Bedias gets first look at candidates

BEDIAS- Grimes County had their first opportunity to meet local candidates in the upcoming 2020 Primaries at a Meet the Candidate forum hosted by the Grimes County Republican Party, Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Bedias Community Center.

Bedias is in Pct. 1 of Grimes County and has two contested races that are of interest to the residents in that part of the county. Those races are that of county Sheriff with current sheriff Don Sowell being opposed by Travis Higginbotham and Pct. 1 Commissioner with current commissioner Chad Mallett being opposed by Randall Griffin.

Grimes County

Sheriff race

Don Sowell

Each candidate began with a five-minute introductory time to introduce themselves. Sowell stated that he has served Grimes County as sheriff for 21-years since 1998.

In his introductory speech Sowell explained his law enforcement career began in 1969 as an Air Force Security police officer. Sowell also said he spent 25-years as a patrolman in Harris County.

“I’ve dedicated my career and life to public service, public safety and to the people I’ve served through the years in the military, Harris County, the State of Texas and Grimes County,” said Sowell. “It’s not a perfect world. It never has and never will be, but we try to make our community safe so that you and your family and friends retain the quality of life you deserve.”

Sowell said the office of Sheriff is one of only two law enforcement positions along with constables that voters elect into office.

“I feel like I’ve done a good job and I’d appreciate the opportunity to serve again,” explained Sowell. “If you don’t feel like I’ve done a good job then you and only you have the option to make a change,” said Sowell.

Travis Higginbotham

Higginbotham said he’s lived in Grimes County for 20-plus years and began his career with Grimes County in 1994 serving under Sheriff Bill Foster.

Higginbotham stated he worked his way through the jail division and was promoted to patrol duty. When Sowell took over as sheriff in 1998, Higginbotham said Sowell promoted him to chief investigator.

“What’s unique about Bedias is when I was on patrol in 1997, I was given a radar gun that you had to hit to make work by Edward Schroeder. His reasoning was he didn’t want me on the highways running radar but out in the community,” said Higginbotham. When working patrol Higginbotham said he enjoyed working in Bedias because it was unique from other parts of the county because residents would often come out to check on you.

Higginbotham also remembered a couple cases that he worked. One was around 1998 in which there was a drug bust near the Bedias community center where a 17-year old was caught with crack-cocaine and over $12,000 in cash.

Another key case he remembered was a capital murder case in which Ronnie Hyde killed a Bedias man for $138 to buy crack-cocaine. Higginbotham said he had just been promoted to chief investigator and Hyde was currently in jail. Higginbotham said they interviewed Hyde and obtained a murder conviction. Hyde was sentenced to death row but died while in custody.

“To me those were the golden years of the sheriff’s office and I’ve said it before where we worked in the community and we were out and about,” said Higginbotham. “Those were important and those were the golden years and I’d like to see that come back here to Grimes County. That’s why I’m running for sheriff and I appreciate your support.”

Pct. 1 Commissioner race

Randall Griffin

Griffin said he has lived in Iola since 2013 and has a 5-year old son and six grandchildren that attend Iola ISD.

He also stated he has been with the Iola Volunteer Fire Department since 2013 and currently serves as assistant fire chief. Professionally Griffin is employed with Grimes County Road and Bridge as a mechanic.

“I would like to move up in the county and become a commissioner,” said Griffin. “The jobs I’ve had in the past have helped me to figure out ideas in different areas such as some of the materials on the roads, the emergency management system and law enforcement and exploring a need to possibly increase the numbers. I would like to help the county in more ways than I already do.”

Chad Mallett

Mallett, the current Pct. 1 Commissioner was appointed to office in 2015 and voted in officially in 2016. He is a lifelong resident of Iola and graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Civil Engineering.

“I’ve had a lot of experience designing roads and drainage, project management, and served on the school board for 13-years before becoming commissioner,” said Mallett.

Since his time in office Mallett said they have hired two drainage crews which has greatly improved the drainage in ditches so the county can spend less money on adding rock to roadways and more money to improve roads.

Mallett said he has also been a part of breaking ground on the new justice center which is being paid for from fund balance. He said the center is needed to help create more space for court to help ease tight scheduling. Mallett also said it will increase safety and prisoner transport since they will no longer need to be transported to the courthouse.

“I’m a real proponent of the fire department and here recently the commissioners court reduced funding to some of our fire departments and I was opposed to that,” said Mallett. “I’m going to fight to make sure in the next budget cycle that we bring that funding back. I’m asking for your vote because I’m qualified.”

Editor’s note: Grimes County Tax Assessor-Collector Mary Ann Waters, Grimes County Constable Pct. 1 Dale Schaper, Grimes County Constable Pct. 3&4 candidate Preston Goode, District Judge 506th Judicial District Gary Chaney, District Judge 12th Judicial District David Moorman and a Representative for U.S. Representative District 8 Kevin Brady were also present at the forum but only contested races for Pct. 1 voters were included in this article. You may visit the Navasota Examiner’s Facebook page to view the full video of the forum.