While there may not be headline-grabbing races like president, governor, or senator on the May 6 ballot, there are still several important local elections in which voters will get to have their say in Rockwall County.
Several local cities (Fate, McLendon-Chisholm, Rowlett) and school boards (Rockwall ISD, Royse City ISD) are holding elections. Here’s what you need to know before heading to the polls.
The Rockwall County Elections is responsible for voter registration activities and election operations throughout the county. Election results will officially post on RockwallVotes.com. Registered voters will have the opportunity to consider casting a vote for what’s best for their city and school district.
On April 10, 2023, the Rockwall County Republican clubs hosted a joint Candidate Meet and Greet for contested races. While there I got to personally meet new candidates and those running for re-election.
Mostly the candidates shared a brief bio and some of their civic highlights that you may have heard about when attending public meetings or in local news.
Rockwall ISD Board of Trustee Place 7
Bart Miller who is seeking to be the next Rockwall ISD Board of Trustee Place 7 has a passion for service. He has served in a variety of Rockwall organizations as president for the Rockwall Rotary Club, J.E.R. Chilton YMCA and was one of the founding members of the Rockwall ISD Education Foundation. These organizations generate funding that will improve the education of students and provide learning experiences that wouldn’t otherwise be available.
Dr. Miller has a passion to enrich a student to grow, excel academically and participate in extracurricular activities that is very unique to our Rockwall ISD.
Dr. Miller is a Rockwall dentist at Rockwall Crossing Orthodontics who joined his father in practice in 2001 and has loved every minute of it. He enjoys getting to know patients and their families, while helping them achieve their goal of a great smile.
Besides his civic resume he possess empathy, the ability to inspire, strong communication skills and pride in our community. Effective leaders are problem solvers who involve all members of their teams and he seems to work well with others to work toward a common goal. If you are undecided and want to meet this gentleman visit his Facebook campaign page to schedule a call or meeting.
McLendon-Chisholm City Council Place 5
One of the most considerate on the City Council is incumbent Dan Tucker McLendon-Chisholm Council Member Place 5 who has served since May 2021. Previously he served on the Planning & Zoning Commission.
Community Service.
A retired dentist that attends Lakepointe Church in Rockwall and is involved in many local organizations like Women In Need, Boys and Girls Club and Meals on Wheels. His contributions range from time, support and financial giving because he believes in the mission to serve the community however he can.
Team Collaborator.
Mr. Tucker has worked with me on the McLendon-Chisholm City Water Committee so I have the experience of knowing his work ethic. Also, he understands the complexity of the city needs of planning for a secure water future and the process of how to become a direct customer with NTMWD. In all of my video recordings, I noted the elected officials that attended multiple monthly RCH WSC board meetings and I appreciated him coming.
Accountability.
On September 27, 2022 Council Member Tucker supported a resolution with unanimous City Council support of the all asset and customers agreement to be sent to RCH Water Supply Corporation. We are still awaiting for the RCH Water Supply Corporation Board of Directors to officially vote on the agreement which includes a timeline of events such as a system inspection and a financial audit. He supported my efforts in a board director candidate petition for RCH Water Supply Corporation to host an annual election for the members to vote on a board director AND asset transfer to the City of McLendon-Chisholm. Unfortunately the transfer item was not on the March 29, 2023 RCH Water Supply Corporation Election Mail-in Ballot.
Representative Governance.
Mr. Tucker participated in curating the 2021 Comprehensive Plan and has frequently been drawn into public discussion with residential developers addressing expectations to guide them to incorporate McLendon-Chisholm’s vision for land use. For example to have open space, green space, water features, and natural rural views.
“If you read our comprehensive plan, it’s one acre one house. This does not begin to qualify. This is going to be a hard vote no for me if you are only showing me the sweetener of the parks. I wish you would have provided a presentation with a heftier discussion.”
– Council Member Dan Tucker on December 13, 2022
Sound Judgement.
On March 14, 2023 the McLendon-Chisholm City Council did not approve the Terrell Water / ETJ Interlocal Agreement as written. This agreement if passed would have provided a source for a few high density developments like the Tellus Mann Project AND a land swap. Council Member Tucker expressed his concerns and that he was not in favor of the contractual obligations.
Quality Management.
