Meet the candidates

Local county-wide candidates in GOP primary interviewed

• Meet the candidates
• Meet the candidates
• Meet the candidates
• Meet the candidates
• Meet the candidates
• Meet the candidates
• Meet the candidates
• Meet the candidates

Eligible voters will decide the outcome of the partisan political primary elections in Bosque County ending on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.

The Clifton Record and the Meridian Tribune recently reached out to the candidates who filed for a place on the ballot in the Republican primary election for Bosque County Attorney, Bosque County Commissioner Precinct 1, Bosque County Commissioner Precinct 3, and Bosque County Tax Assessor-Collector.

These were the only contested races at the county level. The winners of these races will likely be elected in November because no opponents filed to run in the Democratic Party primary this election season.

The intent was to seek answers to a series of five questions to inform our readers and the general public about their candidacy.

We asked the candidates to limit each of their responses to no more than 100 words.

The candidates running for Bosque County Attorney are Zach Brown and Thomas Maxwell Smith.

The candidates running for Bosque County Commissioner Precinct 1 are Billy Hall (incumbent) and Steve L. Skipper.

The candidates running for Bosque County Commissioner Precinct 3 are Chad Holt and Larry “Shotgun” Philipp (incumbent).

The candidates running for Bosque County Tax Assessor-Collector are Annie Dawson and Arlene Swiney (incumbent).

The uncontested races in the Bosque County Republican Party primary included Constables Precincts 1 & 2, District Attorney, Bosque County Sheriff, and Bosque County Treasurer.

Early Voting

Early voting by personal appearance will be at two locations, the Clifton Civic Center and the Bosque County Elections Administration Office.

The civic center is located at 403 West Third Street in Clifton; the Bosque County Elections Administration Office, at 104 West Morgan Street in Meridian.

Hours to vote early are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. from Tuesday, February 20, to Friday, February 23; 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Saturday, February 24; 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 25; and 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., Monday – Friday, February 26 – March 1.

During the early voting period in Bosque County, voters can only use the ExpressVotes machines, due to the primary election having over 20 different ballot styles that will need to be issued to the voters.

ExpressVote is a style of ballot that is generated and printed at checkin and then inserted into the corresponding ExpressVote machine found in the voting booth. Once inserted, the ballot options will be selected digitally. Once the candidate/proposition choices are made and the ballot completed, it will be ejected from the machine having been updated with the voter’s selections. From there, the updated ExpressVote ballot will be inserted into our DS200 Tabulation Device for counting.

The ExpressVote machines were purchased through the county’s vendor ES&S and certified by Texas Secretary of State. The machines as well as the county’s electronic tabulator (DS200) are never connected to the Internet.

On the last day of the primary election, the polling locations will return to the traditional paper ballot styles.

Eligible voters will be able to cast paper ballots only on Election Day on Tuesday, March 5, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

On Election Day, eligible voters must vote in the precinct where registered to vote. In Clifton the precincts are 8 and 9, both located at the Clifton Civic Center.

In Meridian, the precincts are 3 and 4, both located at the Meridian Civic Center.

Applications for ballot by mail can be mailed to Ashley Rupp, the Bosque County elections administrator, at P.O. Box 411, Meridian, Texas.

Applications for ballots by mail must be received no later than the close of business on Friday, February 23, 2024.

The last day to receive a ballot by mail is Tuesday, March 5 (Election Day), at 7 p.m.; if the carrier envelope is not postmarked, or Wednesday, March 6, (the next business day after Election Day) at 5 p.m.; if the carrier envelop is postmarked by 7 p.m. at the location of the election on Election Day.

For more information about the general election, contact the Bosque County elections administrator or visit the county elections website at www.bosquecounty. us/ elections

Candidates Bosque County Attorney Zach Brown

1) What is your age? How long have you resided in Bosque County?

I am 42. We moved home in April of 2021, so we’ve been here just shy of three years. But I’ve lived in Bosque County off and on since 1993. I was blessed to spend my formative years in Bosque County—and have always considered it to be my home since first moving here 31 years ago. I’m proud to say that my kids are 4thgeneration Clifton Cubs. We’re blessed to live in the small community of Coon Creek where my family first settled prior to the Civil War.

