Fate Tribune Presents: Unveiling the Local City Council Candidates’ Platforms
As the city gears up for the forthcoming elections, the fate of our community lies in the hands of those who aspire to lead it. With fervent anticipation, the Fate Tribune reached out to the contenders vying for seats on the local city council, asking them to present their platforms to the public in the Fate Tribune.
Two of the candidates, Codi Chinn and Mark Hatley, heeded the call. Recognizing the paramount importance of transparency and accountability in governance. These candidates, driven by a steadfast commitment to the welfare of our community, have embraced the opportunity to articulate their visions, values, and plans for the future.
It’s imperative to note that the statements presented are directly from the candidates’ campaigns and have not been redacted or edited in by the Fate Tribune.
Another candidate, Cinnamon Krauss, expressed interest in providing her campaign materials. However, Mrs. Krauss was unable to provide her statements in time for publication, even though we went out of our way to delay publication and also gave her an additional time extension.
Additionally absent from this publication are the platforms of Heather Buegeler, John Hamilton and Adam Jones. These candidates have chosen the cloak of silence over the call of civic engagement. Despite both public and private invitations, they have regrettably opted to withhold their platforms from public scrutiny, leaving constituents in the dark about their intentions and convictions. What kind of candidate would pass up the opportunity to reach thousands of citizens with an unedited direct message? Surely none that would be deserving of your vote we would argue.
Codi Chinn – Place 1
As a proud Texan, born and raised, and a resident of Fate who has passionately called this place home since 2015, I’m stepping forward to serve you on the Fate City Council Place 1. My journey to this moment has been unconventional, fueled by a deep love for our community and a fierce desire to protect and enhance the place we call home.
My husband, a 100% disabled Purple Heart recipient and former tank commander, and I chose Fate for its small-town charm, the tight-knit community, and the promise of excellent education through the Rockwall ISD for our children. For years, we reveled in the peace and beauty our town offered, especially the serene lake views that became a backdrop to our family’s happiest moments. But, as the world changed around us, especially during the pandemic, so did my perspective on how our community was being led.
Suddenly, I found myself in the role of teacher to our three wonderful children, navigating the complexities of remote learning while juggling work from my home salon. It was during this time I discovered issues in our children’s curriculum that alarmed me, pushing me into the realm of civic engagement—a realm I never imagined I’d step into. My background as a double major in History and Political Science from Texas A&M, with a focus on foreign policy and Islamic history, provided me with the analytical skills to understand the broader implications of these local decisions. Yet, it was my role as a mother that drove me to act.
My entrance into public advocacy began with school board meetings, where my husband and I, both previously non-political, voiced our concerns over the direction of our children’s education. What I encountered was a bureaucracy more concerned with preserving its image than addressing the needs of its students and parents. This disregard for community input and the overt bullying tactics used by current council members against those who dare to challenge the status quo convinced me that change was not just necessary; it was imperative.
In January 2023, a pivotal moment came when the city council considered granting a special exemption for a registered sex offender near a local school. This, alongside other community concerns—like the unchecked development invading our privacy, the lack of support for small businesses, and the blatant disregard for voters’ voices on critical issues—highlighted the urgent need for leadership that truly represents the people of Fate.
As a hair stylist for 20 years and a small business owner, I’ve had the privilege of listening to countless stories from the heart of our community. These stories, combined with my personal experiences and the challenges our family has faced, have galvanized me to run for city council. My campaign is not about political ambition; it’s about bringing our community’s voice to the forefront, ensuring our safety, protecting our values, and fostering a transparent, responsive government that serves its people first and foremost.
I am Codi Chinn, and I am running to be that change. Despite the intimidation and opposition from those comfortable with the status quo, I stand ready to fight for what is right. I believe in our community’s strength, in our shared values, and in our ability to come together to shape the future of Fate. This election is just the beginning. Together, we can transform our council, hold our leaders accountable, and ensure our city remains a place we are proud to call home.
Join me on May 4th. Let’s make our voices heard and take the first step toward a brighter future for Fate.
Mark Hatley – Place 5
Lindsay Roberts Stoller had asked questions of all the candidates on another page. Will also post my answers here . Thank you for the questions Lindsay!
Lindsay, I would be happy to respond.
My name is Mark Hatley and I am running for the Fate City Council Place 5 on May 4, 2024.
1. Do you support additional high density residential housing? Why do you support or not support it? (I’m not talking about Lafayette Crossing, but beyond that into the future) _______________
My answer is no. I do not support any further high density housing at this time.
