PADRE ISLAND, Texas \u2014 With early voting underway, District 4 neighbors gathered along the Michael J. Ellis Seawall had one message for whoever wins the open seat on Corpus Christi City Council: don\u2019t forget about the Island.<\/p>\n
District 4 Councilwoman Kaylynn Paxson is running for mayor, which leaves her seat open. Three candidates are running to replace her: Stacie Garrecht, Dan Herrington and Kristina Nelson. A fourth candidate, Joshua Anderson, has dropped out, but his name will remain on the ballot.<\/p>\n
Nancy Thompson has lived on Padre Island for 15 years. She wants a council member with \u201cfinancial integrity\u201d who can \u201cwork both sides.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone who\u2019s interested in supporting the needs of the island and the people on the island,\u201d Thompson said.<\/p>\n
Thompson also said she\u2019s not interested in short-term rentals in her neighborhood but is OK with them closer to the beach.<\/p>\n
Sandy Graves, who has lived on the Island for more than a decade, wants the next council member to focus on water and \u201cstop kicking the can down the street or down the road.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brandon McClure, an Island resident of two years, said the council needs to commit to its decisions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s way too much indecision today on the council, and it\u2019s caused us to waste a lot of money,\u201d McClure said.<\/p>\n
For nine-year Island resident Charlotte Farley, growth is the concern.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe short-term rentals are a concern with the new subdivisions that are going in right now, and the streets just don\u2019t maintain that kind of traffic,\u201d Farley said.<\/p>\n
Flour Bluff resident Denise Hawkins said the most important thing is that the next council member listens.<\/p>\n
\u201cBe a true representative and not vote the way they want to vote,\u201d Hawkins said.<\/p>\n
Hawkins also said water has to be resolved without neglecting what the city already has: \u201cWe can\u2019t not go forward on water initiatives and at the same time not maintain the existing infrastructure that we have. It\u2019s just a recipe for disaster.\u201d<\/p>\n
Early voting runs through Friday, Oct. 30. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.<\/p>\n
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