Waelder ISD voters turn down $13.6 million bond measure

Waelder ISD voters turned down a $13.6 million bond measure by a 165-98 vote Saturday night in complete but unofficial returns.

Voters also returned the two incumbents, Troy Dewayne Sullivan and Avery Williams, to office by a substantial margin. And Waelder city voters elected a new councilman in Sam Ramirez while re-electing Peggy Blackmon as well.

The Waelder ISD bond measure would have been for the “construction, acquisition and equipment of school buildings in the district, including district-wide renovations and the purchase of necessary sites for school buildings” and was expected to result in a small property tax increase. However, voters cast as many votes against in early and absentee voting (98) as the measure received total in favor.

The defeat sends the district back to the drawing board to determine what they wish to do next as this would have been the first for the district since a $3.8 million measure 15 years ago in 2007, and just the second since 1967 in the small rural district that covers parts of Gonzales and Caldwell counties.

In the board election, Williams received 157 votes while Sullivan received 146. Cathy Olmos Hernandez received 59 votes while Catrina Giovanna Hernandez received 52 votes.

In the Waelder city race, Ramirez received 77 votes, while Blackmon got 75 votes. Incumbent Robert “Kido” Tovar received 62 votes.