Posted on Mon, Apr. 28, 2008
Trophy Club
Town CouncilAll seats are at-large. Members serve two-year terms and are unpaid. Members are charged with setting broad policy goals for the town's government.Three at-large seatsName: Joseph BoclairAge: 37Occupation: Chemist at Alcon Laboratories.Online: www.voteboclair.comBackground: Boclair has a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of North Texas and a bachelor's degree in science from the University of Delaware.About the candidate: Boclair describes himself as an avid observer of political issues in Trophy Club. If elected, he said he would try to promote better communication between residents and town officials, promote appropriate commercial growth and work to control spending while maintaining services.Name: Susan Edstrom (incumbent)Age: 47Occupation: Customer success manager for GetThere. Edstrom has worked for Fortune 500 companies for 25 years in sales, human resources and travel management.Online: noneBackground: Edstrom has an associate degree in occupational studies from Berkeley College, White Plains, N.Y. She has served on the council since 1999 and is mayor pro tem.About the candidate: Edstrom said she supports completing Trophy Club's master park plan. She supports planning for construction of new recreational facilities; maintaining infrastructure; reviewing land-use plans to control commercial growth; negotiating a joint agreement for the use of field and library facilities at Byron Nelson High School; starting a feasibility study to review options for further consolidation of town and municipal utility district operations; and maintaining a low tax rate.Name: Philip Sterling (incumbent)Age: 28City: Trophy ClubOccupation: Commercial pilotOnline: noneBackground: Sterling has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Texas A&M University. He was elected to the council in 2006.About the candidate: If re-elected, Sterling said he would work to ensure that town government is efficient and that the council is a good steward of tax money. He said he will strive to reduce the town tax rate by 1 cent in the coming fiscal year. He also said he would ensure that the Highlands of Trophy Club development progresses and would work to attract desirable and sustainable commercial growth. He supports studying the feasibility of merging one or both of the municipal utility districts with the town. He is the webmaster for the Denton County A&M Club, which raises scholarship money for graduating high school seniors in Denton County.Name: Glenn StrotherAge: 52City: Trophy ClubOccupation: Managing partner for AUI Contractors, a commercial general contractor based in Fort Worth.Online: www.Glenn4aWin.comBackground: Strother has a bachelor's in engineering from University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He serves on the board of the Economic Development Corp.About the candidate: If elected, Strother said he would continue to work to improve the quality of life for residents. He favors studying the feasibility of merging municipal utility districts with the town. Strother supports a selective approach toward promoting growth.Name: Michael ZergerAge: 56City: Trophy ClubOccupation: Systems analyst for Golden Gate SoftwareOnline: noneBackground: Took classes in international studies at the University of North Texas. Has graduate credit from Dallas Theological Seminary.About the candidate: If elected, Zerger would work to establish a plan to identify and fund services for the town's growing population while working to keep taxes low.Trophy Club Municipal Utility District 1 Board of directors (two at-large seats)Members serve four-year terms and are paid $100 for each meeting they attend. Members govern the MUD 1 district, which provides utility and fire protection services to residents who live in the district. Members also serve on the master MUD board, which is in charge of the daily operations of MUD 1 and MUD 2.Name: Jim Hase (incumbent)Age: 73Occupation: Retired as operations manager for Texas AT&TOnline: noneBackground: Hase graduated from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, 1956About the candidate: If elected, Hase said he would work to keep taxes and water rates low.Name: Dean Henry (incumbent)Age: 79Occupation: retired airline pilotOnline: noneBackground: Henry attended the University of Mississippi. He was appointed as a MUD 1 director in 1997. He was elected in 2000 and re-elected in 2004.About the candidate: If re-elected, Henry said he would continue to work to keep taxes low.Name: Bob RadderAge: 60Occupation: Loss prevention consultant/safety engineer; retired firefighter from San DiegoOnline: noneBackground: Radder has degrees in fire sciences, occupational health and safety and a master's in management from National University in San Diego. He was chosen as Citizen of the Year in 2007.About the candidate: Radder said he supports construction of a new fire station. Radder said he will not apply to be paid the meeting fee if elected as MUD 1 director.Bond proposalVoters will be asked whether to approve a bond package to pay for part of a new $4 million fire station to replace the one at 100 Municipal Drive. Board members have said that a new, larger station is needed to accommodate growth and that the bonds would not require a tax increaseProposition language: The issuance of $2,000,000 of tax bonds and the levy of ad valorem taxes to pay for the bonds construction and equipment of fire station and acquisition of land.Trophy Club Municipal Utility District 2 Board of directors (three at-large seats)Members serve four-year terms and are paid $100 for each meeting they attend. Members govern the MUD 2 district, which provides utility and fire protection services to residents who live in the district. Members also serve on the master MUD board, which is in charge of the daily operations of MUD 1 and MUD 2.Name: James Budarf (incumbent)Age: 57Occupation: account manager for Siemens Energy and Automation, where he has worked for 35 yearsOnline: noneBackground: Budarf graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering. He was appointed MUD 2 director in 1993 and elected in 1994.About the candidate: If re-elected, Budarf said he would work to lower taxes and control spending. He said he supports merging MUD 1 and MUD 2 with Trophy Club when that is financially feasible.Name: Kevin Carr (incumbent)Age: 50Occupation: Owns company that does insurance property claimsOnline: noneBackground: Carr is a graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas, majoring in business. He was elected MUD 2 director in 2000, re-elected in 2004; served on Trophy Club Town Council in 1998-99.About the candidate: Carr said he wants to continue lowering taxes and maintain quality water and sewer service.Name: Lynn HaleAge: 58Occupation: Six Sigma business process improvement specialist at Northrop Grumman; retired from IBM after 30 years as project manager; owns a jewelry businessOnline:www.lynnhale.nameBackground: Hale spent two years at the University of Texas at Austin, studying advertising and public relations. She attended Dallas Baptist University, studying business management. She served on the MUD 2 board from 2002-2006.About the candidate: She said she would work to merge MUD 2 into the town, where efficiencies are realized with minimal impact on taxpayers. She would work to complete the primary water line between the east side of Trophy Club and Marshall Creek Road to provide better flow and pressure for homes, fire use and drinking water.Name: Greg LamontAge: 65Occupation: RetiredOnline: noneBackground: Lamont attended some business classes. He served on the Trophy Club Town Council in 2006-07.About the candidate: Lamont said he would support studying the feasibility of merging the two municipal utility districts with the town.Name: Jim Thomas (incumbent)Age: 64Occupation: Vice president of a large multinational software services companyOnline: noneBackground: Has served on MUD 3 and MUD 2 boards since 1984; played key role in the merger of MUD 3 and MUD 2 in 1991. He has a bachelor's degree in industrial management from Auburn University.About the candidate: Thomas said he wants to improve service without raising MUD 2 tax rates. He supports dissolving the MUD 2 board but only when that is in the best interests of residents of MUD 2. He supports plans to build a new fire station without raising taxes for MUD 2 residents.