For well over a decade here in Fate, residential has been built well out of proportion with infrastructure, schools, and retail to balance the lifestyle of Fate. We already have over 2,000 rental community, multi-family apartments, townhomes, cottages, and bungalows, that have been approved to move forward in Fate. With all that mass density, we will need retail, police/fire, schools, roads, etc. to maintain and upkeep our infrastructure.
Developers always bring lopsided proposals with 70% to 80% residential and 20% to 30% retail.
Right now with all of the tax revenue we receive and with all the property taxes of the mass amount of residential we have that only accounts for 11% of the cities revenue.
The small amount of retail we have accounts for 33% of our revenue which is 3 times as much. Retail will help us with the added revenue we need to hire the much needed additional DPS officers and Fireman in which we are already behind due to the density push by our current City Leaders.
School expansions need time to catch up for our children in Fate. There are already portable buildings on campuses. Fate should not overcrowd the schools any further! Population has grown much too fast! Yet, the much needed infrastructure, schools, retail, fire/police are not growing to meet the needs of the high density growth.
_______________
2. If elected, will you listen to the citizens of Fate and show respect to them, even if you don’t agree with them.
_______________
Of course. I listen even if I disagree. That is the only way we can build a city in the image the citizens who pay the taxes and utilize the services desire for their day-to-day needs.
_______________
3. Why are you running for City Council?
_______________
I have spoken before the Fate City Council many times on various issues, (please note that you are held to a 3 mint minute speech before the Council), and along the way, I have met many, many people who feel the same as I do – not only do they feel that they are not being heard, but their comments on issues are completely being gnored and dismissed. We have seen in recent developments that the city is hiring people to lobby on behalf of the developers against anyone who does not agree with a given project. In the light of information posted yesterday, a particular person was hired by the city on behalf of the developer to try and discredit those not in agreement with the proposed project while pretending to be merely a concerned citizen(s).
A lot of the citizens have concerns, but due to working out of the area, such as having family obligations, etc., do not have the time to attend City Council meetings, however, they do need their voices heard! This is why we elect representatives who should be in the position to represent the will of the people, not just the local government staff and City Council members, the developer’s, etc.
When a large group of citizens tell the City Council what they want and expect as their elected “representatives” – those leaders should listen!
That is their job and if elected that WILL be mine, to listen and vote in the best interest of you, our Fate citizens, and not just what the city leaders or what a few members of the City Council insist we follow their plans for the City.
FATE CITIZENS MUST BE HEARD!
The City continuously states, “we had to vote as we did to do what’s best for the city.” This response s used much too frequently as an excuse to vote on something that is not popular with the residents of Fate. It is an overused repeated excuse!
For example, if the City was voting against several vocal people asking to have the city write everyone a check for $10k to use some extreme case. In that case, of course, that is not in the best interest of the city, but all to often, our current City Leaders use it as an excuse to push their agenda of a differing opinion regarding the direction Fate should take and the City Council’s opinion is in the minority.
_______________
4. Why should people vote for you? This is only about the person answering, please don’t drag anyone through the mud. — with John Hamilton and 5 others.
_______________
In addition to the above, I have a proven track record. Along with my wife, and a handful of very dedicated volunteers, we successfully gathered the required signatures for a Referendum, since the City Council refused to vote on time and time again in recent Fate history. Fate was the only City in Rockwall County that did not have an Over 65 and Disabled Property Tax Freeze in place! By gathering more signatures than needed (741 verified Fate registered voters), the Petition forced the Council to vote because they knew the Referendum would have passed during the ballot election last November. The Petition to Freeze the Over 65 and Disabled Fate Property Tax aligned Fate with many other cities in Texas and across the nation to become a part of our Texas Constitution.
I have continued to advocate for a large, and I believe a majority group, that is not happy with the direction of Fate. I agree undeveloped property owners have property rights, however, I believe a homeowner directly affected by new development should also have property rights as well, and I believe they are not being heard or protected.
New development has to fit the wants and needs of Fate as a whole. The Citiy’s “Comprehensive Plan” was not built with a Citizen’s Advisory Board, but rather was stacked with at least 10 of the 16 with current and former City Council members, former City Attorney and numerous soon to be P&Z members – not just average Fate citizens.
With that Board in place, the Fate Comprehensive Plan was passed by the City Council unanimously in Oct. 2021, during the pandemic. That Plan needs to be categorically overhauled, scrapped, and redrawn by a Fate Citizens Board choosing the Fate Forward direction – not City Leaders.
I’m running not because I alone can change this, It will take two election cycles to elect enough votes on our current City Council to gain 4 or more votes to put us on the path to getting the retail we need, DPS, firefoghters, schools, roads, etc. and we are running out of I-30 property to build that high revenue, generating fundamental business that we need so deservedly to become solvent for the future and not continue to be forced to spend our sales tax revenue on Rockwall and Royse City.
