The Seguin Daily News today continues to highlight the local candidates appearing on the November 8, 2022, General Election. Each candidate was asked to respond to the following three questions. Early voting begins Monday, Oct. 24 and runs through Friday, Nov.4. Today’s featured contest is the race for City of Seguin, District 8. The winner will replace Councilman Mark Herbold who can no longer run due to term limits.
BILL KELLER
Tell us why you’re running?
Without any political aspirations, I got a phone call from our current District 8 City Councilman Mark Herbold encouraging me to run for the seat, After prayerful consideration and more persuasion from Kitty, I decided that I would file as a candidate, as | state in my campaign literature, I feel that it is everyone’s duty to be of service to their community if they have the ability to do so. Seguin has given us a lot through the 43 years we have lived here, and I feel it’s my time to return that service as the District 8 Councilman. And hopefully, my candidacy will inspire others to run for office and contribute in other ways to our community.
What are the biggest challenges facing the winner of this seat, and how are you prepared to address those challenges?
In a word, our biggest challenge in Seguin today, and for the next several years, is growth. We are in the midst of an unprecedented expansion of our city, with many new neighborhoods being built. Our biggest challenges will be to provide all our citizens with the necessary city services, as well as providing new and updated infrastructure. We will need to address the need for additional police, fire and emergency personnel with our growing population. We need to promote the expansion of retail services as well as restaurants. These offerings will help keep tax dollars in our community rather than seeing them travel to neighboring cities.
What do you believe makes you the best candidate for the job? In other words, what do you believe sets you apart from your opponents?
I feel uncomfortable comparing my qualifications with others. I prefer to make my case and let the voters decide. To tell my story, Kitty and I moved to Seguin in 1979 after living in Dallas for four years. We found ourselves visiting Seguin, which is Kitty’s hometown, about every six weeks or more, and I fell in love with the city and its people. We were accepted with open arms and have flourished through these 43 years. My community involvement is plentiful and diverse. I have been given many opportunities. I have learned to work with city staff by serving as chairman of the Parks and Recreation Board and the Building and Standards Commission. I was a member of the Seguin Rotary Club for 39 years, serving as president in the late ‘80’s. I was on the board of directors of the Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce for many years, serving as chairman in ‘97-’98. I represented the Chamber on the Central Texas Golf Fest Committee for many years. I have been president of both St. James Parish Council and Faith Lutheran Church Council. I participated with the mentor program of Seguin Youth Services for several years and was a Mentor of the Year. I have enjoyed performing in 20 stage productions in various venues in Seguin. One of my favorite activities was being on the “chain gang” for Seguin High School Matador football games for 36 years. In my 25 years at CMC Steel Texas, I developed a strong work ethic and learned the importance of teamwork. I have been in leadership roles in many organizations, but being a councilman is a position of service. It’s a matter of listening to the citizens and representing their interests while sitting on the council. I want to give back to the City of Seguin for all that has been given to me.
EDDIE DAVILA
Tell us why you’re running?
I made the decision to run for The District 8 seat on the Seguin City Council because I believe I can have an impact on how we as a community, can come together to grow in areas that will benefit residents for generations to come. I have proven my commitment to serving the community in several different factors that have allowed those to benefit when needed. I believe I represent the values that District 8 believes are important. I will commit to serving the community with integrity and honesty with complete transparency. District 8 has several opportunities available that will allow our area community to grow effectively, and I believe I am the right person at the right time to lead District 8 into a new and exciting era.
What are the biggest challenges facing the winner of this seat, and how are you prepared to address those challenges?
I am running to represent District 8 so that I may be able to assist in addressing the issues and concerns facing our city today. While our fast-growing community and aging infrastructure are major challenges, I plan to look to find ways to cohesively manage growth by partnering with the County and both local school districts while placing our community’s wants and needs at the forefront. I am not looking at our growth as only a challenge but as a responsibility and opportunity. With new commerce, we must address, not sacrifice, our current infrastructure which is in need of sensible updates and upgrades. I will also advocate for current business owners in the community and find ways to foster growth in areas to compete and provide our citizens with more choices and places to frequent and spend their hard earn money in our own city. I will push for Seguin to stay competitive by encouraging and finding ways to incentivize our school systems within the ISDs as well at our local collegiate level. I will look at these issues as responsibilities and find opportunities.
What do you believe makes you the best candidate for the job? In other words, what do you believe sets you apart from your opponents?
As a lifelong resident, I grew up in the District that I am vying to represent. My wife, Carmen, and I have raised three children in the district as well. District 8 has always been home. What sets me apart from my opponents is my proven commitment to helping and serving our city, and my willingness to hear from our community and help communicate their needs. I continue to serve and stay involved in the Seguin-Guadalupe County areas that I believe benefit the entire community in a wide array of boards and commissions, including the Guadalupe County Child Welfare Board and the Seguin Planning and Zoning Board. I was named as a Special Commissioner for Guadalupe County and served on the Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors. I also continue to be active in the OLG Catholic Parish, where I serve as a member of the Parish Council and volunteer to teach in our Catholic Religious Youth Program. I was designated as a National Delegate for the K of C representing the State of Texas in 2020. In 2013, I was fortunate to be an intricate member to push for a bond package that passed with 74% approval by the voters in Seguin that allowed for a much-needed Seguin High School, a new Library, and City Park improvements. I was fortunate to grow up in Seguin and understand the challenges facing a growing community and I know my current and past city and county involvements have helped me become well-prepared to represent District 8 on City Council.
STEVEN BERGER
Tell us why you’re running?
Seguin as we see it is entering a New Era. An Era of growth. I know that some residents welcome this and some are hesitant to what they are seeing happen to our small town. However, you feel it is happening and with this growth the city is going to need strong leadership to help steer us in the right direction. I will promise to be transparent and work for my district and be a voice of their concerns. As we anticipate this new growth, we will need to be focused on growing smart as a city. We will need to make the right decisions that will not cause headaches like what we have been seeing in cities around us where they grow too fast and don’t have the ample infrastructure in place to support this new growth.
What are the biggest challenges facing the winner of this seat, and how are you prepared to address those challenges?
I think the biggest challenge facing the winner of District 8 is going to be handling the concerns of the Seguin citizens, not just in the district where your seat is but as a city as a whole. We are seeing growth that our city hasn’t seen in a long while and it looks like it is coming at us in all directions. Getting ahead of this growth and preparing the cities infrastructure to handle this growth is what I would want to do to address these challenges.
What do you believe makes you the best candidate for the job? In other words, what do you believe sets you apart from your opponents?
What makes me the best candidate is that I have a strong work ethic, I work well with others on tackling issues, and I care about the citizens of our great city. I am willing to stand up for what needs and issues our residents are concerned about and make those issues a priority. We are all in this together and we need strong leaders on City Council that will work in the best interest of our residents here in Seguin. I look forward to your support and look forward to hopefully serving our city and my district.