EARLY VOTING ends Tuesday, May 2. ELECTION Day is Saturday, May 6.
For EARLY VOTING, residents can vote at any polling place in Travis County, but the only local polling place is the Lakeway Activity Center. HOURS: Monday-Saturday 7AM-7PM, Sunday noon-6PM.
On ELECTION DAY, Lakeway Activity Center is our main polling place, but Lake Travis ISD Educational Development Center will also be open at 607 Ranch Road 620 North, Lakeway, TX 78734 (off 620, to the right just before Kollmeyer). HOURS: 7AM-7PM.
Note that Bee Cave had no contested races, so City Hall in The Galleria is NOT a polling place.
VOTE — KILGORE VARDELL VANCE
How do you like your candidates? Independent? Or PAC?
The candidates are in 2 groups—running on their own or PAC-backed. Three of the 7 candidates are endorsed and funded by a specific Political Action Committee. The BAD thing about PACs is they hide the identity of those contributing to political campaigns. Lakeway residents deserve to know exactly who is funding these campaigns, and to what extent. $50 is no big deal, but $500 may well come with strings.
This PAC gave $20,000 to ONE candidate for Council LAST year. Wonder what they got for their money? And who exactly is trying to BUY THE CURRENT ELECTION? Well, the answer to THAT is set out very clearly below, but the bottom line is that this PAC dumped over $53,000 into this year’s Lakeway’s Council and Mayoral elections—and the PAC has $11,000 cash on hand for a last minute spending spree.
The PAC in question is The Committee to Protect Lakeway (CtPL), also known as the Lakeway Renewal Project, and it is funded by people (names and amounts shown below) in several groups; these include those in power during past administrations (often stained with scandal), those orchestrating recent ugly episodes involving our wonderful police force and our airpark, and developer-types intent on making even more money on Lakeway deals.
The 3 PAC candidates who received the $53,000 (so far) are Ron Cooper, Kent O’Brien and Chris Forton.
As for campaign finances, the SECOND report required by law was due April 28 (covering activity from March 27-April 26). Adding in the numbers from the first set of reports (and looking at the CtPL PAC’s own reports), here are some interesting points:
Received the MOST contributions—Cooper ($31,500, closely followed by O’Brien and Forton—all including PAC money—see below).
Received the LEAST contributions—Bernzott ($1,880).
Largest candidate “LOAN” to campaign—Cooper ($42,000) followed by Bernzott ($30,000).
Spent the MOST money—Cooper ($59,000) followed by Bernzott ($45,000).
Spent the LEAST money—Vardell ($3,400).
Candidates who are directly paying STAFF to run their campaigns—Cooper and Bernzott.
CtPL PAC money breakdown—O’Brien–$21,282; Forton $20,717; Cooper $10,879.
To see ALL the reports that CANDIDATES filed with City of Lakeway, go here and scroll down to CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORT 4/6 and 4/28: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/427/Election-Information
The CtPL PAC filed its FIRST mandated report as of April 6 with the State of Texas. In round numbers, as of March 27, it collected $45,000, paid $17,100 to 3 candidates (Cooper appears to have gotten $7,100—well over the $3,700 he reported–with $5,000 each going to O’Brien and Forton just as they reported) and after expenses held $25,000 in cash.
The major donors to the PAC :
4-6-23 report donors
–Erik Mulloy $12,000; PAC founder, pilot, Lakeway Police Foundation
–Dianne Brown $5,000; she doesn’t even live in Lakeway
–Gretchen Nearburg $5,000
–Tom McKnight $2,500
–Babin family $2,000; Lakeway Police Foundation
–Alan Fudge $2,000
–Mike Blahowski $1,000; another pilot
–Torrey Eltiste $1,000
–Sharon Gilmore $1,000
–Justin Hobson $1,000; airpark
–Jean Thompson $1,000; airpark
–Gates Walcott $1,000; he is a developer and a pilot
–David Deome $500; former mayor
–Logan Brown $500
–Barbara Beebe $500
–Joyce Christian $500
–Keith Trecker $500
–Keith Durio $500; airpark
–Scott Epley $500; airpark
–Daniel Foreman $500; airpark
–Terry Priestap $500; airpark
–Danny Diebel $500
–Mark Nearburg $500
–Gerry Ward $400; airpark
–Ken Treaccar $300
–Jason Buddin $250
–Jenna Burns $250
–Richard Morgan $250
–Tim Tolar $250
–Jim Powell $250
–Dennis Brown $250
–Michael Larocca $250
–Joe Bain $100; disgraced former mayor
4-28-23 report donors
–Maury Alkgelt $100
–Gail Arnn $500 Lakeway Police Foundation
–Alain Babin $1,500 Lakeway Police Foundation
–Judy Bond $250
–Geraldine Boyce $1,500, Lakeway Police Foundation
–Scott Epley $1,500 pilot
–John Fletcher $1,000
–Karen John $100
–Georgia Jones $250
–Tom McCann $250
–Erik Mulloy $2,000 PAC founder, pilot, Lakeway Police Foundation
–Shawn Parker $50
–John Preston $2,500
–Larry Ramsdell $1,000
–Sharon Rogers $100
Per the second report, as of April 26, the PAC collected an additional $12,600, gave $35,849 more to its 3 candidates (O’Brien– $16,282; Forton $15,788; Cooper $3,779), and held $11,477 cash to spend in the final days of the campaign.
So, the Committee to Protect Lakeway PAC dumped over $53,000 into Lakeway’s Mayoral and Council campaigns, through April 26.
