.

BRIGID LESTER (D) CYNTHIA LONG (R)

of SH29 as well as the middle section of the Liberty Hill bypass from 1869 to Bagdad Road, and the widening of Bagdad Road from the Liberty Hill city limits to CR 281. Additionally, the County’s long-range planning and preservation of right-of-way is what has allowed the much needed Phase 3 of 183A to be started. I continue to work with the City and the State to plan for near term safety improvements at key intersections as well as plan for the future. Planning in the past has made the current improvements possible. I will continue to focus on improving existing county roadways, constructing new ones when needed and planning for the future.

LHI MONTHLY: The unprecedented growth of the Liberty Hill area in recent years has created multiple challenges for residents within the city limits and within the ETJ. In your view, what is the most significant among those, and as commissioner, how can you impact that? LESTER: The overarching issue is SAFETY, without that, nothing else matters. Our first responders have been mistreated and, in effect, defunded. The Sheriff’s Dept is the primary law enforcement in the ETJ, which is 95% of Liberty Hill. I will fight for a budget that pays and resources the SO appropriately. LONG: The growth we are experiencing in Liberty Hill, Williamson County and much of Central Texas is record breaking. There are several challenges that growth brings. First is the increases in student population at our schools, creating a demand for new schools. Second, the increased number of cars on our roadways. Third, the demand on our existing water supply. As Commissioner, I have focused on improving existing county roadways, constructing new ones when needed and planning for future ones. Additionally, I have worked closely with Liberty Hill ISD to plan for the roadway infrastructure around future school locations. Addressing the current and future water supply, while not a county function, is an issue that the growth and the drought has brought to the forefront.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, PCT. 2 Sara Groff (D) vs Angela Williams (R)

LHI MONTHLY: What in your past experience do you believe most qualifies you to serve as Justice of the Peace? GROFF: My experience working in state and local government gives me an understanding of listening to different voices and issues while using the law as a backbone for making decisions. Serving on the Cedar Park Planning and Zoning Commission for five years, two as chair has given me experience in dealing with diverse groups of stakeholders, understanding the issues, and applying city code to the problems before me. It also provided me with practical experience of running efficient and orderly government meetings. I work for State Rep John Bucy, which has allowed me to serve my community and build relationships with other levels of government and community leaders. I run all district operations from constituent services to programs, such as our food delivery program, which has delivered over 90,000 pounds of food to seniors in PCT 2 in 2.5 years. In this role, I have helped thousands of constituents navigate state agencies and connected them to local resources such as churches and nonprofits. I came into this position with no framework for operating a district office or any resources identified for either the office or constituents. In my time, I have built a robust and active district office. I will bring this same level of hard work, involvement, and efficiency to this court. WILLIAMS: I believe a servant leader who conducts themself with integrity epitomizes the most important quality a judge can have. While I have practiced this principle throughout my personal life, whether it was in leadership roles at my church or as a volunteer in my community, it has prepared me well for the Justice of the Peace position. With six children of my own, I learned to empower them through nurturing and disciplining, not just my children but their friends, teammates, and other youth associations. Helping children and youth grow into responsible citizens is a key aspect of a JP of which I have years of experience. As a small business owner for more than 30 years, I have seen the broad spectrum of changes from paper/print to digital advertising and saw the need of earning two college degrees to help the business grow. But not only has my experience in the business world given me a perspective of understanding the majority of cases that a JP hears, I have taken the time to observe the current JP in the courtroom and in the field. Additionally, I graduated from the Leander Citizens Police Academy, became a certified mentor, and continued interaction with agencies that coordinate with the JP. This is why I am the best and most qualified candidate for Justice of the Peace.

