Denton Mayor Mark Burroughs and challenger Bob Clifton fired the opening shots in the 2010 mayor’s race Monday, as the deadline passed to file for a spot on the May 8 ballot.

Bob Clifton

Mark Burroughs

Clifton, a self-employed businessman and political activist, criticized Burroughs over city spending and alleged conflicts of interest. Burroughs, a lawyer seeking his second two-year term, described Clifton as someone who doesn’t follow the rules.

City council and school board races took shape across the area Monday as the filing deadline passed. In Denton, the ballot will include contested races for mayor, two at-large council seats and two school board positions.

Burroughs and Clifton are running for the city’s top elected position after spending the past two years battling each other in court.

Clifton was the lead plaintiff in the 2008 term limits lawsuit that unsuccessfully challenged the eligibility of Burroughs and two other candidates. Clifton also took credit for mailers opposing Burroughs’ 2008 campaign but initially failed to file finance-disclosure reports, prompting Burroughs to sue. Clifton later filed reports and paid a $200 fine to settle a state ethics investigation, but Burroughs’ lawsuit against him is pending.

In an interview Monday, Burroughs described Clifton as someone who “flaunts the fact that he does not follow the rules.”

“To become a creator and enforcer of the rules [as a city leader] would be exceedingly difficult for him and certainly wouldn’t do a service to the citizenry that he’s supposed to be representing,” Burroughs said. “But that’s not for me to decide. That’s his choice and the citizens’ choice.”

Clifton said the main reason he is running for mayor is the same reason he sent the mailers: to highlight Burroughs’ business ties to local governments.

Burroughs is a partner in the Denton law firm Sawko & Burroughs, which collects delinquent property taxes for multiple area governments, including the city of Denton.

“This joker is not fit to be mayor,” Clifton said. “The main reason is that he has a tremendous conflict of interest in his tax collection.”

Burroughs said the contracts do not disqualify him from serving the city. State law requires him only to disclose his interest in the firm and refrain from votes or discussions that would directly benefit it, which he has done, he said.

Clifton also accused the City Council of lacking oversight on the budget, saying spending had increased sharply under Burroughs. Burroughs said Clifton was using “outrageously incorrect” figures.

Burroughs, a council member from 1998 to 2004, unseated Perry McNeill in the 2008 mayor’s race. Clifton has lost several elections for city office, including a 2009 race that included questions over whether he lived in Denton.

In the past two elections, Clifton has claimed the same residential address — a Denton home he says he leases. Asked if he lives at the home, Clifton said: “No, that’s not where I’m living. That’s where my domicile is. That’s where I fulfill all residency requirements, and that’s all the law requires.”

Clifton declined to say where he actually lives but insisted it’s in Denton.

The city charter says candidates must live within the city limits for at least a year to be eligible for election to city office. The Texas Election Code defines a residence as a “domicile, that is, one’s home and fixed place of habitation to which one intends to return after any temporary absence.”

Denton City Secretary Jennifer Walters, who handles applications for city candidates, has said state election law does not give her the authority to investigate whether a person is living at the location the person provides.

Burroughs said he had no plans to challenge Clifton’s residency in court.

Area races

Area races drew a little less interest from residents interested in challenging incumbents this year than last. While 2009 saw contested races in 10 of 16 area cities, it appears that just nine of those cities — Aubrey, Bartonville, Copper Canyon, Corinth, Cross Roads, Hickory Creek, Krum, Oak Point and Shady Shores — will have contested races this year.

Several cities did not confirm their final filings at the close of business Monday. In addition, candidates have until 5 p.m. next Monday file as a write-in candidate.

In Krugerville, City Administrator Susan Bradley said only incumbents had filed by Monday afternoon.

With that, it appeared that no one would oppose any of the incumbent mayors who have filed for re-election in area cities.

In addition, council members Ross Schraeder of Cross Roads and Thomas Muir of Sanger each have no challenger in their bids to replace the mayor in their respective cities.

Except for Corinth, where a husband and wife have teamed up to challenge the incumbents, few council members drew opposition as they filed for re-election.

In Cross Roads, Hickory Creek, Krum and Shady Shores, seats left vacant by outgoing members have races between newcomers. 

In Aubrey, Stoney Mike Ward filed to replace Jimmie Brown, who died Feb. 28, at the age of 46. Ward and incumbent Frances Carter are each running unopposed, but Ken Woods will challenge incumbent Deborah Goin, according to City Secretary Nancy Downes.

Bartonville, Oak Point and Copper Canyon will see newcomers vie with incumbents for at-large seats on those city councils.

In Ponder, City Secretary Sheri Clearman expected the incumbents to file Monday before they convened for their regular meeting.

Living in a small town makes it easier to serve the few hours a week that are needed, she said, since council members can more readily swing by Town Hall. But she wondered whether the economy was having an effect on people’s decisions to serve their communities, many of whom did not file until the last minute.

“You think about people working overtime, or as much as they can,” Clearman said. “That might cause people not to make a commitment.”

LOWELL BROWN can be reached at 940-566-6882. His e-mail address is lmbrown@dentonrc.com .

PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881. Her e-mail address is pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com .