Below are race results for elections in Tarrant County on Saturday Some races will include results for votes in multiple jurisdictions and are labeled (All Counties); otherwise the total is only for votes cast in that county Get top local stories delivered to you every morning with NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter By Gromer Jeffers Jr.political writer readMansfield Mayor Michael Evans gives a shout out to supporters during a meet and greet at El Primo's in Mansfield The contest in the fast-growing city was defined in part by partisan politics and a debate over diversity Evans was elected the city’s first Black mayor He jumped out to a strong lead after early voting and predicted his lead would hold Then he thanked Mansfield residents for returning him to office Breaking NewsGet the latest breaking news from North Texas and beyond GoogleFacebookBy signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy “I’m proud of the fact that the voters of Mansfield said to the partisan world and to the outside world that we can handle our own affairs,” Evans told The Dallas Morning News on Saturday night adding that voters rejected the politics of division A coalition of partisan and conservative groups backed Short including the Tarrant County Republican Party the True Texas Project and the Keep Tarrant County Red political action committee Results: See full election results here Evans, a Mansfield pastor, did not seek the endorsement of the Tarrant County Democratic Party and didn’t fill out the group’s candidate questionnaire. The Lone Star Project, a research group that supports Democrats, backed Evans. Tarrant County Republican Party Chairman Bo French told voters to reject diversity, saying it promoted racism. He urged Mansfield residents to “homogenize around our Constitution and reject this idea that diversity is somehow a strength.” Evans countered that Mansfield, a city once known for its racial strife, was proud of its record of being inclusive and progressive. In 1956, effigies were hung near and atop Mansfield High School to deter three Black students from entering. The district had been ordered to desegregate, and officials didn’t comply until 1965. When voters in 2020 made Evans it’s first elected Black mayor, it helped symbolize how the city had move away from its intolerant past. Mansfield is 15 miles southeast of Fort Worth and 22 miles southwest of Dallas in Tarrant, Johnson and Ellis counties. In the last 25 years the population has exploded. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 28,031 residents lived in Mansfield in 2000. Today there are nearly 90,000 residents. The outcome of Mansfield’s mayoral election has deeper implications. Democrats see it as an opportunity to grow their coalition and make gains in a county largely controlled by Republicans. And with Tarrant County becoming more politically competitive, Republicans can’t afford to have demographic shifts diminish their clout. Evans and Short have agreed on most issues facing the city and voted the same on issues 99% of the time. Evans, who described himself as a centrist, campaigned on continuing Mansfield economic and population growth, which he said would keep taxes low. He supports building a set of convention center hotels, revitalizing downtown and bringing businesses to the city. Short ran on shrinking city government. She said paying money to a rideshare program called the Trinity Metro, as well as partnerships with the Tarrant Area Food Bank, are examples of things Mansfield shouldn’t fund. She said social services should be left to charities and churches, not government. he was a reporter at The Kansas City Star and The Chicago Defender You can catch Gromer every Sunday at 8:30 a.m Search autocomplete is currently not responding The City of Mansfield City Council will canvass the May 3 election results at a May 14 Canvassing is the official process used by election officials to confirm an election’s accuracy by reviewing every valid ballot Joint Work Session with the Mansfield Park Facilitie.. The City of Mansfield received its 39th consecutive Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association The association’s recognition is the standard for industry best practices The City of Mansfield became the sixth Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community by Travel Texas in the inaugural year of the program after completing the multi-step certification process.  The Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community designati.. Mansfield City Council joined with team members from Crystal Window and Door Systems to celebrate the start of construction on the company's new advanced manufacturing facility and regional corporate headquarters on Oct Mansfield is now a Team Base Camp option for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ A Team Base Camp serves as a team’s “home away from home” throughout the international tournament’s group stage announced today that it will play all its home games at the future Mansfield Stadium within the Staybolt Street Entertainment District of Mansfield Delivering Resources for Education Around Mansfield The addition of Mansfield Public Library’s mobile outreach vehicle allows library staff to develop and implement new ways to reach the Mansfield community Mansfield Parks and Recreation named a 2025 National Gold Medal Finalist The City of Mansfield was named today as a finalist for the 2025 National Gold Medal Award a prestigious national honor given by the American Academy for Park and Recre.. Mansfield Parks and Recreation offers more than 30 different camps for every age and interest; keep reading to learn more and register online now while spaces are available considering just how much dirt has to move to bring Mansfield a stunning adaptive and inclusive destination playgrou.. Mansfield Parks and Recreation and Visit Mansfield is excited to announce its first-ever comic-con style festival, Fansfield Fan Expo The one-day inaugural event celebrating pop culture The City of Mansfield is proud to announce the execution of a public private partnership with KemperSports and REV Entertainment to serve as the new management team of Mansfield Sports Park the City-owned facility formerly known as Big League Dreams Mans.. Mayor Michael Evans and the Mansfield City Council were joined by State Representative David Cook and Rep for an official ceremony marking the start of just one of this year's exciting park projects Julian Feild Park The City of Mansfield has purchased 100 acres of lush undeveloped land between West Broad Street and Newt Patterson Road to serve as a future nature preserve One of the largest park additions in the City’s history Your favorite park is about to get a whole lot more remarkable Mansfield City Council approved Phase II plans for  Katherine Rose Memorial Park today clearing the way for the future of how Mansfield families gather a group of volunteers built Julian Feild Park with just a few handmade tables and swings to give the small rural town of 1,200 a place to gather together with nearly 76,000 residents and a bustling e.. 1200 E. Broad St.Mansfield, TX 76063Phone: 817-276-4200 The local chapter of the NAACP will host a town hall on police/community relations at 6 p.m The event will take place at the Legacy Academy of Excellence Davenport referenced a recent incident "where police had to go into the community." "I felt this was an incredible opportunity to do two things," he said Davenport said he wanted to introduce Mansfield Police Chief Jason Bammann who has been on the job a little over a year to review department policies and protocol "The meeting is designed to promote positive interaction," Davenport said "The community will have an opportunity to address concerns." He added the meeting would provide a chance to review the code of conduct between police and the community "on how the community should interact with officers as well as how officers should interact with the community." Davenport said Mayor Jodie Perry and Safety-Service Director Keith Porch have said they will attend the town hall "I want to commend the administration for being willing to come to the table and have tough conversations." Council votes to rescind trio of tax abatementsDuring the regular part of the council meeting members voted to rescind three tax abatement agreements The first two companies did not fulfill their obligations "They (1404 PAW