Pegasus News Election Survey: Lathan Watts, candidate for Lewisville City Council - Place 3

Pegasus: What is the one greatest thing that Lewisville City Council has achieved in the past year?

Watts: The one accomplishment in the last year that stands out the most to me is the new hotel/convention center. Lewisville was lacking a facility like this to entice convention business and meeting space. I believe this facility will play an important role in the years to come by adding to the list of benefits of doing business in Lewisville. Making our city a place to bring your business or start a new one is a key to continued economic growth. Commercial and residential revitalization will sustain our community and diversify our tax base. I believe this must be a priority for our city in the coming years. A close second would be the expansion and upgrade to our library. It is a wonderful addition and is receiving praise from Lewisville residents and visitors from other communities as well. Lewisville continues to offer a wide array of services to its citizens and the expansion of the library is an improvement on an already great record of public service by the leadership in our City.

Pegasus: What is the single biggest improvement that the Lewisville City Council needs?

Watts: Lewisville is entering an important phase in the life of any community. We are nearing 100% development of available property. Once we’re built out, the challenge will be finding ways to continue to attract young families and businesses to Lewisville to keep the city growing and flourishing instead of decaying from within. The City Council needs someone who can provide a voice for young families and new residents of the City. I am the only candidate running for Place 3 who can bring this perspective. I am still a relatively new member of the community having lived here for almost 4 years and I have a young family of my own. I can bring this important viewpoint to the Council and work well with the current members to lead our city to a bright future.

Pegasus: What is the toughest problem that you have ever solved?

Watts: In the time I served United States Senator John Cornyn, I helped his constituents with a vast array of difficult issues. Each day’s mail, phone call, or email presented a new problem with a different agency of the federal government. The toughest problem I’ve ever solved, I had to solve over and over again on a daily basis: how to navigate the federal bureaucracy and get a straight answer for a constituent. Each problem was unique, some were more difficult than others, but each time a citizen received a high level of service from the Senator’s office. That filled me with a great sense of pride and respect for public service and those who dedicate their lives to it. (Privacy laws prohibit discussion of specific cases, so please forgive my general answer.)

Pegasus: If you are elected and can only achieve ONE quantifiable thing in your term, what would it be?

Watts: I’m running for this office because I care about the community where my two little girls will grow up. I want Lewisville to be a safe place for children and families to live, work, and go to school. If I could only achieve one thing in my term, I hope it would be the passage of an ordinance creating a “safe zone” around our schools, daycare centers, parks, and other places our children frequent by prohibiting registered offenders from living within a specified perimeter of these establishments.