Three seats on ACC board, Lockhart annexation on ballot in November election

Austin Community College trustees approved Nov. 5 elections at their August board meeting for the annexation of Lockhart into the college’s taxing district and for three seats on the nine-seat trustee board, two of which are contested.

The Lockhart vote, formally introduced to the board in May , follows a yearlong campaign by members of the Greater Lockhart for ACC PAC who argue the annexation is necessary to help the growing district have sustainable workforce training opportunities.

If the board's proposed property tax rate is approved by Lockhart voters Nov. 5, homeowners will pay a rate of $0.1013 per $100 valuation in exchange for access to all in-district services, including in-district tuition and the free tuition pilot for eligible high school graduates. At the May meeting, trustees also accepted a three-pronged service plan that would begin by offering after-hours classes at Lockhart school district properties and build up to a permanent facility by the last stage.

The last ACC annexation vote – of Pflugerville – failed in 2018. The college is not allowed to sway voters either way, but the college held a June 25 public hearing in the district to answer voter questions and speak about the pros and cons of joining.

What to know about candidates for Austin Community College board of trustees

Candidates for board places 7, 8 and 9 had until 5 p.m. Monday to file. Trustees, who serve a six-year term and meet publicly the first Monday of every month, are charged with reflecting the views of their taxpayers and ensuring the college is meeting their needs. They are elected at large.

Barbara Mink, a founding member of the ACC District and the current chair of the board serving in Place 7, is retiring after 24 years.

Julie Ann Nitsch, a former ACC student and ACC staff member, was first elected in 2016 to fill an open position in Place 9 and was elected again in 2018. During her time at the board, the minimum wage increased from $10 to $23, child care vouchers doubled, adjunct pay was expanded to cover the same number of weeks as faculty and the board secured Capital Metro passes for students — all actions Nitsch said she wants to expand upon in the next term.

"It's really important to me that we really make sure our students and our faculty have that bottom rung of their basic needs met, and that if they don't, then we'd be able to fill in those gaps," Nitsch said. "Anybody who wants to have an education should have that."

For Nitsch, this is personal. She grew up in poverty, struggled to find insurance in adulthood, and was unhoused at the age of 22. With this perspective ― as well as being a recent graduate with previous experience as the liaison to the unhoused community in Travis County ― she believes she can best advocate for students' needs.

"I can speak to working-class students, working-class issues, and I think that's something that the board desperately needs," Nitsch said. "I know brilliant, hardworking, wonderful people that don't get a chance at that life because of poverty and the trauma around poverty. And that's what I want to break."

Running against Nitsch, Joseph Sefton served as ACC chief information security officer for four years, retiring just three months ago. He told the Statesman he wants to bring a more tech-focused perspective to the ACC board.

“I can provide a lot of value to take us to a different level in 2025 not only from the student (side) but also from technology,” he said. “The idea is getting up to speed with technology, period.”

Sefton added that both his wife and daughter have attended ACC. He said his connection with students and employees, as well as his expertise in cybersecurity and understanding of finances and contracting, will help inform his role.

“I'm not a politician; I'm not political. I'm just a simple Joe trying to do the best for our community,” Sefton added.

Cole Wilson is running for Place 7, Mink’s spot, against Sherri Taylor. Wilson, like Nitsch, is also an ACC alum.

“ACC, for me, was a life changer,” said Wilson, who is a dyslexic learner and was a Pell Grant student. “It completely changed everything about my life.”

Wilson then transferred to the University of Texas and later earned a graduate degree from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. Since then, he has worked to help workforce leaders and community colleges partner, increase voter engagement for youth, and advocate for college affordability and accessibility. He is currently the legislative director for state Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin.

Wilson wants to help students like himself succeed and build upon ACC’s current success with student support initiatives, such as further expanding child care, housing and transportation support for ACC students.

“There's a window of opportunity to just build and build this pillar of our community,” he said. “I believe and a lot of the folks that have supported me believe that somebody with a Pell Grant perspective that knows how to navigate the space as a dyslexic learner, that knows how to walk the halls both professionally, academically and personally, ought to be on that board.”

Taylor did not respond to the Statesman's requests for comment by press time.

Stephanie Gharakhanian, an attorney who leads the county district attorney office's Economic Justice Enforcement Initiative and was first elected in 2018, is running unopposed for Place 8. Gharakhanian worked to expand paid parental leave and broaden explicit nondiscrimination protections for ACC community.

“It has been an honor to serve in this volunteer role, and there is more I hope to do,” Gharakhanian said in a press release announcing her reelection bid. “We must continue to improve retention and graduation rates and make sure an ACC education is affordable and accessible to everyone.”

The elections will be Nov. 5. The deadline to register is Oct. 7.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Three seats on ACC board, Lockhart annexation on ballot in November election