LLC) did everything they were supposed to do the perceived increase in tax valuation was not really met It was much lower," Councilman David Falquette said He said he appreciated Perry and Barrett Thomas Thomas said 1404 PAW LLC put probably $3 million into its building "The jobs were there; the payroll was there," he said "The valuation didn't change significantly to make the tax abatement worth keeping." Perry said tax abatements are reviewed each year by the tax review council "It (having to rescind a tax abatement) doesn't happen very often," the mayor said "That (annual review) is an important part of us being responsible for taxpayer dollars but it shows people that we are taking things seriously and we are willing to pull back when we need to." Council also heard a presentation from Adrian Ackerman about adopting the International Property Maintenance Code which sets standards for the use and maintenance of building elements electrical and fire protection systems in existing residential and nonresidential structures "This has been a priority of mine," she told council This is a tool that lets us be a little more proactive." violations have gone from 1,184 in 2022 to 1,867 in 2023 to more than 2,400 in 2024 She said inspectors are coming across some issues that they could not address "We'll review this (code) at least yearly," Ackerman said "The city does want to continue to provide resources to citizens in need these property owners don't even realize there's a problem." Councilwoman Deb Mount asked Ackerman if the city has the manpower to enforce the code Ackerman said the city wants to increase the number of inspectors Council held the matter to a first reading Perry said her recent State of the City address received "some really good traction on Facebook." "I think it achieved what I was looking for which is more people saw it," the mayor said Finance Director Kelly Blankenship said her department made it through tax season despite being down four employees She said the department filed city income tax returns as a courtesy that not all communities provide the service Porch said the police department has 14 applicants going through background checks The department has 80 officers but is budgeted for 87 we can move the needle in the right direction," the safety-service director said Public Works Director Louis Andres introduced Steve Brown operations supervisor for the service complex who gave a report on the sewer repair department the street department and the water repair department "We are the nuts and bolts of the city," Brown said Council members said they appreciated Brown and his employees "Nobody looks for the nuts and bolts until they start falling off," Councilwoman Laura Burns said The Mansfield City School Board could potentially schedule a special meeting this weekend to discuss the district's nearly $4 million deficit It depends on how soon a few pieces of financial paperwork are completed and submitted, according to Board President Chris Elswick "We're still collecting it," Elswick told the News Journal Friday "We may have to end up having a special meeting." The next regular board meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m Tuesday at the Raemelton administration building Tuesday is also the district's deadline to present budget reductions to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce The school district's financial shortfall was the topic of a special meeting that had been scheduled for 5:30 p.m "It was a special board meeting to either complete or vote on the tentative plan for the state on the cost reduction so there was no need to meet if we didn't have all the information." Thursday when he told district administrators the meeting was canceled At least another hour passed before the notice was posted on the school district's website president of the Mansfield School Employees Association and 2:30 p.m.," Strong told the News Journal on Friday The school district took to social media at 5:18 p.m "I find it very inconsiderate that this was posted 10 (minutes) before the meeting was supposed to start," a profile with the name Jennifer Tackett commented The union leader said he understood if parents and teachers were frustrated "It seemed like a very late cancellation," Strong said Board members have been reviewing suggestions from RedWin Educational Consulting a company they hired to "provide expert financial advisory services to the district focusing on identifying and implementing cost-saving measures." The RedWin opinion came in the form of three documents that school board members must condense into one before adopting "We're collecting information to make sure that what we do is enough," Elswick said The board has been working with the district's administration the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and the MSEA "There are conversations back and forth," Elswick said "I don't really want to get into specifics but we're just talking to everybody and getting all the information to make a good decision." Union members are bracing themselves because they expect about 40 jobs will be cut by the time the school board is done correcting the budget "It's getting ready to happen," Strong said He said this will be the eighth reduction in workforce he has seen in his career The union leader said the teachers and support staff understand the cuts are necessary we've overspent more than what we should have and we haven't right-sized along the way," Strong said "We can't go into the red because if we go into the red So now we're forced into doing something that's unpleasant that nobody wants to do." The board president agreed that nobody is looking forward to the final decision "This is the worst part of being a board member," Elswick said It's something we know that it’s going to affect a lot of people and that's why we're trying to make sure what gets done hopefully won't have to get done again." Retirements could make it easier for Mansfield City Schools to correct its looming deficit of nearly $4 million School board members must give a list of budget-reduction measures to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce by Feb Teachers and staff are bracing themselves for a workforce reduction of nearly 40 people as well as losses to some health care benefits and administrative services Many of those will be people who were already planning to retire "There are 15 teachers who are going to retire any given year," Strong said "There's always going to be another half-dozen or so who are going to move on to greener pastures." During their regular meeting Tuesday, school board members accepted retirement notices from eight teachers in the district That makes nearly 20 educators who have opted to end their careers after this school year and the union leader said that number could keep growing That means half of the suspected losses might have taken care of themselves "I'm anticipating 20 to 25 teachers who currently want jobs won't have jobs," Strong said "I think the rest will be done by attrition More: 'A lot of good people will lose their jobs' in Mansfield school cuts Laid off teachers get priority as substitutesTeachers who might be laid off after this school year could find their way back into a classroom soon many districts are short teachers," Strong said "I think our teachers will be fine being able to move on someplace else." Many of them might still teach within the district you're going to have a shortage of teachers," Strong said "You got people on professional development The union leader said there could easily be 20 substitute teachers working in the district at the same time "They'll be able to come back in and sub at $140 a day," Strong said "Subbing somewhere every day would not be hard to do and our teachers who are laid off always have the priority on that list." Even though most teachers will be able to make ends meet the MSEA president knows there eventually will be ramifications for the district "That will not be a good thing long-term for Mansfield City Schools." Although no cuts will be made at Spanish Immersion, all other jobs within the Mansfield City School District are still in limbo Members of the school board will resume their budget-cutting talks Thursday evening, according to Board President Chris Elswick board members adjourned into executive session for more than three hours to discuss the district's budget The school system faces a financial shortfall