By Moses Leos III

A pair of incumbents will each take on a challenger for their right to stay on the Buda City Council dais. 

While the Place 5 and Place 6 seats are up for grabs, only the mayor’s seat will go unopposed on November 4. 

“It is a lot of hard work. Maybe people aren’t wanting to do it, or maybe they think I’m doing a good job,” Mayor Todd Ruge said. “I like to think I’m doing a good job.” 

The road to Election Day began on Monday. That was the last day for potential candidates to file for the November election. 

Up for election this year are the seats held by Place 5 councilmember Eileen Altmiller, Place 6 and Mayor Pro Tem Bobby Lane and Mayor Todd Ruge. 

Only Altmiller and Lane drew opponents. 

Altmiller, who won her seat in 2011, filed for reelection on July 21. Commitment to the city drove Altmiller to file. She also felt the city was too important to allow those who may be unprepared to serve on the dais. 

“It’s important to have someone who is committed and will work hard for the community and not have a special interest call all of the shots,” Altmiller said. 

Her opponent is 27-year-old Evan Ture, who filed for his first election on Aug. 15. Ture said he wants to speak for the younger generation of Buda residents – something he said wasn’t well represented by Altmiller. 

“I want to represent a demographic that is supplying most of the growth of Buda,” Ture said. “It’s more young families moving in.” 

While Altmiller and Ture filed prior to Monday, the two vying for Place 6 waited until deadline day to submit their paperwork. 

Lane, who has served as councilmember, mayor and mayor pro tem on the dais since 2000, said he wanted to wait and see if anyone would vie for the seat. The goal was to assess their platform, with Lane making a decision to run afterward. 

With no one filing on Monday morning, Lane submitted his application. He based his decision on a good working relationship with the current council. Experience played a role, as was the chance to enact many of the council’s recent plans. 

“Now we are actually getting to do some things, I feel some desire to see the process through,” Lane said. 

Lane draws business owner Greg Henry as a challenger. Henry owns Willie’s Joint Bar and BBQ on Main Street. 

Ruge, who was first elected to council and then won the mayorship in 2012, said several factors led to his running unopposed. 

“I think it’s a product of when I was elected, I promoted low taxes, responsible growth and public safety,” Ruge said. “I think we hit those marks.”