To see ALL the PAC’s donors, amounts, payments and more in the 4/6 report, go here: http://204.65.203.5/public/100899496.pdf
To see all the PAC’s donors, amounts, payments and more in the 4/28 report, go here: http://204.65.203.5/public/100903100.pdf
Now, look through that LONG list of contributor names above. Do you know those people? Trust them? Do they even live in Lakeway? Are you comfortable with them using their money to buy City Hall? Many of those people are connected to the airpark, a very intense special interest group where the Mulloys have deep ties. Others are affiliated with the Mulloys’ other pet special interest group–the police fanatics cult. In my opinion, together they represent the most divisive interests and the very worst of Lakeway.
$53,000 and counting to buy City Hall…. Money still flows in and out during the final few days of the campaign. Candidates are required to file either a final report or interim reports twice yearly; as a practical matter, that often fails to happen.
Here are the candidates I support in this election.
VOTE KILGORE and Re-Elect Mayor Tom! (And First Dog, Buck!)
I have known Tom Kilgore for many years and have seen him in action, testifying early on at Council meetings on the toughest issues, bringing our most basic governing document up to date on the Charter Review Committee, running fair and decent campaigns, and tirelessly guiding Lakeway through the mundane (such as necessary ordinance updates and budget matters) and the extreme (including ice storms and ugly community division). I don’t agree with Tom on every issue, but that is not the test. What matters is that experience shows Tom can be trusted to protect Lakeway and all of its residents. Tom fulfilled his campaign promises from 2021, but there is much more to be done, particularly with the 620 expansion, connecting Main Street to Lohmans, and the 3 developments just starting to go into that area. This isn’t the time to switch leaders, and certainly not to someone new to Lakeway and lacking experience, qualifications and credibility. Lakeway needs a dedicated and tested leader we know and trust, and that is Tom Kilgore. https://kilgoreforlakeway.com/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064819487089
VOTE VARDELL and put Dan on Council!
I was really hoping that Dan would run for Council this cycle, and when he filed I breathed a sigh of relief. Having watched him on Zoning and Planning for 2 years, I’m impressed by his in-depth understanding of the most complex city issues, as well as his ability to communicate and his fair and balanced views. His planning experience and his passion for green spaces and parklands will guide Lakeway in fulfilling a Parks Plan to serve us well currently and in the decades to come. Plus, his experience on ZAPCO will help the city manage the 620 Overlay District and the Main Street developments. Most of all, Dan’s vision of Lakeway is someplace I want to live. https://www.vote-vardell.com/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090762070845
VOTE VANCE and Re-Elect Gretchen to Council!
Gretchen has been on council for 4 years, demonstrating over and over the ability and enthusiasm to dig deep to understand and then resolve tough issues. The city will need her experience as we deal with the 620 expansion, the massive Main Street development, and whatever else comes at us. Just as she has in her first 2 terms, Gretchen will find common ground on Council to reach innovative solutions and move Lakeway forward. https://www.vote-vance.com/ https://www.facebook.com/gretchenvancelakewaycitycouncilmember/
And, the rest of the pack.
Now, feel free to stop right here, if all you wanted to know is how I voted (on the first day of Early Voting)—which is THE BIG question I’m getting lately. But, if you are curious about the other 4 candidates, read on to see why I did NOT vote for them. That, by its nature, is negative, and—this being Lakeway–things will get rather dark. Either way, I urge everyone to watch forum videos, read Q&As, review campaign sites, etc. so you can make your own informed decisions. And, you can start with my own 5-issue Candidate Q&A just below.
CHRIS FORTON works in life insurance and has lived in Lakeway for 8 years. He serves on the city’s Zoning and Planning Commission. He is endorsed and supported by the CtPL PAC (see above). Actually, I like Chris. I was happy when he filed to run for Council, but then I was horrified when he signed up with the PAC, considering the fiercely negative campaign it was already waging against Mayor Kilgore. Life is full of tough choices, and I think Chris made the wrong choice there. Now, voters have their own tough choice to make.
KEVIN BERNZOTT—NOT for Council
–This is a candidate who has only lived in Lakeway 3 years and lacks the understanding of our community to represent it on Council.
–He spent over $45,000 on campaign staff, polling, ads, and more. Yes, it is nearly all his own money, but we do not need irresponsible spending habits at City Hall, where it is taxpayer dollars at stake.
–The campaign ad imaged above has offended and alienated a large segment of Lakeway residents. It is especially inappropriate in a nonpartisan race, which is what our Charter mandates for local elections. In all the years I have attended Council meetings, there has NEVER been a vote on guns, nor will that issue ever come under local jurisdiction. Anyone living here for even a short time should know that Lakeway has never considered anything close to defunding our police, as proven by our state-of-the-art Police Station AND our fully staffed and equipped police force. Bernzott likely has no idea about these things, but over 25% of the city’s budget goes to our Police Department, and rightly so. In line with this incendiary ad, at forums he frequently says violence and anarchy are coming soon to Lakeway. Don’t fall for his shameful fear-mongering. Lakeway does NOT need Kevin Bernzott reporting for duty.
–There are persistent and troubling rumors that Kevin Bernzott supports TEXIT (the movement for Texas to secede from the US). When I asked him directly, he refused to deny or confirm. This is divisive, dangerous, and NOT what we need on Lakeway Council.
KENT O’BRIEN–NOT for Council
–He is endorsed and supported by the CtPL PAC (see above).
