Buda City Council candidates Bobby Lane and Jose Montoya share a laugh while campaigning during election day Tuesday next to Buda City Hall.
By WES FERGUSON
Bobby Lane wasn’t gone long.
Months after losing his mayor’s seat by a mere eight votes, Lane has been chosen to fill the vacant position on the Buda City Council. More than 55 percent of residents who cast ballots in Tuesday’s special election selected Lane over his opponent, Jose Montoya.
Lane, who was gathering up campaign signs on Tuesday evening, said he was ready to get back to work on projects such as the Stagecoach House renovation and skate park construction.
“I’m just looking forward to working with my colleagues again,” he said. Also, he added, “I’m really looking forward to working with downtown merchants to do good things for the revitalization of downtown.”
Lane was Buda’s mayor until early June, when current Mayor Sarah Mangham was sworn in. For the first time in years, he found himself no longer involved in the town’s civic life.
“It was kind of strange, really,” Lane said. “It was kind of a different stress of not having stress. After you walk around 11 years in these roles on the City Council, then as mayor pro tem and mayor, you have all this stuff in your head because (you have to be ready) when people ask you about different projects, issues with the city wastewater and all kinds of things.”
After reflecting, Lane said, he realized he missed that life and wanted to return to it. Buda residents wanted him back, too. Of the 329 people who voted in the election, 182 chose Lane and 147 voted for Montoya.
“It’s very comforting to know that I still have a good base of support in the city,” Lane said. “I’m ready to go. I’m revitalized.”
Montoya sits on Buda’s Planning and Zoning Commission and serves in other capacities around town. He congratulated Lane for running a good race and said his opponent apparently had more supporters who believed in his causes.
“I did a lot of neighborhood (campaigning) for Hispanics,” Montoya said. “They didn’t show up. They told me they wanted change, but without voting you can’t have change.”
Montoya said he would probably run again if another council seat opens.
Without much name recognition in his race against Lane, he said, “I was the unknown factor. It was not bad for the first time.”
Mangham agreed that name recognition might have benefitted Lane. She said he will be an asset to the City Council.
“He has a lot of knowledge, and that will be a plus for us,” she said. “Plus, he knows the ropes. I think it’s great that he made it.”