that could grow to $3.9 million by the end of this school year The next special meeting on the matter is expected to begin 5:30 p.m Board members on Monday reviewed suggestions from RedWin Educational Consulting but we have pieces and parts," Elswick said after the meeting "We have three different pieces we're trying to put together." The district's agreement with RedWin listed four goals: identifying inefficiencies in the district's budget recommending cost reductions with the least impact on education discussing organizational priorities with all stakeholders and helping the district execute the plan "I expected action today," Elswick said after the meeting Once board members settle on a list of budget-reduction measures they will file them with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce "The 18th is when they want it," Elswick said "I think there might be some back-and-forth until the 28th." The district plans to correct the budget through operational expenses while leaving educational opportunities in place I'm speaking of everything from staffing to benefits," Jefferson said then "Every aspect in which you are going to spend dollars teachers and other school staff attended Monday's special meeting with concerns about where those cuts could be made Many had heard rumors that those reductions could affect students at Spanish Immersion School which emphasizes Spanish language acquisition by teaching a majority of subjects in Spanish "I don't know where you got the information but Spanish Immersion is not on the list to be cut or anything," Elswick announced "We're not talking about Spanish Immersion at all." What cuts are made could be made public after Thursday's meeting which is scheduled to again be adjourned into executive session "We expect Thursday to be a similar format to this evening," Elswick said absolutely the proposal will be voted on," Elswick said Budget cuts are coming to Mansfield City Schools Administrators are putting together a list of ways they can save money on expenses and will present these ideas to the school board for approval within the next month I'm speaking of everything from staffing to benefits," Jefferson said "We have to present a written plan to the state on how we are addressing this deficit by Feb The union leader sent a letter to members of the school board that suggested three budget cuts: a $2.4 million savings in health care benefits a $2 million cut to administrative costs and a $2.8 million to $3.8 million workforce reduction "That is a total of $7.2 million to $8.2 million in savings and the district will be in a solid financial position," Strong wrote The MSEA president followed that letter with another to all of the union's members explaining that "the district is again in financial trouble." He warned the staff that as many as 40 people could have their positions eliminated "If the administration cannot make the cuts the state will come in and take over," Strong wrote Members of Mansfield's Board of Education voted last week to hire RedWin Educational Consulting to "provide expert financial advisory services to the district The agreement with RedWin lists four goals: identifying inefficiencies in the district's budget The agreement specifies that Mansfield City Schools will pay RedWin $150 per hour for consulting services 5.6-mill property tax that would have generated $3 million a year and the second was a 1% income tax expected to bring in $4.8 million The ballot issue would have cost the owner of a $100,000 home $197.40 a year while someone making $50,000 in earned income would have paid $500.04 city residents defeated the taxes by a total of 8,363 to 3,702 votes — more than 69% of voters rejected the issue We are right-sizing the things that we need to." Details of a nearly $8 million shakeup within the Mansfield City School District were announced Monday night School board members during a special meeting voted to eliminate nearly 40 teaching positions and more than a dozen administrative jobs but to roles that would have been available during the coming school year Affected employees potentially could transition into other available careers ahead of the 2025-26 fiscal year "That's something the union contract will dictate," Elswick said "They will decide who is in what position." Measurers approved by the board Monday night were designed to address the district's 5-year forecast "Our deficit spending has been corrected through fiscal year 2028," Hamilla said The district had faced a financial shortfall of $4 million this year that was expected to grow with time A narrative provided by administrators explained the district "instituted a hiring freeze to reduce staff through attrition and a reduction in force." "These staff cuts are the basis for the written plan for the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce," the narrative reads "The district is working on increasing class sizes cutting departmental budgets where appropriate and reducing purchased service contracts." The reductions are expected to save money through both salaries and benefits Several of the cuts will cause unemployment expenditures and a few will generate new outsourcing costs one is a nurse who will be replaced with a new employee," the narrative reads "The speech pathologist will be replaced through services with the (educational services center)." Another five teachers who had previously retired but were then rehired on limited contracts will see their positions non-renewed after fiscal year 2025 "Three teachers have submitted their resignation for the next school year," the narrative reads "A safety coordinator is being paid through a purchased service contract that will not be returning." The district is eliminating five teaching positions within the career technical area and is decreasing middle school exploratory courses More: Budget cuts in Mansfield City Schools could be eased by teacher retirements The most extensive administrative cut board members passed Monday gutted the district's entire human resources department The four HR workers will see their careers end this summer A portion of their duties will be distributed to other district employees but most of the work will be outsourced to an HR firm The district's academic services department The duties of that department will be shared among remaining school staff The special education pupil services department will have two positions cut "with the responsibility of the staff being distributed to other employees within the district offices." The school system's transportation director will have their job reduced to three days per week which will take away their eligibility for insurance The treasurer's staff will be reduced by one employee "with the remainder of the staff adjusting the workload within the office." "Four other administrative positions will be eliminated," the narrative reads "One of these positions will be replaced by (educational services center) staff and one position will be rehired at only three days per week which does not meet the requirements for being eligible for insurance benefits." "We'll be working with them on a monthly basis," Jefferson said The superintendent said "reductions are painful," but were necessary to keep the school system in good standing with the state "They are things that you have to do at that particular moment as you are trying to balance your budget," Jefferson said "There's a number of other things that we still have to do." students were protected from the extensive budget cuts "You don't want to affect the students," Jefferson said "What we focused on was trying to do as much as possible in terms of not having any bearing on children The city's safety forces could be getting some extra help to do their jobs Council watched a drone exit a box on the roof outside the City Garden Cafe on the municipal building's third floor "This is technology that we will be testing and evaluating for one year," Porch said we'll come together to decide if the technology is a valuable asset to the city The city entered into a contract with Paladin Drones for $49,000 for the program a virtual control tower on the roof of the ninth floor will be installed "We'll be able to monitor airspace up to 20 nautical miles," Porch said 360 (degrees) around the city building to monitor for manned aircraft we want to be in compliance with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) we can't have drones mixed