By Samantha Smith
Opposing platforms will clash this election season as three Buda City Council Place 1 candidates begin their campaigns for the Nov. 8 election.
They do so after incumbent Place 1 council member Angela Kennedy withdrew her name from consideration for the upcoming election and supported candidate John Hatch.
Hatch will be joined in the race by Alamo City native Theodore Kosub and Buda native Lee Urbanovsky, both of which want to see major changes in the way Buda does business.
Hatch and his wife have lived in Hays County for 21 years and have consistently been involved in community government and committees.
Hatch, who has served at the State government level since graduating from Texas A&M with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, said his platform is “Experience matters.”
“My family and work responsibilities are at a point where I can dedicate the time to help Buda deal with the growth and issues we will face in the coming years,” Hatch said.
Hatch furthered his experience claim by citing his company, Texas Petition Strategies, which he started in 2003. The company assists cities and communities in changing laws to increase economic development and tax revenues.
“We are proud of the fact that so many cities and counties (170+) have been able to increase local tax revenues and jobs, without having to raise property taxes,” Hatch said.
For Urbanovsky and Kosub, their platforms center on promising to incorporate additional citizen involvement in the future.
Kosub entered the race for Place 1 to “maintain the vibrancy, safety and charm” of Buda.
“I want to make certain the interests of Buda’s residents are heard, considered and respected,” Kosub said.
Kosub’s goals for Buda include keeping the citizens safe while improving the local transportation network. He also hopes to assist in relieving the areas water shortage issues and maintaining Buda’s small town charm, while encouraging smart growth through commercial and small businesses.
“I support increased police resources, school zone enforcement, safe school access corridors, traffic calming in neighborhoods and family accessible city venues,” Kosub said.
Kosub also extolled his virtues of being a team player realizing that not everyone will agree on every point.
“I value the opinion of others and I’m not afraid to change my mind when presented with new information,” Kosub said.
Urbanovsky joined the race due to his and other residents’ frustration over the direction of city leadership.
“I have lived in Buda a long time and have grown concerned with the direction my community is going,” Urbanovsky said.
Urbanovsky’s campaign is opposite of Hatch, as he said he’s never run for an elected office before, but is ready for the challenge.
“I have worked in project management for over 16 years and understand compromise is sometimes necessary, but agreements can be made without undermining fundamental principles,” Urbanovsky said.
Urbanovsky said he plans on running under a platform that he will be the people’s candidate.
“I am not a politician. I am a resident who wants to see our City under better leadership. I want to be the voice of common sense for my fellow residents,” Urbanovsky said.
Urbanovsky plans to address issues like managing Buda’s growth responsibly by working closely with the City Engineer to address street construction by incoming developers to mitigate flood occurrences, and working with Hays CISD to help find a solution to the overcrowded school district.
“I feel it is time for me to get involved and contribute,” Urbanovsky said.
