Thursday, May 2, 2024
About 150 people attended Tuesday night’s second candidates forum, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.
The forum centered on two county races that will be on the Nov. 8 General Election ballot — county clerk and Precinct 4 commissioner.
Three of the four candidates participated.
Katie Lang, a Republican who is seeking a third term as county clerk, was not present. She is being challenged by Democrat Harold Granek.
In the commissioner race, incumbent Dave Eagle is being challenged for a second term by Democrat Grant Wood.
The chamber livestreamed the forum. A video is posted for public viewing on the Granbury Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.
The forum was moderated by Marcie Reynolds, assistant professor in Government, Legal Studies, and Philosophy at Tarleton State University.
Candidates were given three minutes for an opening statement, two minutes to respond to each question, one minute for rebuttal, and one minute for a closing statement.
With Eagle and Wood, the order in which they responded was rotated.
After explaining the rules, Reynolds read an opening statement from Lang in which Lang said that she was unable to participate because she had “family matters to attend to.”
Lang’s statement said that she has been married for 27 years to her husband Mike and that they have a grown son, Ryan, who recently married.
She said that she believes that her “excellent” managerial experience in the advertising industry was why she was first elected in 2015.
Lang stated that her office has “continuously won” the Texas Department of State Health Services’ Exemplary 5-Star Award, which is presented to offices that go above and beyond the duties of handling birth and death registrations.
She stated that she has “defended election integrity,” “proudly stood for religious liberty when it was threatened by the liberal agenda,” and follows “Republican Party planks and beliefs.”
Granek, who has specialized in ophthalmology during his long career, said that he is running for the seat because he wants to “preserve the good name of Hood County and Granbury.”
In an apparent reference to Lang’s refusal in 2015 to issue same-sex marriage licenses after the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision, he said that the county clerk’s office has had “incidents that brought us (negative) notoriety.”
Lang eventually relented but her initial refusal to honor the high court’s ruling resulted in a federal lawsuit against the county. Granek noted that the lawsuit “cost us taxpayers $44,000 and a black eye.”
Granek also spoke of Lang’s “harassment” of an elections administrator who ultimately resigned.
He stated, “I want to restore the county clerk’s office to do what it’s supposed to do and not have religion and ideology in it.”
Granek was given the opportunity to respond to two questions: What previous work or life experiences he feels make for an effective county clerk and what changes he would make to the county clerk’s office if elected.
Granek begins responding to those questions around the 11:15 (eleven minutes, 15 seconds) mark in the video.
EAGLE, WOOD
In his opening statement, Eagle said that he has a master’s degree in business administration from the University of North Texas and a law degree from St. Mary’s School of Law in San Antonio, where he graduated cum laude and was a member of the John M. Harlan Honor Society.
He said that he moved to Hood County in 2006 and opened an artisan cheese business.
Eagle said that he is a “real Republican” and has run on a platform of constitutional limited government, more transparency, and checks and balances for tax and spend government. He indicated a particular interest in “natural law,” limited government and personal accountability.
He said that in the area of transparency, he brought about the livestreaming of Commissioners Court meetings and “gave people their voice back” through the addition of citizens’ comments to the Commissioners Court agenda.
He also stated that he voted against tax increases “for the last three consecutive tax cycles.”
“The government needs to be run more efficiently, not tax you more,” Eagle stated.
In his own opening statement, Wood said that he is co-founder and former brewmaster for Revolver Brewing. He said that he grew up in Texas, graduated from Texas A&M University, and moved to Hood County about 10 years ago.
Wood said that his campaign is focusing on three issues: infrastructure, public safety and integrity.
He noted that the community “is growing at an alarming pace” and that local government and the state need to work together to “plan strategically for future growth.”
New businesses with good paying jobs and new residents “broaden our tax base, allowing for investment in things we will need for the future of Hood County,” he said.
Grant further noted that “the county jail is crumbling” and that the Hood County Sheriff’s Office is losing deputies “at an alarming rate because we haven’t offered competitive salaries.”
He said that he is “a man of honesty and integrity” and that he will work with people who have different views “because I know that we all have the same goal: to make Hood County a better place to live.”
QUESTIONS
The chamber prepared six questions for the commissioner candidates, then posed two questions that were submitted by audience members upon their arrival at the forum.
The following is a list of the prepared questions and the point in the video at which the question is posed.
What are your thoughts on the need for any kind of a road bond to help fund the county’s potential transportation infrastructure in the next 5-10 years? Place in video: 29.26.
Recent news articles indicate the Hood County Jail may be at the end of its useful existence. Tell us your thoughts about paying to rehab the current facility or funding a new jail. Place in video: 33.55.
What makes you qualified to run for county commissioner? Place in video: 39.05.
What are the three most important issues in the precinct where you’re seeking office? Place in video: 43.42.
As commissioner, how would you reassure your respective precinct constituents that they can always count on your assistance and full attention if needed? Place in video: 50.51.
What are one or two major challenges facing Hood County in the next four years? Place in video: 55:00.
After the candidates had responded to the chamber’s questions, Reynolds asked the questions submitted by audience members.
One question was how the candidates could prevent the planned widening of U.S. Highway 377 “from being a town killer.” The other question was what could be done to ensure that county departments “live with the budget” without requesting more money during the fiscal year.
After responding to those questions, the candidates made their closing statements.
FORUM #3
The chamber’s final candidates forum will be Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. at the Lake Granbury Conference Center.
That forum will focus on two Granbury City Council races.
Mayor Jim Jarratt is being challenged by former council member and mayor pro tem Tony Mobly.
Place 2’s Eddie Rodriquez has competition from Pat Abell, who serves on the city’s Public Television Channel Advisory Board.
That forum as well will be livestreamed and video posted afterward.
Video of the Oct. 11 forum featuring all seven candidates for the Granbury School Board of Trustees can also be found on the chamber’s Facebook page.
Early voting starts Monday at Annex 1, 1410 W. Pearl St.
