By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Hays residents voted for change during yesterday’s local city and school board election.
No USD 489 incumbents were re-elected and only one of two Hays City Commission incumbents made the cut.
The top vote-getters in both races are political newcomers.
Just 32 votes separated the top two vote-getters for Hays City Commission. Both Mason Ruder, 28, and Michael Berges, 39, will serve four-year terms. The third place candidate, incumbent Ron Mellick, 67, will serve a two-year term.
The bottom two candidates for the three open seats were newcomer Ryan Rymer and incumbent Henry Schwaller IV.
Ruder and some of his family members waited for the results at the Ellis County Administrative Center from Donna Maskus, election officer and county clerk.
After reading the printout, Ruder got a big hug and kiss from his mother who had been by his side all evening.
“My wife is at home with our baby. I just called her,” Ruder said with a huge grin on his face. “I’m still in shock. This is so fantastic.”
Ruder and his wife, Tori, who operates an in-home daycare, have a nine-month old daughter, Ryleigh. Ruder is the Ellis County environmental supervisor.
“I appreciate everybody that got out and voted and took the time to look at the candidates,” he said.
Ruder believes voters were “looking for someone who wants to listen.”
“That’s the biggest thing you can ask for from your politicians is someone who’ll actually listen to you and who actually wants to get some stuff done.
“It’s time and people are ready,” Ruder said, “and I’m ready to do that for them.”
Berges is a financial adviser with Ameriprise Financial Services. He and his wife, Erica, the United Way of Ellis County executive director, have three young sons.
As he campaigned, Berges also heard from Hays residents who want officials who “listen to them more and voice out when they’re making a decision on why they’ve made a decision.”
“I think there’ve been some times when decisions have been made (by city commissioners) and people don’t know about it until maybe they read it in the paper or they hear it second-hand,” Berges said Wednesday morning.
“They just want more openness when decisions are made.”
Mellick said Wednesday morning he’s looking forward to working with the two new commissioners. All three will be seated in January, joining current city commissioners Shaun Musil and Sandy Jacobs.
“The people who voted for me are concerned, as am I, about the R9 Ranch (long-term water supply for Hays), making sure we maintain the 25 mill levy and keeping our pay-as-you-go policy so we have ‘rainy day funds’ and we’re not caught in a budget bind,” Mellick said.
Rymer offered his congratulations to Berges and Ruder Wednesday, saying they’ll be a “wonderful addition to the city commission.” Rymer also thanked the Hays residents who encouraged him to run.
“I won’t discount a possible run in 2021,” he added. Rymer has been active with the 37th Street neighborhood group which opposes the proposed westward extension of the street from Vine Street.
Henry Schwaller, IV, the current Hays mayor, was not re-elected.
“I’ve had 18 good years serving (in local offices) and wish the new commission my best,” Schwaller said Tuesday night at the administrative center. “I’m looking forward to some free time.”
The election results are unofficial until canvassed by the Ellis County Commission on Nov. 14.