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2008 Election Guide - April 2008

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Written by Staff Thursday, 17 April 2008

Early voting:

April 28 – May 6
7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Weekdays and Saturday
Noon – 6 p.m. Sunday

May 10 voting times:

7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Cedar Park Mayor & Council

Mayor - Unopposed race

Bob Lemon, mayor@cedarparktx.us

Place 2 - Unopposed race

Mitch Fuller, place2@cedarparktx.us

Place 4

Lowell Moore, 250-1888, lowell@idea4u.com
- Lowell Moore is a former council member and member of the Cedar Park Economic Development Corporation (4A). During his tenure on the city council two fire stations were built, the library was expanded to its present size, and voter approval was secured for the current police station. He has a background in business serving as senior vice president of a Fortune 500 company and experience serving community needs as a volunteer.
  
  “We have done our best to help shape our community into the wonderful place it is today. Your vote for me will help keep Cedar Park on the path to sensible growth.”
Wayne Ruark, 909-7691, superwayner@peoplepc.com
- Wayne Ruark is 31 years old and lives with his wife, Maricela, and 4-year-old son, Nathaniel. His mother-in-law has been staying with the family for more than a year during her fight breast cancer and is now a survivor. He has lived in the Austin/Cedar Park area for six years. Ruark is a service consultant at David McDavid Acura and has succeeded in the automotive business for 13 years.
  
  “I am very determined and do not fail at what I set out to do. I want to serve the citizens of Cedar Park so they have a true voice on the city council. I want to help direct Cedar Park down the right path for it’s future success.”
Larry Schuler, 331-6331
- Larry Schuler is a retired Air Force Master Sergeant and Disabled American Veteran. He has years of experience in budgets, accounting, personnel, data analysis and computer systems. Schuler has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and is fully retired living in Buttercup Creek. His daughters live nearby and his four grandchildren attend LISD schools and Austin Community College.
  
  “The reasons we prefer to live in Cedar Park are facing many challenges. A lot of good things are happening in our city. I am all for progress, if you think it’s responsible progress.”

Photo of Cobby Caputo

Place 6 - Unopposed race

Cobby Caputo, place6@cedarparktx.us

Leander ISD Board of Trustees

Place 6

Nathan Deckinga, nathan4lisd@gmail.com
- Nathan Deckinga is a 10 year resident of LISD and a 23 year resident of the Austin area. Nathan is a database administrator with Llesiant, is certified by Microsoft in that area, and has earned degrees in Computer Science and Management. In addition to his database administrator work, he has held business analyst and team lead positions with several companies in Austin’s high tech sector. Nathan is a Christian, a husband of 11 years, and a father with children ages 5 and 2.
  
  “I am committed to meeting the individual educational needs of each student and expect excellence from the district. I will ensure that there are anonymous ways for parents and teachers to contact the board and will strive to address all concerns.”
Jim Sneeringer (incumbent), jim@sneeringer.com
- Jim Sneeringer is seeking his sixth term, and has been selected board president five times. A software developer retired from IBM, he has also run a small business, creating and marketing the WORDsearch software for Bible study. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and has teaching and administrative experience at UT Austin and St. Edward’s. He has been married to Cheryl for 38 years, has two grown sons, and attends Hill Country Bible Church.
  
  “Sometimes we get so focused on building self-esteem, that we neglect a more important trait, self-discipline.”

Place 7

D.R. Dadey, elect@drdadey.net
- D.R. Dadey is an 11 year resident of Whippoorwill Acres in Williamson County. He is married and has a child who will soon be a student in the LISD school system. Dadey values education and hard work and believes he can apply those values in every aspect of Leander’s education system.
  
  “I understand that processes and procedures need to be addressed at every level of education, not just at the parent-teacher level, starting with a planned, organized, effective school board. Nothing is more important than our children’s future. We need to give every student every opportunity to fulfill his or her potential.”
Will Streit, willstreit@yahoo.com
- Will has a Masters in Business Administration from Duke University and professional degrees in Finance and Accounting. He has managed multi-million dollar budgets and led large global organizations. Will and his wife have three children. Will coaches local youth sports and is an active triathlete.
  
