VALLEY MILLS, Texas (KXXV) — Many Valley Mills residents are wondering who the next mayor will be, and city council members already decided what to do next.
- Residents of Valley Mills go weeks without a mayor
- Residents speak out about the needs of their community
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"I would like to see them improve a lot of things that need to be done," said Melinda Clingerman, a resident of Valley Mills.
"I'd love to see more action on the city itself and the infrastructure," said Estee Ingallina, a resident of Valley Mills.
Clingerman and Ingallina are both in-tune residents of Valley Mills and want the city to be up on the rise.
After two weeks with no official mayor, Clingerman and Ingallina believe they need one to get things done.
"One that's going to come in and do the job that needs to be done and Ray Bickerstaff did a great job," Clingerman said.
"It breaks my heart that he's gone, but we need to get other people in there that will get the ball chain rolling."
Both residents have a list of important issues that need attention.
"We've had a lot of issues with water in Valley Mills, and so it would be really nice to see some of the lines fixed and improved just so we have good clean water," Ingallina said.
"I think the roads need to be repaired, a lot of them," Clingerman said.
"I would like to see in the alleys we have a lot of trees roll over, somebody needs to take care of them so that if the police or the fire department had to come through here they wouldn't be able to."
During Monday night's city council meeting, council members received word from their legal team that they can either appoint someone as mayor or wait until May 2025 to host an election.
Council members decided to wait until next year's election which leaves Craig Godby as the mayor pro tem.
But can Ingallina and Clingerman wait until next year?
"I think a mayor pro tem is good for now, he's fine for now — he's been on the council I know he knows the city and cares about it," Ingallina said.
"But it would be cool to see who else is out there and who's interested in being mayor and ideas they can bring to the table."
"I think we need a mayor," Clingerman said.
"I don't care for these pro-tem ones because they've never been on the ballot to get voted in and stuff — that should not be done."
