Davant named to Granite Shoals City Council, Nations to Rinehart Award

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

James D. “Jim” Davant has succeeded Eric Tanner on Place 3 of the Granite Shoals City Council and former council member Merilyn Nations has been chosen for the 2017 John Rinehart Memorial Award for Outstanding Community Service.

Davant was one of four candidates who interviewed in open session of the Council on Oct. 10, to the pleasure of the council, before their choice was made by ballot.

“If we hadn't settled on a procedure, I might recommend we throw a dart at a list,” said Mayor Pro Tem Tom Dillard, referring to the interviews with Davant, Will Skinner, Arturo Rubio and Terry G. Scott.

Each man has served on city commissions or committees and each expressed an interest in running for the council position at the end of the now unexpired term. Tanner resigned, he said, to devote as much time as possible educating citizens on the upcoming Nov. 8 election on a $3 million bond issue for the restoration of the most heavily-traveled portions of its three main arteries.

The candidates spoke in order of application and that took some of the wind from the sails of following candidates, but each one was asked about the wisdom of incurring debt.

“There are times it makes sense,” said Davant, who has served both on the Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z) and the Street & Water Advisory Group (SWAG). “In the situation the city finds itself in right now, potentially issuing debt of 45 cents and getting 55 cents in return (in the form of grant money being pursued), that is substantially different from other debt.

“Routinely issuing debt is not something that should be undertaken lightly. The only debt I have observed since I've been here was to refinance previous debt to save money. That made tremendous sense...more along the lines of equity...a no brainer. If you were saying you have to raise 100 cents (on the dollar) for a project, I would have to find it was an emergency.”

“I work for a municipality, so know a little about what goes on there,” said Will Skinner, an employee of Kingsland Municipal Utility District who serves on the Granite Shoals Parks Committee and is a member of the Highland Lakes Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization. “At this point in time, Granite Shoals doesn't need to take on debt. I would have to learn more about the situation and the municipality.”

“I have mixed opinions about debt,” said Rubio, who also serves on the Board of Adjustments. “We need it badly for capital improvements (but) my only concern is whether our tax base is enough to support it. I believe, once we acquire “If, we have to get out and bring in new businesses to help pay for that.”

Rubio, the longest-time resident of the area and the only owner of a business within the city went on to say road improvement would be “a good thing.”

“We need to make that happen,” he said.” It may be an improvement a lot of people don't like, but it is something that will bring more business to town.”

Scott, who currently serves on the P&Z, said also that the city needed additional revenue.

“But we need things now that I don't think we have to wait on,” he said. “Roads are big for me and my neighbors... I don't have all the budget figures (but) there's an election coming up and I will be voting for that (the bond issue)

“We are to the point that, the longer we wait, the worse it is going to be.”

In addition to serving on the city council, Nations has been a mainstay volunteer in projects from citywide cleanups to Christmas by the Highway and the annual Granite Shoals Veterans Day Celebration.

“The first time I noticed her dedication, she stepped in to help serve food at the Robin Hood Park dedication,” said Shirley King in her nomination. “A few days later, I stopped by her cafe and I saw her making trays of sandwiches she was donating to firefighters who hd been battling a huge grass fire.”

Also nominated for the award that will be conferred later this year were Fire Chief Austin Stanphill and Lt. Johnathon Curlee of Marble Falls Fire Rescue.

The city's contract with The Highlander as its newspaper of record was renewed at the meeting and Simpson reported that the “Notice of Election” on the bond proposition had been published in the papers Oct. 11 edition. Information about the election also is available on the city website, GraniteShoals.org.

In other action, the council approved Katie Logan as a new member of the Parks Advisory Committee.

“We have four vacancies on the Beautification Advisory Group (BAG) and one on the Wildlife Advisory Committee,” said Simpson. “We welcome applicants for all of them.”