  “I believe we must pursue academic and athletic excellence to prepare students to succeed at the college level. Academically we need to provide all students with the opportunity to benefit from more advanced curriculums. We should also use growth as an opportunity to provide more programs tailored to the special needs of specific students.”
Bryan Martin, bryan.martin@bryanmartin.com
- Bryan Martin, a 5th generation Texan, moved to Austin from Palestine, Texas to attend UT in 1993. Bryan graduated with a government degree in the middle of the dotcom boom and signed on at Dell. About two years ago, Bryan left Dell to work for a newly formed family land surveying business as a principal officer of the company.
  
  “I have a passion for excellence and a drive to find new and innovative solutions for today’s issues. My diverse background with technology, business management, and government give me an excellent perspective to round out the Leander ISD board of directors.”
Pam Waggoner (incumbent), pamela.waggoner@leanderisd.org
- Pam Waggoner is a Texas graduate and licensed insurance agent who owns and operates Waggoner Insurance Group, Inc. with her husband. She has served on the LISD board of trustees for six years and is a member of the Leander Educational Excellence Foundation. She is a former PTA president at Steiner Ranch Elementary and current athletic booster president at Canyon Ridge Middle School.
  
  “Public schools need to provide equity to students by offering a research-based curriculum, a safe place to learn, and a well paid, qualified teacher. Building community trust by involving parents and taxpayers in decisions regarding education supports public education.”

Austin Community College Board of Trustees

Place 1

Harrison Keller, 293-0590
- Harrison Keller is a sixth generation Texan, a husband, father of two, and a lifelong student and teacher. He has spent his entire career in higher education teaching, research, and policy. Keller has a Ph.D. from Georgetown University and taught at Georgetown, St. Edward’s, and UT Austin’s LBJ School. He is also a reserve intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy.
  
  “I’ve seen firsthand how education can transform people’s lives and create opportunities. I understand the critical importance of higher education to this state and this community, and I know that we have significant problems that will be up to ACC to solve.”
Tim Mahoney, 569-7227
- Tim Mahoney is a trained attorney and mediator with years of experience in community development. He worked with ACC President Dan Angel in the early 1980’s to pass the first tax authorization for Austin Community College. Mahoney is active in the community, organizing and facilitating community conferences. He also has a master’s degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs. “A high quality Community College system is the cornerstone of a healthy, vibrant economy. Ensuring everyone in our community has access to a quality higher education at ACC will require finding alternative funding sources to keep tuition affordable.”

Mike Reid, 797-8195, littlemikey28@yahoo.com
- Mike Reid is an Army veteran and a student at ACC working on a degree in Electrical Engineering. He feels the board would benefit from having a student with them to provide a prospective they would otherwise not have. “I think the board should focus on accountability, reducing wasteful spending, equal funding for departments and increasing input from teachers and employees.”

Place 2 - Unopposed race Photo of John-Michael Cortez

John-Michael Cortez

Photo of Nan McRaven Place 3 - Unopposed race

Nan McRaven, pstubbs@austincc.edu

Photo of Raul Ruben Alvrarez Place 3 - Unopposed race

Raul Ruben Alvrarez

Early voting

1. Cedar Park Public Library, 550 Discovery Blvd • Cedar Park

2. Austin Community College Campus, 1555 Cypress Creek Rd. • Cedar Park

3. Pat Bryson Municipal Hall, 201 N. Brushy St. • Leander

Election day voting

4. Cedar Park Public Library, 550 Discovery Blvd • Cedar Park

5. Pat Bryson Municipal Hall, 201 N. Brushy St. • Leander

6. Faubion Elementary, 1209 Cypress Creek Rd. • Cedar Park

7. Giddens Elementary, 2150 Cypress Creek Rd. • Cedar Park

8. Cedar Park High School, 1500 Timberwood Dr. • Cedar Park

On May 10, registered voters will have the opportunity to elect candidates to the Cedar Park City Council, Leander Independent School District Board of Trustees and the Austin Community College Board of Trustees. The City of Leander does not have any open positions on the city council, and will not hold an election.

Early voters can choose to vote at any nearby polling location. Voters who choose to participate on May 10 must vote at the correct polling place for their precinct. For more information, additional polling locations in Williamson County and to view a sample ballot, call 943-1630 or visit www.wilco.org/elections.