The year 2020 for Deer Park started off with the swearing in of three City Council members. Caleb Stapp won the election with 694 votes (his opponent, Heather Newsom had 488), Helen Dee Cragun won with 558 votes (her opponent, Carla J. Philips had 548 votes), and Ron Scholz ran unopposed. Cragun has been a member of the City Council for the past 22 years; by the time of the next election, it will be her 26th year as a councilwoman. Stapp and Scholz are both new to the City Council. Scholz took Position 5, Stapp took 4, and Cragun remains in Position 2.

Establishing A City Police Department In Deer Park
Every few years the subject of establishing a city police department in Deer Park
makes the rounds on social media, local papers, and even the floor of the City Council.
Since the late 70’s when the city disbanded it’s own department and contracted with
the county, well meaning people have thought that it “seems” like we could fund our
own department for what we are paying the county.