Council Member Tucker also agrees with me in relation to hiring positions should have purpose for our community with a vision of our long term needs. I am looking forward to discussing at our upcoming public budget workshops to define those roles starting on June 3, 2023.
After the 2022 General Election, I decided to do something different and share with my readers who I will cast my vote for. Scroll down to read more about my votes, RCH WSC community support and Trilogy Development information.
Early Voting is April 24 – May 2 | Election Day is May 6, 2023
Vote For What’s Best for McLendon-Chisholm
My husband and I will vote on May 6, 2023 Election Day. We will both be happy to cast our votes for Bart Miller for Rockwall ISD Board Trustee Place 7 and Incumbent Dan Tucker for McLendon-Chisholm City Council Place 5 on Saturday, May 6, 2023.
Also on the McLendon-Chisholm City Election Ballot you will find me, Adrienne Balkum in a Special Election uncontested race for McLendon-Chisholm City Council Place 4. I would welcome your vote on May 6, 2023.
The Water Lady
My efforts on securing our water future has been a labor of love and many of my readers have followed my pursuit. Neighbors have now lovingly call me, “the water lady”. It started with eleven customers in 2020 filing for a TCEQ investigation and then there was another one in 2021. All reports revealed there was infrastructure concerns that were NOT adequate for this rural water system. I invited my Sonoma Verde neighbors to share some egregious billing to the McLendon-Chisholm City Council that led to the following resolution on September 14, 2021 [FIGURE 1].
Customers want better water management.
On July 13, 2022 we had the water shut off and I personally requested from the City of Rockwall the WHOLESALE WATER PURCHASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN ROCKWALL AND RCH WATER SERVICE CORP. It revealed that RCH has violated their agreement for a number of years. The agreement was for 2.1 (mgd) million gallons a day a maximum daily demand with a maximum equivalent of residential connections of 1,359. As of March 29, 2023 RCH Water Supply Corporation Annual Meeting it was recorded the rural water system serves 2,665 connections.
Strategic planning is something that is necessary in moving forward and I hope to achieve this as I serve on the McLendon-Chisholm City Council. There is also some issues with the Trilogy Lakes Development agreement that I hope that the city council will look to resolve.
Trilogy Lakes is in Rockwall County MUD No. 10
Trilogy developers are working on finding their own source of water for Rockwall County MUD No. 10 District for approximately 1,786 connections. This may mean contracting water from a water supplier and/or drilling their own wells. Trilogy is NOT a customer of RCH Water Supply Corporation.
On March 9, 2022 the McLendon-Chisholm City Council approved for a municipal wastewater services agreement for unreserved wastewater capacity available to serve 1,800 residential connections. The Sonoma Verde master planned development is the only one with wastewater services within the McLendon-Chisholm city limits and for any future commercial development in a specific area where a line exists. There are no plans for a sewage package plant facility to serve Trilogy Lakes.
The Trilogy developer will design and do the construction of water, wastewater, drainage, roadway, and other public infrastructure to serve their own property. Home construction will be done in phases, but there is several other processes before that will begin. This development will be similar to the award-winning community Inspiration in St. Paul, Texas that has a HOA community management contract with CCMC. The management company is a dedicated on-site service team that assists in building community just like in Sonoma Verde. It includes multiple resort-style pools, playgrounds, specialty parks, and open green spaces. There is plenty of nearby water activities on Lake Lavon. The developer’s goal is to inspire a lifestyle of family, fitness and fun. Hopefully this gives an idea of what type of development that is being designed to be located right off FM 550 between McLendon-Chisholm and the City of Heath.
The FM 550 road is not in the control of the developer, but elected officials could address traffic-related concerns with TxDOT on solutions that would be suitable. Here is the latest road project status updates in the Rockwall County Road Consortium Report.
Community Support
WE have achieved a hurdle in water utility leadership when customers answered the call for helping in getting the word out for board director applicants, signing the petition for director candidates – not once BUT TWICE!!! Showing up to the RCH Water Supply Corporation meetings and honestly to work with each of you has been a pleasure. It’s been challenging, but this precious commodity is vital to our community who are living here now. Please stay connected and work with me as we achieve quality management and securing our water future.
No more taking photos of the agenda in the window.
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