into airspace with manned aircraft." He said his two areas of concern are Lahm Regional Airport and helicopter traffic around OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital Virtual observers monitor the airspace to aid the drone pilots Porch said the FAA is still reviewing the city's waiver but we need the officers to be in the line of sight while the operator is operating the controls," Porch said Donnie Rhinehart and Fire Assistant Chief Rob Garn are in charge of the drone unit Porch said city police have used drones since 2017 Police Officer Heath Underwood operated the controls as the drone took off in the fading light Council members watched on an indoor screen while the drone went to Fourth and Main streets Porch explained how DFR differs from regular drone use what we want to get to is when a call comes in at 123 Main St. the box opens and the drone immediately goes without a pilot or visual observer being there," he said "It's automatic and hovers over that address." "We have policies on what the drone is going to do and not going to do," Porch said "The weakness of drones at this point is batteries." He said a drone can go for 35-40 minutes of flight time adding it has to come back to its box to recharge Fire Chief Dan Crow said the use of thermal imaging will allow firefighters to see where people are in a residence Porch added the drone covers 3 square miles He credited Mayor Jodie Perry with backing the initiative "I'm very supportive of looking at how we can best use technology to enhance the work that our safety forces do," Perry said "This is a pilot program to see how it works in a city of our size." those are what we're really trying to fund," she said The budget for the year came out to just under $208 million Members Phil Scott and Cheryl Meier were absent "The final budget was a tweaking of what we put together at the beginning of the year," Finance Director Kelly Blankenship said "We ended up having to reduce revenue after looking at our ending cash as far as income tax came in "We did a three-year estimate to get a revenue projection this year Blankenship called the budget process "thoughtful." "We really took a look at everything under every rock," she said "We got rid of some things that weren't absolutely necessary." she said the income tax division had hoped to acquire another vehicle "It's a really tight budget," Blankenship said We're going to have to monitor it closely." Perry said this was the first budget that she and Blankenship were able to mold from start to finish "There wasn't as many changes in the final budget as there has been in the past," the mayor said "We did more of those allocations up front we'd be just adding on some capital expenses." the safety forces took up the biggest chunk of the annual budget: $33.6 million Perry is striving to get the police and fire departments up to minimum manning standards The two largest funds went for water at $19.3 million and sewer at $16.5 million "We did make some changes in the revenue funds like water and sewer," Perry said "We were able to add a bit more back in to do a few more projects." Council passed a temporary budget in December there wasn't as many changes between the temporary and the final," Perry said Councilman David Falquette praised Perry and Blankenship for their efforts "I thought the (temporary and final) budgets were thorough and they put together a good plan," he said "It's not a drop-off," said Tom Hager, principal at Malabar Intermediate School Hager said last year's festival was a huge success They believe that somebody cares about them," Hager said "We did this last year because of the violence." The Peace on My Block initiative began after a rash of gun violence and homicides in Mansfield Mansfield City Schools Superintendent Stan Jefferson helped get the initiative off the ground with help from We ACT and Richland County Children Services Jefferson previously said the district came up with a pledge for all of its students saying they would be powerful peace builders who would reject violence The Peace on My Block festival is a way to promote unity Hager said this year's event will feature 10-15 food trucks For those wondering about horseback riding at Arlin Field Hager said it will take place behind the football stadium F-16s will fly over Arlin FieldWeather-permitting four F-16s from the 180th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard in Toledo will fly over the stadium at 6:15 p.m Hager is hoping students will be inspired by it Grace Riegel from the local 179th Airlift Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard with their help in coordinating the flyover Condrea Mason will perform the national anthem "We've got a ton of agencies coming with giveaways and prizes and people can get some resources from our community partners," Hager added Each person who attends the festival will receive a free raffle ticket a $100 gift card to Kroger and a half-year family membership to the YMCA of North Central Ohio People will receive free tote bags to collect their winnings The finale will be a fireworks display at dusk by Northeast Ohio Pyrotechnics Group "It's going to be like a Fourth of July show," Hager said noting that NEOPG handles Wooster's summer celebration The Malabar principal said community partners donated $20,000 to make the festival happen Organizers also had $3,200 left over from last year More than 100 staff members volunteered their time "We had a lot of positive feedback last year," Hager said with overflow going to the adjacent Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center lot Hager thanked MOESC Superintendent Kevin Kimmel for his help Mansfield police will have six officers handling security for the festival adding there will be two first-aid stations Students will not be allowed to have backpacks Hager oversees grades 3-6 at Malabar Intermediate School where Peace on My Block is more than a slogan "We have a group of 30 to 40 kids that we have Peace on My Block with," Hager said "Crossroads Community Church has been a big supporter of us." They visit restaurants and businesses and learn coping skills and de-escalating measures "We've had bright moments and some sad times," Hager said "It's a challenge; there's so much out there He credited Brigitte Coles and Paula Caldwell at Children Services for their help with the program "Our kids respond better to a small group or one-on-one as opposed to a group setting," said John Beasley Having someone there for kids is why the Peace on My Block festival requires students to be accompanied by an adult Hager said other communities are welcome as well "I think that's why it was such a powerful event last year Families came with their kids," Hager said Infrastructure design work has begun on the first phase of The Reserve 210-acre urban mixed-use community in Mansfield that will feature a half-mile canal loop and a new City Hall The infrastructure work includes design of the canals and the main spine road The project is a public-private partnership between Dallas-based Stillwater Capital and the city of Mansfield “The Canals at The Reserve is an incredible project that reflects our community’s desire for more places to gather and connect,” Assistant City Manager Matt Jones said “We are excited to be part of that vision by creating a new town square we are looking forward to bringing new destinations and remarkable experiences to the community.” Stillwater Capital said the amenity-rich project will feature a series of one-of-a-kind water features including a half-mile canal loop The city said the outdoor amenities will connect via a pedestrian network to a town square that will be anchored by a new City Hall and adjacent hotel Full buildout of the project will exceed $1 billion in private investment “This groundbreaking plan embodies sustainable urban design creating legacy spaces and activated environments for residents and visitors to enjoy,” Stillwater Capital partner Clay Roby said when the project was announced He said the project “is a testament to what can be achieved with a forward-thinking vision for the future and we’re grateful to play a part in this transformational journey.” The Reserve is adjacent to the Methodist Mansfield Medical Center on East Broad Street between Texas 360 and U.S It will create a walkable town center that balances an engaging public realm with unique hospitality experiences thoughtful work environments and