Bertram Mayor Michael Dickinson is stepping down from office, citing ongoing health problems, and clearing the way for a spring shakeup at the ballot box.
In a letter to the city dated Jan. 14, Dickinson announced that he will leave office effective Wednesday, Jan. 21. “I am no longer able to fulfill the responsibilities of this office to the standard that the people of our city deserve,” he wrote. Mayor Pro-Tem John Baladez will take on the mayoral duties while voters decide who gets the job next.
That Jan. 14 letter formally tendered Dickinson’s resignation and set the Jan. 21 effective date, according to DailyTrib. The outlet reports that the timing lines up with the opening of the city’s candidate-filing window and that the mayor’s seat will stay officially vacant until a new mayor is chosen by voters. In the meantime, Baladez, as mayor pro-tem, will handle the role’s responsibilities.
Election timeline and filing details
The city’s candidate-filing notice states that the filing period opened Jan. 14 and closes at 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, with Election Day scheduled for Saturday, May 2. Prospective candidates can review instructions and packet details in the City of Bertram candidate filing notice.
Anyone interested in running for mayor or for a council seat can pick up application packets at City Hall during normal business hours.
What’s on the ballot
Voters will see four city positions on the May ballot: the mayor’s seat, two full-term alderman seats, and one alderman seat to complete an unexpired one-year term, according to DailyTrib. The paper notes that the alderman seats up for election are currently held by Randal Fisher, James Predmore, and Lane Shipp. With the mayor’s resignation, the top race on the ballot becomes the open mayoral seat.
About Michael Dickinson
Dickinson, a native of Burnet County, first won a seat on the city council in 2017 and was elected mayor in 2021, according to public records. The Texas State Directory lists Dickinson as Bertram’s mayor and confirms his prior service as an alderman. With his resignation now in motion, colleagues and residents have only a short window to organize any campaigns for the May election.
With Dickinson stepping down and the filing period already open, the next few weeks will determine whether the ballot features crowded contests or a slate with little opposition. For filing instructions, deadlines, and candidate packets, residents are directed to the city’s candidate filing notice or the City Secretary’s office. Voters will choose the new mayor and council members on May 2.