If I have the privilege of receiving your vote, I will he [be] your VOTE, your VOICE.
The City of Fate s [is] ours and it should be our choices as to h how we move Fate Forward – not developers and not outside planners like Strong Towns (from Minnesota and a company called Verdunity, who Fate paid $315k to design our city as Strong Towns movement advocates) who utilize city planning to push social agendas disguised as economic policy.
Please like and follow me on my Facebook page @Mark Hatley for Fate City Council Place 5.
If you are interested in supporting me, we will be having yard signs available mid next week.
If elected, it will be my honor to work for you, listen to you, and representative you as your next Fate City Council Place 5 member.
Thank you for your questions.
Council
Refugio’s Government Meltdown: Mayor, Secretary and Three Council Officials Arrested in Two Days
Refugio, TX — It is one thing when a Texas mayor gets arrested. It is quite another when the mayor, city secretary and three current or former council members are all swept into the same criminal investigation within roughly 48 hours. That is what happened this week in Refugio, a small South Texas town where local government has suddenly become the subject of a Texas Rangers investigation and multiple felony charges.
Mayor Wanda Dukes and City Secretary Callie Shreckengost were arrested Wednesday on first-degree felony charges involving the alleged misapplication of fiduciary property valued at $300,000 or more, according to reporting by Crossroads Today and Texas Municipal Watch. The allegations involve the town’s Economic Development Corporation funds.
Then came Thursday.
Mayor Pro Tem Ixtlazihuatl “Lala” Vasquez, along with former council members Michael Rocha and Frank Hosey, surrendered at the Refugio County Jail and were arrested on third-degree felony charges alleging abuse of official capacity involving government property valued at more than $30,000 but less than $150,000.
The Texas Rangers reportedly told Crossroads Today that Thursday’s arrests stem from the same grand jury indictment that produced the charges against Dukes and Shreckengost. Texas Municipal Watch reported that it had not independently reviewed the indictment and was relying on Crossroads Today’s account of the Rangers’ statement.
Under Texas Penal Code Section 39.02, abuse of official capacity involves a public servant intentionally or knowingly misusing government property, services, personnel or other resources under that official’s control for an improper benefit or to harm or defraud another person. At the dollar range alleged in the Thursday arrests, the offense is classified as a third-degree felony.
The identities of the officials involved are not in question. Refugio County records list Dukes as mayor, Vasquez as Alderman Place 1, Rocha as Alderman Place 3, and Hosey as Alderman Place 4. Town financial records also identify Shreckengost as city secretary.
But there is still a great deal the public does not know.
Texas Municipal Watch reported that the specific conduct allegedly underlying the charges against Vasquez, Rocha and Hosey had not yet been independently confirmed, nor had the outlet confirmed their release conditions or upcoming court appearances. The underlying indictment had also not been obtained at the time of its Thursday report.
The town council has apparently recognized that it has a problem. Council members Robert Jaso and Dana Alsop issued an identical statement Wednesday saying the town was aware of criminal accusations against officials, could not comment on an ongoing investigation, and intended to take steps to protect municipal resources. They also said a special meeting would be held as soon as possible to consider whatever action might be necessary.
Granbury, TX – A Granbury political fight that escalated into a criminal prosecution has ended with a jury refusing to convict Eva Royer, a Hood County Republican Party official who was arrested after questions arose over the address she used when filing to run for Granbury City Council.
Royer was found not guilty after facing charges of perjury of certain election procedures and election fraud stemming from her 2024 City Council candidacy, according to reporting by Erin Anderson of Texas Scorecard. The verdict closes a case that had already raised uncomfortable questions about how aggressively local government pursued what began as a dispute over residency.
The case began after Royer filed to run for Granbury City Council Place 5 in August 2024. She listed a Granbury address and stated that she had lived within the city for approximately two years and nine months. City officials later questioned whether that address was actually her primary residence.
Royer withdrew her candidacy before a scheduled City Council meeting could determine whether she met the city’s residency requirements. That could have been the end of the matter.
It wasn’t.
In April 2025, Granbury police arrested Royer on one count of perjury of certain election procedures, a state jail felony, and one count of election fraud, a Class A misdemeanor. She posted bond and was released the following day. The charges were based largely on allegations that she used a Granbury property as her residence even though officials believed she primarily lived elsewhere.
The prosecution focused heavily on three locations: Royer’s Granbury property, a home in Pecan Plantation belonging to her former boyfriend, and a Dallas condominium.
The state presented evidence that Royer’s vehicle entered and exited Pecan Plantation regularly. A security director testified that Royer had a guest pass connected to the vehicle, but also acknowledged under questioning from defense attorney Rob Christian that regularly visiting a boyfriend does not necessarily make someone a resident. He further testified that a guest tag indicated the person was not a resident.
