In Flower Mound, the election for local leaders on Town Council is once again turning into a political “hot bed”.  I own and operate a small business in Flower Mound and I have experienced the turmoil at Town Hall on numerous occasions through my service with the Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce.  I have witnessed the bickering and dissension among the current council the lack of clear direction on Economic Development which has created several missed opportunities for Flower Mound.

I feel I am no different than the majority of the citizens who don’t see the council and mayor working well together.  I have no idea what projects have been considered or not considered.  The one thing I know from owning and operating businesses for over 30-plus years and serving on many non-profit boards is that you need agreement from the board and/or business owners to accomplish anything.  When business partners are not in agreement, you end up with no business and broke.

It appears to me the current town council is broken, the bickering is endless and nothing is getting done.  The council spends more time arguing than setting a direction and course for the future of the community.  At this pace the community may fall apart and lose its tax base.  Businesses will stop trying to open up locations or develop new businesses in Flower Mound because it’s too hard to muddle through the bureaucracy and dissension among the Council. 

In 2011, I was the Chairman of the Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce Board and my vision was to work with the town to bridge the gap between small businesses and large businesses to build a cohesive business base.  All along the way, the Chamber’s efforts were resisted by the town.  Why?  There are current council members who actually think that the Chamber is a for-profit entity that promotes itself and serves no purpose to the community. 

Flower Mound is really at a crossroads and has a great opportunity to build a solid business tax base.  The once rural farming town that became a bedroom community in the 90’s has an opportunity to add a strong business tax base. The problem is the council cannot seem to agree on giving new business the opportunity to grow and thrive.  It is apparent from watching town council meetings, something needs to change immediately. Watching town council meetings over the past six months it is apparent that the NFL (Northern–Filidoro–Lyda) has lost control of the council and that keeping their power is more important than overseeing the progress of the town. 

I implore you to please get out and vote for candidates that will promote cohesion and strive to develop a clear direction for the Town.  Do not be fooled by the rhetoric of “look what we have done for you.”  I would be happy to talk with anyone who is willing to help get things done in Flower Mound and put the quagmire of indecision behind us. 

I support the candidates that will be looking to expand the business tax base in Flower Mound.  These candidates are Tom Hayden for Mayor and Steve Dixon and Bryan Webb for Town Council.  Unlike the NFL they are all independent and not a “ticket”.  Early voting is April 30th and the election is May 12th. 


Harold Shepard
Carrollton, TX