So Far No Candidates Are Challenged In May 7 Sulphur Springs and Yantis ISD Board, Sulphur Springs City Council Elections
With only 2 days left to file, and so far only as many candidates are reported to have filed so far as places on May 7, 2022 Sulphur Springs ISD Board of Trustees, Yantis ISD Board of Trustees, Sulphur Springs City Council and Hopkins County Hospital District Board of Directors Elections. The filing deadline is the close of business on Feb. 18 for these elections.
If the elections continue to have no contested races, then the officials on each should be able to cancel the elections, which would be a financial savings for each taxing entity.
Candidate filing for two seats on the May 7 Cumby City Council ballot, however, is ongoing. Applications for this election will continue to be accepted for a little over two weeks after filing in the other elections closes because it is a Special Election.
Hospital District Board
Candidate filing for two seats on the May 7 hospital district board ballot at the HCHD Headquarters/EMS Station at 1321 North Davis Street in Sulphur Springs through Friday. Currently, serving in those seats are Kerry Law and Joe Bob Burgin.
In order to be eligible to serve on the HCHD Board of Directors, the candidate must live within Hopkins County Hospital District, be a registered voter, and be able to pass a background check with no felony convictions.
Yantis ISD
Both incumbents have now filed candidacy, seeking reelection to another full term on Yantis ISD Board of Trustees. April Johnson filed earlier in the filing period and Jeff Quinn was reported Tuesday to have filed candidacy as well in the May 7 Yantis ISD Board of Trustees Election.
Incumbent April Johnson, currently serves as president of the school board. She was first elected to the school board in May 2017, then again in May 2019.
Jeff Quinn has served from May 2015 to May 2018. After 1 year off the board, he returned to the school board in May 2019 and is finishing out the term.
Both seats on YISD school board are for a full three-year term; trustees are elected at large, so the two candidates receiving the most votes in the election will be elected to the board – if an election is required. If the election draws only as many or fewer candidates as seats on the baord, the board can cancel the election.
Candidates may file applications with Kristi Beech in the YISD Administration Office from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday- Friday through Feb. 18, 2022.
Sulphur Springs ISD
Sulphur Springs ISD called for two elections on May 7, the regular election for three full-term at-large spots on the school board and a special bond election.
All three incumbents — Craig Roberts, Leesa Toliver, John Prickette — filed candidate applications when filing opened in January seeking reelection to their seats on Sulphur Springs ISD Board of Trustees. The incumbents had drawn no challengers for the three at-large full-term seats on the school board.
Craig Roberts was elected to the board in 2019, and selected by the board members in 2020 to serve as vice president. Roberts is a regional chairman of Guaranty Bank & Trust in Sulphur Springs.
Leesa Toliver Leesa Toliver has served on the school board since 2013. She previously served as Secretary, Vice President, and President and is a TASB Master Trustee. She is a retired SSISD administrator. She currently actively volunteers in the community.
John Prickette was appointed to the school board in 2012 to carry out the unexpired term of resigned board member, Foy Williams, and has continued to be reelected to the board since 2013. He previously served as vice president and president of the school board. Prickette is vice president of sales and marketing for Grocery Supply Company in Sulphur Springs.
Candidate filing for a place on the May 7, 2022 Sulphur Springs ISD Board of Trustees Election ballot will continue from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday Feb. 18, 2022, in SSISD Tax Office, located inside SSISD Administration Building, 631 Connally St.
SSISD also on Monday called for a Feb. 14, called for a bond election. Voters will be asked to consider approving a $93 million bond to be applied toward district facilities needs identified by a long range facilities planning committee. The election will be held May 7, 2022, in conjunction with the election of three trustees to SSISD board, if one is necessary. The $93 million bond would increase the school district ad valorem tax rate by about 10-cents. Residents who have homestead or other exemptions will still receive those according to the current tax regulations, even if the bond passes.
Sulphur Springs City Council
Incumbent Gary Spraggins was the only candidate reported to have filed for Place 5 and Tommy Harrison the only candidate so far for Place 4 on Sulphur Springs City Council.
Spraggins, a salesman, was elected on Nov. 3, 2020 election to Place 5 seat for one year. Then, in 2021, he was elected to the final year of the unexpired term for Place 5. He is now seeking re-election to a full term on the council.
Harrison, a retired Department of Defense Army civilian, filed candidacy on Feb. 8 for Place 4 on the council. Harrison has been serving on the Sulphur Springs Planning & Zoning Commission.
Freddie Taylor currently serves in Place 4 on the City Council, a position he has held for more than 5 terms. He has not filed candidacy for reelection.
Candidate filing for both three-year term seats on the May 7 City Council Election ballot will continue from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday, at Sulphur Springs Municipal Building (City Hall), 201 North Davis St.
Cumby City Council
The City of Cumby also is accepting applications for Alderman Place 1 and Alderman Place 2 on the City Council on the May 7 Special Election ballot. As of the last report earlier this week, Cumby Interim City Secretary Betty Jo Hardman reported the city had received no completed applications for candidacy to fill the vacancies and complete the two-year terms ending in November 2022.
Filing remains open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through March 7, 2022, at Cumby Municipal Building (City Hall), 100 East Main St., in Cumby. Alderman Place 1 was most currently held by Sheryl Lackey, who served as mayor pro tem as well. Amber Hardy Roberson formerly served as Place 2 Alderman.
