Published: August 30, 2006 02:40 pm      

City race changes

Diaz out, Thomason in, Taylor out, Narvaiz unopposed

San Marcos — Barring extraordinary circumstances, Mayor Susan Narvaiz will serve a second two-year term as the town’s top elected official after not drawing an opponent in the Nov. 7 general election.

The uncontested mayoral race — the first since 1984 — underscores an unusual election season that grew even more bizarre in the last hours of filing for most city offices on Tuesday.

In Place 5, incumbent John Diaz withdrew from the race this morning and former city council member Bill Taylor said he would bow out as well. That leaves boutique owner Pam Couch unopposed for the position.

In an interview less than a half-hour before the end of closing, former city council member Bill Taylor said he is recovering from recent surgery and he will be out of town for much of election season on business and a long-planned vacation.

“My heart’s really in it and I really want to serve but it just got to the point where I’m not going to be able to do it,” Taylor said. “I think I bring a lot to the table and I have no intention of getting out of politics for good.”

About three weeks ago, Diaz said he would not run again and endorsed Taylor to succeed him. Then Diaz filed for re-election less than a week later; he has not returned multiple phone calls for comment. On Wednesday morning, city officials said he had withdrawn.

Meanwhile, Michael Ryan Thomason, a homebuilder and real estate broker, filed to run against incumbent John Thomaides, a business owner, in the Place 6 race. A day earlier, Thomason had signed up to run against Betsy Robertson, a building designer the planning and zoning commission vice chair, for the last year of an expired Place 1.

Robertson could draw an opponent yet. The deadline for that seat, opened by Ed Mihalkanin’s abrupt resignation, is 5 p.m. Sept. 1. Former council member Jane Hughson had signed up for that race then withdrew.