LHI MONTHLY: What, if anything, is needed in the JP Court for it to run more efficiently, more fairly, or be more accessible to residents of all backgrounds and businesses in Precinct 2? GROFF: I think one positive we saw from Covid was the ability to modernize the court and better serve the folks of Wilco. The court should take full advantage of modern technology. Things like online dockets help everyone to see what is happening in the courtroom on any given day, access to resources on the court’s website, and access to court over Zoom opens the court up to people. So they don’t have to miss an entire day of work to handle business. Ensuring that everything that can legally be done over the internet or email, such as filings, paying fines, and checking the status of cases, is available online increases transparency and access to the court. We should also have all resources accessible in multiple languages. I also think having some staggered hours is helpful for those that might not be able to make court during the regular business day. A JP court needs to meet folks where they are and these are some of the measures I plan to implement to make the court as accessible as possible. WILLIAMS: The Justice of the Peace is the most accessible court closest to the everyday citizen and is often referred to as the People’s Court. A person can file a small claim or eviction in the Justice of the Peace and represent themselves without hiring a lawyer. Also, if you’re summoned to court, you can represent yourself as well. While sitting in JP court in Precinct 2 over the last year, I’ve witnessed small claims, debt collection, and eviction court proceedings by individuals who prove their cases with evidence. This court is accessible to the residents and business owners within Precinct 2. Most residents have no idea what the Justice of the Peace does and how these services are available to them. After talking with many voters and giving them the information and services on their JP, they are very thankful and more informed on the accessibility of the court. While observing the truancy cases in the JP 2 courtroom, I noticed many of the parents didn’t speak English. Although the school administrator was translating, I would like to improve and explore our communication process for non-English speaking residents. I would like to make sure all available resources have been explored and made available on our website. When handling juvenile Class C misdemeanors I would like to expound on programs focused on the dangers of fentanyl poisoning.

LHI MONTHLY: Describe an interaction you might have had with the justice system at this level and what you learned that might have influenced your decision to seek the office of JP. GROFF: I have had two personal interactions with a JP. My husband and I were married in a JP courtroom over 26 years ago. The judge and his staff were amazing and made Ian and I feel so welcome and celebrated. The second interaction was much more recently. My uncle passed away at home in a west Texas county. The Justice of the Peace came out to the house to do the death inquest. Again, the judge was great, respectful and took the time to explain next steps to our family. By the time my uncle had died, I was already working at the State and had also met a few JPs in Wilco. Speaking with them and working on legislation that impacted the court taught me the scope of the court and influenced my decision to run. I appreciate the breadth of cases the JP court sees and understand how each case is impacting someone’s life. While preparing to run for this office I have spent time in JP courts around the county observing the different types of cases and how the different JP handles them and their court. I have studied the state law that governs the cases JP courts hear and I look forward to serving in this role. WILLIAMS: The decision to seek the Justice of the Peace office was made with much prayer and consideration for everyone involved. Specifically, I thought about those who put their trust in the person who handles some of the most sensitive circumstances in their life at that time. What was impactful to me personally, was the difference this court makes, and that is why it is called the “People’s Court.” The Justice of the Peace may handle your youth who’ve fallen into difficult situations and looking for a positive outcome (truancy or juvenile Class C misdemeanors), landlord/ tenant concerns, small claims, debt collections, and one of the most sensitive concerns is when your loved ones pass away (inquest). Many conversations I’ve had with voters start out, “Do you know what the Justice of the Peace does?” In 90% of those conversations, nobody truly knows what the office is responsible for. Most voters are thankful to learn about the Justice of the Peace duties. More importantly, we should be a well-informed society and understand what our elected officials are required to do and how we as citizens can access these services, if necessary. I am ready to serve you wholeheartedly.

LHI MONTHLY: Identify a leader who you most admire and describe why. What qualities does this person possess or actions has this person taken that you try to apply to your own life as a leader? GROFF: I really admire State Rep John Bucy and State Rep Terry Wilson. They are both committed to serving the folks of Williamson County and put aside political differences to work with each other on issues that directly impact our neighbors. They took the time to build a relationship based on trust and rooted in respect for each other and the job before them. Without this relationship, they could easily get bogged down in the divisiveness that is happening in politics and government. I genuinely believe that we do not all have to have the same experience, support the same policies, and have the same beliefs to work together as community leaders. The important part is respecting and taking the time to listen to each other. The best elected officials are the ones that put the community first. I share their belief in putting community first and I work with people across the aisle all the time at both state and local levels to serve our neighbors. I’ve taken the time to build relationships with leaders across not only PCT 2, but all of Wilco in order to ensure that I can serve our community in the best way. As the next JP, I can assure you that not only I, but also my staff, will always take a community first approach. WILLIAMS: Susan B. Anthony was a pioneer in the women’s suffrage movement as well as an American civil rights leader who fought for rights for African Americans. She was raised in the Quaker tradition and believed that everyone was equal under God. At the age of three, she learned to read and write. After finishing her education, she took a position at a Quaker seminary in New Rochelle, NY in 1839. It comes

SARA GROFF (D) ANGELA WILLIAMS (R)

as no surprise Anthony was known as a trailblazer everywhere she went. When denied the right to speak at a temperance meeting in Albany in 1852, Anthony organized and became the president of the Woman’s New York State Temperance Society. She addressed the National Women’s Rights Convention in 1854 and urged more petition campaigns. As a final tribute to Susan B. Anthony, the Nineteenth Amendment was named the Susan B. Anthony Amendment. It was ratified in 1920. Throughout her life, Susan B. Anthony demonstrated tenacity and perseverance for equal rights for ALL individuals. I want to emulate her desire for justice for ALL as inalienable rights of our Constitution and to serve the people of Williamson County as a fair, unbiased, and independent judge who stands for everyone.