–This is a personal observation, but I think it says a lot about this candidate’s character. I was at LAC for the March blood drive, and so was Kent O’Brien. But, instead of donating blood, he was trolling for votes, wandering around trying to get in his candidate spiel, holding folks up and delaying the process. He even took a selfie in the room, and he posted the shot on his campaign’s Facebook page; I’m on a gurney behind his head. His behavior was intrusive, boorish and self-absorbed. That’s NOT someone who should be on Lakeway Council.
RON COOPER—DEFINITELY NOT for Mayor
—He is endorsed and supported by the CtPL PAC (see above).
–Running for mayor after living someplace only 3 years is something few people can make work. Ron Cooper is NOT one of those people.
–In his short time in Lakeway, Cooper has done little to nothing in service of the city. Yes, he is on Ethics Committee, but he was appointed by last year’s abundantly funded PAC candidate, Jennifer Szimanski. So, that’s just one hand of the PAC washing the other, really. Plus, I’m told Cooper only attended ONE Ethics meeting, and he left halfway through.
–Cooper’s attitude and approach are not what I want representing Lakeway. For instance, in the candidate forums, he was sullen, petulant, and detached; one minute, he looked like he had better places to be, and the next he lobbed a verbal grenade at his opponent. We need a leader who is mature and stable, as well as up to the intellectual challenges and character tests surely ahead.
–Cooper claims to be conservative, and he prides himself on endorsements. Oddly, that includes endorsements from some of Lakeway’s sketchy former mayors; Cooper didn’t even live in Lakeway when those guys were in charge, so he has no clue how they ran things here in the bad old days. As for the present, the Travis County Republican Party voted AGAINST endorsing Cooper in this race.
–Cooper clearly isn’t interested in the full-time job that Mayor of Lakeway is in 2023. He has a young family and an insurance business. Plus—he is a developer (which, as he noted in the 2022 video linked just below, requires a lot of travel, across the country.) Cooper has never attended a full Council meeting (of which there are usually 2 a month and they can go into the next morning); he showed up at 1 Council meeting but left early. The Mayor can’t do that. Cooper has a staff paid to run his campaign, yet it is still a mess (ill-prepared financial reports, missed deadlines, little to no communication with media or residents, no social media presence, etc. If Cooper thinks the Mayor’s staff can handle things, he needs to realize that the Mayor HAS NO STAFF. (Yes, the City has quite a few employees, but none with the job description of “do the Mayor’s work” or even “Mayor’s Assistant.”) Worst of all, Ron Cooper has no plans for Lakeway, no big ideas, no vision—just petty criticisms. It really doesn’t feel like Cooper wants to be Mayor. I don’t know why he is running, but I feel pretty sure that if Ron Cooper wins, it will be someone else slipping into City Hall through the back door and taking over. Question is—WHO would that be?
–Cooper’s professional status is murky. He filed to run for mayor as an insurance adjuster. It was only after months of equivocation that the truth came out. Cooper is a property developer, both in partnership with Legend Communities and on his own. Haythem Dawlett and Ron Cooper were recently money partners in the Tiki Time resort community deal near Galveston. https://moneyforlunch.com/legend-communities-and-tiki-time-llc-plan-upscale-waterfront-residential-community-on-tiki-island-near-galveston/ Among other things, this financial partnership means that, if elected Mayor, Cooper would have to recuse himself as to all matters relating to the several Legend Communities developments in Lakeway—Rough Hollow, Tuscan Village, Jovi/TV2, The Square at Lohmans, condo interests in the 2 new airpark hangers Council recently approved, etc. Almost every Council Agenda has one or more Legends items, and Cooper would have to leave the Council Chamber during discussion and voting, every time. What a mess! We need a mayor legally able to be involved in the important decisions like those concerning our biggest developments. And, even scrupulous recusals left and right would not keep Dawlett from having the inside track at City Hall, if his buddy is Mayor.
That’s not all. In 2022, Ron Cooper was telling people he is a developer. Below is a link to a Facebook Live insurance talk that Ron Cooper gave in 2022. At the start, he was shooting the breeze about his being a DEVELOPER and how he managed his DEVELOPMENT-related travel during Covid. Here is what Ron Cooper said in 2022: “As a DEVELOPER, I drive and travel all over to buy communities and develop communities…. During Covid, I had to pivot a little bit to figure out how I could travel most easily. So, we picked up a King Air C90, a Cessna 340 and a Prevost.” To see and hear it, just click the link below and advance to the 3 minute mark; Ron Cooper will talk about being a DEVELOPER and be done by the 4 minute mark. (It does not come up again in the rest of the video.) https://m.facebook.com/PendariesNM/videos/pendaries-fire-relief-qa-1-how-to-navigate-the-insurance-claim-process/474923377721305/ An alternate link to the same video is there: https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=474923377721305
All this flatly contradicts what Committee to Protect Lakeway PAC founders said about Ron Cooper, as their PAC’s endorsed and funded candidate for Mayor. On Next Door, for instance, Cooper’s supporters posted over and over that Cooper has no business or personal relationship with developers and that Cooper is definitely NOT a developer himself.
Clearly, Ron Cooper IS a developer. He says so. That is not a crime, but it IS a big problem. Why does it matter that Ron Cooper is a developer? First, he has hidden that fact, calling himself an insurance adjuster on the candidate application and elsewhere; his people flatly denied his being a developer. Second, if Lakeway’s mayor is a developer, then no other developer would feel fairly treated here. They would go elsewhere, assuming the Developer/Mayor has an unfair advantage. And, he would—a very lucrative one.
