NICOLE CALDERONE
Hutto City Council Place 6
Her husband is Dan, and Nicole is mother to three daughters, 13, 11 and 8.
How old are you and what do you do?
45 and manage front of house operations at Greenhouse Craft Food in Round Rock.
What is your previous experience to elected or appointed office?
Former HOA President, Committee Chairperson, Homeschool Director, Youth Coach, and 4th time candidate for Council.
What are your community activities?
Supporting family-friendly events in the community, coordinating the Yard of the Month Contest for the HOA, attending my children’s activities, and closely examining the pattern of nefarious decisions being made at City Hall, then advocating for the People at the podium as an outspoken resident with unwavering integrity.
How will this help you in the seat you are running for?
Through my engagement within the community, I have established the name recognition of someone with compassion and who is available to those who need help with championing change for a better Hutto.
What is your biggest strength?
Persistence
What is your biggest weakness?
Sugar-coating
What sets you apart from your opponents?
As a resident of Hutto since 2006, I recognize our community’s challenges while continuing to envision the glory of our unified potential. I bring institutional knowledge, wisdom, and experience to represent the interests of all citizens.
What is the biggest single problem facing the school/city?
Increasing voter turn-out is the biggest opportunity for improvement. Roughly 10% of constituents are making decisions which impact 100% of residents. When we have more involvement than we will be less likely to repeat past mistakes.
Are there concerns in city/school district you feel have not been addressed?
Those who are responsible need to be held accountable. As my kids say, “We can’t decorate until we clean.” Sweeping dirt under the rug only means tripping on it later.
How would you address them?
I will continue the progress which has been made to expose, correct, and prevent errors by doing the homework, asking tough questions, setting expectations, and being mindful of maintaining clear boundaries of what we chose to tolerate.
Why are you running?
To uphold the integrity of Hutto’s reputation, by promoting transparency, enforcing accountability, and establishing an ethical atmosphere for staff and industry professionals to conduct the business of the City so residents can thrive.
Why should people vote for you?
A vote for me is a vote for the people. I will discern our economic priorities to adopt a fiscally conservative budget that will optimize our resources to strengthen financial stability and stay within the means of an advanced five-year budget forecast.
AMBERLEY KOLAR
Hutto City Council Place 6 candidate Her husband is Michal, and they have two children Mason and Astrid.
How old are you and what do you do?
37 years old and I’m a Legislative Director at the Texas House of Representatives
What is your previous experience to elected or appointed office?
No previous elected or appointed office held.
What are your community activities?
Volunteering where I can. Most recently, I volunteered at the Hutto Crawfish Festival.
How will this help you in the seat you are running for?
I enjoy getting out in the community to meet and chat with residents so that I can represent their voice.
What is your biggest strength?
I’m a people person who values relationships. Building relationships with residents and business owners is important to me and strengthens the sense of community as Hutto continues to grow. I love meeting people out at the park, at community events and chatting one on one with residents about their concerns with the city.
What is your biggest weakness?
I’m detail oriented and I like to gather as much information about a topic or concern so that I can make the best decision. I analyze information thoroughly.
What sets you apart from your opponents?
I have policy experience at the state and federal level, and I believe that effective local government should focus on policies that are forward-looking, positive and proactive for the community.
What is the biggest single problem facing the school/city?
The biggest issue facing the city is the stress that is being put on our infrastructure from the growth that Hutto is seeing. Roads are worn, there is more traffic, traffic lights are needed in areas for better traffic flow and the increase in residential properties that will continue to stress our water and wastewater system are all examples of how our infrastructure is lacking as Hutto continues to grow.
Are there concerns in city/school district you feel have not been addressed?
A vision for the future of Hutto needs to be created and established so that as Hutto grows that vision can be used as a guide for how Hutto will look, operate and thrive well into the future.
How would you address them?
We must invest in our infrastructure now so that growth doesn’t outpace what our roads and water system can handle.
