Killeen -- There are three candidates running for Mayor of Killeen. The last day of early voting is Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the following locations.
- Killeen City Hall, 101 N. College Street
- Gilmore Senior Center, 2201 E. Veterans Memorial Boulevard
- Lions Club Park Senior Center, 1700-B E. Stan Schlueter Loop
Locations for election day on May 7 can be found here.
Jose Segarra
Jose Segarra is the owner and broker at Exit Homevets Realty in Killeen Texas. He has owned the business for 10 years. Segarra has spent four years on the Killeen City Council. He ran for city council after serving on different boards in the area including the Texas Workforce Commission and Fort Hood Board of Realtors. He said he had to convince people to move to Killeen as a realtor and wanted to continue to promote his city as a councilman.
Segarra wants to run for mayor to further improve the image of Killeen. His main focus will be to create more events and green spaces in the area to attract more residents. He also wants the city to have more bike trails and better bus service to ease traffic congestion. According to Segarra, better neighbors mean less crime.
"If you can generate more activity, more entertainment, more things to do, what happens is they start to get to know each other. It has an effect.. you start seeing crime rates go down," Segarra said.
Segarra also wants to beautify different parts of the city such as Rancier avenue. He wants to bring down the percentages of theft and domestic abuse the city is currently seeing.
Elizabeth Blackstone
Elizabeth Blackstone has lived in Killeen since she was one year old. Her husband served in the army and she traveled with him to several bases around the world. Blackstone came back in 1982 and worked for Killeen ISD. She eventually ran for city council, where she served for four years. Blackstone said Killeen is her home and she has lived here for a long time. She said she wants to continue her service to the city.
Blackstone said the main issue Killeen is now facing is its high growth rate that sometimes conflicts with existing infrastructure.
"We've gone from a small town to a small city and it's been quick," Blackstone said, "You have to make sure that you keep up with that rapid growth. You have to make sure that your infrastructure is as it should be. You have to have people in place to serve those people who move in."
Blackstone said the city needs to make sure it gets financial reports faster, as she said they have been late in the past. She also wants the area to have more parks and green spaces.
Hal Butchart
Harold Butchart has lived in Killeen for 23 years and served 35 years in the Military. He said he has been to Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Djibouti. He is now retired and owns several rent houses in the area.
Butchart has run for mayor several times and said he wants to give the city an independent option. He also wants to change the way the city council is compensated and the way the government works.
"We have a city manager form of government and I think that needs to be changed," Butchart said. "The elected representatives and mayor don't get paid and the city manager gets $200,000 a year. What's wrong with this picture?"
Butchart said the pay changes would go into effect after his term is over. He also wants to attract more industry to Killeen to provide higher paying jobs. He said local businesses such as realtors or credit access businesses should be regulated in the way they do business with soldiers to prevent "unfair business practices."