Ron Cooper is tough to corner for a frank discussion. He doesn’t do social media. He doesn’t respond to emails. He doesn’t answer his phone or return voicemails. In public, he is surrounded by people who don’t let anyone near him. So, unfortunately, despite 2 months of trying, I never got to ask Cooper to elaborate on a couple intriguing little rumors that just will not die. 1) If he went to Ohio State like his bio says, why do so many people recall him boasting about being an MIT grad? 2) Similarly, lots of folks have heard him reminisce about advising the Obama administration on the hunt for Osama bin Laden. There’s GOT to be an interesting story there, that really should have gotten aired during the campaign.
Candidate Forum Videos
If you missed the events, here are links to watch the videos.
—Rough Hollow April 25 Candidate Forum—COUNCIL Section. Video is 60 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2OuGYv42fE
—Rough Hollow April 25 Candidate Forum—MAYORAL Section. Video is 52 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihkY7UD1hpI
–LT Democrat’s April 18 Candidate Forum. Video is 90 minutes total–be SURE to watch the LAST 20 minutes or so as it gets VERY interesting…. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=145289588313574&ref=sharing
–We the People’s April 10 Candidate Forum
Watch 4 of the 5 candidates running for 3 Lakeway Council seats (Gretchen Vance was out of town) in this 1-hour video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9pDstuSqXA
Watch Mayor Kilgore and Ron Cooper in this 50-minute video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MaUH_EwCNU
–Tuscan Village Voters had a candidate forum on March 30. Here are 3 quick videos featuring Mayor Kilgore and Ron Cooper. (Many thanks to a Lakeway Angel for these….)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yYYD1oN5e6-MtUTtozwVH6tFApg_-nq8/view
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ga9MfJCxsogoASC9T_1GNTsnHx2MpNWs/view
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13YzslTghLyDs1gefYJjlT7C_IBo3O9qN/view
Nina’s Candidate Q&A
I emailed 5 questions to ALL the candidates, publishing responses in my blogs over the last several weeks. Ron Cooper never responded. Kent O’Brien did not respond to the last 2 questions. Here are the 5 questions (in italics). Each candidate’s responses are grouped together below.
— What is your solution to the severe shortage of workers available to staff our schools, restaurants, hotels, hospital, emergency services, offices and all other Lakeway businesses?
— Recently, there seems to be a growing split, with Old Lakeway on one side and the newer neighborhoods (notably Rough Hollow) on the other. For instance, some Rough Hollow residents complain about the city’s primary amenities being inconvenient for them to access; others characterized last spring’s workforce housing proposal on Bee Creek Road as Old Lakeway distancing an undesirable development. On the other hand, some Old Lakeway residents feel that those living in the newer areas don’t appreciate Lakeway’s history or value its peaceful charm. What part of Lakeway do you live in, and, if elected, how would you represent the ENTIRE city?
— Lakeway is rightly proud of its volunteer tradition. The Mayor and Council members have always served without pay. At some point, that may become untenable. Currently, the position of Mayor appears to be a full-time job. More is demanded of Council members all the time. As a practical matter, the lack of salary shapes the pool of candidates. Do you see Lakeway moving to salaried positions for our elected officials in the near future? (The City Charter would need to be amended. Otherwise, as a home rule city, Lakeway seems allowed to pay its officials, under Texas law.) Should any change be keyed to population level? Annual budget? Something else?
–Lakeway takes in considerable Hotel Occupancy Tax funds annually. By state law, these funds can only be used for specific purposes that boil down to getting more people to book hotel rooms in town. With around $9 million in HOT funds currently on deposit and minimal annual expenditures, what should Lakeway do with these funds?
–You are running for office. Every campaign cycle gets more expensive and more divisive. What changes do you suggest to improve our election process? Examples are eliminating or limiting campaign signs and restricting contributions (such as a maximum of $100 per contributor, no PAC money, contributions ONLY from Lakeway residents, etc.).
MAYORAL CANDIDATES
Tom Kilgore
Worker Shortage:The Mayor and City Council cannot “solve” a labor shortage across multiple industries. We owe our commercial properties, and business owners: clear regulations, uniform inspections, timely responses and a minimum of red tape. The council has updated our zoning ordinances, creating equal opportunities for property owners. The council is continuing to explore alternative transportation options. We meet with business owners on a regular basis to review alternatives, and continue to see if pilot programs in other municipalities might be solutions for us.
Representing Entire City: Thank you for this question. I live in “Old Lakeway” on Electra. For the last several years I’ve been the Mayor of Lakeway, all of Lakeway. I campaigned on making city hall more transparent, and treating everyone equally. It doesn’t matter if you have been here for 30 years or 30 days – you will get the same treatment from the Council and City Staff.
Rough Hollow residents correctly point out that our city facilities are far away from their neighborhoods. That will change with the city annexing Butler Park and significant areas of the greenbelts. Moving these green spaces to the city is long overdue; thankfully the prior council enforced the timeline. Now we will be able to develop the park for our residents.
The issue of the proposed and rejected workforce housing project wasn’t really a neighborhood problem. Occasionally, residents suggest solutions that move a problem from their neighborhood to another location. However, the council is focused on solving the underlying problem, not a location preference. The proposed workforce housing projects failed as they were incompatible with the underlying zoning and the city’s plans for commercial space.
The way you represent the entire city, is to represent the entire city – as I have done since my election in May 2021.
Volunteers: I think our tradition of a volunteer city council is important and should be retained.
