Deborah S. Morris - Garland Elections

Name as it appears on the ballot: Deborah S. Morris

Note from the Candidate to the Voters:

As a three-term City Council member and 39-year Garland resident, I’ve worked side by side with our community for years to make real, lasting change. I have a long track record of getting things done for Garland residents, businesses and neighborhoods.

As an elected official I led initiatives to reduce costs for Garland residents, including sidewalk repair programs, senior tax relief, and neighborhood improvements. I requested live phone translation services and closed-captioning of city videos to increase our government accessibility. I worked to promote our local businesses and attract new ones, and to make our processes more business-friendly. I also led the way on council in keeping residents informed by creating and publishing a free Garland City Connect newsletter twice-monthly for the last seven years, along with providing real-time online and email updates.

On council I chaired the Community Services Committee and Administrative Services Committee and represented the City of Garland on the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ regional Emergency Preparedness Planning Council. My colleagues unanimously chose me to serve terms as both Mayor Pro Tem and Deputy Mayor Pro Tem.

I’m honored now to have received the endorsements of four former Garland mayors—Mayors Ron Jones, Bob Day, Jamie Ratliff and Doug Athas—in this mayoral race.

I have both the experience and the time to serve this large and busy city as an effective full-time Mayor who will put your interests first. Together, we can continue to build a thriving city where businesses grow, families feel safe, and Garland residents know their voices can truly shape our future.

Ballotpedia Link:
https://ballotpedia.org/Deborah_Morris

Campaign Website, Social Media, Endorsement Links:

Campaign Website:
https://www.morrisforgarland.com/

    Social Media:
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morrisforgarland/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deborahmorrisgarland/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-morris-1724b317/

Endorsements:
https://www.morrisforgarland.com/endorsements

Campaign Contact Information:

Email: Deborah@Morris.net
Phone: 214-273-4387
Address: 505 W. State Street, Suite 200, Garland, TX 75040

Dallas Morning News Questionnaire Link (not yet available)

Candidate-Submitted Bio:

Our young family moved to Garland in 1985, but we were soon shocked to learn that the greenbelt near our neighborhood was about to be bulldozed. As a fledgling nonfiction writer, I knew how to do research–and quickly discovered that the wooded acreage recently donated to the city for use as parkland had been quietly “repurposed” to build a 6-lane divided highway.

My neighbors immediately elected me president of our neighborhood association and sent me off to (cliche) “fight city hall” for them. I successfully led the public effort to realign the highway onto nearby open space, saving both the greenbelt and millions in tax dollars–a solution the city engineer publicly declared a “win-win”. Today, that mature greenbelt is part of Garland’s prized Rowlett Creek Preserve trail system.

Meanwhile my writing career was taking off. My young adult book series, Real Kids Real Adventures, was adapted as an Emmy-nominated Discovery Channel television series which aired in the U.S., Central and South America, the Caribbean Islands, Canada and Europe. I was excited that an idea born right here in Garland had ended up circling the globe.

In between child-rearing and writing, I served as a Dallas-Area Red Cross Disaster Team Leader and was recognized in 2000 as “Volunteer of the Year”. I became certified as a first responder and later served on the First Aid Team with the Christian Motorcyclist Association. I also served as a youth group leader at Springcreek Church in North Garland and was appointed to serve on the City of Garland’s Building and Fire Codes Board.

Then, in 2017, I was once again asked to speak on behalf of hundreds of distressed Garland residents who felt they’d been ignored in an important decision and blindsided by their city representative. After first trying without success to quietly resolve the issue, I spearheaded the recall effort that resulted in the resignation of the council member. Afterward, despite great reluctance, I filed to run for the Garland City Council.

I was elected in 2018, and re-elected in 2020 and 2022 to represent District 2, the largest council district in the city which includes our historic Downtown. My previous years of experience as an interviewer and community leader made it easy for me to engage with both individuals and our local businesses, and it was especially helpful during our lengthy $25M Downtown Square renovation. I opened an office on the Square during the worst of the construction to be more accessible to our businesses there.

Many of the reasons I originally didn’t want to get involved in local government are still valid: I still hate politics, control freaks, and “good old boy” (or girl) networks. But my service on council was a game-changer for me; this was the biggest opportunity I’d ever had in my life to help more people in more significant ways. I could, in many cases, find solutions to problems, connect people to resources they needed, or champion programs or policies that could make a huge difference in their everyday lives. For me, that changed public service from a dutiful sacrifice to a joy.

That’s why I’m now running for Mayor.

Awards and Honors:

Dallas Area Red Cross Volunteer of the Year (2000)
Emmy Nomination (2001) “Outstanding Children’s Series” Real Kids Real Adventures Series (Discovery Channel)
Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM) Certification: Senior Officials Workshop for All-Hazards Preparedness
Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM) Certification: Whole Community Emergency Management Planning

Questionnaire Answers:

1) Have you held any positions within the city/ISD, either with the city/ISD itself or with non-profit / community service organizations?

Yes. I served as a three-term member of the Garland City Council, holding positions as Deputy Mayor Pro Tem and Mayor Pro Tem as well as chairing the Community Services Committee and Administrative Services Committee. In addition I served on the Mayor’s Task Force to improve zoning notifications and as a member of the Audit Committee, Development Services Committee, and Legislative Affairs Committee. I represented the City of Garland on the North Central Texas Council of Governments, serving on the regional Emergency Preparedness Planning Council. Additionally, I served as president of the Northeast Garland Neighborhood Association, as a Dallas Area Red Cross Disaster Team Leader, as a First Aid Team Member with the local Christian Motorcyclists Association (CMA), and as a volunteer youth group leader at Springcreek Community Church in North Garland.

