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Walker
Another candidate for one spot has thrown his hat into to ring in the Marble Falls City Council race, turning the contest into a three-way race.
Bryan G. Walker, 27, filed to run for the place 4 position, joining challenger Clayton Burney, 25, and incumbent Celia Merrill.
In a statement, he commented about characteristics shared by the challengers.
“Just because you are young does not make you unqualified,” Walker stated. “This makes us quite young for seeking public office, but we both share an incredible passion for our community.”
Filing began on Jan. 13 and goes through and goes through Feb. 12.
Walker is a paid firefighter who commutes to his job in Wilson County ESD No. 1. Lavernia is the county seat.
He has served with Marble Falls Volunteer Fire Department and as a volunteer for Granite Shoals Fire Rescue. Walker, who graduated from Marble Falls High School in 2012, has an associate’s degree from Central Texas College and is majoring in public administration at Stephen F. Austin University.
He currently serves as a volunteer for the Granite Shoals Fire Rescue Auxiliary.
Burney, also a Marble Falls High School graduate, listed himself as a team member at Chik Fil A. He has lived in Marble Falls for a year and a three months. He was formerly a life-long Cottonwood Shores resident. His bio included a self-published book called “The Trials of the Beloved.” He was also a former shift manager at the Dairy Queen in Marble Falls.
Place 4 incumbent Celia Merrill is running for another two-year term. Along with Merrill, Clayton G. Burney, a 25-year-old Marble Falls High School graduate, filed on Jan. 13.
Since June, Merrill has worked as the regional site director for Texas Tech at Highland Lakes in Marble Falls as well as the satellite campus at Fredericksburg.
Merill has been a resident of Marble Falls since 2012. She co-coordinated a region-wide initiative that secured more than $200,000 in workforce training grants to the area.
Prior to her work at Tech, she served as the academic chairwoman for humanities and taught dual credit English classes at Faith Academy of Marble Falls.
In all, three incumbents have filed for another term through the second of filing week.
Incumbent John Packer reached his term limit as mayor and can not run again. Incumbent Place 5 Councilman Richard Westerman, a lighting sales specialist, filed to run for mayor. Businessman and incumbent councilman Dave Rhodes filed to run for place 2.
Incumbent Councilman Reed Norman, a landscaping business owner, filed to run for place 6.
The election is May 1. Early voting is April 19 to 27. Go to marblefallstx.gov for filing information.