By GRACE KIKER
May 20, 2024
Candidates for Commissioner, Precinct 3
Sherman Edwards
1. Where are you from and how long have you lived in/around Erath County?
I am a Lifelong resident of Erath County from Stephenville. I am the 4th generation of The Edwards Family.
2. Tell us a little bit about your family.
Married to my wife, my best friend for 39 years. We have two daughters, Markeshia and Ashley along with them we have 4 grandchildren. “As a family, we believe God designed families to be a source of love, support, and strength for us.”
3. What position are you running for?
Erath County Commissioner PCT 3
4. What motivated you to run for this position?
I am employed with Erath County Road Maintenance. I think I can BEST serve Erath County with my knowledge of repairing and building roads.
5. What is your number 1 priority if you win the election?
My #1 priority is to bring a different level of service to Erath County and raise the standards of road conditions for all residents.
6. What education/experience makes you the right fit for this position?
Working for TXDOT for 27 1/2 years as an inspector, maintaining Roads & Bridges, plus overseeing the budgets and running my own small business. With my experience and my knowledge, I think I have the skills to get things done the right way.
Ben Clements
My name is Ben Clements, and I am proud to be from Stephenville, Texas and Erath County. I did not grow up here, but I have been here for 23 years, and have loved every minute. My wife and I have made this our home, and I enjoy raising my two daughters here. Truth be told, I wouldn’t want to raise them any where else. This community is founded on the core values that makes “a house a home” and a “neighbor a friend”. I have seen this community grow and prosper and still keep the “down-home” feel, and for that, I am proud to call Erath County….HOME.
I decided to run for County Commissioner of Erath County Precinct 3 for numerous reasons but mainly, because I know I am the right person for the job to take Precinct 3, and make it better for all those that live within it. Undoubtedly, I know some of the specific things that are needed around the Precinct, and I have a plan to accomplish what is needed. I want to make a difference and want to work hard for this County. I want to contribute both my business expertise and my people skills. Working with the people of Erath County as the County Commissioner would let me use both my knowledge of budgeting and business as well my experience in customer service. I pride myself on being able to get things done, communicate with people successfully, and get the right people in place for the right job, to do the best work possible.
I feel the most important role of a county commissioner is actually two-fold. One is overseeing the budgetary and policy making functions of county government and second is the managing and betterment of the county roads. When you represent the people of Erath County, you represent the best there is. That is why people are flocking to this community. With the growth and movement of Erath County toward Urban County status, the county commissioner will be forced to be more focused on the courthouse activities and all that goes with being a part of the Commissioner Court.
Let me give you some background as to why I think I can and most importantly will, address this two prong part of being County Commissioner.
I grew up on a 44,000 acre cattle ranch in West Texas. I learned at an early age the importance of good roads and how bad roads can adversely affect vehicles and safety. I also learned the values and hard work ethic that have shaped my life and my business. When you come from an agriculture background, you know the importance of balancing funds and making those funds work for you. Funds are limited and need to go a long way to get done what needs to be accomplished now, not later; but all the while making sure you have an emergency fund in case something happens you don’t foresee.
I graduated valedictorian of my high school and attended college with several academic and rodeo scholarships. In college I began announcing rodeos and numerous other events across the United States. Upon graduation from college, I began my professional career of announcing full time all the while being hired by a large corporation to handle and be a part of their event production, scheduling, advertisement, and representation to the rest of the nation. In that job I managed over 100 employees, and handled budgets and pay outs of over several million dollars. In addition, I became the editor of a world-wide magazine with a budget of several million dollars and a circulation of close to a million copies annually. With the people I met, with the experience I gained, and with my own ambitions to forge a stability in this community for my growing family, my wife and I started our X-Treme Team Roping business. We handle events across the state and all the production and budgeting that comes with it. That is how my roots got to be deeply grounded here in this community. This is exactly why I am the most qualified candidate to handle the task of being the County Commissioner of Precinct 3.
