Three Hughes Springs council seats uncontested

By: J. Leslie Riseden Special Contributor to The Steel Country Bee

When Hughes Springs voters go to the polls on May 7, they won’t be voting for City Council seats. City Secretary George Fite announced at the regular council meeting March 15 that the seats currently held by Lee Newsom, Genneter Ellison and Ryan Watkins are up for re-election, and the three incumbents are running unopposed. As such, their names will not appear on the May 7 ballot. Voters will still decide on two school board slots (currently held by Robyn Shelton and Van Hall) as well as a proposed increase in sales tax.

In other city business, the Council voted unanimously to accept the recommendations of the selection committee to approve proposals submitted by Grantworks to provide grant administration services and KSA Engineering for engineering services, in connection with the city’s downtown revitalization grant through the Texas Department of Agriculture.

The council also voted to approve an amendment to City Ordinance 080283, Section 15, increasing the maximum penalty for violation of animal control laws to $500.00.