I am from Corpus Christi, Texas, and grew up as a military brat (Army), moving frequently across the United States and overseas. I served 22 years in the USAF. After the military, I worked in landscape management and later as a Postmaster with the USPS.

Later in life, my wife and I managed a small cabin and RV park in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. During the winters, we often traveled to the Texas Hill Country and visited Llano regularly.

In 2021, after a difficult period involving my wife’s serious health issues and the sale of the RV park, we no longer had a home in New Mexico. We came to Llano to sort things out. During that time, as my wife recovered, she fell in love with the town and its people. She wanted to stay close to the friends we had made here, and we realized Llano offered exactly what we had been searching for: a true sense of community in the beautiful Texas Hill Country.

What drew us most was Llano itself. After a lifetime of moving and chasing the next opportunity, I finally found a place that feels like home. The friendly faces on the square, the relaxed pace of life, the stunning river and Hill Country scenery, and the deep-rooted Texas values here all spoke to us. Llano welcomed us when we needed it most, and we chose to put down real roots. I purchased property and built a home. For the first time in my life, I have a hometown — and it is Llano.

1. What qualifications, skills, or experience do you bring that would make you an effective member of the Llano City Council?

Throughout my career in the USAF, I managed large-scale resources, personnel, and complex operations. That experience taught me how to oversee budgets, solve logistical problems, and make sound decisions under tight constraints, skills that directly apply to overseeing the city’s finances, infrastructure, and daily operations.

I volunteered with a fire department in the Cloudcroft area of New Mexico, which gave me practical insight into public safety and emergency response. I was appointed to the Otero County Planning Committee, where I helped guide land-use and development policies.

I served as Postmaster with the USPS and worked in labor relations, representing USPS interests during negotiations with labor unions. These roles strengthened my abilities in financial management, contract oversight, and fair but firm leadership.

Since moving to Llano, I have made transparency and communication a priority. I have attended and live-streamed nearly every City Council meeting on Facebook, filling a gap since the city does not provide this service. I condense lengthy agenda packets into clear, resident-friendly summaries. Through articles, videos, and public comments, I have addressed key local concerns and engaged with our residents.

With my diverse background in resource management, public safety, planning, financial oversight, and transparent communication, I believe I can serve effectively as a member of the Llano City Council by listening closely to residents, understanding the details, asking tough but fair questions, and always keeping Llano’s long-term best interests in mind.

2. What motivated you to run for Llano City Council?

It's simple: I want to ensure the voices of our residents are heard and genuinely considered when important decisions are made.

While attending City Council and committee meetings, I noticed that even though elected officials and city staff were willing to listen, resident input often didn’t carry real weight in the final decisions. That gap frustrated me. I started the Llano Enquirer to explain complex issues in plain language and give residents a stronger forum to express their opinions.

However, I soon realized this was only part of the solution. If I truly wanted to make a lasting difference, I needed to take a more direct role. I have long encouraged citizens to get more involved in their city government. Running for City Council feels like the natural next step. As a Council member I can bring greater insight, ask the right questions, and help ensure resident concerns receive the serious attention they deserve. I want to help make Llano an even better place to live by strengthening the connection between our citizens and their local government.

3. What do you see as the most pressing issues facing the City of Llano today?

Water security and responsible financial management.

Water is our most obvious and critical challenge. Many residents are seriously concerned about our long-term water supply. The city has taken a piecemeal approach instead of developing a comprehensive, long-term plan. We need to correct that by creating a clear strategy that protects our residents and ensures reliable, affordable water.

Closely tied to water is the issue of city finances. Llano must take a hard, realistic look at our budget, set clear priorities, and make careful decisions about spending. We have an obligation to keep the financial burden on our residents as reasonable as possible through strong oversight and transparency.

There are many issues facing our city, but without solid plans for water security and sound financial stewardship, it will be difficult to make meaningful progress on anything else.

4. Water is one of Llano residents' biggest concerns. What, in your belief, is the best path for Llano regarding our water future? Please be specific.

I recommend the City Council immediately form a Water Advisory Working Group that includes City Council members, city staff, local residents with relevant expertise, and other key stakeholders. This group should be given a mandate to develop a true comprehensive water master plan that addresses both our water supply/storage needs and our aging infrastructure together. They should evaluate realistic options for securing reliable and affordable water, set priorities and timelines, and recommend practical funding strategies.

Without a coordinated long-term plan, we will continue reacting to emergencies instead of preventing them. The plan must balance cost control with rate stability for our residents, and the entire process must remain open and transparent with plenty of public input.

5. How would you approach the budget process to fund the city’s needs without placing additional burden on taxpayers?

One guiding principle: City spending is residents’ money, and it must be managed with the same care and discipline we use for our own household budgets. I believe the Council needs to provide much stronger scrutiny of every line item, focusing on true priorities and eliminating unnecessary or lower-priority spending. I would treat every dollar as taxpayer money that must be justified. I would carefully review all expenditures and ask: “Is this essential? Does it deliver real value to residents? Can it be done more efficiently?” Saying “yes” to everything eventually leads to higher taxes or fees. We must prioritize services such as water infrastructure, safety, and basic maintenance before funding less critical projects.

