Two people are seeking to served in the position of mayor for the city of Silsbee.Voters will decide Saturday, May 6 between two candidates who are seeking a city office for the first time.
During the filing period, John H. Marble, a community activist and non-profit founder, signed up to run for mayor. After the sign-up period, former Silsbee Bee publisher Danny Reneau filled out the paperwork and decided to run against Marble as a write-in candidate.
The seat came open after current Mayor Kevin Garner decided not to seek re-election. The city operates under a city manager-council form of government.
Marble, who is employed locally, is a Silsbee native and graduated from Silsbee High School. He founded Satsuma Valley that helps promote fundraisers, small businesses and events in Silsbee.
Reneau moved to Silsbee in 1991 after purchasing The Silsbee Bee. He sold the newspaper to Hick Media Group in 2021 and retired.
The Examiner asked each candidate four questions to answer before voters head to the polls for early voting on Monday, April 24.
Q. What are the three biggest challenges facing the city?
Marble: The three biggest challenges facing our city are infrastructure, communication with our community and promotion of our city. I believe that we need better roads and parks just as a lot of our community does. Those things are already happening in our city. However, one thing that needs to be addressed is how we are going to maintain our infrastructure. I believe that opening Silsbee to new businesses and honestly promoting our city and the amazing features we do have will help bring in the tax revenue we need to help push our city into the future. We as a city cannot stay stagnant and allow the problems to fix themselves. We must be inviting and work to bring in funding to help our city grow for the better. With that idea we must be more open and forthcoming to our citizens. Communication with our citizens will help our community grow with the addition of their ideas and concerns about the future of our city.
Reneau: The first is to generate enough money to operate the cities utilities and maintain the streets.This is extremely important when you consider that bids on repairs on a group of streets came in over two times higher than the city engineers had estimated last month. The second challenge for Silsbee in my eyes is to promote housing (housing additions). You can’t expect people to move here if there is not a suitable place to buy or build a home. The third challenge is to do whatever we can to promote and reactivate the industrial area around the old LP (Louisiana Pacific) plant. The EDC (Economic Development Corporation) has been working hard on this and we need to do everything we can to support and promote those efforts. This city cannot survive on jobs in the Golden Triangle area. We must do what we can to have some of them in the local area.
Q. Currently, one person holds the position of city manager/city secretary. As mayor, would you like to have a person in each position and why?
Marble: I would agree that the city manager and city secretary need to be two separate positions with trained and qualified people at its helm. The city manager’s position is one of the toughest and most challenging positions in our city as they run the day-to-day operations. The person who runs these positions needs to be focused on their job and duties without worrying about another complete job title. This is going to alleviate stress from these positions and allow the person that holds it to make better informed decisions and help push Silsbee into a positive future.
Reneau: I would prefer to have a city manager and a city secretary but I don’t see this as being one of the top 10 challenges facing the community. The one councilman who mentioned it to me indicated that he is very happy the way that it is.
Q. Over the past few years, many city councils are using the internet to reach citizens. As mayor, how would you use technology and social media to notify citizens of the actions of the city council?
Marble: We live in a generation where we must use technology to bring forth positive change in our community. Over the past few years, I have tried to inform the citizens of this community of the happenings of the city council. Even so much as trying to live broadcast the city council meetings via streaming services. It was put on hold due to lack of equipment needed to perform the task. However, I would like to try this once again. Also, I would like to have monthly messages brought by our mayor to address the issues we are facing and the positives of our community. These would be live broadcast where our citizens would be able to interact and ask questions and voice concerns.
Reneau: I will use the internet, the local newspaper (The Bee) and other local newspapers, the local electronic media, television and radio stations to inform the citizens. I have a huge amount of experience with the newspaper, but I also operated a local Facebook page that had over 14,500 followers. I do not have the technical ability to design a Facebook page but I have the ability to use one. I also have the ability and the desire to use area television and radio stations to get the word out and promote my community. I look forward to this challenge.
Q. In the past year, what have you done personally to help promote the city? As mayor, what will you do to promote Silsbee?
Marble: I have been very active in the community over the past year. I held the third annual Halloween Bash for our city. I brought back an old tradition in our city with the recreation of the Annual Christmas Tree Lighting. I have worked with several nonprofit and community organizations such as The Boys & Girls Club, Ice House Museum, Satsuma Valley, All Faiths Day School, Silsbee Operation Graduation, Southeast Texas Food Bank, Silsbee Volunteer Fire Department, Silsbee Little League just to name a few and a majority of our small businesses here in town to help promote Silsbee. I am also actively volunteering my time to run sound and lighting for the Silsbee Little Theatre.
Reneau: One year ago I returned to The Bee to mentor and advise their staff. I work part-time and use that position to promote the paper and the community. Historically, I have been in civic clubs, served on EDC boards, park boards, variance boards, and worked anywhere I could to help the community. I am active in the Silsbee Little Theater and active in my local church, Pinecrest Baptist Church. I attend area games, writing stories, taking pictures and honoring students. I do this both as an employee of The Bee and as a volunteer.