It’s (almost) the most wonderful time of the year

In lieu of Christmas in July, dear readers, Curmudgeon is celebrating the upcoming Copperas Cove city council election season.

It starts in a few days, on July 20, when all the would-be’s have the chance to toss their hats into the proverbial ring for one of three spots:

Copperas Cove city council, Place 3 – presently held by Dapper Dan Yancey. No he is not term limited – yet – because he just finished his first full term in office. City charter limits place holders to two consecutive terms in the same position.  

Copperas Cove city council, Place 4 – presently held by Jay Heartburn Manning. He came onto the scene in 2016, nudged into running by who-knows-who and expressing “heartburn” over a number of things. He hasn’t used that term as much lately.  

Copperas Cove city council, Place 5 – presently held by the Reverend Kirby Lack. Reverend is a repeat council member, having held a position in the early 1990s. Kinda like Sorry-Charlie Youngs, who was wont to tell everyone of how things were done “when he was on council before.”

Early candidate predictions

So, the big question for future would-be’s is:

Who of the three incumbents will run for office again?

Curmudgeon predicts that both Dapper and Heartburn will run again. They’ve hit some momentum (self-perceived) and don’t want to lose any of the reversals that they and their fellow members of the GOBC (Good Old Boys Club) have enacted ever since Marty Pitch-a-Fit-on-Facebook Smith threw one and left the council in 2016, when she and former city manager Andrea Gardner had a bit of kerfuffle. ‘Nuff about that.

The Reverend will likely not run again, Curmudgeon thinks. He’s done what he set out to do – enact some long-put-off park improvements.

Candidate predictions:

Curmudgeon believes that some former candidates will fill out the paperwork and get out there again to see if they can get more votes this time.

It would not be surprising to see Ron Nelson up there again after he lost the bid for mayor. He has kept his social media page afloat and active, even since the special election in April.

Curmudgeon will watch for other former candidates Joey Acfalle and Azeita Taylor to make another bid for one of the chairs on the dais. Mr. Joey has kept busy in the community and has had incrementally higher numbers than his first bid for an office (Coryell County district clerk).

Curmudgeon is unsure about 3^rd, 4^th or 5^th time’s a charm Taylor. Her Azeita Taylor for Copperas Cove Mayor Facebook page is up and active, although the position of mayor won’t be open again until November 2021.

Former city councilmen and councilwomen might be up there again. Curmudgeon will watch to see if George Duncan, David Morris, Cheryl Meredith, or Matt Russell will file to run again. 

Mr. Duncan was one of the first to follow former councilman Mark Peterson’s lead and start questioning groups on how they spend hotel occupancy tax funds. 

The relentless and justified questioning of the chamber’s expenses, questioning led by him, which eventualyl led to a 2016 shake-up to the chamber of commerce’s very foundations, and also led to what appears to be an ardent reboot of the organization to be more business-focused as opposed to tourism focused, so it could use at one point NEARLY $200,000 in HOT funds! – to help pay a robust staff and office. Whew, that was a long sentence. Let it sink in. Don't forget the numbers I gave you previously, dear readers, to show you how much the chamber was given to produce little results, far littler than now with their ZERO funding!

Now, things are different for groups seeking HOT funds, as it should be. Hopefully this change will “stick” and continue to be applied to the chamber. Sorry-Charlie insists that the chamber was “cut off at the knees.” Yet, surprisingly, the chamber has continued to flourish with ribbon cuttings and business events, despite not having HOT funds to pay for its staff, etc., for three years.

I digress…where was I? Oh, possible candidates!

James “for it before I was against it” Pierce is presently occupied with his first six-year term on the CTC board of trustees, the election victory which was a minor coup of the status quo in that arena.

As always, Curmudgeon will look for a Dark Horse newcomer to the ranks, a local citizen who has quietly been educating themselves on municipal operations and already has an established support base, and who is ready to campaign. Place 1 councilmember Joanne Courtland is a prime example of that Dark Horse finishing first in the 2018 election.

Dark Horse newcomers, do not be like Ms. Brandi Weiand, who did virtually no campaigning, missed one of two political forums, and at another forum talked about things that were more relevant to school district than city operations. And, got 15 votes. She had more attention locally after her arrest for an alleged assault charge earlier this summer which she contends was self defense. Then, she has taken to rants on social media as well, clearly perturbed at the current mayor.

All of this goes to say, Dark Horse and/or newbie candidates, prepare for people to follow you and question you about your life and what what you do.

Anyhooo, July 20 and the 30 days to follow, and the time leading up to November 5 will be interesting, to say the least.