Flower Mound Place 5 councilman Tom Hayden officially threw his hat into the ring Tuesday to run for mayor this May.
Hayden, 44, was first elected to town council in 2009 and ran unopposed for a second term last spring.
He said that his platform will focus on leadership and not politics, alluding to the increasing contentious environment that has marked council meetings over the past six months.
“It will be a priority to establish a culture of collaboration, an inclusive culture with all members of council and town organizations working together for the common good of our town,” said Hayden.
“Many times we are our own worst enemy, a slice of Washington, where instead of working together to solve problems, we oppose one another and go around in circles. From the first day, with the cooperation of council, I will strive to create a body that embraces all viewpoints, works together to solve problems, and comes to conclusions in a civil manner.
“One person cannot create that environment, but with the support of council, I will set the tone to foster a positive community spirit. Flower Mound has challenges to overcome, and it will take a united community working together to achieve success.”
Mayor Melissa Northern is expected to run again. Northern defeated three-term Mayor Jody Smith in 2010 with a mandate from her supporters to curb gas drilling in town.
This year’s race appears to be primarily focused on economic development, and Hayden said that building onto the town’s strong foundation is his goal.
“It is a rewarding experience to be part of the growth of our town. As our country and North Texas emerge from a difficult economic recession, our town is uniquely positioned to take full advantage of implementing the vision of the Town’s Master Plan,” said Hayden. “Flower Mound has done an exemplary job of mitigating the negative effects of urbanization by investing over two hundred million dollars in our town’s infrastructure, and preserving the open feel to our town.
“As Mayor, we will continue to build upon this foundation, but we will also put our full shoulder behind the area where we have lagged and that is creating a diversified and balanced tax base to ensure the long term economic health of Flower Mound.
“As I visit with residents, they want a balance between open spaces and having the conveniences of dining, retail and commercial options. I’m committed to protecting our open spaces, but will be equally committed to fulfilling the promise of a Centralized Business District, so that families have an opportunity to gather and interact with others. Additionally, with the support of residents and council, we will strive to see that Lakeside reaches its full potential. We must find our niche, and I think one area could be in attracting start-up and small businesses to Flower Mound.
“Flower Mound has a bright future, with much to offer and we need to market the positives of our community. Where else in the Metroplex can a company and their employees enjoy the lifestyle of growing their businesses during the day, hitting our trails after work, and then picking up clients at DFW, to someday take them to dinner overlooking Lake Grapevine at night?”
Hayden works for a local life insurance company where he is Vice President of Investments for the company’s marketable securities portfolio.
He has resided in Flower Mound since 1995 and he and his wife, Karen, have been married for sixteen years and have three children; Nate and Daniel, who are 11 and Mark, 8.
“I am grateful for the continued support from the residents of Flower Mound, and look forward to helping set the future course of our town,” Hayden said.
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