By George Slaughter
Last Friday was the deadline to file for a place on the ballot in the upcoming Katy Independent School Board of Trustees election. The window for withdrawing from the race comes after that, and four people have done so.
Positions 3, 4, and 5 are up for election May 2.
Position 4 incumbent Courtney Doyle, who serves as the board president, is one of the four who chose not to seek reelection. Her surprising decision came late last week, after she had initially filed for reelection alongside her colleagues Ashley Vann and Bill Lacy.
Vann, the position 3 incumbent, and Lacy, the position 5 incumbent, remain in the race.
Vann, who in her filing paperwork described herself as a public servant, is assured reelection following the withdrawal of Rafael C. “R.C.” Simmons, a non-profit director. Vann serves as board secretary and was first elected to the board in 2014 and reelected in 2017.
Another now-former candidate, Allen C. Wortham, Jr., had filed for the position 3 seat to challenge Vann, but later switched to seek the position 4 seat. He also withdrew his candidacy from that race. Wortham is a senior tax analyst.
The position 4 seat is now open with Doyle’s withdrawal. Leah Marie Wilson, who is retired from the U.S. Air Force3, will face Michael Dillard, who works in human resources.
Lacy, who serves as board vice president and was elected in 2017, will face Greg Schulte, an engineer and project manager. Brandy Snyder, a registered nurse, withdrew from that race.