May 2022 Election: Tom Etheredge

What made you want to run for this position?

I was approached several months ago by colleagues on the council and asked to consider running for mayor. They, like I, foresee the unique challenges and opportunities facing Smithville over the next few years, particularly related to rapid growth eastward from Austin, and its associated effects on those smaller communities in that path of growth. I care deeply about Smithville and want to do what I can to see us prosper from growth but also keep it a special place for future generations. Many of us feel experienced leadership and strong business acumen will be critical to navigate the coming growth in a way that produces the right balance between growth and preservation.

What kind of experience - educational, professional or personal - do you bring to this position?

In addition to my prior experience on the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission and as a current City Council member, I have more than 35 years of business experience and organizational leadership skills. That experience is concentrated in the fields of finance/banking, natural resources and real estate, and includes senior and executive leadership positions at both private and publicly-traded companies. I received a BA in Economics from St. Edward’s University in Austin, and I also am a graduate of the Southwest Graduate School of Banking (SMU, Dallas). I grew up in a small central Texas town, so I understand and appreciate small town values. I enjoy being actively engaged in the entire community, being a ready listener, imagining new possibilities for our community and its citizens, and staying focused on the many number of things we have in common, rather than the very few that might, from time to time, divide us.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing Smithville?

The biggest challenge is the expansion eastward from Austin, and how to find the right balance between growth and preservation so current and future generations will enjoy the quality of life we all want and deserve here in Smithville. To effectively deal with this challenge, we must have a well-thought out vision for our town, supported by community consensus, and a strategic roadmap for how to get there. To accomplish that we need strong and experienced leadership, with the ability to inspire, build consensus for, and drive a vision.

How do you expect Smithville to adapt as Bastrop County’s population grows? Where do you see the city in five years?

How we adapt, I believe, will be a function of how well-prepared we become for the growth. If we are proactive, I believe we can achieve the right balance between growth and preservation.  Things such as land use and infrastructure will need heightened attention in the immediate future, if we are to effectively adapt to the pressures of population growth. We cannot afford to get behind the curve and be playing catch-up. We need to have broader control over future land use, which means consideration (and hopefully adoption) of home rule governance when we reach the legal threshold to consider it. Further, we need to plan for future infrastructure – roads and utilities – and we need to assess and position for success the city’s iconic assets, including the airport, the hospital “district,” the Colorado River, Main Street, and River Bend Park. We need a “comprehensive housing solution, one that doesn’t just focus on one segment of the market. We need both rental and for sale product, and we need price points across the spectrum in each.

In five years, I believe Smithville will look different in some ways and the same in others – hence the balance between growth and preservation.  Not an exhaustive list, but here are some thoughts/possibilities.

I expect quite a significant increase in population and housing throughout the city, new business expansion (including new southside locations, probably along Highway 95), and a noticeably larger geographic city footprint. A continued commitment to upgrading our infrastructure. A solid plan (if not work underway) for expanding the airport runway to 5,000 feet.  More scheduled events at River Bend Park. Most likely a new city manager, as our current one plans to retire within the next one to two years. Hopefully, we have home rule governance, so we have better control over land use. The Workforce Training Center will have much broader offerings, an expanded physical presence, and be considered a training center of choice throughout the region. Plans will be in place for a new library. The downtown district will have more businesses, but they will have retained that historic, local quality that currently exists. Perhaps the downtown will feature more pedestrian-focused streetscaping and at least one boutique hotel. MLK Park will have been upgraded and expanded, potentially to include additional amenities. Neighborhoods will have retained their historic look and feel, although newer housing developments will exist on the expanded boundaries.

What is the accomplishment you are most proud of during your time in office as city council member? What is one issue you want to fix or improve if you take office as mayor?

I am proud to have been a part of several accomplishments of the council during this term: (1) championing pay raises for hourly workers, (2) negotiation and execution of an employment contract for the city manager, (3) creation and city funding of an annual Independence Day celebration at River Bend Park, and (4) revisions to the city’s sound ordinance. If I were to be elected mayor, one of the highest priorities would be a more proactive role in strategic planning and policy-setting by the council – more ownership of the vision for the city and more engagement between the council and the community.

Why should the voters choose you? What sets you apart from your opponent?

I believe I have the professional skills, leadership experience, work ethic and commitment to be effective as mayor, particularly with the anticipated challenges ahead. I am committed to finding the right balance between growth and preservation, and to providing the leadership necessary to inspire and drive a vision for the future of Smithville. I believe the depth and breadth of these aforementioned attributes are key differentiators when compared to my opponent.   

Email: Tom4MayorSTX@gmail.com

Facebook: @TomEtheredgeforSmithvilleMayor