Experience wins the day in Flower Mound

Two newcomers to the political process could not overcome a pair of experienced town council candidates in Flower Mound.

Mike Walker edged out Joy Bowen for the Place 1 seat on town council while Jean Levenick defeated Tami Ryan in Place 5.

Just 99 votes separated Walker and Bowen in a hard fought battle for the Place 1 seat currently held by Kendra Stephenson, who is stepping down after serving one term.

Walker, 66, sits on the town’s Planning & Zoning commission, a position he was appointed to last fall.  He previously served on Flower Mound’s Board of Adjustments, Oil and Gas Board of Appeals, Transportation Commission and Park Board.

“I want to thank the people that supported me and worked on my campaign as well as the voters that took the time to come out and support me,” said Walker.

“I look forward to serving our residents and to help Flower Mound keep its small town character but continue to attract the type of development that will mirror what people like about our town.”

Bowen, 40, has been a vocal opponent of the Lewisville ISD proposed rezoning and said the involvement of town officials in the Flower Mound High School feeder school rezoning motivated her to run for council.

“I am honored by the support that’s been shown to me and I am honored by my campaign team who ran an excellent campaign,” said Bowen.

In Place 5, Levenick defeated Ryan by a margin of 59 percent to 41 percent.

Levenick, 49, was appointed by council to fill Tom Hayden’s vacant seat last June after he successfully ran for mayor.

Aside from serving on town council in Place 4 from 2008 to 2010, she had been a member of the town’s Planning & Zoning commission, and a member of the Community Emergency Response Team.

“I am honored to continue to serve our residents for the next two years and I pledge to serve every resident equally with accountable and responsible representation that the people of Flower Mound deserve,” said Levenick.

Ryan, 44, shared Bowen’s concerns regarding the school rezoning and said her primary reason for running for council was her opposition to the town’s recent changes to the SMARTGrowth criteria for schools.

Mark Wise, 46, ran unopposed for a second term in Place 3.

See complete municipal election results here.