A month ago, on June 12th I announced that I intend to file for Trophy Club Town Council Place 4, vacated by the elected official and subject to special election in September.
I stated then that “I can’t say I desire to be a council member, but I can say that I want to continue to serve our community and I see a need that I believe I can help fill”. Please don’t misinterpret this statement as a lack of commitment on my part. I am not driven to be a politician, as I jokingly ribbed my friend (now Secretary of State Mike Pompeo) when he first told me he was thinking about running for Congress in Kansas. I told him if he really wanted that, then he should be disqualified from running – meaning desiring the title over desiring to serve would be seeking the position for the wrong reasons. I then went on to co-chair his Veteran Committee and represented him at events around Kansas when he was not able to personally attend, because I knew he was doing it for the right reasons.
I don’t seek this position for the title, but I do believe I can contribute to the leadership of our community. Here’s why.
About seven years ago my wife Sara took the opportunity to transfer to the DFW area. She knew some people here from her work at Textron companies. I knew two people who had moved here from my high school in Kansas, but that was it. Sara came to the area a few months before me, as I sold our home and arranged our move from Kansas. She saw what would become our home in Trophy Club, called and excitedly told me about it, and I told her to grab it before someone else did. I saw the home just a few days before closing.
We could not have picked a better community if we had researched the area for a year.
I work from my home office. My work with veterans is focused on where they live, not on where I live. I could have stayed in my house and interacted with few here locally but I decided to get involved. I joined the nearest Rotary Club (at that time in Westlake, now there is also one in Trophy Club) and immediately began to make friends. I talked with Jim Parrow, then on Town Council about starting a monthly veteran breakfast, and it grew from three of us to over a hundred on the email list, with about 30 attending each month (the 2nd Saturday, 9am at Meat U Anywhere). That became the Metroport Veteran Association and from the MVA started the Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies that have become so meaningful. This May over 200 attended the Memorial Day ceremony!
I can’t claim all the credit, but I helped light the spark. From that spark, I’ve become friends now with so many in the community, and I’m in awe of folks like Mindi Bone, Tiffany Nimphius, Kelly Castonguay, Chris Bailey, Alicia Fleury and so many others who work hard to pull our community together and enrich our lives. I was stunned earlier this year to be asked to be the Grand Marshal for the 4th of July Parade of Patriots. What an honor!
What are my priorities if I serve on Town Council? The Northwest Metroport Chamber of Commerce predicts that over the next twenty years the 114/170/377 area will be the geographical center of the DFW metroplex. That’s a lot of growth and with it will come many challenges. I will work to ensure our law enforcement and first responders are well-trained and have the resources they need to support our safety. I will support existing projects to ensure they maximize value and benefit for the Town, and I will work to continue developing relationships with neighboring communities, civic clubs such as Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce. I will listen to the concerns of my fellow residents and bring them to Town management for resolution.
I will also work to overcome some of the negativity and animosity that is so prevalent on social media. We chose to live here, to live together. Let’s work together to improve each other and our Town, not tear each other apart.
I’m interested in what you think are the major issues facing our Town. How can I help, and how can I help get you involved? Click on the Contact link at the top, and be sure to include your Trophy Club address, if you live here.
~Karl
Bless your heart, Dude! I am not far from you (Pilot Point). If you are going to be a damn politician, have a positive impact! Good luck! RLTW!!!
Excellent message and commentary as usual Karl.
Good luck Karl! I think your priorities are spot on and you can refine once elected. I’m not in Texas or your town but follow you through your support of Veterans. Keep up the great work!
You clearly enjoy serving the Country in as many “Direct Effect “ Roles. I believe you would think of the Community in its Past, Present, and Future, before making decisions. A solid choice.