Under Wimberley’s current form of government, Mayor Susan Jaggers doesn’t get a vote when it comes to deciding city policy – and she intends to change that.
Jaggers told council at its most recent meeting that she wants to give voters a choice when they go to the polls May 2 on whether to abandon the current council-manager form of government, which gives council members powers including hiring a city manager, to a mayor-council form of government, which gives the mayor more power.
According to the Texas Local Government Code, 20 percent of the people who voted in the last mayoral election – 110 voters – would need to sign a petition by Feb. 14 for the issue to appear on the ballot.
Lyla McCall, an advocate to abandon the current form of government, said that city council and mayor may change with every election, but the city manager does not.
“Small towns have often wasted thousands of dollars and precious time on competent managers and incompetent managers, with little or no accountability,” McCall said. “The clever manager can perpetuate his employment forever as long as he gets the right city mix.”
There are three races to be decided by Wimberley voters May 2. In addition to Jagger, City Council Place 2 member Craig Fore and Place Four council member Gary Barchfeld are running for re-election. The filing period ends at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14.
