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City mayors recall road leading to political involvement

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Wednesday, 07 June 2006

Bob Lemon, Mayor, City of Cedar Park

Bob Lemon was interested in the theory of politics most of his life, so it was no surprise when he finally ran for public office as a precinct chairman in Florida in the early 1980s. After moving to Texas in 1988, he was elected three years later as a precinct candidate for Williamson County’s 25th District. During the next 14 years, he served three times as his party’s convention chairman and was a delegate to Texas’ Republican state convention eight times. His most recent re-election efforts garnered 63 ½ percent of the vote – the largest turnout of voters in Cedar Park in quite some time. “I’m just humbled the residents think I’ve done a good job and wanted me back for another term,” he says.

Q. Who do you feel gave you your values?: A. President Ronald Reagan was an impetus for me to become involved in politics, but there really isn’t one individual I can credit for instilling this passion in me. I will say that my wife has played a major role in teaching me how to reach out to my constituents, and is probably one of the main reasons I am in office today.
Q. What is the biggest challenge facing Cedar Park?: A. We are at a crossroad. Transportation is the number one issue; how people can enter, exit and move about within Cedar Park. We also know our limitations on what land is left to develop, and feel the pressure to convert commercially-zoned land for residential use. Our 1998 city plan calls for the creation of a full-service city; we want to have that land available for commercial development when the time is right.
Q. How do you envision Town Center bringing the city together?: A. When we were looking at how other communities created their town centers, we stood in Southlake and said ‘this is a way someone implemented our vision.’ With the new city hall and recreation center serving as the anchors in the development, we will create not only a destination location, but a true sense of place for Cedar Park residents.
Q. What is your greatest accomplishment?: A. Running unopposed for mayor, and knowing that the people of Cedar Park have the confidence in me that we will do what needs to be done to continue to make the city a place people are proud to live in.
Q. What is currently in your CD player?: A. Some songs that were recorded for the fifth- and sixth-grade Sunday school class at Hill Country Bible Church. I play bass in a band that performs for approximately 200 children and 50 adults every Sunday.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in sociology from Houghton College, New York; Bachelor’s degree in computer science from State University of New York
Family: Married 24 years; three daughters, ages 24, 22 and 11
Contact Information: 736-3515, mayor@ci.cedar-park.tx.us

John Cowman, Mayor, City of Leander

John Cowman wanted “something good to happen to western Williamson County,” so in 2002 he threw his hat into the political ring to get the ball rolling in Leander. “My decision to run for public office was based on my desire to help make changes that I knew would benefit not only the residents of Leander, but the surrounding communities as well.” He’s been dubbed a “regional thinker” by most who know and work with him, and is obviously proud of the role Leander is playing in the incredible growth of central Texas.

Q. Who do you feel gave you your values?: A. Most definitely my mother. She was the matriarch of the family and she and my father raised me in a very stable family environment. She taught me to always be humble, fair and giving. And she instilled in me a passion to volunteer.
Q. What is the biggest challenge facing Leander?: A. Managing the quality of growth of our city. Leander is averaging an annual population growth between 15 and 18 percent. With growth sometimes comes pain, and the test is coming within the next year, possibly in the form of taxes. But like the family that Leander is, we’ll pull through it together.
Q. How do you see the TOD progressing?: A. Some work has already begun within the TOD and I’m extremely encouraged by the numerous discussions between landowners and developers. I can’t wait to get out of bed in the morning to see what is going to happen regarding the TOD.
Q. What is your greatest accomplishment?: A. My accomplishments in relation to Leander are all team efforts. We’ve created a sense of regionalism in all we do, with the premise that what is good for Leander is good for our neighbors, and vice versa. One of my proudest moments was when I read a recent article about the arrival of the Capital Metro commuter rail that read “it all started at a meeting in Leander.”
Q. What is currently in your CD player?: A. Patty Griffin, Asleep at the Wheel, Johann Pachelbel and Junior Brown.