curated residential spaces The partners said that with an initial public and private investment of more than $300 million The Reserve is expected to generate thousands of jobs and contribute to the ongoing evolution of the area The new City Hall and primary public spaces along with commercial and residential developments Construction is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of this year with phased openings starting in 2027 “I tell people in the community to dream with me because The Reserve is going to be a special place that Mansfield has never seen before,” Mayor Michael Evans said “The Reserve and Mansfield’s new City Hall will be the perfect civic space where people can conduct local business and gather to make memories as one community.” The Mansfield Record is the only local newspaper serving Mansfield the Mansfield Record is bringing the focus back where it should be Two Republicans are vying to replace Laura Burns as the Republican candidate for Mansfield City Council's 1st Ward Former Safety-Service Director Lori Cope and local businessman Mike Miranda will face off in the May 6 primary election The winner will take on the Democratic candidate Burns previously announced she would not seek a second term for health reasons Both Cope and Miranda have business experience and know how to handle a budget Miranda has spent his 25 years in Mansfield in the car industry Cope joined the Mansfield Police Department in the 1990s until a crash led her to retire She spent a decade as safety-service director Cope and her husband are the co-owners of Safety First Driving Academy in Lexington "I'm the only candidate that has a background in public service," she said Miranda relocated to Mansfield in 1999 from Pasadena While that city hosts the annual Rose Bowl in college football it was depressed economically when Miranda was in high school Miranda said Mansfield reminded him of Pasadena when he arrived "Downtown Mansfield has done an awesome job "A lot of neat things are happening economically Are we going to get a new GM or Tappan or Westinghouse But a handful of businesses with 100 employees here Cope said she decided to run for council during last year's ongoing debates about whether marijuana dispensaries should come to Mansfield She spoke at one meeting and urged council not to allow them two marijuana dispensaries have plans to locate here More: Two marijuana dispensaries now have provisional licenses for Mansfield "I saw how things went, and I thought, 'Yeah, I need to do this (run),''' Cope said. "Clearly with my background in law enforcement, I can't get there. I spent too many years fighting (against drugs)." Ohio voters approved the legality of marijuana in 2023. Both candidates have lived in the 1st Ward on the city's southeast side for many years. Cope built a house there in 2000. "It's one of those quieter wards where there's not a lot of things going on; therefore, the people are like, 'Hey, what about me?' Kind of like the squeaky wheel," she said. "We are pretty well-established and we have minimal crime." Miranda, who has lived in the 1st Ward for all but six months of his time in Mansfield, said he is not fearful of walking in any of the neighborhoods. "I believe the 1st Ward brings a lot to the character of Mansfield," he said. "I see the 1st Ward as being the backbone of the residential part of Mansfield. "We've got quite a bit of construction going on. If you take the Kroger area out of the mix, our bread and butter is having good homes for people." If elected, Cope said her constituents would have a voice. "I have my own thoughts on how things should go, but that's not what this position is about. It's representing them regardless of your personal thoughts," she said. "I think that's what people want. They want their voices to be heard." Cope has had to make adjustments to being a candidate. She previously ran the campaigns of three-term Mayor Tim Theaker. "Being the candidate is quite different because part of me wants to organize instead of letting the team do it," Cope said, adding she enjoys campaigning and feels comfortable with public speaking. Cope has a bachelor's degree in business and public administration from Mount Vernon Nazarene University. She also completed a program at the Jo Ann Davidson Leadership Institute. Cope said she would release her endorsements after the primary. "I think I have something to give and I hope the voters see it that way," the Lucas native said. Miranda worked at Weidner Motors for nine years when he came to Mansfield, then opened his own dealership, first called Select Auto Brokers and then Miracle Mile Motors. He said his problem was opening a business just before the stock market crashed in 2008. He has rebounded to be store manager at Van's Auto Service & Tire Pros of Mansfield on Lexington Avenue. "I took this from $30,000 a month in sales to a little over $200,000 a month," Miranda said, adding the shop has increased from four to nine bays and from two to nine employees. He is a member of the county's Republican Central Committee and the city charter review commission, as well as president of the Mid-Ohio Shrine Club. His endorsements include state Rep. Marilyn John, Sheriff Steve Sheldon, Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry and Richland County Commissioners Darrell Banks and Cliff Mears. Nigel Clough had a one-year contract extension triggered when he guided Mansfield to promotion last season Manager Nigel Clough says the future of his Mansfield Town squad will be prioritised over his own contract talks after they secured their League One status The Stags were already free of relegation fears on Wednesday night when they put an emphatic end to their six-match winless run by beating Peterborough United 4-2 at One Call Stadium Clough began talks about staying beyond this season in April and while they remain ongoing the 59-year-old said his discussions with chairman John Radford have involved more planning for next season "I had a very good meeting with the chairman and we sorted a good few things out, so give us a bit of time," Clough told BBC Radio Nottingham. "It's not actually the priority at the moment - the players are the priority and a few other things and getting that sorted "We have plenty of time in the next week or two to get it done." Mansfield thump Peterborough to end winless run Clough in talks to remain Mansfield Town boss When Clough took charge of the Nottinghamshire club in November 2020 they were third from bottom in League Two He oversaw automatic promotion to League One last season ending a 21-year absence from the third tier the Stags had spent just one season at this level in the past three decades A strong start to the campaign had them as high as third in the division in October but 14 defeats and just three wins from 21 matches before Wednesday night's triumph had the Stags battling for survival Before they faced champions Birmingham City on Sunday - a match Mansfield lost 4-0 - Clough spoke of his "relief" at staying up he said the absence of the "edgy" feeling of relegation anxiety helped deliver one of Mansfield's most emphatic wins of the season "Everybody was relaxed tonight," Clough said "It could have ended 8-6 and if we had won 8-6 it wouldn't have been an unfair reflection on the game "It's lovely to score some goals lovely to get the three points and to send the supporters home with a smile on their faces It hasn't happened too much in the last four months Clough now wants his side to ensure they "finish on a high" with another win when they host mid-table Exeter City on Saturday Trailblazer Zhao set to take snooker to 'another level' in China Alexander-Arnold leaves as modern Liverpool great - but fans will feel hurt Alpine poised to replace Doohan with Colapinto The final series of Man Like Mobeen has arrived John Simm stars in the provocative 90s drama Warm-hearted comedy with Ben Miller and Sally Phillips Follow two ambitious river restoration projects Who has made Troy's Premier League team of the week Zhao beats Williams in historic final - highlights VideoZhao beats Williams in historic final - highlights 'Scheffler and DeChambeau wins further raise US PGA excitement levels' Match-fixing scandal to Crucible champion - fall and rise of Zhao 'We need to take a look at ourselves' - Arsenal stalling at wrong time Palmer's brilliance could be key moment in Chelsea's Champions League quest