After my election, I was surprised by two aspects of the position. The workload and demand for access to the office. I thought that the Mayor’s job might take 20-25 hours per week. And if all the Mayor did was to set the agenda, sign documents, prepare for and attend council meetings, committee meetings, and workshops – that’s probably the time required. However, that is only a portion of the Mayor’s role. The mayor is expected to represent the city with our neighbors, the county, state and federal elected officials. You are also the relationship person for our community partners, from the Chamber of Commerce, LTFR, the Special Olympics, and many others. That’s when I realized it was a full time job, if it’s going to be done right.
I also learned that our residents expect the mayor to be readily accessible to address their ideas, comments, and concerns. You have to be willing to meet people where they are; in our online world it’s not limited to your city email or voicemail.
Despite the demands of the role, I believe it should remain a volunteer position. I don’t think it limits the candidate pool. We have had a robust number of applicants in the last several elections.
HOT Funds: The legislature is working on bills that would expand the uses of this tax. However, if there are no changes we should still consider a City Civic Center to be built.
Campaign Finance: I am open to campaign finance reform. The problem isn’t the money in our elections, it’s the breakdown of civil norms and injecting partisanship into our elections.
Ron Cooper–NO RESPONSE.
COUNCIL CANDIDATES
Dan Vardell
Labor Shortage: The labor shortages facing Lakeway businesses are a long-term problem that directly impacts quality of life for business owners and residents. When local businesses struggle, or even fail, residents must deal with limited availability of services, poor service experiences, or being forced to drive longer distances to meet even basic needs. When completing Lakeway’s 2020 Comprehensive Plan, we noted this as a high priority issue and recommended multiple steps be taken including: update the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) to identify appropriate areas for higher density, lower cost housing options (done), establish an economic development committee (done), work with developers to reserve a portion of built capacity for reduced cost housing (in progress), and collaborate with Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce as well as surrounding municipalities to build support for regional solutions (in progress). Even though a couple of these are marked ‘done’, they all require ongoing attention to ensure we understand current needs and are making real progress. In the past two years, several developments have been approved in the area that are planned to offer market rate housing options. Similarly, when the new town center was approved, we requested developers reserve 10% capacity for worker-friendly housing options. While I support all these actions, as a council member my focus will be on collaborating with surrounding municipalities to develop regional solutions. If you take 20 minutes as a reasonable commute, this means Lakeway’s labor pool extends from 2222 (North) to Vista Oaks (West) to Oak Hill (Southeast). This highlights that labor is fundamentally a regional issue and no one town can solve it alone. The progress we’ve made the past two years indicates these are the right steps if we continue to maintain focus on this issue as the area grows.
Representing Entire City: One beauty of living in a small town is we are all in this together. There is simply no upside in trying to invest in one area at the cost of another or ignoring one group of residents to benefit another. When residents bring issues to ZAPCO or Council, we ask for their address to get a bit closer to the neighbor we are talking to. This is never to identify a neighborhood to determine whether this resident’s opinion is to be valued more or less than another’s. It is the responsibility of city leaders to ensure all areas are represented, investments and impacts are balanced, and residents in each neighborhood have a full and equal voice. When I finally had the opportunity to buy a home in Lakeway, I intentionally targeted one of the more historic homes in Old Lakeway because I respect the history of this town and that neighborhood. But that respect extends to the entire town and all our residents. And, if elected, I will surely act to support them all because that is the only way Lakeway thrives.
Volunteers: Lakeway follows the standard set by the vast majority of small cities and has all-volunteer leadership. The focus is on service and giving back to the community – and that is where it should stay. When cities, usually much larger than Lakeway, begin paying leaders; they open the door to individuals running for the wrong reasons. We want leaders who are committed to helping neighbors, and the City, because they love helping the community thrive.
HOT funds: Hotel occupancy tax revenues can be used for facilities or events that promote tourism. In the past Lakeway has approved money for art, music and theater events and advertising to support them. This is a good use of the money and should continue. Larger expenditures, including convention and/or performing arts facilities and large events, have been considered many times over the years. But they have been repeatedly rejected due to concerns over the burdens they place on the city such as high traffic on neighborhood streets and long-term facility maintenance. This ‘hotel tax’ question has lingered for years. I do not support collecting taxes without a clear purpose. If we cannot put a long term plan in place for this money, the taxes should be reduced to a level sufficient to support existing programs for the arts. That said, today there is a large, and growing, pot of money. So if anyone reading this was not aware of the hotel tax fund and has ideas for a good use, please let us know!
Campaign Finance: Politics divide. There is no place for political machinery in local politics. Large sums of money push elections, and candidates, to places they would not normally go. I support limits on campaign finance in Lakeway.
Gretchen Vance
Labor Shortage: One solution that I feel is very viable is that we begin a program with LTHS where required service hours can be met by students who choose to work. Many students who are required to meet the 100 service hour requirement to meet specific graduation requirements simply don’t have time to have a job. By allowing students who work in lieu of providing service hours, we can tap into a workforce that is not currently available.
Representing Entire City: Lakeway is a growing and diverse community. As a resident of neither Old Lakeway or Rough Hollow, our street is a microcosm of everything Lakeway is. Young families, working couples, retirees, business owners and a multitude of other residents that live on our street. Sometimes referred to as “Lakeway Proper” the area that spans Duck Lake, Clubhouse, Rolling Green, Lakeway Boulevard from 620 to Lohmans is a mix of “old” and “new” and a perfect example of how people from all walks of life make this city special.
In regard to any new development in Lakeway, either parks & recreation, residential or commercial, the city’s “FLUM” or “future land use map” is a guiding document of zoning that helps the council place developments across the city that have the proper infrastructure and surrounding zoning to create a cohesive neighborhood.
