Webb Melder Webb Melder[/caption]

Following 12 years as a public servant in the community, Conroe Mayor Webb Melder said he is ready to retire from his seat, focus on his construction and real estate businesses and spend time with his grandchildren.


Soon after May’s local election, Melder will step down as mayor—a position he has held for eight-years in two consecutive terms. Melder first joined the city as a public official in 2004 when he was elected to City Council.


“I have lived here 53 years, and I have watched Conroe grow from 7,000 people to 75,000,” Melder said. “A lot of things have happened along the way, and I knew that Conroe was an emerging and growing city. We have been very blessed.”


Melder was born in Nacodoches in 1949 and moved to Houston with his parents when he was 3 months old. When Melder was 14, he and his family moved to Montgomery.


Melder graduated from Montgomery High School in 1967 and earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Sam Houston State University in 1971. Melder then joined the family real estate business in Conroe and learned from his father.


Today, Melder owns and operates Webb Melder Builder Inc. and Melder Real Estate. The companies focus on light-industrial and commercial real estate and construction. They have offices in New Waverly, Leona, Groveton, Lovelady and Trinity.


“I absolutely love the real estate business,” Melder said. “Some of the best friends I’ve got today, people that would be pallbearers for me, started out as clients.”


Melder first ran for a City Council position after being approached by former Mayor Tommy Metcalf and former Montgomery County Judge Alan Sadler.


“Tommy and former county judge Barb Sadler took me to lunch one day,” Melder said. “Judge Sadler said, ‘We want you to consider running for council.’ I looked at them both and I said, ‘I knew I should have skipped this lunch.’ About a week later I decided I would try it.”


Melder was elected as mayor in 2008 after Metcalf—who was elected as mayor in 2004—stepped down from the position.


“I guess the biggest challenge is always politics,” Melder said. “You take the good with the bad. You know the old saying: ‘You pray for rain, you have to deal with the mud.’ I have been fortunate to work with a good group of people here with the city staff. I have had some great council people on there to work with. Overall, Conroe is moving in the right direction.”


During his tenure with the city, Melder said he is most proud of his work on the financial aspect of city operations. One of his first priorities as a rookie council member was to address the $1.8 million deficit the city had accrued in preceding years.


Since 2005 the city has hired a finance director and an internal auditor who reports directly to City Council and started publishing monthly financial summary reports.


“This is the public’s money,” Melder said. “We have the highest credit rating the city has ever had. That means we get the lowest interest rates on bonds when we finance any new capital improvement projects—which saves the taxpayers millions of dollars.”


Other than focusing on his businesses, Melder said he is looking forward to a break from his public duties. Eventually he said he may consider serving with local organizations or committees.


“I have given back for many years, and I doubt that is going to change,” Melder said. “[I plan to] just enjoy life. [My wife], Beverley, and I have a son and a daughter and five grandkids; and I am certainly going to spend a lot of time with them.”