District 1 Candidate Bios 2010

Candidates for District 1 are Kristin S. Carlton and Jimmy Skipton.

Polling location for this district is Dripping Springs ISD Administration Offices at 510 W. Mercer in Dripping Springs.

Kristin Carlton

I have lived in central Texas since 1996 and in the City of Dripping Springs since 2001. I have two sons, one in college and one in Dripping Springs High School. I have been employed for 14 years at The City of Austin and for 10 years have been an Environmental Inspector inspecting commercial sites for compliance with the Landscape and Irrigation Ordinances. As a licensed irrigator I promote water conservation through efficient irrigation design, as well as planting drought tolerant species that survive on available rainfall with no supplemental irrigation. Native plants in the landscape belong here thriving with minimal care and allowing for preservation of our precious water resources, streams and aquifers.

I want to be elected to the HTGCD Board because I believe available groundwater should be managed to be sustained. I know families living in District #1 who have lost water in their personal wells and I promise to do everything to abide by the safeguards in place to prevent that.

As 5th generation Texan in 2010, I know the science of hydrology provides an understanding of groundwater greater than the Rule of Capture. The Rule of Capture was established in 1904 and has never been changed. The court ruled “Because the existence, origin, movement and course of such waters, and the causes which govern and direct their movements, are so secret, occult and concealed that an attempt to administer any set of legal rules in respect to them would be involved in hopeless uncertainty, and would therefore be practically impossible.” W.A. East vs Houston and Texas Railroad Inc.

I want your vote so that I can represent all of you who care about managing our groundwater resources. Even now Hays county residents run out of well water and by the year 2050 the population of Texas is projected to double. I have no reasons of gain, personal or financial in the use of water from the aquifer and my domestic water use is from the Dripping Springs Water Supply Corporation.

Education
1982 B.S., Landscape Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
1989 Paralegal Certificate, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas

Professional and Community Service Activity
2003-2006 Commissioner, Dripping Springs Planning and Zoning Commission
2007-2008 Hays County Transportation Advisory Board

State of Texas Licensed Irrigator #7683
1986-1988 State of Texas Licensed Landscape Architect # 986


Jimmy Skipton

I was born and raised in Texas.

I attended Sam Houston State University.

I have lived with my wife and two sons in Hays County for the last 15 years on a small ranch located in Henly. We are on groundwater, so I am well aware of all the problems that come with living on groundwater in the hill country.

I am a concerned citizen, who has been attending the meetings of the Hays Trinity Groundwater District for the last 14 months, and these are some of the issues that I feel need our attention:

  • I believe the district should have local control and not be combined with Comal and Travis Counties, and I will do my part to keep this district a local groundwater District of Hays County that is run by Hays County residents.
  • I will not support any legislation that requires homeowners to get permission from the groundwater district to sell their home or ranch.
  • I will not support meters on exempted wells (i.e. wells that pump less than 25,000 gallons used for domestic or agricultural use).
  • I will support the district in providing more conservation and education efforts to the citizens of Hays County.
  • My mission is to protect our groundwater and the rights of landowners in Hays County.