There will be only be one race in the city on May 12, as two sitting councilmen – Patrick Davis and Bill Irwin – are vying for the mayor’s seat that will be vacated by Scott McDearmont.
Only one candidate has filed to run in each of the available council seats: Michelle Schwolert will take Irwin’s seat in Place 2, Louis Robichaux has secured a fourth term in Place 4, John McGee will serve a second term in Place 6, and Frederick Busche will fill the remaining term of Patrick Davis in Place 5 if Davis is elected Mayor.
The Cross Timbers Gazette asked the mayoral candidates to answer a short questionnaire to help you make an informed decision at the polls. Here are their responses:
Patrick (Pat) L. Davis
Age: 64
Current Occupation: Twice retired, 30 years with Fleming Companies; 10 years in education (last 7 with LISD)
Education: Bachelor of Science, 1969, Texas A&M University (Commerce), Degree in Executive Management from Cornell University
To what religious and civic organizations do you belong? Member of First Baptist Church, Lewisville, Member of Texas Baptist Men, City Councilman – City of Highland Village, Board Member, Highland Village Community Development Corporation, Board Member, Denton County, Child Protective Services
Why should you be elected? I am the best candidate for Mayor of Highland Village because of my commitment to the citizens of Highland Village; excellent credentials as a businessman, educator and civic leader; and because I have the time to be a full-time mayor.
What are the main challenges facing your city and how would you resolve them? As Highland Village approaches build-out, the biggest challenge facing the city is to balance the revenues with the expenses. Therefore my focus is to ensure that the remaining undeveloped property is developed with compatible, high-quality developments. This will assure the best use of the property, with the potential for increased sales tax revenues while continuing to maintain a high quality of life in Highland Village. Economic development, specifically retail development continues to be a primary objective. This will not only provide desired amenities for residents’ immediate access, but also be an avenue to diversify the City’s revenue stream that is highly dependent on property tax.
Website: www.patdavisforhvmayor.com
William (Bill) Irwin
Age: 58
Current Occupation: Corporate Quality Control Manager – Michaels Stores, Inc.
Education: Did not answer
To what religious and civic organizations do you belong ? Lifetime Member of Texas PTA, Member of Lake Dallas Church of Christ, V.P. of Highland Village Economic Development Board, Former Board member of United Way, Big Brothers & Sisters, Boy Scouts of America
Why should you be elected? My dedication to public service is strong and unwavering. For 20+ years I’ve been involved and very effective in balancing family and career with community service, all with positive results. As member of Parks Board and later, City Council, I directly participated in several highly visible projects, including building of Unity Park, establishing our Parks and City Trails Master Plans, and development of 407/2499 retail corridor. All will benefit families in our community for years to come. As mayor I will continue to provide a vision of quality that will allow Highland Village to remain the Quality Community of Choice.
What are the main challenges facing your city and how would you resolve them? We are consistently ranked at the top in D Magazine as the place to live. Our exemplary blue ribbon schools, strong parks and trail systems, shopping and dining opportunities, low crime rate and excellent city services all played a part in this recognition. We must not become complacent, and need to stay on track, refine or enhance what resulted in this ranking. We need to establish codes or overlays to address redevelopment of our aging housing and commercial developments. Tear downs and remodels must be compatible and serve to increase and enhance surrounding property values, not devalue them. Another challenge is conserving current water usage and securing future water resources. Our relationship and support of UTWD is strong, we must continue to partner and protect both short term and future water needs. Last, the impact of I-35 expansion. The actual construction is closer to reality; we must act now to establish a clear vision for this regional gateway. Having actively been through our Marketplace/2449 projects along with experience working with the Corp, I feel qualified to initiate this process. We need to set a vision that meets the quality expectations of our residents, then be ready to execute the plan.
Click here to watch the video from the recent Highland Village Candidate Forum sponsored by the Highland Village Women’s Club.
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