Constituents meet candidates

The stage was set for the candidates’ forum April 14, Monday evening, by the Parker County Republican Women.

Mayoral, city council, and school board candidates and constituents alike were hosted at the Doss Center in anticipation of the May 3 election.

“Elections start here, at the local level,” moderator Rachael Watson, said, as she began questioning candidates.

Aledo Mayor Nick Stanley said that Parker County was the ninth most rapidly growing county in the nation, and Aledo needed to manage the growth that is coming. He cited the creation of an Aledo Police Department, and that, “Economic development policies needed to benefit all Aledo.”

He believes growing Aledo’s business community is key in the city’s success.

Paul Paschall, Weatherford’s two-term mayor, laid out a four-phase plan that included public safety, transportation, parks, and trails, as well as projections for expected growth.

“We need things that people and families can do,” Paschall said, “as well as protecting who we are and what we’re about.”

He believes that small businesses will grow if the government stays out of the way.

William Montgomery, Paschall’s challenger, believes his business background in the cutting horse industry will serve the city well.

“We cannot outrun our power and water, or our properties become worthless,” Montgomery said.

A long road, with no instant fix, he said there were some gaps in how the city was handling some of these issues, and said he can fill those gaps.

“People want to be heard,” Willow Park Mayor Doyle Moss said, “and I think we’re doing a great job of listening.”

Moss explained that the concern for the water supply is valid, and that there will be a new treatment plant coming online in September.

“Our staff is doing a great job,” Moss said, ‘we need to let them do it.”

Springtown mayoral candidate Mike Kelley said the leadership skills he has developed through the years will help him contribute to the city.

He stressed that the water crisis must be solved with neighboring communities in order to succeed.

“Infrastructure, and incentivizing businesses to come to Springtown, making it more appalling to families,” Kelley explained.

Eric Contreras, Willow Park city council incumbent, said that infrastructure, water shortages, roads, and parks were his areas of concern.

“I must be available as a public servant,” he said, “and I am.”

The Aledo ISD school board Place 4 candidate Jeremiah Stoker said teacher turnover and concerns of the special ed community were his top issues, and suggested the creation of an ombudsman position in the district will help solve certain internal issues.

Forrest Collins, AISD Place 4 incumbent, said that the growing community needed to build on their successes to strengthen their future, and that the parents are what makes the district successful.

Aledo ISD’s Place 5 candidates Lynn Morgan and Kelli Stahl are first-time runners.

Morgan said she was impressed by how the district is run and by its transparency.

She wants to encourage the board to work more closely with teachers since they are the ones who know best about the needs of their students.

Stahl, a Parker County native, said she is running to protect and preserve the community, and is here to make a difference.

Stahl also believes that teacher input is invaluable in determining the community’s needs and wants as they relate to the district.

Samuel Stephens, Weatherford ISD Place 4 candidate, believes in the transformative power of education. He said it is essential for students to use their educations to succeed in life.

Dan Woods, running for the WISD Place 4 spot, said that every student has an avenue that he or she can grow in and that involvement benefits their achievement.

He believe that there is always something to improve upon, and that is imperative to grow technology and the trades.

Stephen Rorai II and Jim Cox are running for the Walnut Creek Special Utility District Directors, where voters may vote for one, or both of them.

Rorai is concerned about the rubber-stamping approval of developers in the region, without the necessary water supply to support new builds.

Cox said that getting infrastructure up-to-date is crucial, since we are already 20 years behind.

Editor’s Note: Every candidate who spoke at the forum is covered in this story. Some candidates did not attend. Follow additional coverage at community-news.com/election2025.