2) What’s your background? (Family info, hobbies, civic groups, clubs) My wife Leah and I will celebrate our 8th anniversary in March. We have three children: Scarlett, Steele, and Lillian—They are our priority. We enjoy spending time with friends and family and attend Church of Christ Clifton. My mom Marsha Brown has a small herd of cattle that I have taken care of for 11 years. It is something I love to do.

I’m a member of the Bosque County Rotary Club, Robert E. Binford VFW Post 8553, the West Shore Volunteer Fire Department, and have recently joined the Board of the Clifton Youth Baseball Association.

3) What’s your education?

I attended junior high and high school in Clifton and graduated from Texas Tech in 2005 with a BA in History. I received a Juris Doctorate from Texas Tech University School of Law in May of 2016.

4) Priorities: Explain how this office is important to your constituents and provide information on your plans for improvement.

The County Attorney performs a myriad of duties, most importantly as the Misdemeanor Prosecutor for the county, by representing the State of Texas in all CPS actions that originate within Bosque County; and by advising the Commissioners’ Court and other county officials regarding the legal issues that arise in carrying out their respective duties. Implied within those duties is the duty to protect and serve the citizens of Bosque County, this is a sacred duty. I vow to forego private practice and will devote 100-percent of my time to county business and serving the citizens of Bosque County.

5) What would be your greatest strengths as county attorney, and how have you demonstrated these strengths in your life and career?

Leadership and experience. I served as an Infantry Officer in the US Army where I planned and led over 400 combat patrols during a 15-month deployment. The stresses of combat affect a person, and leadership is the most dynamic variable that impacts success. The best leaders care for their people. I was a successful leader because my soldiers knew I cared. I also have the advantage of having regularly practiced in the Bosque County Court at Law, which is the court in which the County Attorney prosecutes Misdemeanors and CPS cases. I’ve developed friendships with the individuals who I’ll work with regularly as County Attorney, and I’m running for the position because I want to do the job.

Thomas Maxwell Smith

1) What is your age? How long have you resided in Bosque County?

I’m 32 years old. I have lived in Meridian since February 2023. My family is originally from the Valley Mills/Mosheim area. Since 2019, my father and I have taken care of the family place just outside of Mosheim which has been in our family since it was a part of the old Poston ranch there. My family’s roots in Bosque County go back to the late 1800s when William Tillie “WT” Poston settled his family in the Mosheim area. The Smiths came shortly thereafter, with the arrival of Charles Ashbury Smith to Wortham Bend.

2) What’s your background? (Family info, hobbies, civic groups, clubs) I come from a line of small business owners. My great-grandfather M.P. “Coon” Smith owned a lumber yard in Valley Mills with my grandfather Tommy Poston Smith. My father Russell worked there as a kid for a “quarter a day,” and it is where he learned the work ethic that he taught me. They also built homes in Valley Mills. I am married with one child and another on the way. Our family enjoys going to the family farm, to community events, and watching football, baseball, and basketball. Memberships: Clifton Lions Club, Chambers of Commerce (Meridian, Clifton, Valley Mills, Cranfills Gap), TSCRA, Meridian Athletic Booster Club, Bosque Republican Party.

3) What’s your education?

I graduated from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, in 2013 with a BA in History and a minor in Exercise Sports Science and where I played on the baseball team. After that, I went to the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University where I obtained a Masters in Business Administration in 2014. After that I worked as an auto shop manager for a year before going back to Texas Tech to Law School where I graduated with a Juris Doctorate (law degree) in 2018.

4) Priorities: Explain how this office is important to your constituents and provide information on your plans for improvement.

The Bosque County Attorney prosecutes misdemeanors and handles CPS cases on behalf of the state, but the position is more than that. The County Attorney is also responsible for advising the county elected officials as they navigate their duties. Each of these responsibilities is important. I will be tough on crime, fair in the enforcement of CPS matters, and I will be extremely thorough in providing support to our elected officials. I will aim to be present and accessible to our elected officials and to promptly provide legal counsel with an aim to promote conservative local and fiscal policy.

5) What would be your greatest strengths as county attorney, and how have you demonstrated these strengths in your life and career?

I started my law firm in 2019 as a general practice. I take pride in practicing across multiple practice areas because you never know when one issue could bleed into another. Since 2019, I have represented plaintiffs in cases against billion-dollar corporations, represented homeless criminal defendants, and almost everyone in between. I have a tireless work ethic and fight for my client’s interests despite the odds. As County Attorney, the residents of Bosque County will be my number one client, and I will work diligently to ensure that conservative local policy is a primary focus of our county government.

