Coppell Mayor Karen Hunt and Coppell City Councilmember Gary Roden have announced that they will not seek reelection in the May 2021 municipal election.
Mayor Karen Hunt:
"When my term ends in May, I will have served for nine years as Mayor and four as a Councilmember. While I continue to be excited about the future of Coppell, I will not be filing to run for another term," said Hunt. "I truly enjoy serving the citizens of Coppell as its Mayor – it is an honor. It has been a wonderful experience. I have learned so much. The City of Coppell is in a good place, both fiscally and physically."
Hunt was elected to Place 7 of the Coppell City Council in 2008, and she served as Mayor ProTem from 2009 to 2010. She was elected as Mayor in May 2012 and is currently serving in her third term. Hunt has served as city representative on the Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition, the alternate to Irving on the Regional Transportation Council and three one-year terms on the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Board. She presently serves as the President on the Board of Directors for Texas Municipal League as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the North Texas Commission.
Council Member Gary Roden:
"The City of Coppell is a dynamic, inclusive, and financially stable community. I have been privileged to serve the City in various volunteer capacities for over twenty years, including three terms as a Coppell City Councilman. It has been a joy to work with our citizens and our city staff throughout these years and to see so many of our plans come to fruition. It is now time for the next generation to lead the city and provide new energy and creative solutions.
"Therefore, I am announcing that I will not submit a candidate application for election to Coppell City Council Place 4 for the election on May 1, 2021. I look forward to continuing to be involved in the community and to seeing it realize its full potential."
Roden was elected to the Coppell City Council in May 2012 and was re-elected for his third term in 2018. He previously served as Vice Chair of the Economic Development Committee and the co-chair for the Coppell 2030 Steering Committee. He also worked on the Coppell 2030 Comprehensive Master Plan.
Roden holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University and has completed multiple post-graduate business courses at the University of North Texas. Mr. Roden is Vice President of Business Development for TD Industries, a multi-state mechanical contracting and service company.
He and his wife Lisa have been married since 1983. They have three wonderful grown children, all of whom are graduates of Coppell ISD, and five grandchildren.