PRECINCT 1 CANDIDATES
ROBERT "BOB" RIVERA III (R)
DAVID ROSSE (R)
What is/was your profession? Are you now retired?
I was a farmer and rancher before being elected in Nov. 1992.
What relevant experience can you bring to office?
I enjoy working with people and being involved in the community.
How have your life experiences prepared you for this position?
Hard work as a farmer/rancher, serving on multiple boards helped me problem solve community problems
Which problems would you address on your first day in office?
Having served for 31+ years, solving the problems of the deterioration of our road basis, keeping the tax rates low and balanced budgets.
What do you see as long-term issues that need to be addressed throughout your time in office?
Balancing the county budget, while keeping the tax rates affordable.
What is local government doing well right now that needs to be expanded further?
Improving facilities, adding mew facilities, utilizing grants to enhance our community.
SETH STRUBHART (R)
What is/was your profession? Are you now retired?
I am self-employed, with my main focus in residential construction.
What relevant experience can you bring to office?
I have owned and operated my own business for 10 plus years, have 3 college degrees (Industrial Technology Engineering, Business Management and Biology), I also had my OSHA 20 certification and I currently have Professional Inspection license which covers making sure Commercial and Residential Buildings meet the state requirements. I have been an assistant aid to professors at TAMUK.
How have your life experiences prepared you for this position?
I have worked since I was 12 years old in many different fields and subjects, I have learned how to manage material, labor, cost break downs and expenses from my construction business. I have learned about safety, codes and functions of different state departments function from my inspection license and building my own businesses.
Which problems would you address on your first day in office?
I would first address the budget and figure how to get the most out of it to benefit the people in my county. Once I have figured that out I would start my plan on how to fix the biggest problems in the county. Which would start with cutting trees back from hanging over or on to roads once that is complete I would scrapping the sides of the back a couple of feet on each side to prevent grass from growing on the road. Then I would start working on drainage problems in areas where it has been a major concern. As all of that is going on I would go to each road and make a list of each road and ranking them from repairable to needs to be completely redone. Then figure out how best address the roads.
What do you see as long-term issues that need to be addressed throughout your time in office?
Roads and drainage are the biggest problems in my area. I would like to address those first.
I also believe people need to be more informed on what is going in the county and why the decision that are being made are being made by the commissioners.
What is local government doing well right now that needs to be expanded further?
Getting grants for projects. They need to focus more on roads and drainage instead of upgrading buildings that don’t create enough revenue or purpose for the money that is being spent on them.
ANDY GONZALEZ (D)
What is/was your profession? Are you now retired?
30+ yrs with Exxon Mobil, 16 yrs as justice of the Peace Pct 1, Kleberg Co
What relevant experience can you bring to office?
30+ yrs oil field, Rancher tractor mowing roads with county
How have your life experiences prepared you for this position?
Know different equipment
Which problems would you address on your first day in office?
Inform public n pct, and county issues
What do you see as long-term issues which need to be addressed throughout your time in office?
Roads and budget money
What is local government doing well right now that needs to be expanded further?
Maintain roads better
MARIO MENDIETTA (D)
What is/was your profession? Are you now retired?
I am currently self employed. I am the owner of G+S General Maintenance for the last 18 years, but have been self employed since 1992. I am not retired. I am a maintenance supervisor for on-site sewage facilities, equipment and restaurants and building new restaurants from the ground up. I plan to be a full-time commissioner.
What relevant experience can you bring to office?
I have 30+ years of handling finances/budgets for various companies I have been employed by. I have a working knowledge of how to apply for grants and making cost effective decisions on equipment used for operations (I also have) 10+ years sitting on a school board as a leader/liaison in my community.
How have your life experiences prepared you for this position?
I have been a cattle rancher for almost 40 years and manage our own rental properties, learning to be cost efficient and maintain a budget to turn a profit. This has also allowed me to learn about time management and always being prepared by looking at future needs from within a budget.
Which problems would you address on your first day in office?
I would discuss with employees and and community members the issues that need to be addressed as well as confer with other court officials to work together to better collaborate.
What do you see as long-term issues which need to be addressed throughout your time in office?
1.) funding to maintain county (Pct. 1) roads
2.) create competitive salaries to retain employees
3.) look at funding available (via grants etc) for replacement of outdated equipment or needed equipment
What is local government doing well right now that needs to be expanded further?
grant work
PRECINCT 3 CANDIDATES
JERRY MARTINEZ (R)
JACOB MOSELEY SR. (R)
What is/was your profession? Are you now retired?
I’ve been a local business owner/operator in the auto service industry, in Kleberg County since 2000.
What relevant experience can you bring to office?
As stated I’m a local business owner, as such, I’ve learned about time management, customer service and fulfilling obligations under scrutiny and with deadlines.
How have your life experiences prepared you for this position?
I don’t believe anyone can honestly state they’re “prepared” to represent an entire demographic of people with mixed cultural backgrounds and varying ideological beliefs. I will state that I will treat everyone with the respect they’re deserved by their public representatives, and I will strive daily to ensure promises made by their government when the office was created are kept.
Which problems would you address on your first day in office?
First day and everyday thereafter I will address spending, my number 1 goal is to ensure the publics contributions to their government is utilized efficiently and ethically.
What do you see as long-term issues which need to be addressed throughout your time in office?
Short term and long term, potable water processing needs to be addressed in Kleberg County. In the short term I believe we need to review and adjust the standards set on those providing water to our residents, and in the long term I think we should look to sources less likely to rapidly deplete as the population grows.
What is local government doing well right now that needs to be expanded further?
I believe it’s more the community organizing it, than the government, but, bringing our neighbors together through parades, stock show’s, trunk or treats, high school sports, etc. I believe it is essential in a community, and I would like to expand on it as much as possible.
ART RODRIGUEZ (R)
ROY CANTU (D)
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