Why are you running?
I’m running to represent the residents of Hutto, and I feel that my experience in state and federal policy would be beneficial if elected to the city council. I bought my first home in Hutto with my husband, and we have started our family here and I want to ensure that Hutto continues to be a strong community but also thrive well into the future.
Why should people vote for you?
My priorities are to maintain fiscal responsibility, invest in infrastructure and to keep property taxes low. I’m an advocate for an effective and efficient local government that works for the residents of Hutto.
IDA WEAVER
Candidate for Place 3
Ida has been married to James Weaver for 54 years. They have two daughters and four grandchildren.
How old are you and what do you do?
I will be 73 years old June 6 of this year. I am a volunteer Community Advocate. I retired from my “paying” career as an Engineer in 1997.
What is your previous experience to elected or appointed office?
Hutto City Council appointment to the three-month duration Hutto City Charter Review Commission in the fall of 2020.
Founding Board member of Hutto Community Watch, Inc in 2021. Resigned to run for Hutto City Council.
Court Appointed Special Advocate, Wichita Falls, Texas: 2005-2007
Appointed to Montague County Economic Development Council from 2001 - 2005; resigned to establish a 501(c)(3) homeless ministry
What are your community activities?
Except for a period from 2014-2020, I have been continuously involved in community activities since moving to Texas in 1988. During 2020-2021, I was a member of the Core Watch of the Hutto Senior Watch, an advocacy group that was instrumental in securing a $60,000 property tax exemption and cap on city property taxes for the disabled and 65 and older homesteaders. I am still active in this group. In March of 2021, I helped establish the Hutto Community Watch (HCW), which has applied to the IRS as a 501(c)(4) advocacy group. The primary purpose of HCW is to encourage Community involvement at all levels. HCW conducted five candidate forums in 2021 and another April 2 of this year. I have regularly attended Hutto City Council meetings for the last three years and have provided feedback to our community using Facebook, e-mail, weekly meetings at local restaurants and phone/text. I am an active member of my church, Christ the Rock, on Limmer Loop in Hutto.
How will this help you in the seat you are running for?
These activities will directly transfer to a seat on the Hutto City Council. I moved to Hutto in 2014, but these activities have made Hutto my home.
What is your biggest strength?
I will bring wisdom and decorum to the Hutto City Council. I have a total of 20 years of management experience: with DoD, the IRS and more recently with nonprofit development, disaster relief and a homeless ministry.
What is your biggest weakness?
I have a low tolerance for undisciplined, self-serving and dishonest behavior. However, over the years, I have developed an appropriate level accommodation.
What sets you apart from your opponents?
I have lived and worked in five states with widely diverse demographics. I have successfully faced high risk, high stress challenges.
What is the biggest single problem facing the school/city?
Developing infrastructure to accommodate our high rate of growth, while keeping the cost of living under control. I see this as an opportunity, not a problem.
Are there concerns in city/school district you feel have not been addressed?
Yes. Our city is recovering from poor, possibly criminal, management, which has resulted in litigation, budget shortages, staff lay-offs and inability to sell bonds. We have survived a train wreck. However, under the leadership of our mayor and with selfless dedication of staff, volunteer boards and EDC, I believe we are on the track to recovery.
How would you address them?
Our council must work together to resolve these concerns. I will hold accountable council members who engage in backchanneling, special interest manipulation, conflicts of interest and other self-serving, unproductive activities. I will support maximum levels of transparency and protection of the city’s legal rights. I support impact fees, commercial and industrial development, and budgets/tax rates that reduce city property taxes.
Why are you running?
I have noticed that special interest manipulation is threatening our city’s recovery.
Why should people vote for you?
Training. Experience. Skills. Heart. I will bring positive leadership and teamwork to the Hutto City Council. If you want conservative budgeting, stable taxes and self-sustaining growth, vote Ida for Place 3.
