County treasurer race

The Trib ran two articles Thursday about local election results and raised concerns as to whether some newly elected to posts are capable of doing the job. It’s too bad the Trib didn’t publish specific concerns about candidate qualifications prior to Election Day. Maybe then some of those who voted straight ticket would have known what they were doing when they chose not to vote to re-elect Democrat Bill Helton as McLennan County treasurer.

People need to educate themselves on who is running and who is best qualified prior to voting. If they had, I suspect the outcome of this particular race against Republican Danny Volcik would’ve turned out differently. For this post, it doesn’t matter what political party candidates belong to because they aren’t writing or changing our laws. Their party affiliation has nothing to do with their tasks.

This election ousted a good man who has tremendous experience and qualifications in exchange for one who believes serving as treasurer of his community’s water supply company for a few months qualifies him for the very important job of handling our county’s finances. Volcik was quoted in the Trib as saying, “A lot of my duties can be handled by them (budget officer, auditor and judge), and it takes it off of me.” So he’s planning for others to pick up the slack because he knows he’s not qualified for the $70,223 salary-a-year post?

He wasn’t elected because people think he’ll do a better job, as he said in the Trib article. He was elected because voters lacked knowledge of the situation and voted for their party rather than the right person for the job. 

 Thanks to Bill Helton for serving McLennan County so well for so many years.

Pam Garrett, China Spring

Fall back today, folks

How much longer are Texans going to sit back and let this ludicrous Daylight Saving Time be crammed down our throats? Citizens have repeatedly pleaded to not have our time changed. This “fall back, spring forward” stuff is confusing us twice a year.

By the time our bodies get adjusted to one time, it’s time to change again. And it’s ridiculous and dangerous that small children have to catch school buses in the dark. We should be watching out for their safety better.

Hawaii and Arizona have the good sense not to abide by DST and to let it disrupt their lifestyle. This affects so many aspects  of our daily life from sleep deprivation to lost job productivity, to even an increase in traffic accidents. And yet, we’ve kept our mouths shut and haven’t rebelled against it.

Citizens: Please contact your lawmakers and urge them to leave it the same time all year, preferably standard time!

 Maudie Sunday, Mexia

EDITOR’S NOTE: Daylight Saving Time reverted back to standard time at 2 a.m. today.

Election overview

Tuesday’s elections proved one thing: The people no longer accept the use of “career” and “politician” in the same sentence or in the same paragraph.

Stephen Williams, Waco