After Buda City Council Member David Nuckles announced he would not run for re-election, only one person filed to fill Place 3: Ray Bryant. Bryant is a former member of the Kyle City Council and served on other municipal boards before he and his wife moved to Buda. Place 3 is an at-large seat, but three of the other Buda City Council seats are transitioning to single-member district representation after this election. For more Q&A’s with Hays County, San Marcos, Kyle and Buda visit: https://communityimpact.com/section/vote. How long have you lived in Buda? Bryant: My wife Sandra and I moved to Buda with our family three and a half years ago. We previously resided in Kyle for 10 years. Why are you running? Bryant: I am running for the Buda City Council for three reasons. First, I have a desire to serve my community in some capacity. I strongly believe it is our civic responsibility to be involved in our community and to actively participate in making our community the best it can be. I'm proud to live in Buda and I want to make a contribution here. Secondly, I believe that government serves the people. For me, the proper hierarchy is: the citizens, the elected officials, the city manager and his staff.  That means that the citizens are our boss! I want to represent the citizens and their concerns on the City Council. And I will make myself available to everyone. Last, I believe I have the experience that is required to be a good city councilman. I want to contribute this knowledge and experience to my community. What do you believe is the greatest challenge facing the city? Bryant: I believe one of the greatest challenges will be to manage the development of new housing and growth, both in town and in the extraterritorial jurisdiction, without destroying the unique character of our city. Buda has managed its growth very well, despite being one of the fastest growing cities in the country. As a result, everyone wants to live here. I believe some of this is aggravated by the high cost of housing in Austin. Some cities across Texas have allowed suburban sprawl to overtake their towns, resulting in numerous problems including increased debt from providing infrastructure. Buda's future growth must be financially sound. And the city must find creative solutions to manage the development within the ETJ. We must also work with our neighboring cities, Dripping Springs and Kyle, whose ETJs are in close proximity to ours. What do you believe are the top priorities for Buda? Bryant: 1. Representing the citizens of Buda is a top priority for me. This is their city, and we should represent the citizens' priorities. I understand it is very difficult for everyone to be on top of every issue while simultaneously working and putting their families first. My responsibility will be to help bridge that gap for the citizens, and to listen to their concerns about our city. 2. Continuing to manage our growth efficiently is critical. Buda has excelled at managing its growth properly, but I want to weigh in and help with traffic issues as well. Buda continues to maintain its small-town look and feel, especially in the historic core, while still encouraging economic growth. This economic growth is balanced amongst small businesses, larger employers, and even franchise-type businesses. But balance is the key word. Ensuring that the remaining bond propositions for parks, roads and drainage are completed on schedule and on budget are a priority for me regarding growth. We must be able to demonstrate to the citizens who voted for these worthy projects that the city can execute their vision for Buda. 3. Fiscal responsibility should be a top priority of every elected official. I will work hard to spend the taxpayers' money as wisely, and frugally, as possible. It's not the “council’s” money, it is not the "city's" money. It belongs to the taxpayer who has entrusted us with it. Fortunately, this is an area that Buda continues to excel in. Why are you the most qualified candidate? Bryant: I have over 20 years of extensive and varied experience in management, budgetary oversight and implementation of policies. I also gained experience from serving on a city council. I served on both the Kyle Board of Adjustments and the Kyle Planning and Zoning Commission where I learned the basics of land use planning, zoning and the importance of planning for the future. I also served as the president for my HOA for five years, so I understand the issues that might confront individual neighborhoods. The citizens of Kyle elected me to their City Council for three terms. During my tenure on the Kyle council, we solved serious financial problems, hired a new city manager, adopted a comprehensive plan, passed the first general obligation bond package for much-needed roads, and built a new library. I believe I can use my past experience and knowledge as a good foundation on the Buda council to better understand the unique problems and issues facing our city.