Fernandez, Huntington elected to City Commission; incumbents re-elected to Hospital Board
By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
After Saturday’s election, the Breckenridge City Commission will have two new commissioners, and the Stephens Memorial Hospital District Board of Trustees will remain the same as it has been.
Junior Fernandez and Paul Huntington were successful in their bids for the commission’s Place 3 and Place 4, respectively.
According to the unofficial tabulation of the votes after the polls closed at 7 p.m. on Saturday evening, Fernandez received 45 votes on election day and 59 votes in early voting for a total of 104 votes (45.22%). Place 3 incumbent Vince Moore received 35 votes on election day and 45 votes in early voting for a total of 80 votes (34.78%).
The other two Place 3 candidates were Scott Ensey and Richard “Dicky Don” Russell. Ensey received 26 votes (11.30%), 12 on Saturday and 14 in early voting, and Russell received 20 votes (8.70%), nine on Saturday and 11 in early voting.
Although Fernandez did not receive 50% or more of the votes, the City of Breckenridge’s Code of Ordinances states in Article IV, Section 4.5 and Section 4.6 (b), that the candidate who receives the most votes wins the election. According to the Code of Ordinances [Article IV, Section 4.6 (c)], run-off elections are held when two candidates tie for first place in an election. In the case of this election, there is no tie.
In Place 4, Huntington received 126 votes (60.58%), 47 on Saturday, and 79 in early voting. Tony Patterson received 82 votes (39.42%), 37 on Saturday and 45 in early voting.
The Place 4 candidates were vying for the position currently held by Rob Durham. He was appointed to the position in November 2024 to replace Gary Mercer, who had resigned from his commissioner position. Durham was the Place 2 city commissioner from 2016 until May 2024 when he lost a re-election bid to Greg Akers. Durham did not run for re-election this year.
The positions are for two-year terms.
The official canvass of the election will be conducted on Tuesday, May 13, at 5:30 p.m. at a special meeting of the City Commission.
For more information about the Breckenridge City Commission election, call the City of Breckenridge office at 254-559-8287.
Hospital Board
The three incumbents on the Hospital Board — Tom Echols, Kaylee Curtis and Gregg Goodall — were re-elected to their positions, with a fourth candidate, John Powell, coming up short.
The Hospital Board has at-large positions. With four candidates for three open positions this year, the voters cast their votes for the three candidates they supported.
Echols received 130 votes — 42 on Saturday and 88 in early voting; Curtis received 124 votes, 30 on Saturday and 94 in early voting; Goodall received 124 votes — 40 on Saturday and 84 in early voting; and Powell received 34 votes, 16 on Saturday and 18 in early voting.
For more information about the Hospital Board election, call Stephens Memorial Hospital at 254-559-2241.
