PORT MANSFIELD, Texas - An attempt to breakaway Port Mansfield from the Willacy County Navigation District was turned down by the voters in Tuesday’s Nov. 4 election.
A total of 138 votes were cast against and 90 in favor of the incorporation, unofficial election results show.
The vote means this fishing village in the east part of the county will remain as is for the time being.
The attempt to create a separate entity was largely led by an organization known as Concerned Citizens of Port Mansfield whose members wanted to oust former port director, Ron Mills.
He abruptly resigned two weeks before the election was held.
CCPM members were ignited by the creation of the City of Starbase this past May as the voters approved the incorporation of what was known as Boca Village Village and as Kopernic Shores.
If the vote to incorporate PM would have been in their favor, two candidates running for the three seats on the city council did not belong to the organization made up largely of retirees and second home owners.
They were Ruben Garza Jr., and James Dunks.
Garza, who ran for mayor, received 124 votes, while Holly Trojcak got 91 votes.
Dunks, who ran for Place 1 on the council, obtained 110 votes, while 100 votes were cast for Allen Price.
If elected, Garza and Dunks said they were running to ensure PM would fall in the right hands.
“They are trying to run before they can walk,” Dunks said before the election, referring to the group behind the incorporation. “There are too many what ifs.”
And on Wednesday, Dunks, said, “I am as happy as I can be. We got it done.”
Garza said it feels good to win but it feels a lot better the incorporation did not pass.
“There is no mayor, no commissioners,” he said. “Everything is back to normal here.”
Garza, who is a fishing guide, was back at work on Wednesday.
“I am up north fishing with a customer,” he said. “Just another beautiful day in Port Mansfield.”
Trojcak could not be reached for comments.
On the other race, Gary Burton received 89 votes, while Robert Flores and Fred Collins, got 33 votes and 76 votes, respectively.
Burton and Flores were in favor of the incorporation, while Collins was against it.
