New Braunfels and Comal County residents will consider new candidatesâ promising new voices this spring â with May 1 election outcomes possibly shaping future courses for city councils and school districts.
Political action committees and donations from long-time city and county politicos are backing candidates facing challenges from citizens who packed city council and school board meetings the past several months, some threatening to sideline incumbents opposed to their views.
It could all lead to a strong turnout at the polls when early voting begins on Monday. Elections Administrator Cynthia Jaqua projects more than 80,000 will cast ballots during early voting, which ends Tuesday, April 27, and on Election Day, May 1.
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New Braunfels City Council members on Monday gave initial approval to an ordinance creating child safety zones that would prohibit a registered sex offender from going in, on or within 1,000 feet of a child safety zone in the city limits.Â
Child safety zones are defined by the state as premises where children commonly gather, which include public or private schools, public or private day-care facilities, playgrounds, public or private youth centers, public swimming pools, video arcade facilities, city or state parks or any other facilities that regularly hold events primarily for children.
New Braunfels Police Department Capt. Mike Penshorn told council members that protecting children is a department priority.
New Braunfels City Council members on Monday unanimously voted to lift a mandate requiring the public to don face coverings while visiting city facilities.
The new policy went into effect immediately. Per Gov. Abbottâs executive order, members of the public visiting city facilities are âstrongly encouragedâ to wear a mask or other face covering, but they will no longer be required to do so.Â
On March 8, council members voted to increase capacity and operate all city facilities at 100% occupancy but continue requiring the public to use face coverings when social distancing was not feasible.
That decision came after Abbottâs executive order rescinding statewide face covering and occupancy requirements went into effect.
Growth, collaboration and infrastructure were topics brought to the forefront by candidates vying for New Braunfels City Council seats during a forum Monday at the McKenna Events Center.
The event was hosted by the Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerceâs Leadership New Braunfels Alumni Association, which consists of more than 700 individuals who have graduated from the Chamberâs prestigious Leadership New Braunfels program.
The forum featured the four candidates running for seats on the New Braunfels City Council: Kevin Robles and incumbent Harry Bowers in District 3, and Joy Harvey and Lawrence Spradley in District 4.
Each candidate was allowed a limited amount of time to make their case for why voters should choose them.