Europa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney VideoEuropa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney Ask Me Anything the new BBC Sport service designed to serve you Bayern's 'James Bond' - how Kane clinched his first trophy Nine bolters with a shot of making the Lions squad How 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool VideoHow 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool Still number one & 'sparring' with Draper - return of Sinner Saints 'punch' favourites Leinster in game for the ages VideoVardy the best £1m ever spent - Shearer Poppy's tears Elton John & Happy Gilmore - McIlroy on Jimmy Fallon show Two opposing views on football's transgender ban Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Parks were one of the main focuses of Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry's first year in office reviewed last year and previewed this one at Tuesday's city council meeting "Last year was a completely different year for the parks department," Abrams said crediting new Public Works Director Louis Andres "We've been able to get a lot done; he's been able to find money for us." Abrams said the parks department worked on up to 50 projects at once He added his department came up with a mission statement "We're going to keep pushing on and doing more things in 2025," Abrams said Liberty Park was one of the main targets last year Improvements included a new basketball court and the bath house and sandstone bridge were repaired and cleaned which also received new roofs and paint for the pavilions and a restriped basketball court and parking lot workers installed Story Book Walk and repaired and cleaned stone pillars Councilman Aurelio Diaz said the improvements making residents want to improve the parks close to their homes "The enthusiasm for the parks has been contagious within the city as well," Perry said Plans for 2025 include the long-anticipated opening of Sterkel Community Park for All The park on King Street will get a new basketball court and playground Maple Lake will receive a new pavilion and a remodeled restroom Middle Park will have two bridges installed Improvements to Prospect Park will include a new basketball court and pavilion Council's agenda was light at Tuesday's meeting Members tabled a resolution to support the Ohio Municipal League's challenge of AT&T's tariff application at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio AT&T withdrew its application after widespread criticism from local governments "Something will probably come back," Perry said "This would be very expensive to the city." The mayor said such a move would likely extend to Columbia Gas and First Energy unofficial results from the county board of elections More than 69% of voters rejected the issue we would need to carefully assess our options moving forward and explore how we can best continue serving our students with the resources available," Jefferson said "We appreciate the ongoing support as we work though these challenges together "We will continue to communicate openly with our school community as we determine the next steps and I will have to have further discussions with the board We will share that with our school community," Jefferson said District officials wanted to spread cost more evenlyDistrict officials asked voters to approve a combination of a property tax and an earned income tax The idea was to spread the cost more evenly throughout the community 5.6-mill property tax would have generated $3 million a year while the 1% income tax was expected to bring in $4.8 million Earned income is money people receive in wages unemployment compensation and workers' compensation would not have been affected "This levy was intended to generate funding for operating expenses," Jefferson said Budget reductions could include transportation as well as cuts to staff and extracurricular activities Teana Sykes co-chaired the levy committee with Dawn Kitchen Sykes said voters could have been worried about the cost unclear about the combined tax or have concerns about the district MCS faces funding shortageThe school district faces a significant funding shortage because of increasing operating costs state mandates and the growing needs of students Mansfield City Schools last asked for "new" money in 2013 The district has taken steps to reduce costs including closing Prospect and Woodland elementary schools and Tyger Digital Academy school and department budgets were reduced by $1.2 million A reduction in administrative costs included workforce reduction and no cost-of-living wage increase the district paid $3.6 million more in expenses than the revenue it received the district would have been able to eliminate deficit spending cover the increasing costs of day-to-day operations avoid cuts in staffing and courses and maintain and care for all buildings "While the election results did not turn out as we hoped we respect the decision of the voters," Jefferson said but our commitment to providing a quality education for students remains." Gary Feagin on Tuesday was the only member of the Mansfield City School Board to vote against the district’s reduction in force “I heard we want to eliminate some people right now but I don't think we should eliminate them three months before their contract ends or before school ends.” School board members during a special meeting Feb. 24 voted unanimously to eliminate nearly 40 teaching positions and more than a dozen administrative jobs the board implemented the reduction in force by a vote of 4-1 The positions of teachers and support staff are protected for the duration of their contracts That union contract is valid through the end of August “So even those first-year teachers are good to the end of August for pay and benefits,” Strong said “I'm not familiar with the requirements for administrative contracts,” Strong said Contracts for the district’s administrators run through the end of July Strong said they must rely on their own legal counsel for employment concerns More: Mansfield City Schools cuts 50 jobs to save $8 million in budget crisis The district’s reduction in force has eliminated 36 teaching positions for the next school year 24 teachers had chosen to retire at the end of this school year which means about a dozen people who want to keep teaching might not have positions this autumn Any further retirements will reduce the number of teachers the district will have to turn away “That saves active people (whom) we don't have to cut right now,” Strong said Since the job cuts were to positions and not people affected union members will have the opportunity to transition into other available teaching roles ahead of the 2025-26 fiscal year Teachers will be sorted into available positions based on how long they’ve worked in the district their prior evaluations and their certifications so they would bump those people with the least seniority within the district,” Strong said teachers with the least experience will be left to find employment elsewhere That employment shuffle is scheduled to be done by May 1 but the union president would like to finish sooner to give teachers more time to plan ahead for next school year before we go into Easter break is the hope,” Strong said the sooner they'll be able to go seek other employment or move on to other things.” Mansfield City Schools now has until the end of the month to correct this year's nearly $4 million budget deficit Members of the district's board of education discussed the financial shortfall in executive session Tuesday evening "We'll have something ready before the 28th," Board President Chris Elswick said "We're preparing a final proposal for the 28th which means we may have a special meeting on the 25th." Teachers and staff are bracing themselves for a workforce reduction of nearly 40 people the state could take over operations of the school system The district's original message had been that the budget cuts would be finished by Feb. 18 and not Feb "Legal counsel was trying to expedite the process," Strong said Board members must settle on a list of budget-reduction measures by Feb 28 and file them with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce more well-rounded plan that's incorporating many of the stakeholders' ideas." School board members have been reviewing suggestions from RedWin Educational Consulting is under contract with the district to provide services including: guidance and support to update the