2) Have you attended a city council or school board meeting in person?

Yes, as a former city council member, I have attended numerous city council meetings in person.

3) Have you read the city/ISD budget? If so, did you have any takeaways from it?

Yes, during my tenure on the city council, I reviewed the city budget annually. A key takeaway was the importance of balancing fiscal responsibility with the need to invest in infrastructure and community services to enhance the quality of life for our residents, while also planning for a fiscally sustainable future.

4) What would you say is your primary responsibility in the position you are running for?

As mayor, my primary responsibility is to provide leadership that ensures transparent and accessible governance, fostering a community where all residents feel heard and valued. I will be expected to preside effectively and fairly over meetings, including demonstrating proficiency in parliamentary procedure (for which I’ve received formal training), and to stand ready to act decisively in the event of a disaster that requires an immediate response.

5) What other responsibilities do you believe come with this role?

The mayor is the official spokesperson for the city, including representing Garland in person beyond our city borders as needed. Garland is the 93^rd largest city in the U.S. and 13th largest city in Texas, but we are often absent from regional events and discussions. We need to establish strong relationships with other DFW leaders to ensure Garland always has a voice in key conversations.

It also falls to the mayor to interact with the media. I would like to strengthen our city’s media presence to highlight positive developments and enhance our reputation. Having spent years as a professional journalist, I’m well aware of the value of establishing a good working relationship with local media.

Other responsibilities include ongoing support for our first responders, promoting economic development, and enhancing the overall quality of life for all Garland residents.

6) Name three things that you want to accomplish while in office.

Ensure adequate funding and support for our police, fire, and emergency services to maintain the highest level of public safety.

Promote economic growth by supporting existing businesses and attracting new enterprises to expand our tax base without increasing tax rates. This includes becoming more business-friendly in our processes.

Improve our two-way communications with citizens, with faster response times, a more useful website, and more after-hours options for busy Garland residents.

7) Are there programs or services you want to see reduced in size or canceled? Why?

At this time, I do not have specific programs in mind for reduction or cancellation. My approach is to continually assess the effectiveness of all city programs and services to ensure they meet the needs of our community efficiently and responsibly.

8) Are there programs or services you want to see created or expanded? Why?

I’d like to see our communications with the public both expanded and simplified. While on council I successfully advocated for programs to enhance communication with residents who speak English as a second language, as well as closed-captioning for our Deaf and hard of hearing residents. Moving forward, one change I’d like to see is to have our City Press, currently mailed every other month to Garland households, become a more timely monthly publication (in shorter form), similar to what Richardson offers.

I would also like to see Garland restart our CERT (Citizens Emergency Response Team) program and training, which most of our surrounding cities offer. Many Garland residents have had to go to other cities to receive CERT training and to volunteer. The Texas Department of Emergency Management speaks highly of the assistance of these trained volunteers when activated to assist during local disasters— and given just the weather-related disasters we’ve experienced in Garland over the last 10 years, it makes sense to have our own CERT team.

9) What are your strategic objectives for your district, the city, or the ISD?

My strategic objectives include economic development, maintaining public safety, ensuring well-maintained infrastructure, and enhancing the quality of life for all residents through community engagement and transparent governance.

10) What are the city’s/district’s biggest challenges, and how do you want to address them?

Public safety will always be our first and primary responsibility, and as we move forward it’s crucial that we continue to fully fund our first responders, including competitive pay, training and equipment. In the current cultural clime, this will likely remain a challenge we’ll need to regularly assess and address.

Our significant revenue gap (compared to cities all around us) and near built-out state are a huge challenge for us, which is why the economic development process is critical for our future. The USL complex will draw in more visitors who’ll spend money here. The redevelopment of various prime properties–the former Jones Hardware building downtown, the many acres of land we’ve purchased and assembled down by LBJ and Shiloh, Harbor Point, etc.– will all move us in the right direction.

As another potential source of revenue that we’re currently losing to surrounding cities, I would like to revisit the state bill that we requested several years ago which would’ve allowed us to carve out some specific areas to allow limited liquor sales in Garland. Unlike a general liquor petition (like the one circulated unsuccessfully last year), this narrower carve-out approach would better address business needs without enabling liquor sales to proliferate citywide in gas stations, convenience stores, etc.—something many Garland residents strongly oppose.

We need to continue our strategic work in the Medical District to create an economic environment that can sustain a future hospital. While we can’t legally form an additional hospital district to fund a tax-supported City hospital, or “make” a private hospital open in Garland, the multi-faceted Valoris HealthPark plan to attract a new community hospital to Garland continues to make good progress. We need to keep our focus on executing those plans with all due speed.

Street repairs and maintenance are another longtime challenge, but one we now have a workable plan to address, depending on the outcome of the upcoming 2025 Bond. A high city tax rate is another challenge I’d like to tackle in the years to come. While our current rate is the lowest in Garland since 2008, it’s still high compared to most other cities in our area. I see a combination of economic development and financial prudence during our budget process as an avenue to pursue.