SANDY OAKS – A number of residents within Bexar County's newest city allege they were not made aware of the May 10 election to incorporate the community of Sandy Oaks.
Much of that same faction claims there has been a serious lack of public awareness about the city's City Council election planned for Aug. 9.
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"A good number of people I've talked to out here aren't even aware we've become a city," said resident, Catherine Rendahl. "They're not aware of the incorporation much less who is running for City Council."
Rendahl was among the dozens who attended a meeting at Waterwood Park Monday evening to discuss the City Council elections and future of Sandy Oaks.
The meeting quickly turned tense with many shouting questions about why they weren't made aware of the election to make Sandy Oaks its own city.
On May 10 a fraction of the voters within the community ultimately approved the incorporation of the city within 2.4 square miles of south Bexar County near Loop 1604 and Interstate 37.
"The biggest problem was a lack of communication. Lack of signage, lack of news. The community has no idea," claims Cathleen Lamoureaux-Recio, who is running for City Council alderman.
But some attending Monday's meeting say lack of information was not the problem. Rather, it was lack of interest and involvement from the community.
"I went around trying to get signatures. Nobody wanted to do anything. Nobody showed up at the meetings," said Javier Sanchez, who volunteered with the Committee to Incorporate Sandy Oaks. "Now they're here throwing in their two pennies, and I'm just like, where were you?"
Some members of the former Waterwood Homeowner's Association are now running for a seat on the City Council. Pedro Orduno is among them.
"The May 10 election was in the newspapers, it was on TV, it was on the radio," Orduno said. "There were big signs everywhere. It was a historical event."
Bexar County will run the election for Sandy Oaks City Council.
Early voting runs July 28 through Aug. 5. Election day is Aug. 9. Voters can cast their ballots at the Waterwood Clubhouse at 4418 Hickory Haven Drive in Sandy Oaks.