Education
Texas Tech University and Art Institute of Dallas
Experience
Chamber Board Member, Downtown Commissioner, Education Foundation Board Member, Founding Member of Celina Local Business Alliance, Leadership Celina Class 3
Campaign Phone
214-537-3493
Celina is at an important moment in its growth, and I want to help ensure that growth is thoughtful so we can preserve what makes this community special for the people who live here. I’ve spent the past several years working alongside local businesses, community organizations, and residents. Through my work with the Chamber, Downtown Commission, and as a founding member of the Celina Local Business Alliance, I’ve helped support initiatives that strengthen our local economy and keep our community connected. For me, this is about people. When we collaborate well, it creates opportunity, supports local businesses, and helps preserve the character that makes Celina feel like home.
Celina will continue to see strong growth, including new residents, expanded infrastructure needs, and interest from major retailers. That growth brings opportunity, but it also requires thoughtful planning to ensure it benefits the people who already call Celina home. I support a Local First approach that makes it easier for residents to start and grow businesses here by reducing unnecessary barriers and keeping permitting clear and predictable. Growth should create opportunity for our own residents, not just outside companies. When we support local businesses, we strengthen our economy, build community connections, and preserve the character that makes Celina feel like home.
Celina’s transportation system is still catching up with its rapid growth. Many residents are feeling the impact through traffic, construction, and longer travel times, so improving roads and connectivity must remain a priority. I support continued investment in road expansion, better traffic flow planning, and advocating for improvements on major corridors that impact daily commutes. At the same time, we should expand safe pathways for walking, biking, and golf carts to connect neighborhoods to downtown and to each other. These improvements give residents more options to get around while strengthening the sense of community that makes Celina special.
Beyond transportation, drainage and walkability are key infrastructure needs in Celina. Downtown drainage has been a long-standing issue, and continuing to prioritize those improvements is important to protect property and public safety. Sidewalks also need attention, as many are missing or in disrepair, making it difficult for residents to safely walk or cross busy streets. Many of these projects are already underway, and we should stay focused on completing them through careful planning, fiscally responsible investment, and ensuring new development helps support the cost of needed improvements.
Affordability is a growing concern for many residents, and while there are broader economic factors outside the city’s control, we can make thoughtful decisions that help manage costs locally. That includes being fiscally responsible, expanding our sales tax base, and ensuring residents have a voice in major financial decisions that impact their community.
When people have more transparency and input on how tax dollars are used, it builds trust and helps ensure we are investing in the priorities that matter most to residents. The goal is to manage growth in a way that keeps Celina a place families can continue to afford and enjoy.
Managing the city’s budget requires a focus on transparency, accountability, and long-term planning. Residents deserve to clearly understand how decisions are made and how their tax dollars are being used. I believe we should continue to grow our sales tax base to help reduce the burden on homeowners. That includes using incentives thoughtfully and ensuring the return to the community is greater than the investment. As Celina grows, infrastructure will be funded through a combination of responsible debt and new development. Residents should have a voice in major financial decisions, and it’s important they feel confident those decisions align with the community’s priorities.
My vision for land use in Celina is thoughtful, balanced growth that supports both our residents and our long-term future.
We already have a strong foundation through the city’s 2040 Master Plan, and I believe we should continue to follow and refine that vision. Clearer overlays and zoning that define what is allowed by right can help create predictability for residents and businesses while protecting neighborhood character.
That means encouraging a mix of housing options and being intentional about where commercial growth occurs.
Collaboration with county, state, and regional partners is one of the most important roles of city council. Many of the decisions that impact Celina are made beyond our city limits, so staying engaged is essential. I believe in building strong relationships with elected officials and regional organizations and staying involved in conversations early, before policies are finalized. That allows Celina to have a voice in decisions that affect our growth, infrastructure, and long-term planning. By staying connected and proactive, we can better advocate for our residents and ensure Celina’s needs are represented at every level.
One of the most important ongoing issues is making sure Celina grows without losing the sense of community that makes it special. As new development continues, it’s important that we stay intentional about preserving our local character, supporting community spaces, and maintaining the connections that bring people together. That also means continuing to listen to residents and making sure they feel informed and involved as decisions are made. Growth can bring opportunity, but it should also strengthen the relationships and quality of life that people value. The goal is to ensure Celina continues to feel like home, even as it grows.