LHI MONTHLY: County government is responsible for providing a number of services to residents. Do you have a special interest in any of those areas, and why? CONKLIN: The most important services the county provides are in the area of public safety and emergency services. The Sheriff’s office is the single largest department in the county. If you ever need to call 911, you’re talking to a county employee. If you need an ambulance, that’s a county service. Over the past few years, I have ridden out with Sheriff’s deputies, EMS units, Constable’s deputies, the Mobile Outreach Team (mental health calls), and city police and fire departments. I have always been impressed with a feeling of deep gratitude to the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day for our community. I am currently enrolled in the Citizens Academy of the WiCo Sheriff’s Office. It is a great opportunity for folks to learn about the role of the SO in our county. But there are many other important services the county provides, staffed with dedicated professionals who do great work—too many to mention here—but these include Juvenile Services, the Animal Shelter, the Children’s Advocacy Center, and Veteran Services. GRAVELL: Judge Gravell will continue to lower property taxes. In Williamson County we have increased property tax exemptions, providing tax relief to all residential homesteads in the county. Property tax exemptions for persons 65 and older increased from $30,000 to $125,000. Property tax exemption for disabled persons increased from $20,000 to $125,000. Finally, we will fight to keep our community safe! LHI MONTHLY: When it comes to business development, do you believe that county government should have more input on projects proposed in the unincorporated areas? CONKLIN: It is frustrating to residents and land owners when a new business wants to move in that may present a threat to the air and water in the community, and the only entity with the authority to do anything about it is a toothless State agency (TCEQ) that isn’t going to do much of anything except give the green light to the business. Whether it’s a chemical manufacturer or another rock crusher, businesses are taking advantage of the lack of regulation to exploit Williamson County and endanger the health and well-being of our residents. Williamson County should be allowed to have a greater voice in helping protect our people. This is something that state legislation will have to address, and I will advocate for it. Williamson County already has the largest number of APOs (aggregate production operations) of all 254 counties in Texas. I favor state legislation that would require APOs to adopt industry best practices regarding air pollution, water recycling, noise, and other impacts of this industry on our county. Up to this point, my opponent has remained silent on this legislation. GRAVELL: As County Judge I would like to have more input when it comes to projects and development in the unincorporated areas to make sure that we take in consideration the needs and welfare of the citizens and the ability to reduce any harm that could be caused to our environment. An example would be large consumers of water like concrete batch plants or rock quarries.

LHI MONTHLY: Looking back at your career or any service to the public, what is the accomplishment that you are the most proud of? CONKLIN: I earned a PhD from the University of Chicago. I wanted to be a professor. That dream did not come to fruition. I already had a young family at the time. So, like many people, I had to retool and figure out another way to provide for my family. I found a job at UT where I learned to write software. 18 years later, I am a Senior Business Analyst at the University of Texas System, where I work at the intersection of healthcare, higher education, and technology. Our office coordinates the insurance and benefits for a quarter of a million lives all across Texas--UT employees, retirees, and their families. Starting in 2017, I led a three-year effort to modernize our benefits enrollment system. This was a massive project to procure and contract with a new partner, to conduct discovery, implementation, and testing of interfaces, applications, and data integrations with 15 different UT institutions and a dozen business partners, to ensure compliance with security and privacy regulations, and to manage the myriad issues, expectations, setbacks, and communications with hundreds of stakeholders across the project. Like a County Judge, I had the responsibility of leading hundreds of people that I did not have the ability to hire or fire. I had to build relationships, negotiate in good faith, and ultimately do what was best for the people we serve. A winding road has brought me to this point, and I am proud of my ability to adapt and succeed. GRAVELL: Judge Gravell has provided law enforcement with the resources and training they need to keep Williamson County families safe. He will oppose any radical efforts to defund the police. 2. He has lowered property taxes and led the charge to raise the homestead exemption for seniors and veterans in Williamson County. 3. He has led the charge to bring new jobs and new economic opportunities to Williamson County.