We are still dealing with the consequences of some poor financial decisions made in the past. Moving forward, the Council must exercise stronger oversight, set clear spending priorities, and maintain fiscal discipline so we can meet the city’s needs without placing additional burdens on our taxpayers.

6. How can the City Council work with staff and existing resources to move the JLK Event Center, Llano River Golf Course, City Pool, and Lantex Theater toward self-sufficiency?

While not every venue can fully pay for itself, we must work closely with city staff to reduce losses where possible.

The Golf Course should be required to move aggressively toward self-sufficiency. Previous management focused more on beautification than fiscal responsibility, resulting in significant capital investments that now need to be carefully assessed.

The JLK has become an important community hub, particularly for county residents. We should continue working with staff to strengthen its financial position through increased bookings, partnerships, and careful cost control.

The City Pool presents a more complicated situation. It is very old and in need of significant repairs. According to the assessment the city requested, preliminary estimates put the high cost in the $2–3 million range, with repairs only slightly less expensive than complete replacement. Very difficult decisions will have to be made about its future. I will reserve more detailed thoughts until after the city staff's discussions and presentation to Council.

The Lantex Theater is a historic treasure for Llano. Although it does not break even, its losses are relatively small. We should support current efforts to increase attendance and consider forming a “Friends of the Lantex” group to help offset operating costs.

The City Council can help by working with the city manager to set clear expectations and performance goals for each facility, regularly reviewing financial reports, and encouraging ideas that use existing resources and community involvement. Our goal must be to minimize the burden on taxpayers while keeping these assets available for residents and visitors.

7. How would you approach economic development and business retention while preserving Llano’s small-town character?

We must always prioritize one thing above all else: preserving our small-town character. From everything I hear while talking with residents, this is their overwhelming desire, and I fully agree.

My approach would be to focus internally, strengthening what we already have rather than chasing large-scale projects that could change the feel of our town. I would prioritize revitalizing our downtown area by making it more pedestrian-friendly, beautifying public spaces, and improving our aging sidewalks, many of which are not ADA compliant. These improvements would highlight Llano’s natural charm and help existing businesses attract and retain more customers.

By investing in our historic core and supporting local businesses, we can grow our economy in a way that enhances, rather than compromises, the small-town atmosphere that makes Llano special. Responsible economic development should create opportunity while protecting the relaxed, friendly character that drew so many of us to call this place home.

8. What are your top priorities for Llano's aging infrastructure?

Address the most critical needs first, especially water distribution and wastewater systems, while being responsible with taxpayer dollars.

I support the idea of forming a Capital Improvement Program Committee with resident input so we can clearly identify our top priorities and create a realistic plan to tackle the most urgent problems first. We must focus on finding responsible funding sources, whether through grants, careful budgeting, or other options, without placing unnecessary burdens on our residents.

Infrastructure improvements always come down to funding. We need strong oversight, clear priorities, and disciplined decision-making to make meaningful progress on our aging systems while keeping costs under control.

9. How do you plan to engage with residents and ensure their voices are heard in council decisions? Will you take direct questions from citizens?

I plan to engage with residents and ensure their voices are heard by continuing the same direct, open approach I have used since starting the Llano Enquirer.

I will keep communicating regularly with citizens through articles, videos, and public comments. Most importantly, I will always take direct questions from residents. I will bring their concerns and issues to the City Council or city staff as appropriate. Whether the matter is large or small, every resident deserves to be heard.

We need strong advocacy on the City Council, not just for the big-ticket issues, but also for the day-to-day concerns that affect people’s lives. Most residents are busy with work and family and simply want help when they run into a problem. I can be that advocate.

My goal is to make sure Llano’s City Council listens carefully, responds thoughtfully, and takes resident input seriously when making decisions that affect our community.

10. If elected, what specific goals would you aim to accomplish during your term?

I would push for the creation of a Water Advisory Working Group to develop a comprehensive long-term water master plan that secures reliable, affordable water for the next 20–30 years while addressing both supply and infrastructure needs.

I would bring stronger fiscal discipline to the budget process by treating every taxpayer dollar like household money — scrutinizing spending, setting clear priorities, and making hard choices when necessary to avoid placing additional burdens on residents.

I would work to revitalize downtown Llano by improving sidewalks, beautification, and pedestrian-friendly features to help local businesses thrive while preserving our small-town character.

Finally, I would continue my commitment to transparency and resident advocacy by keeping residents informed, taking direct questions, and bringing their concerns — big and small — to the Council.

My overall aim is simple: listen to residents, exercise fiscal responsibility, and leave Llano stronger and better than we found it.