The two candidates for county treasurer are familiar faces: One has been in office for nearly two decades, and the other has previously campaigned for various county positions.

Democrat Bill Helton was first elected county treasurer in 1990 after 12 years in the banking and loan industry.

He faces Republican Danny Volcik, a retired state trooper.

The treasurer’s duties include tracking the flow of cash in and out of the county, handling the county’s payroll and managing the county’s investment portfolio.

Helton has built several computer databases from scratch to electronically track certain transactions, such as retiree benefits, bail bondsmen assets, unclaimed funds and credit card transactions.

After bond returns fell with the downturn of the economy, Helton switched more of the county’s investments to certificates of deposit with local banks to net higher returns.

“My opponent needs to prove to the taxpayers that he has the proper qualifications to do this work, and that he has the work history and financial experience needed to be county treasurer,” said Helton, who was named the 2010 Outstanding County Treasurer by the Texas Association of County Treasurers last month.

Previous campaigns

Volcik made several unsuccessful bids for county offices during the past 14 years, including runs for sheriff in 1996 and 2000, campaigns for Precinct 3 county commissioner in 2004 and 2008, and a bid for Precinct 3 justice of the peace in 2006.

Repeated attempts to reach Volcik were unsuccessful. An answering machine message at Volcik’s home Tuesday featured Volcik saying he was “running for Republican county commissioner of McLennan County.”

The message also touted Volcik’s numbers in the Republican primary for county treasurer, 13,800 votes, versus the 3,125 votes Helton received in the Democratic primary.

The message was removed by Wednesday.

In a voice-mail message left for the Tribune-Herald on Wednesday, Volcik said he was a conservative candidate and tea party member and that he has served as treasurer for a number of local organizations, including the Chalk Bluff Water Supply and the Hillsboro Order of the Eastern Star.

“We need to get out all incumbents from the White House to the courthouse,” Volcik said in the voice mail.

Subsequent attempts to reach Volcik by phone for further comment were unsuccessful.

Incumbent’s strategy

Helton’s campaign strategy originally sought to counter a national turn against incumbents, especially Democrats. Earlier versions of campaign emery boards say “Elect Bill Helton,” in an attempt to downplay his re-election bid.

Helton has since decided to focus on his experience and qualifications. Signs across town read “Invest in Bill Helton, because he saves the taxpayer’s money.”

Helton also presented the Tribune-Herald with copies of his continuing investment education certificates, tax returns and even his 795 credit score as proof of his competency for the treasurer’s office.

“I know that I’ll have to leave at some point, but I would hope that it would be handed over to someone who is capable, because I would hate to see all the work I’ve done go down the drain,” Helton said. “If my opponent is capable of doing it and continuing the work, then fine. But I doubt it.”

Precinct 2 justice race

Another contested county race is for Precinct 2 justice of the peace, based in Mart. Judge Belinda Summers, 46, a Democrat, is being challenged by Republican Leonard Williams.

Summers was appointed to the seat in 1999 with the death of Judge James Collier and won a special election the following year to keep the office. Summers, who calls the justice of the peace the “people’s court” had served as Collier’s clerk for seven years previously.

“I knew what I was getting into when I took this job,” said Summers, 46. “I’ve got the experience. I’m qualified, fair and impartial to everyone who comes before me.”

Williams, 60, is a former superintendent for the Mart Independent School District, where he also served as a principal, teacher and coach during his 21 years with the district. He said he decided to run for justice of the peace after increasing interest in the judicial system.

“Everyone deserves their day in court, and the JP level, I think, is very important,” said Williams, who taught American history and majored in political science. “I think I would make a good justice of the peace with the experience I have in dealing with people, and I certainly had to make a lot of decisions when I was superintendent and principal.”

Williams also served with the Mart Volunteer Fire Department for seven years and was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. He currently represents Mart as a member of McLennan County's 10-year park plan team, a group appointed by the commissioners court to give input on plans to build parks throughout the county.

rdennis@wacotrib.com

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