By Sherry Koonce

The News staff writer

Port Arthur area voters will go to the polls today to elect a Democratic candidate for the Jefferson County Precinct 3 County Commissioner seat.

Michael “Shane” Sinegal and Thurman Bartie, both Democratic candidates, are in a runoff for their party’s candidate. No Republicans are running for the seat. The Democratic winner will face Libertarian candidate Kevin R. McCarthy in the November general election.

Those who did not vote in the March 4 Democratic Primary, or those who did not vote at all can vote in the April 8 runoff election.

Bartie, 53, of Port Arthur is a substitute teacher and an associate minister at First Sixth Street Baptist Church in Port Arthur. He is a former mortician and served as Justice of the Peace in Precinct 8. Bartie was removed from the bench after the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct considered allegations that he threatened prisoners he had arraigned, used obscene language while presiding over a truancy hearing and interfered with his brother-in-law’s arrest for possession of cocaine.

In an earlier interview Bartie said the experience “humbled” him.

So far in his campaign, he said, the experience has been a non-issue.

“No one but the newspeople are talking abut it, that is just an attack on me,” he said.

During his campaign, Bartie said maintaining the county’s road and bridges, listening to all citizen’s concerns and being a good steward of taxpayer dollars are primary issues affecting the county.

If elected, Bartie said he would ensure that the residents of South Jefferson and Southwest Jefferson County are given the first opportunity for employment during this time of industrial expansion.

Sinegal, 50, of Port Arthur has served on the Port Arthur City Council for the past six years and is currently the city’s mayor pro tem. He is 17-year educator with, 15 of those as a coach, with the Port Arthur Independent School District. From 1998 to 2000 he served on the Pleasure Island Commission.

He has also been a juvenile probation officer and a journeyman carpenter.

During his campaign, Sinegal said the county is blessed to have industrial expansion, but should be ready to deal with problems it will bring, such as increased traffic and security concerns.

Reconstructing Texas 87, overseeing industrial abatements, and drainage and infrastructure issues in the Hamshire-Fannett area are other key issues facing the county Sinegal said.