Bosque County Commissioner Precinct 1 Steven L. Skipper

1) What is your age? How long have you resided in Bosque County?

I’m 69 years old. I have lived in Bosque County for 11 years, when I was not traveling building Natural Gas Pipelines all over the United States.

2) What’s your background? (Family info, hobbies, civic groups, clubs) I was born in Waxahachie (Ellis County) in 1954. My parents both worked, my mom in Dallas and my dad for the City of Waxahachie. When I was about to turn 10 years old, and about to enter the 6th grade, my dad and mom decided to move to Red Oak. My parents wanted to stop renting and own their own home. With the prices in Waxahachie that would not be possible! In 1966 we moved to Red Oak where the population was 747 people. It was good they built our home, and I finished school in Red Oak, graduated in 1972 then went to College at Navarro in Corsicana to play football.

3) What’s your education?

I went to college as I said, but I did not graduate. My dad had become sick so I took my welding experience I learned in high school with three years of ag class, and I went to work. My hobbies: When I was younger, I loved to play softball, go fishing, and build hot rod cars! At my older age I joined the Lions Club in Red Oak and after a few years I was voted vice president. After 35 years in the Elain trade, I became a inspector on natural gas pipelines. I have taken every course and passed all certifications required by the API (American Petroleum Institute).

4) How will you ensure purposeful growth and development to improve living and business conditions in Bosque County?

Purposeful (having or showing determination or resolve). I feel like Bosque could use some light industrial growth to help with the job situation in the county, BUT the incoming growth in our county regardless if it commercial or bedroom communities. Our county must implement impact taxes to relieve the county from having to fix what construction can change! I also believe that commercial growth must not only have impact taxes, but also contracts that keep them from take-the-moneyand- run scenario! They can have tax abatement, but should they sell and move on, they will pay back all taxes abated. If they should leave before the typical five-year abatements schedule!

5) What is the most critical issue in Bosque County Precinct 1 and how do you plan to address it?

As I said above the critical issues are future growth and solar panel yards! The issues with this are somewhat like housing development and industrial. These things cannot be stopped because as a county commissioner, I can’t stop someone from selling or leasing their property. The things we can do are set up restrictions and make sure contracts between individuals or with the county are written with the county’s best interest.

Billy Hall

We reached out to Mr. Hall via email twice, but we received no answers from him.

Bosque County Commissioner Precinct 3 Chad Holt

1) What is your age? How long have you resided in Bosque County?

I’m 56 years old, running for Bosque County Commissioner, Precinct 3 with the campaign promise that “Service to the community is first priority. I was born in Pasadena, Texas, raised in Nacogdoches, Texas before becoming a Bosque County resident in 2008 along with my wife Barbara, two daughters and a grandson. We also have three dogs, four horses, two donkeys, a herd of cattle and a bunch of cats.

2) What’s your background? (Family info, hobbies, civic groups, clubs) I have worked as Business Development Manager for Midcontinent Livestock Supplements since 2011. I have worked as a ranch hand cowboy most of my life, as well as in feed sales and as a farrier since 1992. I am also the lead singer and rhythm guitar for “Chad Holt & The Chizlers.” My father was the “Head of Jazz Studies” at Stephen F. Austin University. As a result, I was around a lot of music, drama and art as a kid. I have really enjoyed the work I have done with the Bosque Arts Center.

3) What’s your education?

I’m a 1992 Texas A&M University graduate with Bachelor of Science in Agriculture/Animal Science.

I believe I have the skill set to do this job better than the incumbent. I believe I have innovative ideas that will benefit the constituency and the county for years to come. I will bring strong customer service and communication skills to the job. I will be actively involved in strategic planning in the budget process with the aim to make Precinct 3 a better place to live by asking and addressing difficult questions.

5) What is the most critical issue in Bosque County Precinct 1 and how do you plan to address it?

As commissioner, I will take office with the mindset of “Service to the community is first priority,” and I will work to improve efficiency of spending and the quality of roads in ALL parts of the precinct. I will be fiscally responsible and use county resources as efficiently as possible while looking for innovative solutions to issues that affect constituents. And I will focus on the regulation of wind and solar farms that currently impact Bosque County.

Larry “Shotgun” Philipp

1) What is your age? How long have you resided in Bosque County?

