Three vie for Deer Park council seat

Three nonpartisan candidates will be on the Sept. 20 primary ballot for City Council Position 3 in Deer Park.

Members serve a four-year term and decide city policies and laws, adopt the annual budget and approve expenditures.

Final decisions on zoning, variances and conditional use permits are the responsibility of the five-member council.

Regular meetings are held twice monthly and beginning January, each council member will receive $200 a month as compensation.

This year’s candidates are incumbent Councilwoman Lucy Harmon and challengers Ella Harper and Mary Gray.

Harmon has lived in Deer Park for seven years and was elected to the council in 2001.

Harper has lived in Deer Park for more than 50 years. Her children are grown, and she wants to become more active in city government.

Gray has lived in the Deer Park area for more than 20 years.

This is the first time Harper and Gray have run for elected office, but both say that they have regularly attended council meetings the past two years.