by ANDY SEVILLA
Twenty-six votes separated the top two candidates for the District 3 Kyle City Council seat in Saturday’s election, but Chad Benninghoff’s lead was not enough to clinch a victory. Kyle voters did, however, decidedly approve a $36 million road bond set to improve five city streets.
Benninghoff and Joe Bacon knocked Bill Sinor out of the running for the council seat, as the top two vote getters will face off in a runoff election June 1.
Benninghoff who received 324 votes (45.89 percent) fell short of the 50 percent plus one vote necessary to win the election.
Bacon brought in 298 votes (42.21 percent) and Sinor lagged behind with 84 votes (11.90 percent).
Benninghoff, whose brother was found dead on a roadside in Kyle about two weeks ago, said the personal family tragedy might have played a role in not winning Saturday’s election.
“I think – with my brother’s (Phillip Duran) death about two weeks ago, and how I found him and dealing with the police folks, and the grieving process – I have not been able to execute the plan I had in place for the last two weeks of the election,” Benninghoff said.
Duran, whose body was found by Benninghoff near the intersection of FM 1626 and Kohler’s Crossing on April 28, is believed to have been struck in an apparent auto-pedestrian accident. Police have not arrested or charged anyone in the case, but authorities have identified and questioned a person-of-interest, and are continuing their investigation.
“Had the events been differently these past two weeks, I think I would have been able to win (the election) just outright,” Benninghoff said, adding that planned campaign efforts were derailed in the days leading up to the election as he has been “emotionally drained and tired.”
But, despite perhaps not performing his personal best, Benninghoff said his team of family, friends and organizations that he is involved with have provided “help, support and guidance” in moving his campaign forward.
Bacon, whose showing in the election makes him a contender in the runoff, said he is “very pleased” to be a part of the upcoming June 1 election that will finish the race for the District 3 Kyle Council seat.
“We felt from the beginning with three candidates that a runoff was possible. Therefore, we have had a plan in place for a runoff so our stride won’t change a bit,” Bacon said.
Campaign volunteers and supporters “who are very much committed to see this through June 1” have been calling and emailing, wanting to know how they can help Bacon’s continued election efforts and he said he’s thankful for them and will take them up on their offers.
“I do believe that having such a close general election shows that there are two clearly different candidates,” Bacon said. “It is great to see two very passionate groups out helping their candidate and I know with all certainty that no matter the outcome, the city will support the victor with all the respect that is earned through this public process.”
Sinor did not return a request for comment.
“This is the democratic process,” Benninghoff said. “Everyone put a lot of work, time, money, their families put in time, everyone who was involved with the entire democratic process – the folks that came out and voted, my opponents, their family, their friends – I congratulate everyone for getting out there and doing some work for trying to be in a position to do good things for the community.”
Kyle voters were determined to see road infrastructure improvements as they compellingly voted in favor of the road bond in Saturday’s election. The $36 million road bond set to reconstruct Bunton Creek, Burleson, Goforth and Lehman roads, and extend Marketplace Avenue, took in 560 favorable votes (69.74 percent), compared to 243 votes (30.26 percent) in opposition.
Opponents of the road bond took issue with the potential 21-cent increase in property taxes, meanwhile supporters claimed the 21-cent increase would only hold true if there was zero growth in the Kyle over the next 20 years.
Kyle’s annually certified taxable property valuations have increased on an average 3.7 percent over the last four years and sales tax collections have increased on an average 12.4 percent annually over the same period, according to city documents.
Given those statistics, supporters of the road bond affirmed there would be a minimal tax increase, or perhaps no increase, if Kyle’s growth pattern over the last four years remained true in the future.
