Meet Stuart

I am not a politician. I am a husband, a girl dad, and a neighbor. My wife Jan and I moved to Granbury in 2004. We were newlyweds and were just starting our lives together. We were drawn to Granbury because of its small-town charm and because of its strong public schools. Over time, our family grew as we welcomed three beautiful daughters. And when it came time for us to make the decision on which schools were best for our own children, we decided to enroll them in Granbury ISD. Today, our oldest daughter, Reagan, is a proud graduate of Granbury High School and is a nursing student at TCU. Our middle daughter, Maddie, is a senior at the high school where she is active in band and on the debate team. And our youngest, Taylor, is a freshman at the high school where she is also active in the band. We could not be prouder of the young women that they are becoming. And this is in no small part due to the excellent education that they have received from Granbury ISD.

So when it came time to consider how I could best give back to the district that has given so much to my own family, I settled on a desire to learn more about our schools and become an advocate for GISD. This past Spring, I joined the GISD Superintendent Ambassador Program. During this four-month class, I gained valuable insight into how the district works and the role that School Board Trustees can play in shaping the policies that ultimately direct our children’s education. I now understand how my unique experience, both as an attorney and as a father of students in the district, can benefit all of the children and parents in Granbury ISD. 

Professionally, for the past 20 years, I have worked as a practicing attorney. In that time, I have had the pleasure of serving as a prosecutor, Granbury’s City Attorney, and as a criminal defense attorney serving clients in Hood County and other surrounding areas. I am Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Only 9% of all Texas Attorneys have earned the distinction of being Board Certified in their respective area of practice. Currently, I am the Chief of the Juvenile Unit for the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office in Fort Worth. In this role, I, along with the team that I manage, work in partnership with Juvenile Probation to identify methods for rehabilitating children who have been accused of breaking the law. We do that by providing those kids with counseling and other services aimed at helping to teach them to make better life choices and to give them the tools necessary to become successful members of our community. 

As Granbury’s City Attorney, I worked hand-in-hand with the City Council and city staff during a time of explosive growth. I oversaw all of the legal work for many projects that would later shape the city’s future including: the Luton Ranch development (HEB, Michaels, Ross, Marshall’s); Highway 4 development (Kroger and RaceTrac); the Meander Road extension; the Granbury Airport runway expansion; the Granbury Opera House renovation; the Granbury Skate Park; the Weatherford College Granbury Campus; the Langdon Center acquisition from Tarleton University; and the expansion of the city’s water and electric infrastructure (including the water treatment plant on Business 377). In addition, I was involved in many conversations that are similar to those that our school board trustees handle for GISD. For example: I managed my departmental budget; I took part in the city’s overall budget-making process (including discussions involving setting the tax rate); I reviewed the city’s purchasing agreements; I negotiated the city’s land acquisitions and sales; and I oversaw all of the city’s litigation. 

I am a strong supporter of our public schools, our teachers, and our administration. If elected, I will work every day to make sure that every child, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or socio-economic situation will have access to the very best educational opportunities possible. I will work to empower our teachers, to advocate on their behalf, so that they can continue to be the positive impact in our children’s lives that they are today. I will work to ensure that Granbury ISD continues to offer abundant and robust opportunities for our children to find their passion as they explore future career paths in the Career and Technology Education programs. Because when our children feel that spark and the fire begins to burn, the sky is the limit. Every child deserves the opportunity to chase their dreams. Finally, using my unique knowledge from my role as juvenile prosecutor, I will work with the administration and the public safety team to craft policies to curb bullying in our schools and which will help motivate all of our children to show each other respect so that every child can reach his or her full potential. No child should be scared to go to school. Together, we can identify and address the root causes of this aggressive behavior and, with compassion and love, implement strategies that will change these children’s lives for the better.

I am asking you for your vote for Granbury ISD School Board Place 7.