Burnt Orange Report

Sheryl Cole for Place 6: Fundraising

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

Sheryl Cole, running for the City Council seat being vacated by Mayor Pro Tem Danny Thomas (Place 6, the historically African-American seat), has filed her first financial report, showing supporter contributions of over $13,000 gathered during the first 45 days of the race. Two other candidates in the race reported contributions of $3,250 and $140 during the same period, giving Cole the early fundraising advantage.

Her campaign has also released its first list of public supporters (available here). Some notable names include 2005 Place 3 City Council candidates Gregg Knaupe, Mandy Dealey, and Margot Clarke; TARAL Executive Director Sarah Wheat; Political consultants Alfred Stanley and Mark Littlefield; Recent candidates Kelly White, Lulu Flores and Jan Soifer; and community leader Bettie Naylor. Cole’s campaign committee is being chaired by environmentalist Shudde Fath and businesswoman Bobbie Baker, with Rev. Joseph Parker, Jr., serving as the campaign’s treasurer.

Cole will have her formal campaign kick-off event on Wednesday, February 1st, at 5:30 PM at the Victory Grill, 1104 East 11th Street.

ABOUT SHERYL COLE

Attorney and account Sheryl Cole, 41, is a 23-year resident of Austin. She earned her B.B.A. in accounting from the University of Texas in 1986 and became a Certified Public Accountant in 1987. Cole subsequently returned to U.T. for law school, earning her J.D. in 1991. Cole’s legal career includes six years as staff counsel at the Texas Municipal League. Married to Austin attorney Kevin Cole for 15 years, Sheryl Cole is the mother of three boys, and currently serves as president of the Lee Elementary School PTA. The Cole family belongs to David Chapel, where Sheryl teaches 2nd grade Sunday School. Cole currently serves on the Board of Leadership Austin and the Austin Area Urban League, and is a former Board member of Communities in Schools. Cole also served as Tri-Chair of the 2004 AISD Citizen Bond Committee, and was appointed by former mayor Kirk Watson to serve on the 1998 City of Austin Citizen Bond Committee. If elected, Sheryl Cole would be the first African-American female to serve on the Austin City Council. The election is scheduled for Saturday, May 13, 2006.