by JENNIFER BIUNDO
The city of Buda is set to see a contested race for the mayor’s seat in the May 14 elections, after incumbent Bobby Lane filed to seek reelection this week.
Lane faces a challenge from former municipal finance director Sarah Mangham, who worked for the city from 2004-2009.
Lane had previously said that he was leaning against a run, but noted that he made the decision to seek another term after talking with friends and family.
“Buda’s doing good, and there’s a lot going on,” Lane said. “I feel like we’ve come a long way in the last ten years. I’d hate to walk away from it now.”
After serving on the council for several years, Lane won his first term as mayor in 2008. During his tenure, the city developed a local police department. Lane said his priorities in the next term would be the creation of a municipal annexation plan and improvement of the city’s road, water and wastewater infrastructure.
“Turning out an annexation plan is part of that managed growth,” Lane said.
Those priorities will have to be balanced against the financial pressures of the nationwide recession.
“We’re going to have to weather the storm with everybody else on tax revenues,” Lane said.
Mangham, who announced that she would focus her campaign on gathering input from local residents, said she’s not unhappy to have drawn a challenger.
“I would do the same amount of work and the same amount of campaigning either way,” Mangham said.
Incumbent Place 6 Councilmember Scott Dodd also filed last week to seek a second council term.
Dodd said he wanted to work to develop environmentally friendly and sustainable building codes that include reuse of effluent for water conservation, as well as improving the downtown corridor.
“Buda is a fast developing city and requires leadership to ensure the development is environmentally sensitive and responsible use of our limited resources,” Dodd said. “I believe the next three years will influence who wants to move to Buda and who wants to stay in Buda.”
Incumbent Councilmember Tom Crouse says he’s leaning against making another run. Planning and Zoning Commissioner Dawn Schaeffer has filed to seek Crouse’s Place 5 seat.
In Kyle, midway through the filing period, no contested races have yet to emerge. Incumbent mayor Lucy Johnson and Councilmembers Becky Selbera and David Wilson each have filed to seek reelection, but have not yet drawn a challenger.
Filing opened Feb. 14 and runs through March 14 for the May 14 races.