Volunteers: Lakeway was founded on volunteerism and is what it is today because of those volunteers. I am proud to volunteer my time as a council member. Although I would not want a current or future councils to vote on changing the process of serving, if a movement was brought forward seeking our council and mayor to be paid, I would have no issue placing it on the ballot for our voters to allow their voices to be heard.
HOT funds: The HOT funds are a hot topic. I have been discussing with the Director of parks and recreation about possible ideas that would qualify for funding for possible new facilities in our parks department. These would include small meeting spaces or convention areas that could be used for small company events, family reunions, and weddings. If I am reelected, we will explore these options and hope we can find a multi use facility that meets the needs of Lakeway taxpayers and visitors.
Campaign Finance: Even prior to this election cycle, I have discussed with city staff and other elected officials about exploring campaign finance reform. Although we are at the early stages of exploring these options, they could include but not be limited to: only allowing contributions by people who are registered to vote in the Lakeway precincts, limiting contributions, capping money raised, and money spent. Many municipalities throughout Texas apply these limits to their elections. This allows people who wish to volunteer for their community to be able to do so in a financially affordable way.
Chris Forton
Labor Shortage: The problem of a worker shortage isn’t unique to Lakeway. A common theme has developed everywhere that there aren’t enough workers to go around. There are many causes and to try and pinpoint a solution in a short couple paragraph response would be reckless at best and negligent at worst.
As a member of ZAPCO I have voted in accordance with our comprehensive plan to allow a variety of housing densities. While maintaining our single family residential we have also voted to allow townhomes, condos and an apartment. With the apartment the additional density was considered because the developer was going to give the city a park in exchange for the difference in density. All of which aligns with the comprehensive plan for increased park space, and density along 620/71.
All options should be considered, but ultimately the taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook for subsidizing a businesses workforce. I’m not insensitive to people having to commute long distances, I have a one hour commute each way, everyday.
As a council member I will evaluate all proposed solutions and decide what action if any would best support and be accepted by the citizens of Lakeway. I will gladly welcome community feedback and utilize the comprehensive plan in my decision making process.
Representing Entire City: I live in Lakeway! I don’t see the need to divide people into ever smaller categories. We are all fortunate to live in this great city, regardless whether your house was built last year or 30 years ago.
I don’t agree with the assessment that there is a growing split between what you call “old” and “new” Lakeway. I actually feel it is opposite. Most people don’t seem to care where people live in the city. I have friends and supporters in all areas around Lakeway and I’ve only been asked where in Lakeway I live once, twice if you include query.
The workforce housing wasn’t an “old” or “new” Lakeway issue. It was a Lakeway issue. The housing was denied on 620 the same as on 71. It wasn’t what the people wanted. The council was unanimous on that decision after considerable community feedback at both locations. Additionally, there were inconsistencies in the traffic impact analysis.
The members of ZAPCO including myself voted for it because there was some merit for it once they included the restaurant to make it into a mixed use development. However, we vote based on the comprehensive plan. City council is the voice of the people.
I will represent the citizens of Lakeway the same way I have been as chairman of ZAPCO. Listening to their concerns and utilizing the comprehensive plan. There are countless instances where we have listened to community concerns, worked together, and compromised to come up with what was best for the city. I feel that is the best approach !
Volunteers: The question to pay for city council and mayor is very intriguing , but I think right now these should remain volunteer positions. I feel there are people that enjoy volunteering for their community. Once you change it to being paid it becomes a job, and that isn’t necessarily a good thing. I’m happy with the cup of coffee I get at city hall once a month volunteering as head of ZAPCO. That’s compensation enough for me!
HOT funds: Fortunately there are several potential uses on the horizon. With the new county ball fields off Bee Creek Rd they can be used to support youth sports tournaments. The square at Lohmans will give a central meeting place and allow for small festivals and art fairs which can utilize those funds. The World of Tennis has started having a Pickle Ball championship that brings out thousands of people from across the state and country. TexArts has been able to utilize those funds in recent past and I’m sure will continue to into the future.
Campaign Finance: It has gotten out of hand. When I ran back in 2018 I spent $500 of my own money. Now the mayors spend about $50k and tens of thousands for council. Unfortunately most of what you suggested is against state law. However, one thing I would like to do and I’ve talked with another council member about is having a voluntary cap. An agreement from the candidates to not spend over $X amount. Or voluntary limits on the number of signs. The pool of candidates shouldn’t be limited to those that are independent wealthy or moderate a social media platform. The rest of us that are normal hardworking citizens that don’t have an extra $25k in the bank need the support of our friends and neighbors. The idea of having an agreement in place would open the pool of potential candidates and that I could support.
Kevin Bernzott
Labor Shortage: I don’t think there’s a shortage of workers in Lakeway any greater than in many other places – that’s driven by economics. The Thundercloud Subs store on Lohman’s Spur recently closed after several years, citing the unavailability of employees. More concerning to me is that we are protected by 35 sworn police officers and I understand none of them live in Lakeway. Few communities can accommodate everyone, and workforce housing is clearly an issue, but when our cops are commuting from Marble Falls, for example, that’s an issue.
Representing Entire City: Lakeway has a total area of about 13 square miles, some 5% of which is water, and a population of around 20,000 folks. The statement that “some Rough Hollow residents complain about the city’s primary amenities being inconvenient to access” does not resonate with me. Everything in Lakeway is easy to access and the Rough Hollow residents allegedly complaining are closer to Lake Travis and the marinas. As a City Building Commissioner, I think an undesirable development is one that does not conform to our planning, zoning and building standards or does not adequately mitigate its traffic impacts. We live in Rough Hollow, and Lakeway’s peaceful charm is among the chief reasons we moved here. Given Lakeway’s size, I envision no conflicts representing all of it – all of us. I think the challenge is going to be insulating Lakeway from the anarchy overtaking Austin. Criminals don’t care about city limits. They can keep Austin weird – I’ll focus on keeping Lakeway… Lakeway.
