Q&A: New Richardson Mayor Bob Dubey hopes to continue strong relationship with City Council, move Richardson forward

During the May 6 general election, council member Bob Dubey earned over 51.5% of 9,518 ballots cast, defeating challenger and former council member Janet DePuy to win the Richardson mayoral election.

Dubey, who formerly represented Place 1 on Richardson City Council, was first elected in 2017. Prior to his tenure, he served on multiple city boards, including as chairman of the Charter Review Commission and chairman of the Park and Recreation Commission. He has also worked for Richardson ISD for 40 years, including serving as the district's athletic director for 17 years.

Former mayor Paul Voelker previously announced he was not seeking re-election, stating he did not want to head into the next cycle as a “lame duck” mayor. The mayor and all council members are elected to two-year terms with no member allowed to serve more than six consecutive two-year terms in any place, according to city officials.

Dubey spoke with Community Impact just after the election about becoming mayor, what he hopes to bring to City Council and some of the projects he’s looking forward to addressing over in the future. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

How does it feel to be elected as mayor of Richardson?

It’s an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment. I am very honored to be the next mayor of Richardson. The voters of Richardson have assembled a fabulous council and working with this talented team is going to be awesome.

What is your biggest accomplishment as a council member so far?

I've helped accomplish great things [on City Council], like developing the Richardson [Innovation Quarter]. I'm very pleased we have accomplished the Core Downtown and revitalized the Lockwood area. I'm very pleased that Chinatown has been able to come together. I think the diversity in the cultures and the equality being involved is maybe the most important thing that we've done.

What have you learned from former Mayor Voelker?

I want to take advantage of what he provided. Our city is in great shape so I want to compliment him about leaving this Council in good hands. Our leadership styles are not going to be the same, but the ultimate goal is that if we first listen and see what we can do, we can work together.

What are some priorities you are looking forward to addressing?

One of the most critical things that the Council needs to discuss is a radio replacement project because that is expensive. It provides the latest technology and the latest security communication devices that our police and fire staff need. Providing that technology is critical for us to be on the cutting edge going forward. Another project is the Arapaho [Dallas Area Rapid Transit station]. That's going to be the gateway to the Richardson IQ and help us to grow our development. That's the lifeblood of where we're going to go economically as the city continues to try to figure out what we're going to do with less than 3% green space.

What are your goals as mayor?

My role as mayor is to make sure that everyone on the Council understands that we're a team. We need to work together, communicate and do things within the guidelines of the laws to create what's best for our community. My job as the mayor is to bring a consensus to the table and allow everyone on our staff to see common ground as we move forward. I think we owe it to our taxpayers to work quickly, efficiently and have our solutions well thought through before it's discussed.