Candidates vie at Free Press Forum
Candidates in air differences

The color guard of Diboll's Boy Scout Troop 128 presented the colors at Thursday's candidate forum at the Lottie and Arthur Temple Memorial Civic Center.

Diboll's first-ever candidates forum revealed some differences of opinion among the six city council contenders on the merits of the city charter that will be voted on May 10 along with the council hopefuls.

Lewis Ivey, Larry Cook and Gary Mike Smith stated their opposition to the charter as it will be presented to voters. Cook and Ivey both said the charter adoption process has been rushed and people still don't know enough about it. Smith believes the adoption of four single-member districts for council representation would "divide the city."

Backing the charter were incumbent Councilman Fred Mitchell and contenders Gary Jones and Charles Chatman.

Incumbents Gandy Stubblefield, Don Hendrick and Bryan Wilson all cited conflicts in not being able to attend the forum.

Wilson, Chatman and Cook are running for a one-year unexpired term, vacated by Cook last year with Wilson appointed to replace him. The other six candidates are running for two-year terms in the three seats now held by Hendrick, Stubblefield and Mitchell.

The forum was sponsored by the Diboll Free Press. Diboll schools Athletic Director and Head Coach Gary Martel was master of ceremonies and moderator. The Rev. Bruce Frazier of Diboll First Assembly of God Church provided the invocation. The city of Diboll provided the Lottie and Arthur Temple Civic Center at no cost for the event.

The proposed city charter was drawn up by a 15-member Home Rule Commission appointed by city council. The commission began meeting in March and had a final draft prepared by April 3. A public hearing on the charter held April 8 was sparsely attended. All registered voters in the city were mailed a copy of the charter and the proposed council district map on April 10.

From commission discussions, the four council districts will ensure that all areas of the city are represented at all times. All current council members live east of U.S. 59 and a majority of them are in what would become a single district.

The charter also calls for two council members to be elected at-large, creating a six-member council plus the mayor, one more than now. The mayor, who now votes only to break ties, would have a vote on all issues.

Also included in the charter is an attendance provision. Any council member who attends fewer than 75 percent of all council meetings would be subject to removal. The charter also would require all members present at a meeting to vote on all issues presented except when a conflict of interest exists, which must be specified. 

Becoming a home rule city would give Diboll more flexibility in governing itself and also would bring powers of annexation. Home Rule Commission members stated during discussions that this will be important in future years as Lufkin extends its boundaries to the south, toward Diboll.

However, none of the six candidates at the forum identified any areas that Diboll should be interested in annexing in the near future. Cook pointed out that the city would have the responsibility of providing full services to any annexed area, including water and sewer, within two years. "You can't bankrupt the city because you want to annex," he said.

All but Chatman said they would sign a petition for another wet-dry election in Diboll. Chatman said the issue should be left alone. The others said they supported the will of the people.

Asked to identify the greatest problem facing the city, Jones called for infrastructure investment, Ivey cited the need to attract new businesses, Mitchell said enactment of home rule through passage of the city charter would give the city the "mechanism" for growth, Smith and Cook called more affordable housing to help younger people stay here, and Chatman said the city needs to offer greater amenities, such as industrial parks, to attract new businesses.

The forum attracted about 50 people.