Well folks, after a long and arduous year, doing battle with the most infectious disease in about a century, our country is on its way back to some form of normalcy.
Last year, as most of you know, town elections were postponed until the November General Election to provide enough time to set social distancing and mask-wearing guidelines. This year we’re back to the regular election cycle which means local elections will be held on the first Saturday in May. Therefore, on May 1st we’ll be voting for those who will be leading us for the next few years.
Our current Mayor, Steve Dixon, has decided not to run for reelection, therefore it’s an open seat. There are 5 candidates running for Mayor and 2 for the Place 4 Council seat. All positions are for 3-year terms.
In addition to moderating The Cross Timbers Gazette Flower Mound Candidate Forum at Town Hall on April 8th, I’ll be endeavoring to do remote video interviews with each of the candidates in the next few weeks.
In this, my first interview, Stephanie Bell talks about why she wants to be mayor, some of the most salient issues facing the town, and what she sees as the future for Flower Mound. The following is a short bio sent by the candidate.
“My name is Stephanie Bell, a candidate for Flower Mound Mayor. I am your neighbor and I care where we go from here. My husband and I moved to Flower Mound, from Indianapolis, in 2015. We lived in the often-debated Lakeside apartments. It was there that we fell in love with this town and decided to get a home and raise our family.
Growth is inevitable.
“We live next to one of the busiest airports in the world, near two of the most populous cities in the States. Growth is inevitable but we must approach this growth with data over emotions, our Master Plan, and care for our green spaces. I’ve been in marketing and business strategy most of my adult life. I dabbled in the financial world for a few years and had my FINRA Series 7. However, I found myself chasing the wrong thing. I still enjoy the finance world and investing but my passion lies in business strategy and communications.
“Flower Mound has a AAA rating, since 2014. There are only a few communities in Texas that can say that. Flower Mound has been run with strong financial planning and policies. Do not let anybody tell you that Flower Mound is not financially strong. I work with SMBs strategizing, developing, and implementing their budgets from a marketing and advertising perspective. I’m passionate about business, I’m passionate about our community.
“You can find me every weekend, when open, at the Flower Mound Farmers Market in Parker Square. Small business is the very backbone of this nation. I volunteer with the North Texas foodbank and Habitat For Humanity. I am also the elected President of our local Toastmasters chapter, where I train folks around DFW in leadership, communication, and negotiation skills. With my leadership experience in business, my communication skills, and passion for our community, I am looking forward to serving the people of Flower Mound. For more information visit SteffieB.com or email at [email protected] Vote Stephanie Bell for Mayor.”