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During a moment of levity, Horseshoe Bay Mayor Cynthia Clinesmith, center, laughs after newly appointed Councilmember Jerry Gray, left, made seconding a motion to name Elsie Thurman, right, the new mayor pro tem his first official act upon his return to the council dais. Gray was appointed Tuesday to serve the remainder of Kent Graham's term and was sworn into office prior to taking his seat. Lew K. Cohn/The Highlander
Horseshoe Bay residents said goodbye to a former mayor pro tem, welcomed a former mayor pro tem back to the council and named a new mayor pro tem — all at Tuesday’s regular meeting.
City officials recognized former mayor pro tem Kent Graham for his five years of service on the council. Mayor Cynthia Clinesmith especially praised Graham for his leadership, especially when it came to watching the city’s financial bottom line. As a member of the Finance Committee, Graham helped the city develop a fiveyear budget plan.
Graham submitted a letter of resignation to City Secretary Kerri Craig on Monday, April 19, stating he was resigning from his council seat effective that date.
He and his wife, Beverly, began selling scented soaps and their business has grown so much, it precipitated a need to move to Bee Cave. Their house in Horseshoe Bay West, which they had bought in 2009, sold almost immediately after they placed it on the market.
Graham was first elected to the Horseshoe Bay City Council in November 2016 and was in the midst of his third term on the city’s governing body. He would have reached his term limit of six consecutive years on the council in November 2022.
On Tuesday, the council unanimously appointed former mayor pro tem Jerry Gray to complete the remaining 17 months of Graham’s final term. Gray had completed his third and final term as a councilmember last November.
When it came time to select a new mayor pro tem Tuesday, Clinesmith turned to Elsie Thurman, the most recently elected councilmember. Thurman was a unanimous selection for the position.
Kent Graham was not the only Graham whose departure affected a Horseshoe Bay civic body, however. His wife Beverly was a member of the Planning & Zoning Commission and had resigned from that panel at the same time her husband resigned from the council.
On Tuesday, Camille Reasor was appointed to replace Beverly Graham on the P&Z Commission through December 2022. Reasor is an assistant district attorney for Llano County and her husband is a Horseshoe Bay police officer.