Southlake elected a new mayor in May, and he says the city must now focus on how to grow after the pandemic. John Huffman had been a city councilman in Southlake since 2015 and was elected mayor with 70% of the vote.
Huffman says he will focus on fiscal responsibility, disaster preparedness, and economic recovery.
He says Southlake needs to keep its property tax rate low to continue attracting residents and businesses.
On disaster preparedness, Huffman says the city must also ensure roads, the water system, and the drainage infrastructure are working properly. He says Southlake operates 208 miles of sewer lines and its water towers hold 30 million gallons. Huffman says that came into play when the water treatment facility at Eagle Mountain Lake was shut down during rolling blackouts in February.
On economic recovery, Huffman says the City of Southlake has given $890,000 in small business grants. Small businesses have been eligible for up to $10,000 each.
"They may not have access to the ten or hundred million dollar lines of credit," Huffman says. "To them, a $10,000 grant may mean they can make payroll for two more weeks."
He says Southlake has already loosened limits on signage businesses can place outside to attract customers.
"We want people to know Southlake is safe to come out and shop and dine and spend your money. We're open for business," Huffman says. "As a city, we want to be great, fertile soil for economic growth."
But Huffman says Southlake needs to understand how businesses of all sizes have struggled and what they need. He says larger businesses need access to an effective transportation network and a simple system of permitting.
Despite the drive to attract business, Huffman says Southlake must also balance the desire to remain a small community.
"When big corporations are moving here, they want to know they have a community behind them, and they can get involved in the community," Huffman says. "It's a place their employees can love. That's what we are and we'll continue to be."
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