Volunteers: I am running for city council as a volunteer with no expectation of compensation. I’m not sure what that point [of volunteerism becoming untenable] might be – but we are nowhere it today. In this circumstance, I’m not sure I agree that lack of pay discourages qualified folks from advancing a prospective candidacy. And there are too many elected officials feeding at the public trough – we don’t need councilmembers of a small municipality with a population of around 20,000 being paid by the taxpayers to serve. [As to Lakeway moving to salaried positions for our elected officials in the near future] Absolutely not. The Lakeway City Charter, §3.05 Compensation, says: “Members of the Council shall serve without pay or compensation; provided, however, that they shall be entitled to reimbursement for all expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties as approved by the Council.” Prospective candidates looking for compensation should look elsewhere.
HOT funds: Every expenditure must “directly enhance and promote tourism and the convention and hotel industry.” There are nine statutory categories on which HOT revenue can be expended, many of which are impractical for Lakeway. Of the nine, I think Lakeway should focus primarily on creative “advertising, solicitations, and promotions that attract tourists and convention delegates” to our environs.
Campaign Finance: Civility is a tenet of my campaign – no more of this “we can’t be friends” nonsense. We’re a small city, some 13 square miles with a little more than 20,000 folks, so we’re all neighbors. We can disagree with one another without being disagreeable about it. Campaign signs are problematic every election. The large ones are arguably an eyesore. Every candidate must display them to remain competitive, but signs don’t vote. I’d be fine with no signs, or at least no signs larger than yard signs. “Money is the mother’s milk of politics,” quipped politician Jesse Unruh nearly six decades ago. There are a litany of Supreme Court cases ruling campaign contributions are “freedom of speech” protected to some extent by the First Amendment. I haven’t taken PAC money, but I don’t think prohibiting PAC contributions or prohibiting contributions from non-Lakeway residents would pass constitutional muster. I would support carefully crafted local campaign finance reform capping the amount per contributor and / or imposing spending limits.
Kent O’Brien
Labor Shortage: Although, I do not know all of the details, I was not in favor of the Work Force housing development as it was proposed that you note in your question. I am very much in favor of creating opportunities to enhance the work force in our community and the region. I know that our businesses and employers struggle to fill staffing needs and also to find the right staff. When elected, I want to have a robust and comprehensive discussion with residents and businesses to identify concepts and alternatives that will enhance work force opportunities. I will bring ideas to the discussion table that I have observed in other communities, as well as different ideas that I have been considering and formulating as I have watched this debate over the years. Further, when I ran O’Brien Engineering Services which was located in Lakeway, I helped form and led a new LT Chamber of Commerce Mobility Advocacy Group that included representatives from all cities in this region, Travis County, Police Departments, LTFR, and others business representatives. Our purpose sought to identify and advocate improvements to mobility in the area and also included discussions surrounding work force enhancement. There were many ideas that were discussed and came from the very smart and experienced members of the Committee. Unfortunately, this group has been dormant for the past several years, and as your City Councilor, I want to re-engage these same regional partners to bring those ideas, as well as new ideas into this robust discussion. While I know these discussions have been going on for sometime, we MUST continue the discussion to find effective solutions that help businesses, and at the same time fit within the fabric of Lakeway and the South Shore region of Lake Travis.
Representing Entire City: You are absolutely correct in that there is a peace and charm to this community that is unique. Why would anyone want to change that? We must hold tight to these treasures. As your City Councilor, my focus will always be attentive to assure the specialness of Lakeway is maintained and pursued, and anything/anyone who wants to change this will be a non-starter. We need to continue to build upon this specialness as the City continues to grow with new neighborhoods and developments and as older parts of Lakeway are reconstructed and rehabilitated. Each and every resident and business must own its part in this effort. I live in what I believe you characterize as “Old Lakeway”.
In all of my discussions with residents during my 15 years living in Lakeway and during my campaign, I have not heard much concern about a growing split between “Old Lakeway” and newer neighborhoods. While I know there are different areas within the community, this is not uncommon or atypical of any community. I do not perceive there are divisive splits in this community, but as humans, we sometimes allow divisive splits to generate, especially if one feels their voice is not being heard.
My response is that as a City Council member, I will represent all of Lakeway no matter the neighborhood, focused on serving all. I will always look for the good of the community, listening to all parties to assure all voices are heard. When I sat on the Lakeway Parks And Recreation Board in 2010 to 2012, we looked at the entire community to assess opportunities to enhance park amenities including new parks, existing park rehabilitation and improvements. We heard from many members of this community. We used this input to identify several opportunities and began to develop a plan and strategy to implement. It was this plan and strategy that was part of the beginning of our current Parks Master Plan. I commit to you to continue to implement this plan. I also, have other ideas that I want to bring to Council to make the plan better and more comprehensive for all of Lakeway.
Unfortunately, I had to step off of this Committee due to City policies on conflict of interest as O’Brien Engineering Services began business and our desire was to serve Lakeway. And, we were blessed with the opportunity to provide multiple improvement projects for the City including the parking lot and restroom improvements at Hamilton Greenbelt and other projects.
Volunteers: No to all.
