A tale of two mayors: The new kid and the veteran
A tale of two mayors: The new kid and the veteran
Written by Grant Fuller Saturday, 10 September 2005
Catherine Callen is a walking testament to unbridled growth in central Texas over the past ten years. When a software developer from North Carolina can claim Pflugerville’s highest public office, it’s safe to say a new era has arrived.
“Cat” moved here three years ago, but she has been quick to make her presence known, becoming the city’s first female mayor in 2004.
“We chose Pflugerville for our children because of the schools,” Callen said. “But since moving here, Pflugerville has become much, much more to me.”
After working more than ten hours a day as a project manager in the high-tech industry, Callen darts straight to the city council chambers to volunteer her evening as mayor of Pflugerville.
According to Callen, all the current talk around town is of the city’s growth and issues stemming from it, but Callen remains confident in the small-town roots of her adopted home.
“The things that make a town feel small are when you know your neighbors or when you go to the corner store, you know the person behind the counter,” Callen said.
To stay tuned in to the small town attitude, Mayor Callen hosts monthly town hall meetings. After overcoming obstacles just to win the election, the mayor is adamant about listening to the opinions of her fellow citizens and leaving a legacy of open access when she steps down.
“I would love to leave the mayor’s office and have everyone say, ‘When Cat was in charge, we knew what was going on,’” Callen says. “I’d like for people to feel like, ‘If I want to know, I can find out. I know that the city’s going to listen to me.’”
Q How did you first get involved in politics?
A When I was 11 years old, I started volunteering for campaigns 40 hours a week during the summers, and I picked politics because the idea of being able to shape a community or make decisions that will affect people’s lives was very, very exciting to me and I thought I could do some good in the world. They put me behind the front desk answering phones and doing odd jobs.
Q What is the biggest challenge facing Pflugerville today?
A Growth. No question about it. We have had explosive housing growth in the last 20 years and now we need commercial growth to balance it.
Q How do you feel about the horse race track conflict in retrospect?
A I learned a lot of good lessons from that. The first big council meeting was held in a space that was entirely too small, and we really needed to provide more time and a better discussion environment for it. When the council sees an issue coming that’s likely to be a controversial issue like that, we should make an effort to have a couple of very public, very large meetings where everyone can say everything that needs to be said about it.
CATHERINE CALLEN, Mayor of Pflugerville
Born - 1974 in Raleigh, North Carolina
Education - Duke University (Economics major, Public Policy minor); attended school in northern Virginia
Family - Married; two stepchildren, Lucas (9) and Nicholas (5)
Greatest accomplishment - "Becoming mayor of Pflugerville. When I ran, my husband and I figured there was a very slim chance that I could actually win because I was young, because I was female, because I was new to politics in Pflugerville, for a lot of different reasons."
Favorite area restaurant - "Cafe 101 (downtown) and Venice Cafe and Italian Grill (FM 685)."
Contact info - 990-4363; mayor@cityofpflugerville.com
If 78 percent of reelection votes in May are any indication, Mayor Nyle Maxwell is doing things right for Round Rock. In his second term as mayor, he faces new issues in the city he has called home for 15 years.
“I’m a salesman and I’m a people person,” Maxwell explains. “I’ve learned a tremendous amount about our community of Round Rock, far more than I ever thought I would learn. I love the can-do attitude of so many people giving of their time and resources.”
The fiscal conservativeness of Round Rock voters can put him in a bind as he strives to share his vision for the community’s growth.
“My overall vision is to help manage Round Rock’s growth efficiently, sustain and enhance our quality of life, and transform the new Round Rock into something that’s going to look and feel quite differently than what we’re used to here now,” Maxwell said.
“The right type of industry is good for any municipality because it raises the commercial tax base, which lessens the burden on residential property taxes.”
As mayor of Round Rock, president and CEO of Maxwell Auto Group and father of four, Maxwell’s work day often involves business negotiations, council meetings and a child’s basketball game.
“It’s been a tough balancing act, but I’ve got a good management team at the Maxwell Auto Group,” Maxwell says. “As my wife keeps reminding me, the most important job I have is husband and father. I’ve got to juggle those duties and responsibilities, and that gets tough sometimes. So we try to keep that in perspective.”
Q How did you first get involved in politics?
A Former mayor, Robert Stluka, and other active citizens asked me to run. There was a need for leadership that had a business background, and that made sense.
Q What is the biggest challenge facing
Round Rock today?
A Traffic is still a major issue. We need to get these north-south arterials open to relieve some of the pressure from I-35 and Mays. And economic diversity through economic development is an opportunity, but it’s also a challenge.
Q How does the defeat of the school bonds issue impact your vision for the city?
A The message was very clear that if you don’t have the right plan, and we don’t have your vision, and we don’t understand where the money’s gonna be spent, we’re not gonna approve a tax increase. We need a new high school and middle school, and unless we get those things, our children will continue to be crammed into these schools and into portables, and that’s not a good situation.
NYLE MAXWELL, Mayor of Round Rock
Born - December 6, 1955 in Austin
Education - University of Texas; Sidney Lanier High School
Family - Wife, Nancy, four children; Trey (19), Marcie (16), Jeff (11), and Gracie (4)
Greatest accomplishment - "Convincing my wite to stay married to me for 20 years and raising four children. (Laughs) I'm proud that we've been able to raise our four children and make a difference in our community."
Favorite area restaurant - "Oh, no, I've been in trouble with the restaurants before. I'm partial to Tex-Mex, but I also love Italian food. But I don't have one favorite restaurant. That's a real politician's answer for you."
Contact info - 218-5401; mayor@roundrock.tx.us
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