I could give you my entire background and history of who I am and why I think I am qualified, but here is the bottom line; this is not about me but about the community, about Precinct 3, and the people and those that live in it. If you ask me if I come from a construction background or how many roads have I paved, I haven’t but that is not who or what this community needs right now in this position. The current road crew for Precinct 3 has over 75 years of road experience. Precinct 3 and Erath county needs someone to make sure their money is being spent where it is needed, that it is not wasted, and that enough is kept in the event of an emergency. They need someone to oversee the betterment of the county roads in the Precinct and they need someone to make sure all the t’s are crossed and the i’s dotted.
If and when I am elected, I plan to work on spending the taxpayer’s money wisely to accomplish what needs to be done in Erath County. The county roads in Erath County and especially in Precinct 3 are very important for obvious reasons, but they also need to make sure those that live down them and on them can get where they need to go without tearing up their vehicles or their equipment. I will work hard to get the majority of the almost 300 miles of roads in our precinct to a paved status. This will take some time, but I have a plan to put into action to make this work. With the growth of Erath County, we can use the influx of tax revenue, without increasing taxes to make this happen. Precinct 3 has a reserve fund in place. I intend to make sure that money is going to remain accessible so that our county can operate without debt. Having a reserve fund for financial shocks can help you avoid relying on other forms of credit or loans that can turn into debt. For example, if you use a credit card or take out a loan to pay for some unexpected expenses, your one-time emergency expense may grow significantly larger than your original bill because of interest and fees. This is exactly what I intend to avoid for Precinct 3.
Although I know this will not be easy and will not happen quickly, I welcome the challenge and am up for the job. If I didn’t think I was, I wouldn’t have even considered throwing my hat in the ring. This is my county and my precinct and I only want the best and won’t accept anything less. My experience in dealing with projects and people make me the best choice for County Commissioner of Precinct 3. I am excited about this opportunity and look forward to making things happen in Erath County.
Candidates for County Tax Assessor-Collector
Valerie Stephen
1. Where are you from and how long have you lived in/around Erath County?
I am a 5th generation Erath County resident and have resided in Stephenville all 36 years.
2. Tell us a little bit about your family.
My parents are Dennis Woods and Wanda Greer both of Dublin. My in-laws are Neal and Ann Stephen who own Stephen’s Health Care and has served our county citizens for nearly 4 decades. I was raised by a parent who is a retired City of Stephenville Police Officer and a current elected official of more than 20 years. I married my high school sweetheart Dustin Stephen in 2010 and together we have 3 kids Huxley, Knoxly and Willow.
3. What position are you running for?
It is an honor and privilege to be seeking the role of your next Tax Assessor-Collector of Erath County.
4. What motivated you to run for this position?
I have been an employee at the Tax Office working as a Motor Vehicle Clerk for over 3 years. I have loved every minute of serving the public but I am ready to take it up a notch and represent the citizens to the next level of capacity.
5. What is your number 1 priority if you win the election?
Reviewing office policies and procedures while mandating staff meetings and continuing education to better serve the citizens with confidence and assured knowledge.
6. What education/experience makes you the right fit for this position?
As a previous multiple business owner, I have past experience in collecting sales tax, overseeing employees, keeping on budget and overall management. My experience working in the Tax Office is beneficial because I already understand that portion of duties which makes me ahead of the game in knowledge going into office.
Niki McInroe Cogburn
1. Where are you from and how long have you lived in/around Erath County?
Erath County is my home. My family moved here when I was 3. I am a graduate of Stephenville High School. I moved to Missouri for 10 years, but when given the opportunity to relocate, I chose to come home. That was 20 years ago.
2. Tell us a little bit about your family.
I have been married to my husband, Tim, for 13 years in April. I have 3 children, 2 bonus children and 7 grandkids.
3. What position are you running for?
I am running for Tax Assessor-Collector
4. What motivated you to run for this position? I have worked in the tax office for 3 years. When Jennifer let it be known that she was retiring, I decided to run for the position. I have witnessed what the job entails and I think that I would be a good fit for the position.
5. What is your number 1 priority if you win the election?
My number 1 priority would be to keep an open door policy for residents of Erath County and the employees of the tax office. I would strive to provide each person who walks into the office with the best service possible by having a team of employees in place who have the knowledge to do that.
6. What education/experience makes you the right fit for this position?
I currently work in the tax office and have completed all training modules that are required of the motor vehicle clerks. I have 30-plus years of customer service and manager experience.
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