spending plan for the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce review current accounting and posting practices review of current accounting codes and review of monthly reporting practices There are also financial suggestions from the state the administration and the teachers' union "They are looking at multiple ideas on napkins and all kinds of stuff scratched all over the place." but they must be made if board members want to maintain control of the district "A lot of good people will lose their jobs," Strong said Mansfield has overcome its intolerant past to become a thriving That’s far from the farm town where citizens in 1956 hanged effigies to prevent Black students from entering Mansfield High School Political PointsGet the latest politics news from North Texas and beyond In 2020 residents elected Mansfield pastor Michael Evans as mayor The former Mansfield ISD board member and Tarrant County College trustee is the first Black person to lead the city and the political climate in Mansfield is stormy On a City Council where Evans and his challenger partisan and hard-right forces are weighing heavily on the race turning it into a fight where diversity is a contentious issue in a city that has largely overcome division Early voting in Mansfield ends Tuesday and the general election is Saturday Democrats see it as an opportunity to grow their coalition and make gains in a county largely controlled by Republicans And with Tarrant County becoming more politically competitive Republicans can’t afford to have demographic shifts diminish their clout has defended her embrace of partisan groups the Tarrant County Republican Party and the True Texas Project are among the conservative groups that support Short but I think we’re not being honest with ourselves We end up aligning with the party based on our core values so you don’t set that aside just because of city government,” Short said “When you’ve got conservative policies in place Evans says he’s not seeking an endorsement from the Tarrant County Democrats and didn’t fill out their candidate questionnaire. The group has not taken a position in the Mansfield mayor’s race. The Lone Star Project “That’s not who we are,” Evans said of partisan and hard-right politics in play for the mayor’s race “I’m not going to play that card because they play it The point I’m making is that Mansfield is now a shining star on the map.” Mansfield residents and political observers say this year’s municipal elections are unlike any other in the city’s recent history “Normally elections are very quiet. They are not quiet this year,” said Amanda Rogers Kowalski, a Mansfield resident and editor of the Mansfield Record. “It seems that outside people are interested in Mansfield because we have grown so much. It’s a bigger deal now than it was when it was still just a little town.” Mansfield is 15 miles southeast of Fort Worth and 22 miles southwest of Dallas. Located mostly in southeastern Tarrant County, the city includes parts in northeastern Johnson County and northwestern Ellis County. In the last 25 years the population has exploded. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 28,031 residents lived in Mansfield in 2000. That figure more than doubled to 56,368 in 2010 and shot up to 72,602 in 2020. Demographics show it’s a diverse city: 49% white, 21% Black, 18% Latino and 5% Asian. From 2010 to 2023, Mansfield’s Black population increased by 9.4% and the Latino population grew by 3.3%. The white population declined 12.4% over the same period, according to data from Mansfield and the U.S. Census. Evans, who says he identifies as a “centrist,” was elected in 2020 in a December runoff election. He replaced David Cook, who is now a Republican member of the Texas House. In January, Cook lost a bid to become Speaker of the House, a seat won by Dustin Burrows of Lubbock. Keep Tarrant County Red, a political action committee Cook is involved with, is backing Short. Mansfield’s controversial past is in contrast to how inclusive the city feels today. In 1956 a federal court ordered Mansfield ISD to desegregate, making it the first Texas school district to receive such a mandate. The Mansfield school board approved the order, but the mayor, police chief and hundreds of white citizens stood in front of Mansfield High School to prevent three Black students from enrolling. Along with blocking the students from entering the school, three Black effigies were hanged. One of the effigies, a Black man hanging from a noose, was placed atop the high school and Texas Ranger Captain Jay Banks refused to let anyone take it down. Faced with losing critical funding, the district quietly desegregated in 1965. Residents say Mansfield is not the same place that helped motivate white journalist and Mansfield native John Howard Griffin to darken his skin, travel through the south posing as a Black man before writing the 1961 book “Black Like Me.” Today the Mansfield ISD is considered one of the best school districts in the country. The city is considered one of the best places to live in North Texas, with 11 scenic parks, and several miles of hiking and biking trails. With so many new residents, the 1956 incident is more a history lesson, than lingering stain. “I’ve seen the growth of Mansfield,” said Steven Butler, an executive at a biotech company who supports Evans. “I’ve seen Mayor Evans promote unity versus division, and I know that he’s a Christian man … I know that he’s for all, not just for black people, and that’s important to me.” After his 2020 election, Evans has become a prime target for Republicans and hard-right conservatives. In April, Tarrant County Republican Party Chairman Bo French headlined a Mansfield rally for Short and several council candidates. Dallas County GOP Chairman Allen West trekked from Garland as a special guest. “The level of governance that affects you the most is the level of governance that decides your everyday life, as in your city council, school boards, water management districts and county commissions,” West told The Dallas Morning News. “It’s very critical that we show support for these candidates that are stepping up.” For the first time ever, Tarrant County Republicans have endorsed candidates in nonpartisan municipal and school board elections. The Texas Republican Party has also endorsed Short and the party’s council slate, French said. The partisan muscle is necessary, he said. “If you want to attract radical Democrats, then elect radical Democrats,” French said during the rally for Short at Big Fellas Ice House. “If you want to attract family-oriented conservatives, then you need to elect conservatives.”  In a text message to voters, French wrote: “We need your help to keep the Democrats from raising your taxes, indoctrinating your children, and destroying Mansfield.” Last Saturday Short released digital campaign messages that featured Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare, a Republican. “I know conservatives, and Michael Evans is just not one,” O’Hare says in the ad. O’Hare also posted social media support for Short and four council candidates. “Mansfield is majority Republican,” O’Hare told The News in a text message. “If our people get out to vote, we will win.” Evans criticized O’Hare’s involvement in the nonpartisan race. Evans points out that since he’s been in office, Mansfield’s tax rate has dropped from 71 cents to 64 cents, the lowest rate in 35 years. Mansfield also has a critically acclaimed school district and up until this election, not much acrimony. Throughout the campaign French has attacked the concept of diversity, for which many Mansfield residents are proud. Designed, perhaps, to motivate some conservatives, the rhetoric has rankled some residents and Evans supporters, who call French’s tactics a political dog whistle. Even so, French has been unrelenting in his criticism of diversity, charging that “diversity creates racism.” “I reject the notion that diversity is important,” French told The News and later repeated at the April rally. “I actually want people to homogenize around our Constitution and reject this idea that diversity is somehow a strength. It’s not a strength. It’s actually created divisiveness and weakness in our communities. And I think it’s a terrible thing.” Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons, whose precinct includes Mansfield, called French’s comments “ignorant” and “dangerous.” “To say that ‘diversity creates racism’ is an outrageous reversal of reality,” Simmons said in a statement. “Racism is not caused by diversity; it is caused by prejudice, hate, and the refusal to see the humanity in others. Diversity is a reflection of America’s strength — not its weakness.” “French’s comments don’t reflect constitutional values; they reflect a deep fear of progress and a desire to cling to an outdated, exclusionary vision of this country,” Simmons continued. “We’re not going backward. Our communities deserve leadership that celebrates our differences and unites us around common purpose — not bigotry dressed up as patriotism.” Evans also disagrees with French, though he doesn’t want racial overtones to get in the way of Mansfield’s positive story. He said Mansfield’s success story – and the residents responsible for it – don’t want divisive, partisan politics. “We don’t need anybody coming pulling our strings from the county,” Evans added. “We don’t need anybody coming from the state.” Mansfield City Council elections are held at-large, meaning every seat is determined by a citywide vote. In contrast, the larger Dallas City council is composed of 14 single-member districts, with only the mayor running citywide. In some cities an at-large system can dilute the vote and hinder the election of a leadership team that reflects a city’s demographics. “Our council today reflects the city of Mansfield for the most part, without being divided into single member districts,” Evans said. “Now you think about how awesome that is. The people chose a council that reflects them.” Short has been criticized for a post she made about diversity on her campaign’s Facebook page. It was a quote from U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. “Our diversity is not our strength. Our unity and our shared purpose is our strength!” she attributed to Hegseth. The quote was under the headline “Let’s Just Be Mansfield.” “There’s been such a focus on we’re different,” Short told The News before the rally with French and West. “We’re Mansfield. This is the most generous community I’ve ever been involved with, so I wanted to quit focusing on how we’re different, because that felt separating to me, and I want to focus on how we’re alike.” Mansfield resident Scott Hensley, who is semi-retired after moving to the city from the Denver area, said he appreciates what Short is trying to accomplish. “I like what I’m hearing from her,” he said. “One thing is for sure. I’ll never vote for a Democrat.” One man at the conservative rally wanted Mansfield politics to appeal to average voters. “We could do something different and be in the middle and everybody get along,” said Brandon Hudgins, a Mansfield resident who works in the construction industry. “That’s what we want to see here, the community holding hands and being different.” The Lone Star Project is backing Evans because “he’s being attacked by people who are appealing to racial animosity,” said Democratic strategist Matt Angle, the organization’s director. Angle said Evans is not a “lefty radical,” as French calls him, but someone who works from the middle out and builds coalitions.” “Mansfield is a microcosm of what you see in a lot of places in the South and certainly in Tarrant County,” he said. “It’s a combination of Republicans who are unwilling and really politically incapable of appealing significantly to people of color, and so they see them as a political threat.” Angle added the Make America Great Again “base of the Republican Party likes politicians who really show their teeth in terms of racism.” “Whenever Bo French speaks to his groups, he makes attacks on DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and diversity,” Angle said. “It’s not even a dog whistle. It’s a shrill siren call to the worst elements within not just their party, but within society.” “We need conservatives who are not afraid to tell the truth and stand up for what matters, for our communities, for our values,” he said. “We need to put a stake in the ground and say ‘no more,’ We’re not going to accept this, the invasion of foreign ideology that diminishes what it means to be a God fearing American.” At at least one conservative event, supporters of Evans have confronted French. “I think they’re running a dirty campaign. It’s not an honest campaign by any means,” said Katie Smith, who joined several others to protest the conservative rally for Short. “Mayor Evans has done great things for the city, and they need to focus on that, especially since Julie has worked with Mayor Evans for so long.” “Obviously, Mansfield is a very diverse place,” Smith said. “We should definitely embrace everybody that we have here, not just their group.” Short says her partisan backers aren’t the only reason she’s challenging Evans. “Our mayor and I have some different ideas about what city government’s responsible for, and I don’t want to see us spending a lot of tax dollars on social programs and things that I think Mansfield has done a very good job of taking care of,” she said. “I don’t want us using tax dollars to bring in outside help.” She said paying money to a rideshare program called the Trinity Metro, as well as partnerships with the Tarrant Area Food Bank, are examples of things that Mansfield shouldn’t fund. She said social services should be left to charities and churches, not government. “Where I’ve differed from him is on a couple of items,” Short said, adding that developing those social programs is like “opening Pandora’s box.” Evans said that Short has been a partner in the council’s success, voting with him for all but seven times. “My opponent can’t even run against me regarding the record,” Evans said during a meet-and-greet at the Green Jacket in Mansfield. Short, who has served on the council since 2018, said she was supportive of the mayor when he first got elected. “It was my hope when our mayor got elected that it would be even more unifying,” Short said. “After I won, my husband and I met with him, and I said, ‘Hey, I really feel like God has put you in this position to not only bring more unity to Mansfield, but to this whole region, but it hasn’t worked that way.” Short said a lot of anger has come her way during the campaign. I’ve been cussed out on multiple voicemails. I’ve gotten hateful text messages, hateful emails,” Short said. Her gender has been mocked by some, Short said. “There’s been ‘this is ‘man’s field not no woman’s field,’” she said. “‘‘Go back to the kitchen and make us some cookies.’” Short added she was downplaying the potential history she could make by winning in May. “I would be the first female mayor,” she said. “I don’t push that because it shouldn’t be because I’m a woman. It should be because I’m the best person for the job.” Evans says he’s running for reelection to continue Mansfield’s momentum. He supports building a set of convention center hotels, continuing to lower taxes, revitalizing downtown and bringing more businesses to the city. Voters recently approved a sports complex in partnership with FC Dallas as part of a 200-acre development at U.S. 287 and Texas 360. There also was great excitement when an HEB grocery store opened in the city. “We are building, we are moving, we are noticed. And that’s why folks are saying, let me come and grab some of what you all got,” Evans said. “Let me be a part of that.” Much of the time, votes on Mansfield City Council are unanimous. “That’s not Democratic or Republican, that is not red, that is not blue, that is just mainstream, common things that people want in regard to enhancing their quality of life,” Evans said. “That’s what everybody wants, no matter if you’re black, white, Jewish, Muslim, whatever. It’s about making sure that people receive those things.” Evans said he’s not radical, and criticized opponents who mischaracterize his past relationships with Democrats. “They can line up with misogynists. They can line up with people that race bait and, oh, that’s just them,” he said “And then, because of some affiliations that I’ve had over the years with politicians who they now deem as liberal, oh, that’s a bad thing.” Evans said he’ll keep his focus on moving Mansfield forward. “We’ve come from a mighty long way,” Evans said. “I would be crazy if I could say to you that I did that by myself.” Meanwhile, Kowalski said the contentious election has taken a toll. “I think everybody’s ready for this election to be over, including the candidates,” she said.