Two DeSoto city councilmembers to seek re-election

by Daphne Brown of DeSoto TODAY

Two seats are up for grabs in the May 9 election for DeSoto City Council.

Filing for Places 6 and 7, currently held by Councilmen Carl Sherman and Carl Williams, respectively, begins Feb. 9 and continues through 5 p.m. March 9, according to the DeSoto City Secretary's office.

The DeSoto City Council considered a resolution calling for the election at its Feb. 3 council meeting. The city plans to conduct its election through Dallas County, along with about 30 other city and school districts, as a convenient and cost-saving measure, according to information given to the council.

Sherman and Williams each are completing their first, three-year terms on the council. Both said they are planning to seek re-election.

Sherman, currently serving as DeSoto's mayor pro tem, has lived in DeSoto for 13 years. He is the council liaison to the Best Southwest Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition Board and serves on the TEX-21 Subsidiary of River of Trade, Agile Port, Trans-Texas Corridor and on Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson's Business Advisory Committee.

Having served as immediate past chairman of the Best Southwest Chamber of Commerce, Sherman also served as the 2006 chairman of the DeSoto Chamber of Commerce, 2002 Chairman of the Business and Government Affairs Committee for the DeSoto chamber as well as on the DeSoto Charter Review Commission in 2001.

Williams, a resident of DeSoto for 20 years, serves as council liaison to the Audit Finance Committee, the Planning and Zoning Commission, the DeSoto Economic Development Corporation and the DeSoto Independent School District Board of Trustees.

A DEDC boardmember from 1998-2003, including secretary-treasurer, vice president and president, Williams served on the 2005-06 P&Z and the DeSoto Charter Review Commission in 2001.

Candidates for elected office in DeSoto run by place and are elected at large by registered voters of the entire city. Also, qualified candidates must have resided within the district for which they seek for one year prior to election.