07:13 AM CDT on Monday, May 1, 2006

By Lowell Brown and Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe / Staff Writers

Early voting starts today in city and school district contests throughout Denton County, including the race for Denton mayor.

Three candidates have lined up to succeed Denton Mayor Euline Brock, who can’t run again because of term limits. Entrepreneur Justin Bell, businessman Bob Clifton and engineer Perry McNeill, a current council member, are seeking the city’s top elected position.

McNeill is vacating his District 4 seat to run for mayor, and Guy McElroy, a retired tire shop owner and oilman, is the lone candidate to finish McNeill’s term, which has one year left.

Place 5 incumbent Bob Montgomery faces opposition from retired university professor John Paul Eddy. In Place 6, council member Joe Mulroy faces a challenge from former city webmaster Shelley Shay. Both are at-large seats.

For Denton school board, machine operator Calvin Evans, a former board member, seeks to unseat Place 1 incumbent Curtis Ramsey, while university professor Sterling Smith challenges Place 2 incumbent Rick Woolfolk. Both seats are at-large.

Residents can cast early ballots in the city and school races through May 9 at Denton City Hall, 215 E. McKinney St. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 8 and 9.

Election day is May 13.

Other area races include:

Argyle

One resident has challenged the mayor pro tem in Place 1; two other longtime incumbents on the town council are unopposed.

Argyle school board

For school board, four candidates are seeking two at-large seats.

Aubrey

For City Council, one resident hopes to unseat the Place 1 incumbent.

Aubrey school board

Two Aubrey school board members face a challenge in their bids for re-election, while another incumbent is unopposed.

Corinth

All three races for spots on the Corinth City Council were thrown wide open this spring when none of the incumbents chose to run again. All six candidates said fast-growing Corinth has big opportunities and big challenges ahead, especially in economic development, but differ in expertise and perspective.

Corinth voters will not see any propositions related to joining DCTA in the May election since city leaders decided to wait until fall to consider calling the proposition during the November election.

Cross Roads

No one filed to challenge either the incumbent mayor or the two council members, but the town will hold an election to re-authorize its 1/4-cent road improvement tax.

DISH

This town with just 100 registered voters will choose between one challenger and the incumbent commissioner.

Hickory Creek

Voters in this town of 2,500 must wade through political noise in this hotly contested campaign for a new mayor and two spots on the town council. Currently a member of the town council, John Monroe Smith Jr. is running for the mayor’s seat along with political newcomer Richard DuPree. Both the mayoral candidates and the five residents seeking one of two slots on the council said that he is the one who can best listen to residents and act on concerns about the widening of Interstate 35E and the recent turnover and turmoil in the town hall staff and governance. In addition, the town’s 1/4-cent road improvement tax is on the ballot for re-authorization.

Krugerville

Both the mayor and two incumbents face challenges from residents, including a write-in candidate who joined a longtime resident to unseat the Place 2 incumbent.

Krum

For City Council, one resident hopes to unseat the incumbent in Place 1, but two other incumbents are running unopposed.

Krum school district

School district voters will decide the fate of a $25 million bond package that would fund construction of a new early education center, a fine arts addition to the high school, sports facilities including a football stadium, and other miscellaneous projects. The stadium would allow the district to phase in a football program.

Also, two candidates are running unopposed for two at-large school board seats.

Lantana

Nine people are vying for two spots on the board of directors for Denton County Fresh Water Supply District No. 6. Candidates agree that Lantana, with its many amenities, is a nice place to live, and hope to keep it that way, but that it’s time for the residents to get involved in a governing body that has been populated with friends and colleagues of the developer.

Lake Dallas

No one challenged the mayor or two incumbents on the council, so the election was cancelled.

Lake Dallasschool district

The school district also cancelled its election because both candidates were unopposed.

Lincoln Park

The town is holding a local-option election to extend its boundaries for the sale of alcohol and mixed beverages.

Oak Point

In addition to three candidates challenging the two incumbents for their at-large seats, Oak Point has two sales tax propositions on the ballot. Proposition 1 would impose a 1/2 percent sales tax for economic development; Proposition 2 would impose a 1/4 percent sales tax for street maintenance and improvements.

Pilot Point

Two residents are running against the mayor and one incumbent on the City Council, but the Place 4 incumbent is unopposed.

Pilot Point school district

The school district cancelled its election because the three incumbents faced no opposition.

Ponder

Two candidates, including a current town council member, hope to unseat Mayor Terry Bussell. Only the Place 1 incumbent faces a challenge by a former council member. Three others are vying for an open seat on Place 3, and the Place 5 incumbent is running unopposed.

Candidates agree that the town has to manage the many stresses on its infrastructure, from its newly paved roads, not rated for the heavy trucks that routinely travel on them, to its newly reinstated police department.

Ponder school district

In the school board election, three candidates are challenging the incumbent in Place 4, while the Place 5 board member faces one opponent.

Sanger

One resident hopes to unseat the Place 2 incumbent, but the mayor, an incumbent council member and another candidate for Place 4 are running unopposed.

Sanger school district

The school district cancelled its election because the two incumbents were unopposed.

Shady Shores

Three residents have joined one incumbent in the race for three at-large seats.

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

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