Prosecutors also pointed to the fact that Royer’s Granbury property had been approved for short-term rental use. But testimony established that a short-term rental permit did not require the property to be rented for any particular number of days. In other words, having a permit to rent a house does not automatically establish that its owner doesn’t live there.
Then came the homestead exemption argument.
Hood County Chief Appraiser Jeff Law testified that Royer had not claimed a homestead exemption on the Granbury property. Her attorney countered that the property was owned through Royer’s LLC, making her ineligible for the exemption under the circumstances. Royer’s driver license also listed the Granbury address.
The trial also produced testimony about the investigation itself, including the use of license plate reader technology (FLOCK) to locate Royer. Texas Scorecard reported that her former boyfriend’s license plate had been placed on a “hot list” because of his association with Royer. Police eventually arrested Royer after locating her with Bolton.
And there was considerably more.
Defense questioning raised issues involving city officials, police leadership and communications concerning the prosecution. According to Texas Scorecard’s trial coverage, Granbury Police Chief Mitch Galvan acknowledged providing incorrect testimony during earlier proceedings and acknowledged that text messages concerning the case had not initially been produced despite court orders.
Royer’s acquittal ends the criminal case, but it leaves questions about how the dispute escalated to that point. Why was so much pressure brought against her over the address she used on her election paperwork? Why did multiple officials at the City of Granbury become so deeply involved in pursuing the matter after she had withdrawn from the race? And given the issues raised during the trial about the investigation and the handling of evidence, are there additional questions about how and why the case was pursued? Those questions remain unanswered, and whether there is a deeper problem within Granbury’s political or administrative structure is something that warrants further examination.
San Angelo, TX – San Angelo’s battle over massive data centers has moved from City Hall chambers to the ballot box, and two council members could soon have to defend their seats before voters angry about how the city has handled the projects. What began as a fight over water, power, development and transparency is now a full-blown political revolt, with recall efforts targeting Council Members Harry Thomas and Joe Self.
And the controversy comes at an interesting moment for Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered state regulators to conduct a comprehensive audit of data centers moving through the state’s electric grid interconnection process, saying the review must be completed before any data center project moves forward. ERCOT subsequently told Fox News Digital that Abbott’s directive “effectively pauses all data center projects” while the state reviews their demands on the grid.
That means the questions being shouted at San Angelo City Hall are no longer merely local complaints from residents opposed to a particular development. Texas officials are now asking some of the same questions.
Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas and ERCOT to examine pending data center projects and gather information, including projected annual and peak electricity demand, water consumption, water sources, and whether facilities intend to generate some of their own electricity. ERCOT reported that roughly 90 percent of the 474 gigawatts of large-load interconnection requests currently under review are associated with data centers, more than five times Texas’ record peak electricity demand.
Back in San Angelo, the San Angelo Data Center Citizen Coalition has been pushing its own accountability campaign.
A petition seeking the recall of Council Member Harry Thomas, who represents Single Member District 3, was submitted July 15 with more than the required signatures. The city clerk later certified the petition after determining 53 signatures were sufficient, clearing the way for a recall election.
Following public comment, the City Council voted 6-1 to call the recall election.
Thomas has maintained that he has no intention of resigning.
“I weigh every decision I’ve ever made on behalf of the 100,000 citizens in San Angelo,” Thomas said after the petition was submitted. “Every time I vote, I vote for all the citizens. I have no plans to resign from my position.”
Self is now facing his own recall effort.
The coalition submitted an affidavit seeking Self’s recall and subsequently collected the signatures necessary to move forward. On Aug. 6, Self issued a statement saying he supports residents’ right to seek a recall but rejected what he described as misinformation about his involvement with data centers.
“I have not signed any non-disclosure agreements,” Self said. “I have not benefited financially. I have not voted in favor of a data center.”
Self said the council has instead voted on regulations that would apply if a data center is established in San Angelo.
That distinction between approving a specific project and approving regulations governing potential projects has become one of the central arguments in the political fight. San Angelo officials have considered rules addressing land use, water and wastewater issues as the city confronts proposals for large-scale data center development.
The proposed Skybox project has become particularly contentious. City officials have described it as a potential $7.2 billion investment, while opponents have raised concerns about water consumption, electricity demand, infrastructure, noise and transparency surrounding the development process.
The political consequences are spreading beyond San Angelo.
Residents in Temple and Granbury have also launched recall or charter efforts amid disputes over data center development. In Temple, opponents have cited concerns about land, water consumption and heat generated by facilities. In Granbury, activists gathered signatures seeking recalls involving the mayor and most members of the City Council.
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