Education
Some College / Master Peace Officer License
Experience
27 Years Law Enforcement / Data Engineering
Campaign Phone
2147083403
I'm running because Celina is my home. My family's roots here go back more than 150 years. I spent 27 years in law enforcement, including serving as Celina's Assistant Chief of Police, and my wife and I are small business owners. I've worked alongside city staff, developers, residents, and fellow officers, and I've seen firsthand how decisions at city hall affect everyday life. I'm not a developer or a political insider. I'm running because the people who live here deserve a council member who will prioritize residents over special interests and bring real accountability to how this city is managed during one of the most critical growth periods in its history.
Celina is one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas, and over the next few years that growth will continue to test our infrastructure, water supply, public safety capacity, and fiscal discipline. The city currently carries over $1 billion in total debt obligations, one of the highest per-capita debt loads among comparable cities. My plan is to ensure that infrastructure is built before rooftops, not years after development occurs. Developers must pay their fair share through properly structured impact fees. Public safety staffing must grow strategically with the population. And residents need transparent reporting on project timelines, costs, and financial obligations so they can see exactly where their tax dollars are going.
Celina's road network has not kept pace with growth, and many residents are feeling that every day. Connectivity projects like Legacy Bridge and J. Fred Smith Parkway are critical for mobility and safety and should not be delayed. If trade-offs are necessary, I would defer cosmetic projects or marketing initiatives before deferring infrastructure that residents rely on daily. As the city expands east and north, transportation decisions should be guided by objective data, traffic volume, safety impact, and population served. I would also support quarterly public updates on project timelines so residents know what to expect and when.
Beyond transportation, water is our most urgent infrastructure challenge. North Texas faces long-term supply constraints, and Celina must take a dual approach: securing future supply through regional projects like Lake Ralph Hall while reducing per-capita consumption today. I'm proposing an annual public Water Security Report so residents can track supply projections, conservation results, and long-term planning. On the capital side, roads, water, and sewer should be prioritized ahead of amenities in our capital improvement plan. Every major project should have transparent competitive bidding, annual progress reports, and clear timelines. That's how you get infrastructure done responsibly.
The most important thing Celina can do is be honest about what residents actually pay. The council has lowered the property tax rate in recent years, but rising valuations mean many homeowners still pay more. A rate cut that doesn't reduce your bill isn't relief, it's a talking point. I would focus on the actual tax burden, not just the rate. Diversifying revenue through commercial development along corridors like the Dallas North Tollway and Preston Road helps reduce reliance on residential property taxes. I would also push for transparency around costs like PID assessments so homebuyers understand the full financial impact before purchasing in certain developments. And we need to reevaluate how TIRZ districts capture future tax revenue.
Celina carries over $1 billion in debt obligations, and that requires serious attention. My first priority is fiscal accountability. Greater voter involvement in major debt decisions, clearer reporting on financial obligations, and strict conditions before creating new special taxing districts like PIDs and TIRZ. I would require a published fiscal impact analysis, a defined sunset clause, proof that the general fund will not carry the long-term burden, and annual public reporting of district performance. Where districts have fulfilled their purpose, I would push to sunset them early so the captured revenue returns to the general fund. I also support a public financial dashboard so residents can track city spending in real time.
Celina should follow its comprehensive plan and resist rezoning decisions that reduce lot sizes below established standards. Developers often seek smaller lots to increase profit per acre, but that approach erodes the character that attracted residents here in the first place. I support directing major retail toward commercial corridors like the Dallas North Tollway and Preston Road while preserving downtown and neighborhood centers for locally owned businesses. For our agricultural heritage, I'm proposing conservation easements along key corridors and an Agricultural Heritage Overlay Zone that maintains rural design standards and larger lot sizes. Once farmland becomes a subdivision, it never returns to agriculture.
Regional partnerships are essential, particularly on water. Celina should remain actively engaged with the Upper Trinity Regional Water District as projects like Lake Ralph Hall move forward. At the state level, I believe the city should advocate for policies that protect local control and support fast-growing communities. But I also believe Celina's most urgent problems are local like debt, infrastructure, water, and public safety and that's where a council member's primary focus should be. Collaboration is important, but it starts with getting your own house in order.
Transparency is the issue that ties everything else together. Residents deserve automated notifications when someone proposes a zoning change near their home, a feedback portal where every submission receives a response within a defined timeframe, and regular town hall meetings across the city. Government works best when citizens are treated as stakeholders, not spectators. That kind of accountability benefits small businesses, homeowners, and the city itself.
