Clay is married to Shaun, who is employed in Corporate Finance at Dell Technologies. They have a daughter, Keatyn Marie, who is currently a freshman at Sam Houston State University, and a son, Trace, currently a sophomore at Thrall High School.
He also has two “awesome” dogs, Max and Birdie Mae. Both strays that had been dumped on country roads and that Karch’s wife and kids “snuck” home before he had a chance to object.
How old are you and what do you do?
I am 54 years old and own Karch Music in downtown Taylor. I also own rental properties in Texas, Colorado and Missouri
What is your previous experience to elected or appointed office?
No previous experience to any elected office.
What are your community activities?
As you know, Thrall is a very small community – everyone works together. During the freeze last year, we all worked together to make sure community members were ok, had water, and were staying as warm as possible. I have been a member of the Thrall Volunteer Fire Department and am so proud of that group of volunteers and what they give to our community. I continue to support them whenever and however possible. Our community is lucky to have such an incredible volunteer fire department.
How will this help you in the seat you are running for?
I hope my neighbors and fellow citizens would feel that they can call on me whenever they need help or have questions. I feel that I am extremely approachable and I’m pretty sure everyone knows how to get in touch with me.
What is your biggest strength?
I guess that depends on who you ask – I would say I am fair, patient, thoughtful and inclusive. I think that being a professional musician for most of my life has put me in the unique situation to meet folks from all walks of life. I think it’s important for each of us to remember that our personal experiences are not the same as what others may have experienced – we all look at life through different lenses and it’s important for everyone’s voices and opinions to be heard.
What is your biggest weakness?
Again, I guess it depends on who you ask. My wife and kids might think I’m a bit more “frugal” at times than they would like.
In all seriousness, I think my biggest weakness is an absolute intolerance for “elite-ism,” especially, when you work in a public office or are an elected official. I have really made strides in this area, but I don’t think I will ever be able to support someone who serves as a public employee or is in an elected position who thinks they are somehow “better than” the folks that they are supposed to represent and serve.
In the city of Thrall, we have been so fortunate to have commissioners, a mayor, a chief of police and other city staff members who go above and beyond to support our community. I think it would be an honor to serve our citizens alongside these folks.
What sets you apart from your opponents?
I don’t know too much about my opponent. I’ve only met him once, so not sure yet what he brings to the table.
I would say that living in this community as a property owner, taxpayer, neighbor, parent, volunteer, etc., for 10 years offers me a unique perspective on the changes in our community over the last several years, their impacts and what the future might hold for us.
What is the biggest single problem facing the school/ city?
As I mentioned we are a very small tight-knit community and I have been extremely fortunate to live surrounded by such wonderful neighbors, family and friends.
However, over the last several years, Thrall, like many areas in Williamson County has seen the “flicker-ings” of growth. I think the city’s biggest issue will be maintaining and improving our infrastructure on an extremely tight tax basis. We are effectively a “land-locked” community, surrounded by beautiful family farms. That situation provides limited growth opportunities and in turn, limited revenue dollars.
Also, as our school district continues to grow-with folks moving into the district boundaries and the influx of transfer students-the city has the unique challenge of providing infrastructure and emergency services support without the benefit of an increased tax basis. As a community, we need to support our Thrall kiddos, making sure they thrive in a safe environment.
That being said, I think people sometimes forget that the city of Thrall is more than the latest activity occurring along Bounds Street. We are an entire community of citizens with diverse interests and needs. I don’t want there to be specific geographic areas of our community that get “favoritism” while other areas get overlooked – so, I think we, as a small city, need to continue to communicate and prioritize the issues that are most important to our taxpayers and citizens.
Are there concerns in city/ school district you feel have not been addressed?
As I mentioned I think the current team has done a remarkable job. Like any city, we have infrastructure issues, we have growth issues, we have budget issues. I think our community understands that and I would hope that we can all work together to find solutions to keep improving.
How would you address them?
I think inclusivity and communication are the keys.
I think it is important for me not to get too “ahead of myself.” If I am elected, I want to make sure I understand the most pressing issues, the work that has been done so far by our mayor and other city officials, and how best I can contribute to the solutions.
Why are you running?
It’s really plain and simple – I love this city.
The people here are important to me, to my family and I want to serve them in the best way possible.
Why should people vote for you?
I think folks should vote for whomever they feel is the best person for the job. And honestly, whether they vote for me or not, I’ll still be right here on the corner of Alva and Sheldon if they need me.