LHI MONTHLY: Considering Liberty Hill’s rapid and recent growth, what do you see as the immediate challenges to the community that can be addressed at the County level, and what impact could you have as County Judge to help remedy problems or address resident concerns? CONKLIN: The most immediate challenge facing Liberty Hill and all of Williamson County is our rapid growth and development. While our current county leadership has focused on inviting and encouraging this development, the question that needs to be addressed is whether we are ready for it. The core duties of county government are to provide for the public safety services and infrastructure. A growing county needs to focus on making sure these duties are top priorities. Two of the pressing infrastructure needs that have been neglected by the county are broadband and water. (More about water below) As the next County Judge, not only will I work every day to address these challenges, but I will start by taking the first step that leaders need to take, and that is to listen. You cannot address the concerns of residents if you don’t listen to them. The problem with our current leadership is that they have chosen to listen to special interests and business concerns, not to the people who do the living and working in Williamson County. GRAVELL: The greatest challenge we face is inflation and the impact it has on our community. Our residents are struggling to just make ends meet. When the cost of eggs has increased from .82 to $2.82 a dozen and gas prices/food prices/rent/utilities etc have all seen sharp increases that impacts our community deeply. The leadership in Washington D.C. is disconnected with reality in Williamson County, Texas. The solution is twofold, create higher paying quality jobs locally and replace the leadership in Washington.

LHI MONTHLY: How much influence does your political party affiliation and political activism have on the decisions you might be called on to make as County Judge? Please explain. CONKLIN: The work of county government is non-partisan in nature. It is about the things that affect us every day: Public safety, public health, emergency management, mental health, roads and bridges. There is no place in county government for divisive culture wars and extreme partisanship. I support our law enforcement professionals and all our first responders. I have publicly called for the county to pay our LE staff competitively with other LE agencies in the county. I have never advocated “defunding” the police. Historically, the Democratic Party has been the party of the people against the special interests. That is what being a Democrat means to me. I will always put people first. I have made a pledge that I will not accept political contributions from companies who do business with the county. I am not a professional politician. I will not be the mouthpiece of a particular party, activist group, business interest, or any special interest. I will do what I believe is best for the common good of the people of Williamson County. GRAVELL: As County Judge I am responsible for making decisions based on what is responsible for the welfare and growth for the county as a whole, it would be neglectful to make those decisions based on a party affiliation.

WILLIAMSON COUNTY JUDGE Blaine Conklin (D) vs Bill Gravell (R), Incumbent

BLAINE CONKLIN (D) BILL GRAVELL (R)

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

LOCAL JOURNALISM Maaers!

Do you live outside the 78642 zip code? SUBSCRIBE TODAY to LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT MONTHLY

$30 for 6 months $60 for one year

www.lhindependent.com 512.778.5577

STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 20 Raul Camacho (D) vs Terry Wilson (R), Incumbent

EDITOR’S NOTE: Rep. Terry Wilson did not participate in the Q&A interview. Multiple a empts over the course of a month to connect with the elected offi cial received no response and a conversation with his Chief of Staff , who appeared in Wilson’s place at a recent candidate forum, yielded no explanation as to Wilson’s decision not to represent himself to Liberty Hill Independent readers.

LHI MONTHLY: The Comptroller’s offi ce now expects revenue available for general spending in 2022-23 to total about $135.32 billion, up 15.1 percent from the 2020-21 biennium. Where do you believe this additional revenue should be earmarked during the upcoming legislative session? CAMACHO: The additional revenue coming in should be used to make our public schools safer to protect our children from Active Shooters. We have smart security programs to counter Active Shooters and protect our kids. We need to invest in our children’s safety. We cannot not aff ord another school shooting. Prayers, excuses, and inaction from politicians should not be the norm.

LHI MONTHLY: Since the US Supreme Court’s landmark decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, do you foresee the Texas Legislature taking up measures to further criminalize women seeking to leave the state for an abortion? What would your position be? CAMACHO: No man, no religion, no corporation, no court, and no government have authority over a woman’s reproductive rights. Women have the right to control their own bodies, and thus they have a Human Right to be in charge of their own reproductive decisions. And shame on those imposing their beliefs onto others. We don’t need Governor Abbo s permission to terminate a pregnancy if a 13 year old was raped by child molester.

