Southern Denton County residents will head to the polls this spring to decide a plethora of municipal and school board contests.
The Cross Timbers Gazette asked each candidate in a contested race to answer a brief questionnaire to help voters make an informed decision at the polls this May. Election Day is Saturday, May 1, with early voting April 19-27.
The 2021 Highland Village City Council general election is for Council members for Places 3, 5 and 7, each for a term of two years. Those seats are currently held by Mike Lombardo, Tom Heslep and Daniel Jaworski, respectively. All the incumbents filed to run again, while Andrew Crawford is challenging Lombardo for Place 3 and Jason Bates is challenging Heslep for Place 5.
The candidates for Highland Village City Council Place 5 are listed in alphabetic order below:
Place 5 (2-year-term)
Jason Bates, 37
Occupation: Director of Household Operations
Education: Bachelor of Studio Arts – Taylor University (2006)
Masters of Divinity – Liberty University (2015)
Public Service: Captain / Company Commander, Army Reserve Center – Fort Wayne, Indiana (04/10 – 5/2012) Commanded an Infantry Training Company consisting of 4 platoons of Drill Sergeants and a headquarters element.
First Lieutenant / Platoon Leader – Mosul, Iraq (06/06 – 04/10) Led a 40-man personal security detail platoon assigned to a rapid deployment arms battalion. Recipient of The Bronze Star Medal in contributing to efforts to win the global war on terrorism.
What motivated you to run for this position, and why are you the best choice? God has given several incredible gifts or rights to humanity that when protected and used properly lead to human flourishing: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. My purpose in running is to nurture these gifts in our community. Given the last year of fear, control, and tyranny, it’s clear how tenuously we keep these divine rights and why, even in Highland Village, principled leadership is needed. My public service in the military, the time spent leading teams in corporate America, and the vested interest I have in our community (3 young children!), form the foundation of a servant leader that will guard your freedoms, seek prosperity, and listen to each of your concerns with earnest compassion.
What is your mission statement?We have opportunities to improve our tax structure to be more business friendly, to end municipal online sales taxes, streamline our budget, and make smart investments. Better business opportunities and lower taxes are growth factors that will keep Highland Village flourishing well into the future.
Candidate Facebook page: www.facebook.com/CPTJasonBates
Email: [email protected]
Tom Heslep (i), 61
Occupation: Market President Independent Financial
Education: BBA Business Administration Stephen F. Austin State University
Southwestern Graduate School of Banking Southern Methodist University
Public Service: City Council Highland Village 2019-Present
City of Highland Village P&Z 2016-2019
Medical City of Lewisville Board of Directors 2018-Present
Lewisville Education Foundation Board Treasurer 2017-Present
What motivated you to run for this position, and why are you the best choice? I was motivated by the desire to give back to my community that has served my family since 1991. Serving on Planning and Zoning for three years was the perfect training ground for moving on to City Council. I feel I am the best choice based on my experience both on City Council and P&Z, 38 years of commercial banking and leadership knowledge and my experience on numerous non-profit boards.
What is your mission statement? I want to leave a legacy to my Community and the Citizens of Highland Village of Integrity and fiscal leadership by demonstrating service above self. I want to help find new and innovative ways to generate revenue, keep our parks and trails well maintained and keep our City safe for our Citizens for years to come.
Candidate Facebook page: Tom Heslep Jr. City of Highland Village
Email: [email protected]
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