Candidate responses may have been edited for length, style and clarity.
Patrick Kelly
Occupation: chief technology officer
Residence: lived in Lewisville 21 years
Contact: [email protected]
Tom Cottrell
Occupation: Realtor
Residence: lived in Lewisville three years
Contact: [email protected]
Why are you running for office?
Kelly: So many reasons, but probably among the primary motivators would be the fact that I’ve been active in Castle Hills governance for about a decade, including time as the [Denton County Fresh Water Supply District] No. 1B president, and I want to use that experience to help ensure the continued smooth integration of Castle Hills into Lewisville. My family and I have been part of Lewisville for many years, including Keep Lewisville Beautiful cleanups, a position on the Arts Board, attendance at council retreats and regular attendance at council meetings. I’m looking forward to continuing my community service now by serving on the City Council.
Cottrell: I think the larger question is why not? I consider this opportunity to serve the families of Castle Hills and the residents of Lewisville a great honor. My campaign theme is “ A Brighter Future For Everyone.” This will be my mission and focus. Most importantly, I want to make sure that the residents of Castle Hills as well as Lewisville have a representative who will articulate their concerns and assure their voices are heard. A city government is a business. It is extremely important to have a highly qualified individual in place that has first hand knowledge [and] experience, [and] organizational and management skills in operating a business. In this area, I am a proven tested leader. I have created, owned and operated four successful companies, which became industry leaders in their respective fields. I have also served as vice president of two major corporations [that] were also considered industry leaders.
What are the biggest challenges facing the city?
Kelly: I’ve had the pleasure of working with Lewisville staff for roughly the past five years on projects, such as police patrol and general annexation. In that time, I’ve been impressed with how well the city is run. Aside from continuing the great progress of Castle Hills integration, I’d point out the increase in housing prices has outpaced the rate of growth in family income. In alignment with the Lewisville 2025 Vision, ensuring we have affordable housing catering to everyone from millennials to retirees is an opportunity for excellence.
Cottrell: The biggest challenge I see is a lack of participation by a vast majority of our citizens in our city government. I want to encourage those citizens who are sitting on the sideline to get involved. Be bold and present your ideas to the City Council. “Creating a brighter future for everyone” means working together as a team so every one can benefit. Secondly, I implore every resident to visit the city of Lewisville’s website. The folks who have put this fantastic website together have done a fabulous job. Spend some time learning about your city and how it functions. You will find a wealth of information, programs and volunteer opportunities. Remember, knowledge is power, and your vote matters. Finally, I want to be perfectly clear, the above statement is not directed to those wonderful citizens who unselfishly give of their time and energy to our city.
If elected, what would be your top priorities?
Kelly: Again, helping to ensure the continued smooth integration of Castle Hills into Lewisville is good for everyone. In addition, towns such as Grapevine and McKinney have added to their economic vitality through the revitalization of their downtown. Similarly, I’ve watched the efforts around Old Town over the past years and will continue to make this a priority. Continuing to attract new businesses that provide a range of job opportunities will help close the gap between housing and family income.
Cottrell: Obviously, priorities are not policy; they serve as a framework used to shape it. Having said that, my priorities would be to keep our city expenditures in line according to the proposed city budget. Secondly, look for ways to maintain or possibly lower property taxes. Thirdly, support our brave first responders and all city employees who get up every day and, through their efforts, make our city great. Finally, I will make sure our city government is fiscally responsible to the taxpayers and remains accountable to our citizens. Being a strong advocate for business, I will encourage corporations, small businesses, developers, builders and investors to come to the city of Lewisville and become a part of our great community. This will bring our city additional revenue, higher paying jobs, better housing choices, an efficient city government, better services to our citizens and, most importantly, opportunities for all our families.
What are some new ideas or programs you would like the city to explore?
Kelly: I was at a council meeting a few weeks ago, and a young lady came forward looking for help with space for the Lewisville High School Robotics Club. She expanded that idea to include making Lewisville a destination for tech in general. As a long time start-up guy and [chief technology officer], I love this idea. Lewisville has a lot to offer the start-up community with its hometown feel, community events, lake access and parks, and yet sporting easy access to two airports and large city venues, such as Dallas and Fort Worth. Let’s attract and foster start-up culture, especially in the tech area.
Cottrell: Let’s give credit where credit is due. The City Council of Lewisville—along with many wonderful local residents, business operators, volunteers and city staff—created the Lewisville 2025 Plan. I encourage every citizen of Lewisville to go to the city website and become familiar with this absolutely brilliant plan. For those who are not familiar with this plan, I will share with you some of the areas addressed: the Green Centerpiece, extending the Green Centerpiece, Old Town, thriving neighborhoods, new neighborhood choices, employment centers, [identifying] focal points, marketing and communication, [and] sustainability. This plan is so comprehensive, all-encompassing and thorough that there is nothing left for me to introduce or recommend. To do so would be to plagiarize and take credit for something others have so [masterfully] done. Please, go to the city website and spend some time reading this plan. You will not be disappointed.