I’m 66 years old. I’ve lived in Bosque County for 64 years.

2) What’s your background? (Family info, hobbies, civic groups, clubs) My parents are Werner Philipp and Wilma Sue Philipp.

3) What’s your education?

Clifton High School; two years at TSTC.

4) How will you ensure purposeful growth and development to improve living and business conditions in Bosque County?

Investing wisely and keep county soluble with investment and savings.

5) What is the most critical issue in Bosque County Precinct 3 and how do you plan to address it?

Roads having enough budget to maintain properly getting back in good shape.

Bosque County Tax Assessor-Collector Annie Dawson

1) What is your age? How long have you resided in Bosque County?

I’m 61 years old. Hank and I first purchased land in The Gap in 2011. We were weekenders for several years and finally able to make this our full-time residence in 2021. We had our Switch House on the Norwegian Christmas tour in 2019 and 2021.

2) What’s your background? (Family info, hobbies, civic groups, clubs) Hank and I have been married for almost 37 years, have four children, two son-in-laws, one daughter-in-law, and six wonderful grandchildren. We attend One Church in Clifton and are involved in the Bosque County Republican Club in which he serves as a precinct chair and I, the secretary. I’m a beekeeper and we grow lavender. I use the honey and lavender in Dawson Farms products – soap, scrub, lip balm and lotion.

3) What’s your education?

I have about two years of college and have taken several continuing education classes in business. I have also been certified in Microsoft products and as an administrative professional. In my career, I served as program chair and president for a local chapter of IAAP and won an award for top rated site for The Global Leadership Summit.

4) Priorities: Explain how this office is important to your constituents and provide information on your plans for improvement.

The Tax Assessor/ Collector’s office is the “face” of the county, oftentimes being the only office in which our constituents interact. It is my desire to raise the level of service in all areas.

5) What is the most critical issue in the county tax assessor’s office and how do you plan to address it?

It seems that my opponent has perhaps gotten complacent in her service and was not on top of required certifications required by the state. This led to the office being shut down by the state for a few weeks last year causing inconvenience for our constituents. There has also been a lack of good customer service. I plan to ensure that standards of performance are assured, and friendly customer service is the norm.

6) What would be your greatest strengths as tax assessor, and how have you demonstrated these strengths in your life and career?

I would say that my greatest strengths that are pertinent to this role are organization and leadership. I look forward to meeting and serving the people of Bosque County.

Arlene Swiney

1) What is your age? How long have you resided in Bosque County?

I’m 67 years old. I have lived in Bosque County all but about nine years of my life.

2) What’s your background? (Family info, hobbies, civic groups, clubs) : I have worked in the tax office for 19 years. I became chief deputy 11 months after I was hired in. I have been the tax collector for 15 years. I also raised two of my grandchildren during this same time frame. Two beautiful young ladies that are thriving now in this wonderful county. I feel very blessed to live here, work here and raise kids here.

3) What’s your education?

I am a high school graduate and had some college classes. I worked at Comanche Peak Nuclear plant for 20 years. I was cleared by the FBI and NRC to work with top security blueprints and other high profile security documents while employed there.

4) Priorities: Explain how this office is important to your constituents and provide information on your plans for improvement.

This office is truly the face of the county. For the most part every citizen in the county comes into this office several times a year. When I went to work in the office, it was not a very pleasant place. That has changed in the last 19 years. It has become a lot more pleasant and user friendly. We still have issues at times, but nothing like it was when I first went to work here. Most of the county funds are brought in through the tax office, so it is very important asset to the county. All offices have issues at one time or another, but we do our best to handle them and go forward.

5) What is the most critical issue in the county tax assessor’s office and how do you plan to address it?

The tax office needs a larger office with parking. It is really not user friendly where we are now. There basically is no parking. I worry daily about people crossing the street with a tremendous amount of traffic that is truly not a safe environment for anyone and especially to older clients and people with children. The county has grown tremendously in the last 19 years and this office, and we are going to have to grow to keep up.

6) What would be your greatest strengths as tax assessor, and how have you demonstrated these strengths in your life and career?

I have great compassion for people and use that every day in this office. My favorite line is: IN A WORLD WHERE YOU CAN BE ANYTHING, BE KIND. I exercise this every day and believe it is my best asset being in a public office and life in general. I have enjoyed serving this county for the last 19 years and hope to continue it for the near future.