PILOT POINT — Candidates for mayor and City Council hope to stimulate growth, which has stagnated for this city of 3,950 in the county’s far northeast corner.

Many agree that the city’s square is an untapped asset, but each offers a different set of skills and experiences to make that happen.

Early voting continues through Tuesday at the Pilot Point school district’s Administration Building, 829 Harrison St. Special extended hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday.

The election runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.

Both the mayor’s race and the race for Place 4 have three candidates each. To win the seat, a candidate need not get a majority, but must receive the most votes of the three candidates, according to City Secretary Lisa Lewis.

Political newcomer Ken Brixey, Mayor Pro Tem Janet Groff and former council member Pearly Mae Simpson are all vying to replace Mayor Jerry Alford, who did not file for re-election.

Three other political newcomers — construction manager Jerry Ford, business owner Pete Hollar and retired interior designer Helga Nicodemus — all hope to replace outgoing council member Jay Melugin, a cafe owner, in Place 4 of the City Council.

Mayoral race

Brixey, 69, agreed the city’s growth is stagnant and has even declined slightly. He hopes to capitalize on his retail and entertainment experience to help revitalize the square.

“I’ll be in contact with all my friends I’ve developed over the years and ask them to meet me at the square,” Brixey said.

He managed resorts and theme parks, including Graceland and Southfork, for more than two decades. The move should help find suitable tenants for properties, whether for sale or rent, he said.

A vital core helps the community come together, “as cliche as that sounds, it’s true,” Brixey said.

Neither Groff, 54, nor Simpson, 63, returned calls for comment on the election.

Place 4

The three council candidates agree the square is an asset, but each approaches it with a different philosophy.

Ford, 36, said it’s important that the city keep a broad perspective, even as downtown is revitalized.

“The square is a major issue and the heartthrob of the city,” Ford said, adding that preserving it will be a hot topic for several years, but “we need a master plan.”

He pointed to decaying infrastructure, a sewer plant at capacity and outdated parks as a need for city leaders to take a broad view and diversify the tax base.

“We need to think about the woman who’s pushing her baby to the park [while walking] down the ditch line,” Ford said.

Hollar, 57, said the city is well-positioned to learn from mistakes other cities make as growth works its way northward.

“It’s not coming as quick to Pilot Point as it is in Aubrey,” Hollar said. “We have a luxury to watch what happens.”

Because Hollar served on the school board, he said, he’s learned how important it is that the city take into account the impact of its actions on the school district.

“We need to not just think of them as water customers or more tax [revenue] from houses,” Hollar said. “Growth puts stress on the entire community.”

Nicodemus said her personal history adds perspective, which includes watching her father, who was mayor of Trier, Germany, as he worked to rebuild their city after World War II.

“It was very beautiful,” said Nicodemus, 67.

She sees the architectural assets on the square with a trained eye.

“I’m very passionate about the square,” Nicodemus said. “I have a lot of ideas of what I want to do.”

With people investing in the square, the city needs to get involved, too, she said.

“One gentleman even brought a horse and carriage,” she said. “So many people are rooting for the square.”

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