I just voted on the 11 Propositions to Amend the Texas Constitution. I encourage everyone to get to the polls. Voter turnout in non-Presidential elections are notoriously dismal (I was the 11th person to vote in Smithville), but these issues are easily just as important and may have even more of an impact on our local area. We are in the early voting phase right now -- here's the schedule: Thursday October 22: 8AM-5PM Friday October 23: 8AM-5PM Saturday October 24: 9AM-12Noon Thursday October 29: 8AM-5PM Friday October 30: 8AM-5PM You can also vote at the County Courthouse -- polls will be open on the same schedule as above, and will be open all day from Monday to Friday during the week of October 26. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3 and polls will be open at Smithville City Hall and Bastrop County Courthouse from 7AM to 7PM. If you don't know whether you support or oppose any of the measures, or if you need other information about election procedures and issues, here are a few good websites you can check out. Non-Partisan Sites Texas Secretary of State Ballotpedia League of Women Voters Very Short List of Sites with Party Bias (in alphabetical order) Burnt Orange Report Green Party of Texas Libertarian Party of Texas Republican Party of Texas Texas Democratic Party Young Conservatives of Texas Don't forget you can always search on the websites of your favorite news organizations to find information and analysis of the various proposals as well. Please note: I do not have a political agenda here. The point is to get as many people out to vote as possible. The list above includes as many websites as I could get in about 20 minutes. It is not meant to be comprehensive and hopes not to offend anyone with strong opinions not represented here. If you wish to suggest more, I absolutely invite everyone to add comments to this blog to help develop that list! The more opinions we can represent here, the better decisions can be made. Thanks in advance for your help in adding important organizations to this list. Please call the Elections Department if you have any questions about registering to vote, where to vote, or other important issues: 581-7160
Posted:
FEMA has released more information about threats of wildfires in Texas. Please remember that Smithville is hosting a "firewise" workshop on Saturday, February 11 from 9AM-11AM at the Recreation Center to give you the information and tools you need to reduce the threat of wildfires near your home.
If you have a child in school in Smithville, please take our survey to let us know about how you feel about allowing students in your care to walk or bike to school. This is required through the grant we received for Safe Routes to School, and your answers will help us measure how well the program is working. Thank you for your participation in this important survey!
If you haven't seen it yet, watch the Day Tripper Episode 303 on Smithville. It features Zimmerhanzels, Tom Tierney, Main Street, Buescher State Park, and many other familiar places.
Please check out our local historian David Herrington's website about Smithville History. He and Carol Snyder literally wrote the book ("Images of America: Smithville") so he knows what he's talking about!
We always knew it, but Smithville is now officially a member of "Communities of Character" through the International Character First program. The character traits emphasized include: Loyalty, Justice, Self-Reliance, Self-Discipline, Integrity, Honor, Patriotism, Respect, Honesty, Responsibility, Compassion, and Perseverance. Smithville’s participation in this program is a natural extension of its strong tradition of service. Citizens take great pride in the many programs and projects that have been accomplished as a result of tenacious and committed volunteers.
You can subscribe to this blog via RSS feed and recieve regular updates easily in your RSS reader or browser.