HOT Funds: NO RESPONSE
Campaign Finance: NO RESPONSE
MORE comments from the candidates:
—JUST RELEASED! The League of Women Voters Guide for the May 6 election is available online. Go here and click on the Voters Guide at the far left, then scroll down to page 8 for profiles and comments from all the Lakeway candidates: https://lwvaustin.org/Voter-Guide#gsc.tab=0 If you want a print version, the library usually has them at the coffee kiosk.
—Community Impact’s FULL Q&A with the 5 Council candidates is here in the digital version: See how the five candidates for Lakeway City Council answer four questions ahead of the May 6 election. https://communityimpact.com/austin/lake-travis-westlake/election/2023/03/29/4-questions-with-lakeway-city-council-candidates/
—Community Impact’s Mayoral Q&A is here: 4 questions with the candidates for Lakeway mayor https://communityimpact.com/austin/lake-travis-westlake/election/2023/03/29/4-questions-with-the-candidates-for-lakeway-mayor/
I tend to post about local politics on Facebook and Next Door, and lately things have gotten pretty hot and heavy about the election. I’ll add one of my more substantial posts here. It concerns the Committee to Protect Lakeway Political Action Committee/PAC.
There is an ugly video going around Lakeway. It started out on a Political Action Committee (PAC) website for Lakeway Renewal Project, aka The Committee to Protect Lakeway (CtPL). Now, it is being emailed, texted and posted in social media, in order to tank the upcoming election for mayor. Don’t be fooled.
This website is devoted almost exclusively to hurling abuse, wild accusations, and incoherent rage toward Lakeway’s current mayor, Tom Kilgore, who is seeking re-election against the PAC’s candidate, Ron Cooper. Last year, Mayor Kilgore dared to authorize city staff review of 2 areas that rocked the PAC’s 2 special interest groups to the core—the safety of airpark operations and proper reporting of gifts (as required by Lakeway’s Ethics Code) made to ALL city employees including our wonderful police department. Those moves made Mayor Kilgore Enemy #1 as far as the PAC is concerned.
The video is the website’s crowning glory—a scurrilous hash of comments culled from several recordings of Council meetings last summer. Lacking context, they are intended to smear Mayor Kilgore and fool Lakeway residents into voting for the PAC’s candidate instead.
I attend a lot of city meetings, including Council meetings. So, I was present when these incidents happened. I heard the comments as they were made. The missing context is that the people who were at the heart of each incident and were removed from the meetings by our police officers were argumentative and even physically violent. As an audience member, my only objection was that they were not removed SOONER. Most were not even Lakeway residents—they were brought in from Austin and beyond; determined to push the PAC’s positions (as to the airpark and/or police gifts), they made false claims that confused and upset people. Others were rude during Citizens Participation, refused to wrap it up and sit down when their 3 minutes expired, and basically stomped their dirty boots and whined like badly parented toddlers. They were warned and then they were removed from the meeting. In one case, the person left the Citizens Participation podium and struck someone in the audience, so she was removed immediately. Is there some reason the usual rules of common decency and decorum at government meetings should NOT apply to PAC supporters?
Here is a specific example of how the PAC’s site presents things backwards. Its See For Yourself page says this:
July 18, 222 Regular City Council Meeting, Consent Agenda
9:30 (Citizen) “who are the toxic people now?”
KILGORE: “Remove [citizen] immediately!” …and… “If she wishes to press charges, she may do so.” https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/177302
The above makes you think “Citizen” is the hero, and Mayor Kilgore is the bully, right? NOPE.
I attended this Council meeting and recall the details very well since I was assaulted by “Citizen” referenced above. Her name is Nancy Clayton; she is identified on the linked recording. She made a Citizen’s Participation comment at the start of the meeting, using her full 3 minutes to attack Mayor Kilgore. She ended with “Who are the toxic people now?” and flounced back to her seat. Having exercised her right to free speech, in public and recorded, she walked past me (sitting on the center aisle a few rows back) and used her sheaf of notes to strike me. The noise of the blow is clearly audible on the recording. While she did not knock me to the floor or draw blood, it was a physical attack; it was a shock. Because that kind of thing should NEVER happen during a Council meeting, not to ANYONE. Of course, Mayor Kilgore directed officers to remove the attacker from Council chambers. But, what is relevant here is the baldly dishonest way the PAC site presents this event (reproduced above). It was a resident arguing the PAC’s case who caused an ugly incident by striking an audience member during a Council meeting. But, they summarize it to blame Mayor Kilgore, in a way that I see as vicious and malign. Watch the video yourself, but start around minute 6 to get Citizen’s full rant. The camera loses her as she leaves the podium, but listen for the “thwack” (at 9 minutes and 34 seconds) as she hits me. Then, Mayor Kilgore directs the violent individual be removed and notes that I can file charges against Ms. Clayton, if desired, for striking me. https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/177302
Contrary to what the video specifically is pushing and the PAC/Lakeway Renewal Project in general are selling, Mayor Kilgore is NOT a bully. He is also NOT a wimp, and the combative nature of certain PAC supporters makes me very glad of that fact. Mayor Kilgore will stand up for residents who need help, for city employees being harassed, and for ALL of Lakeway. The last thing Lakeway needs is a mayor who can be steamrolled by powerful folks behind the scenes, someone who is just fronting for the anonymous donors to the CtPL PAC and Lakeway Renewal Project.
I find it obvious that the Lakeway Renewal Project’s goal is to deceive Lakeway, using PAC money to do so. Don’t fall for it. And, don’t vote for candidates who are endorsed and funded by a group using these tactics. Lakeway deserves better–MUCH BETTER.