Williamson County Commissioner Precinct 1 Candidates

Williamson County Commissioner Precinct 1 Candidates

Written by Staff Friday, 06 June 2008

Lisa Birkman

• Republican Candidate (incumbent)
• Lived in Williamson County Precinct 1 for 19 years
• Career: Teacher for 13 years
• Education: Bachelor in elementary education, Texas A&M University
• Contact: 244-7439 • lisa@lisabirkman.com, www.lisabirkman.com

Q. In your words, what is the role of county commissioner?

A. To represent the people of Precinct 1 on a variety of issues. Transportation is important. We also deal with health care for the indigent, mental health issues, parks, [like the] county parks system and preserves.

Q. Why did you run for county commissioner instead of another office?

A. I was on the Brushy Creek MUD board at the time and I decided to run because I thought the county needed a change. At that point, we had an incumbent who had been in office for four terms, and I thought it was time for a different perspective. So, I decided to run for that office because I thought it could be an office where I could make the most impact.

Q. What is your biggest priority?

A. We need to continue to proactively deal with all the issues that come with the phenomenal growth that we’ve had. Pretty much every issue that we have that we deal with is related to the fact that we’ve grown so much in the last 20 years. I mean, all of the issues we mentioned earlier, we deal with them because of growth. They’re constantly challenging us to do things in a different, better way.

Q. What experience has served you well in this role?

A. I think all of your life experiences serve you well. I have a variety of different experiences. Having been a teacher, I think that helps me with employee issues because I was an employee of a large governmental entity in AISD. I’m on the county’s health benefits committee that deals with employee issues as they relate to benefits. So, I try to keep in mind what it’s like to be on the other side. Owning a small business with my husband, I understand the needs of small business people. Having been here a long time, I understand the taxpayers’ situation. I also understand, since I was on the Brushy Creek MUD board, what it’s like to be in another governmental entity that relies on the county for a lot of different services. We’d spend a lot of time dealing with other governmental entities and having been on that side of it, I think it helps me deal with them and with the other elected officials. I try to involve them in the process. One of the things I didn’t like when I was on the MUD board was sometimes we had the feeling that for things that directly affected us, we weren’t consulted.

Mike Grimes

• Democratic Candidate
• Lived in Williamson County Precinct 1 for 37 years
• Career: Lawyer, Round Rock’s first City Attorney (1971)
• Education: Bachelor of arts, Colgate University; doctor of jurisprudence, University of Texas school of law
• Contact: 255-5888 • mike@mikegrimescampaign.com, www.mikegrimescampaign.com

Q. In your words, what is the role of county commissioner?

A. The county commissioner is a lot like a city councilman except the scope of responsibility is broader, and you’re dealing with a lot more money. Really, what you’re doing is running local government. When you’re doing it right, hopefully you’re balancing it... hopefully it runs more on what needs to be done as opposed to the politics of it.

Q. Why did you run for county commissioner instead of another office?

A. I am a Democratic organizer over here. I have been a democrat for 38 years. There has not been an elected Democrat in Williamson County in about 14 or 15 years. We had hoped to create a situation where there are more choices for folks that voted here. For years and years, if you wanted to be a judge or sheriff or constable, the only way you could do any of those things was to run as a Republican. Some folks that were actually Democratic changed parties because they thought they had to to compete. What we’re trying to do is just get more competitive in the county.

Q. What is your biggest priority?

A. I think one the most important things to do is sift through the situation with the land waste disposal out in Hutto. That has been in lawsuits and controversy. It has divided the county government. Even amongst the Republicans, there have been very bitter disputes among the folks running the county about how best to do that. What we need to do is bind some of that up, find common ground and find the best way forward. Some of that is just looking at something more than the traditional way that we’ve always done it. I think they put $1,500 in last year into a recycling effort. The folks in Hutto are dead-set opposed to expanding that. There is a huge controversy about whether we have an enforceable contract or whether we can re-let. We need to work that out in something other than a lawsuit, I would hope.

Q. What experience will serve you well in this role?

A. I’ve been an attorney for 37 years. I have worked as municipal attorney for Round Rock and Cedar Park. I’ve been the school district attorney for Round Rock and several other school districts in Central Texas. I’m familiar with municipal government, school law — both groups we have to interrelate with in terms of what the county offers and provides. I think probably I’ve got a lot more experience in terms of inter-local government agreements and things like that than almost anyone else in the court.