Note: You've been put on notice by mail and signs are all over town. It appears that the City of Bastrop is rushing public hearings, starting next Monday (Feb. 17) to implement major changes in the zoning code. These hearings begin three days after the closing of the filing deadline (this Friday) to run for Cty Council. The hearings also come weeks BEFORE the May 3rd election. Make sure you read this article below and this one too, "A Fix Without a Problem," from Bastrop BOG, Bastropians for Open Government.
Please consider yourself asked to file to run for City Council before 5 pm this coming Friday, February 14. (Details below)
Attend the meetings, ask questions, and don't allow anyone to give you the bum's rush on your property.
Need more information? Call us at 512.213.4511 or email LIV at contact@livtx.org.
Have you ever been asked to run for political office?
Many elected officials, when asked why they ran, answer that someone asked them to run. Consider yourself asked! If you live in the city of Bastrop, please run for Bastrop City Council, which includes the Mayor's seat recently vacated by Lyle Nelson. The filing deadline is next Friday, February 14, at 5 pm. The election is May 3.
I, Linda Curtis, have asked several people to run in the City of Bastrop. They all said the same thing. They just don’t want to get involved in the “mess”.
Let me tell you good people in the City of Bastrop might just get the government you deserve. This may sound harsh, but I mean it. Whether you like it or not, if you live in Bastrop, you're already in the mess.
The long bitter fight (resulting in costly investigations, harm to Lyle Nelson's reputation, and harm to the office of Mayor) led to Lyle’s resignation.
Though we did not want Lyle to go, we understand why. Lyle became a punching bag as if he was the issue, not the tyranny of the majority's abuse of power, including the power of the City Manager's purse and the real gold in Bastrop -- its development decisions.
Now, only the voters -- with some good candidates running -- can solve this as it should be.
If you ignore what is happening, you will only see more of what happened on November 21, 2024, when a shameless mob repeatedly ignored the Mayor and shouted down Council Member Cheryl Lee.
At the start of this meeting, Mayor Pro-Tem John Kirkland (currently serving as Interim Mayor) proceeded with a public interrogation of one of the most respected city attorneys in Texas, Alan Bojorquez. Bojorquez resigned within 3 days.
NOTE: We continue to await an opinion from the Attorney General about whether the city can hide the communications between Kirkland and Bojorquez during those 3 days. The AG's opinion is due on or before March 7.
We repeat: Friday, February 14, at 5 pm is the filing deadline for candidates to run for Bastrop City Council, including Mayor. Place 1 is currently held by Cheryl Lee. Place 5 is currently held by John Kirkland. The Mayor's seat (just one year of the remaining term) has a filing deadline of March 3.
All three races will be on the ballot on Saturday, May 3.
So far, only Councilman Kirkland has filed for his seat, Place 5. Perry Lowe has filed for Place 1. We do not know what Cheryl Lee’s plans are, but wish her well in her decision.
The first time Kirkland ran three years ago, he had no opposition. In all honesty, I wish he would do the right thing and decline to run again.
Note: LIV, has published 15 articles that attempt
to give you the unvarnished truth that other publications have failed to give. Click on Pinocchio to see the full list of articles, and do your homework, Bastrop! And feel free to comment on any of our articles or to reach us at 512.213.4511 or contact@livtx.org
PS I cannot run because I live a few blocks outside the city.
Well, there should be approximately 7500 people who are eligible, so spread the word. Retirees with management experience or younger folks who want to learn -- and all who are committed to policy -- not politics -- need apply. Remember, for Place 1 and 5, the filing deadline is this coming Friday, Feb. 14, at 5 pm. The Mayor's race filing is on or before March 3. Hope to see folks at the development code meetings and hearings. The notices are on the home page of the city of Bastrop: https://www.cityofbastrop.org/ You can view the filings on this page: https://www.cityofbastrop.org/page/cs.election_may2025
"I cannot run because I live a few blocks outside the city." This is such a bummer. I too live outside the city and was ignorant to the fact that someone living outside the city would not be able to run even though our addresses are Bastrop. I suppose that's the same reason I have to pay the library yearly now. That excludes many people then...