Singleton served six years on the Jersey Village City Council in Place 4, winning his first election by just three votes. He ran unopposed in his campaign for mayor, an outcome he described as humbling and a sign of the community's trust.
Singleton and his wife, whom he met in high school, moved to Jersey Village 17 years ago. He said he was initially hesitant about moving to the city, but quickly realized it was different from other areas of Houston, describing it as having an "unbelievable” sense of community and small-town feel, perfect for raising their kids.
What is your top priority as mayor?
Ever since I was elected, my focus has been on flood mitigation, fiscal conservatism and making sure that we have a high level of service. Jersey Village is known for its public safety. Both the fire and police department[s] are probably some of the best in the county. We’ve also done a lot of work in public works and other areas of the city to provide the highest level of service we can.
What are some areas where Jersey Village is doing well that you want to maintain?
Over the last five or six years, we’ve focused heavily on our water and wastewater systems. We’ve been leaning very hard to ensure that the systems are properly maintained and invested in for the future. That’s one of my top concerns. Some other cities have recently been very public in their inability to provide water, and we want to make sure that we maintain a system that is resilient, reliable and cost-effective.
How do you plan to stay connected with residents and make sure their voices are heard come time to make decisions?
I've had people say I'm not approachable, and I think it's just my height because I really am open and want to hear from everybody. One of my ideas is, competing opinions provide the best solutions. I look for people that disagree with me to hear and understand why. What is it about this decision that is a problem for you so that I can try to address it? Do we need to make a change? Do we need to educate better? Where is the disconnect so we can try to solve it? I'm open to meeting with anybody in the city.
Have you faced any challenges early on?
Right now, we are looking for ways to fund our needed water and wastewater project, along with replacing the City Hall campus. The City Council and I have not agreed on the best way to go about that. That has been the biggest challenge right now—making sure that we are moving forward and providing an adequate City Hall. This building needs to be replaced. How much money we spend and the way we go about that can vary significantly. The big topic right now is how do we do that but remain fiscally conservative.
Is there anything you'd like Jersey Village residents to know?
Jersey Village is a hidden gem in Houston. We prioritize that small-town community feel, and we want to make sure we are maintaining that, like rebuilding the pool. At the same time, we have to move forward. Cities have to grow and maintain and continue to attract new residents, but we have to make sure we are focused on that small community feel. It's the main reason people live here.
