First Contested Soil/Water Race In A Long Time

The Fayette Soil and Water Conservation District is having a contested election for the first time in many years.

Howard Frick, who represents Subdivision No. 5 on the Fayette SWCD Board, announced that he would retire at the end of his term, which expires this year. Two people have filed for that position: Gary Kainer and Mark Brown. Subdivision No. 5 represents the part of the County south of the Colorado River and east of U.S. Hwy. 77.

Fayette SWCD President Lee Fritsch said he’s been on the board 20 years, and he couldn’t recall the last time there had been a contested election. Texas’ Soil and Water Conservation Districts were established in 1939 in the wake of the Great Depression and the devastating Dustbowl. Lawmakers set up these districts to protect soil and water resources. The District works closely with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Our role is to encourage the responsible conservation of soil and water in our area,” Fritsch said.

One of their main duties is to help administer federal conservation programs.

Fritsch explained the process: “When a landowner seeks assistance with their property, they go to the NRCS. They’ll work with them to write up a plan of what they want to do to improve the conservation of property, whether it be cross-fencing, brush clearing, installing extra water troughs and water lines, fencing off riparian areas – things like that. Once they come up with a plan, they’ll come to our Soil and Water Conservation District. We sign off on it, and they’ll get funding from the federal government to do their project.”

Fayette SWCD provides many educational resources for landowners as well.

They co-sponsor the Beef Cattle Field Day. The District sets up an educational booth at the Fayette County Fair each year to teach landowners about ways to conserve soil and water. They also sponsor soil and water conservation essay and coloring contests for all seven schools in Fayette County.

Elections for Soil and Water Conservation District directors differ from other elected public offices. Most significantly, only certain property owners are eligible to vote. According to the Texas Agricultural Code, an eligible voter “is an individual who holds title to farmland or ranchland lying within a conservation district.”

Additionally, they must be a resident of the County in which the district lies, and they must be at least 18 years old.

The Ag Code further states that “If a family farm corporation owns farmland or ranchland in a conservation district, in a proposed conservation district, or in territory proposed for inclusion in a conservation district, the corporation is entitled to one vote in each election under this chapter that would affect the land owned by the corporation. The corporation shall designate one corporate officer to vote for the corporation in the election.” The designee must be at least 18 years old and a resident of the County. Any eligible voter may cast a ballot in this race, regardless of whether they live in Subdivision No. 5. Candidates, however, must live in the subdivision they are running to represent, and they “must be actively engaged in the business of farming or animal husbandry,” according to the Ag Code.

The last day for early voting is this Friday, Oct. 10. Early voting takes place 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Fayette County Agricultural Building, Fayette Soil and Water Conservation District Office Room No. 122 at 255 Svoboda Lane in La Grange.

Election day is Tuesday, Oct. 14, with voting to take place for only one hour, 9-10 a.m., at the Fayette SWCD Office.