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Mike White -
Chuck Williamson -
Bob Goodart -
Gordon Nelson
The Lampasas City Council members received their annual pay of $1 and welcomed newly elected members on Monday.
Mayor Misti Talbert thanked outgoing councilmen Chuck Williamson and Mike White for their service to the city.
Chuck Williamson lost his bid for re-election to Gordon Nelson on Nov. 3. White chose not to seek another term and has been replaced by Bob Goodart, who defeated Zach Taylor in the Nov. 3 election.
Talbert said Williamson and White – who have served six and seven years, respectively, on the City Council – embody characteristics she strives to maintain, and she considers their departure from the council a personal and professional loss.
Williamson, Talbert said, gives selflessly of his time.
“If you don’t know, council member Williamson has given 25-plus years of service to our city and our community to absolutely no benefit to himself,” she said. “It’s out of a passion to do greater things for his neighbors, for people he knows and people he doesn’t know.”
White, Talbert said, speaks his mind and has been committed to representing his constituents.
“Mike White is never afraid to say what he believes is right, whether it be popular or not,” the mayor said.
Williamson accepted the mayor’s thanks and encouraged the City Council members to be diligent as they take on future challenges.
“We’ve achieved so much, not just as a council, but also in partnership with the city manager and staff,” he said. “There are many, many things still to be done. I wish you all the best in doing that.”
Williamson said he foresees “trying times . . . in the financial side” and said it is important that the city work to “acquire businesses in this community that can prosper and grow the city.”
He said he intends to remain on the Capital Improvements Program Committee.
White – who, at 31, was appointed as one of the youngest residents to serve on the City Council – said he has enjoyed contributing to the city where he grew up.
“I figured at the least I would be able to have a different perspective on the city,” he said. “And if there was anything that I could do to make it better, that’s exactly what I was going to do.”
White said he was concerned with streamlining the city’s operations and is proud that the council has helped transform the city into “an efficient vehicle.”
New council members took the oath of office Monday, and the council voted unanimously to reappoint Councilwoman TJ Monroe as mayor pro tem.
After conferring in an executive session, the council voted to appoint Assistant City Secretary Becky Sims as the next city secretary. The current city secretary, Christina Marez, will retire in December.
Talbert said Marez’s love for the city is evident.
“What you do is not unrecognized,” she said. “I know it’s not always the easiest position to be in, and very few people can probably understand how difficult that is, but you’ve handled it gracefully, and we appreciate you.”