ROCKWALL, TX – May 18, 2021 — The Rockwall city council held a swearing-in ceremony for individuals elected and re-elected to the council during its meeting on May 17. Kevin Fowler was sworn in as the new Rockwall Mayor, and Clarence Jorif was sworn in as a new council member at Place 3 on the council. Dana Macalik, Anna Campbell, and Bennie Daniels were sworn in to their respective places on the council (Place 5, Place 6 and Place 1) after running unopposed for re-election.
Fowler, who has served on the council for the past six years, spoke on his goals for the city in his two-year term as the newly-elected mayor. One major project he said would consume a lot of the council’s time and energy is the upcoming I-30 expansion project.
“We need to protect and help where possible those businesses operating along I-30 during that construction,” Fowler said. “We’re going to have to learn to be patient. We need to be better than we’ve ever been about communicating with TxDOT, the community, and our affected businesses. We’re going to need a strong marketing plan. We need to make sure people know that just because it’s a little uncomfortable, a little dusty, a little hard to get around, that we are still open for business.”
Another goal Fowler outlined is to lower the tax rate.
“We have a long history of lowering the tax rate this year. We are beginning the budget process, and in August we will meet as a council and hold public hearings of which I encourage everyone to be here and be a part. Early indications are that we will again be able to lower the tax rate,” Fowler said.
Fowler said the city would be receiving some COVID relief funds and are looking at some areas where they can utilize those funds.
“We have some areas in the city that are on very, very small lots that are on septic. We’re looking at maybe using those funds, if there’s enough and we can lay it out, that we can get those folks off of septic and onto sewer,” he said.
Fowler said the council will continue to push the John King-Goliad project forward, look into planning for a future expansion of the Rockwall Police Department building and Rockwall Fire Station No. 1, and install a life-size “Discovery Statue” outside the Rockwall County Courthouse on the downtown square (at no expense to taxpayers, of course).
“Hopefully I can do what other mayors have done and leave the city a better place than when I got in,” Fowler said. “I have no doubt that with this council we will be able to do that.”
By Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News.
Our print edition is delivered free to ~15,500 homes in Rockwall and Heath, TX.
To share your good news and events, email editor@BlueRibbonNews.com.
Subscribe to our email newsletter here.
Advertising: 214-342-8000 or advertising@BlueRibbonNews.com.
Rockwall city council members sworn in, new Mayor Kevin Fowler outlines goals for the city added by Austin on
View all posts by Austin →