LHI MONTHLY: Since the mass school shooting occurred in Uvalde we’ve heard community activists calling for the state to enact Red Flag laws that could alert law enforcement when certain individuals a empt to purchase certain types of guns or ammunition. Do you generally support Red Flag gun laws or do you see this as an infringement to 2nd Amendment rights? CAMACHO: I support Red Flag laws, closing the Gun Show Loopholes. We need to make it harder for criminals and those who are mentally unstable to have access to guns. There Are No ‘Absolute’ Rights. Nearly every idea in the Bill of Rights RAUL CAMACHO (D) comes with restrictions and limitations, the 2nd amendment is no diff erent. I am a Firearm Instructor and I love my guns, and I stand by the 2nd amendment where it says ‘a well regulated militia’. It’s a damn shame that people with pre-existing mental health conditions have easy access to fi rearms, but no easy access to healthcare.

LHI MONTHLY: School districts are fi nding it diffi cult to recruit and retain educators. Some have even referred to the teacher shortage as a looming crisis in education. Do you believe the state should raise salaries in public schools across the board to assist districts in easing the crisis? CAMACHO: I worked as a Teacher Assistant for Special Needs Kids for AISD in 2014. I witnessed Teachers qui ing on the spot. Teachers are leaving for many reasons, most notably poor working conditions, poor retirement benefi ts, fear of liability just to protect themselves from violent students, low teacher pay, and an absence of opportunities to advance in their careers. With more teachers leaving, the ones who stay are asked to do more with less support, this leads to burnout. Teachers are also tired of politicians over-reaching into the classroom. Last but not least, Teachers are tired of School Shootings. To fi x this issue, we need to create Be er Work Conditions. Teachers need to have immunity protections for defending themselves from violent students and be allowed to press charges if they were a acked. Schools need to have a 0 tolerance for any type of violence. Starting salaries need to start at 75k. We need to make sure Teachers have safe working conditions. We need to off er them be er retirement benefi ts.

LHI MONTHLY: Do you support private school vouchers that allow parents to use public tax dollars to pay for private school tuition?

CAMACHO: I do not support private school vouchers that allow parents to use taxpayer dollars to pay for private school tuition.

SHE DIDN’T CARE. SHE WOULDN’T LISTEN.

County Commissioner Cynthia Long violated our trust and turned her back on Liberty Hill values.

PROBLEM: Dangerous traffic congestion placing lives at risk in Liberty Hill. LONG’S SOLUTION: Take land and homes from residents at below-market values to build a bypass... someday. Despite the outcry of opposition to the I-2 Corridor, Long strayed from the Republican value of private land ownership, ignored Liberty Hill property owners, and encouraged adoption of the Long-Range Transportation Plan that included the I-2 Corridor. As President of CAMPO, Long has had every opportunity to send funds to Liberty Hill to help relieve life-threatening traffic problems, but instead sent support to other cities.

PROBLEM: Quality of life features like parks and river access are limited for Liberty Hill residents. LONG’S SOLUTION: Take parkland known as Grace Park away from the City of Liberty Hill. The riverfront property has served the community with water access from its founding days. The County’s River Ranch Park,

located off Bagdad Road, was funded by park bonds and work began in 2019. The park is still not open.

PROBLEM: Cynthia Long makes decisions for Liberty Hill that are not in our best interest, and without seeking input from city government or caring about the concerns of local residents. LONG’S WAY: Place a county probation office one lot outside of our city limits -- a stone’s throw from downtown on RM 1869 and less than one mile from an elementary school. She did not inform the City of Liberty Hill of her plans and did not seek the appropriate city permits.

Dear Neighbors: I have been a Liberty Hill Council member since 2020, and am a conservative independent voter fighting for what’s best for our community. Since my election, I have been doing my best to move traffic and protect our traditions. The biggest obstacle to both of these goals is Cynthia Long. Her continued presence on the Commissioners Court is the greatest threat to the future of our community. She has had 15 years to help Liberty Hill manage growth and improve quality of life issues, and has failed. That’s why I’m supporting Brigid Lester on Nov. 8, and inviting you to SAY NO TO CYNTHIA. ~ Chris Pezold

IN THIS ELECTION, DO NOT VOTE FOR ALL REPUBLICANS ON THE BALLOT BECAUSE A VOTE FOR CYNTHIA LONG IS A VOTE AGAINST LIBERTY HILL.

Pol. Ad Paid for by citizen Chris Pezold, Liberty Hill, TX

This article is from: