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This website is provided to hopefully answer questions about who I am and why I am running for the position of Milam County judge, particularly those of you around the county that know little or nothing about me, my background, and my position on various issues.  I’ll try to be as transparent as possible in my communication with you, both in the campaign and as your county judge, should you choose me to serve you in the next election.  My campaign sign that you will see out and around the county tells the story of my campaign. The obvious message is that I am asking you to elect me to be your next Milam County judge.  In addition, the sign lists three things that I am emphasizing in my campaign

  1. Milam County, our Home

  2. I am a Conservative

  3. Vote Republican

 “Milam County, our home” is my first concern.  As your county judge, Milam County issues and needs will always take precedence over everything else.  This is our home.  I am a native of Milam County.  I grew up on a farm two miles east of Ben Arnold in northern Milam County, went to a little country school in Ben Arnold for three years before transferring to Cameron schools, graduated from Yoe High in 1961 and from Texas A&M in 1965, marrying Margia Conley my high school sweetheart, and going on for a career with Dow Chemical Company in Freeport and points beyond before returning home for good after retirement in 1997. 

Milam County issues are my priority.  Being on Cameron City Council for several years and mayor of Cameron for the last term, I have become familiar with many of these issues first hand. As mayor, I have been writing articles over the past two years that have appeared in the Cameron Herald that have addressed some of these issues.  Several of these are reproduced in Articles section if you are interested in more detail on my views and philosophies.  Here are the issues that I feel are of particular importance to us: (To view my published Campaign Articles related to the topics below click HERE)

  1. Economic development is priority #1: Cooperation among the municipalities of Rockdale, Cameron, Thorndale, Milano, and Buckholts, and the County government in planning, financing, and pursuing the economic development efforts of our area is critical.  Orderly growth that provides new sources of jobs and tax revenue is critical to our future.  I have been involved with the Governor’s Economic Development Office and am a member of the Cameron Economic Development Board and Industrial Foundation and am committed to this effort.

  2. Significantly increasing local influence with state and federal officials and agencies in matters that involve Milam County.  I have developed strong ties with our elected officials that represent us in Austin and Washington and am committed to aggressively representing Milam County’s interests with these individuals.  In addition I am leading the effort to put in place a Sub-regional Planning Commission to develop a local plan that would enable Milam County to have better control over outside agency’s activities in our county such as building of lakes, highways, power lines, and the like.  This would include efforts to prevent the building of the so called Milam County Reservoir on Little River to which I am opposed. 

  3. Improving rural infrastructure in Milam County: this includes roads, rural water systems and so on.  I believe that the primary thrust of residential development in Milam Co. is taking place outside of our municipalities and that we need to better prepare for this.

  4. Development of our Milam County’s historical assets such as the El Camino Real De Los Tejas.

  5. Expansion of community support for and cooperation among our law enforcement agencies with the goal of driving drug trafficking out of the county and making Milam County a safer place to live and raise a family.

 

I see the County Judge’s primary role as being the chief executive who is responsible for providing the leadership to achieve the goals that move the county forward toward the future that we want for ourselves here in the place we call home.  

Obviously I haven’t thought of all the issues that you have in mind, so I have set up a Facebook site where you can pose questions and additional issues that you would like to have me comment on as well.  Or you may want to respond to the views that I have expressed.  I don’t claim to have all the answers by any means, so let me hear from you over Facebook or person-to-person as I make the rounds between now and next November.  I’ll be updating this website from time to time as I hear from you and more issues are brought up and I learn more about the job.

DAVE BARKEMEYER, CONSERVATIVE FOR COUNTY JUDGE

The second phrase on my campaign sign reads, “Dave Barkemeyer, conservative for county judge.”  The word conservative has many interpretations, but let me start with these comments and then I’ll let you ask me questions about any other aspects of my philosophies that you want me to comment on and I will post them here or on Facebook as the campaign progresses.  Again, let me say that I don’t have all the answers, so expect some “da, I don’t knows” every once in a while.

First of all, I’m a conservative on religious and social issues.  Oops, so you caught me having a drink out at Bob’s didn’t you.  O.K.  having a drink is contrary to many conservative’s standards. Well, I blew my perfect image right off the bat. 

I’m a “right to life” proponent, believe strongly in keeping “under God” in the pledge, “In God we Trust” on our coins, and in tough law enforcement.  For example, I don’t have a problem with the city policeman in Rogers giving me a ticket for going over 35 MPH (my image is getting worse) and I strongly support our Cameron and Milam County officers efforts to catch drug pushers. I also believe people should pay their fines. I support all the Bill of Rights including the right to bear arms and states rights.

To me financially conservative means using the taxpayers dollars wisely, paying attention to where we spend (I’m a strong believer in maintaining infrastructure and minimizing overhead burden), economic development is critical to enhancing the sources of revenue, and being open and maintaining good communication with the taxpayers regarding the budget and spending. I believe in a balanced budget. On the contrary, financially conservative does not mean under spending and under maintaining.

VOTE REPUBLICAN

The final phrase on my sign is “Vote Republican.”  I have been the Republican County Chairman in Milam County for the past two years and have worked hard to get to the point where we have a significant number of what I consider to be quality Republican candidates that are vying for county offices this coming election.

I believe that the Republican Party best represents the conservative principles that are best for our county and our country.  You might want to review the Texas Republican Party Platform for yourself at www.texasgop.com. It appears that our country is headed toward a more and more liberal form of government.  I do not believe that our local officials who believe in conservative principles should of necessity have to affiliate with the Democratic Party or run for election on the Democratic ticket when that party openly endorses these liberal policies.  Therefore my goal is to establish the Republican Party in Milam County by striving to get conservatives elected as Republicans for the first time this coming election so that won’t be necessary. 

Thank you for your support and I solicit your vote in the coming general election next November 2, 2010.

 
       
     

 

 

 

 

 

View my Campaign Articles HERE

 

 

 

 

 

Article 1: Economic Development. VIEW
     

 

 

 

Article 2: Outside Influences. VIEW

 

 

 

Article 3: County Infrastructure. VIEW

 

Article 4: Historical Assets. VIEW

Article 5: Law Enforcement. VIEW

Final Appeal VIEW