City Council Place 5 - Unexpired Term

Tre Watson

Nonpartisan

On ballot as: Tre Watson
Current role: Not found
Background: Lowe's employee (per Community Impact)
Fifth-generation College Station resident (per candidate questionnaire)
Experience: Service on P&Z Committee and Brazos Valley African American Museum Board (per candidate questionnaire)
Ran for College Station City Council, Place 6 (2024)
Top priorities: "Running to slow down displacement by defending our neighborhoods from out of town investors."
"Affordability for its working class community."
"We do not have enough public transportation in our city."
Tidbits: Property taxes and budget: No public statement found
Growth and infrastructure: In a Community Impact Q&A: "Running to slow down displacement by defending our neighborhoods from out of town investors."
Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
Public safety: No public statement found
Endorsements: None found in our research
Campaign website: Not found

Nonpartisan

On ballot as: Padon Holt
Current role: Attorney
Background: Self-described "entrepreneur, business and real estate attorney" and "Aggie '10" (per candidate questionnaire)
Attorney and small-business owner (per campaign)
Experience: Not found
Top priorities: "Public Safety First"
"Neighborhood Integrity"
"Hold the line on taxes, spend every dollar like it's your own, and demand transparency in how the city budgets."
"College Station needs a downtown of its own"
"Affordable should mean attainable"
Tidbits: Property taxes and budget: Campaign site: "Hold the line on taxes, spend every dollar like it's your own, and demand transparency in how the city budgets."
Growth and infrastructure: In a Community Impact Q&A: "Streets and utilities paid for by the growth that needs them."
Flooding and drainage: Campaign site: "plan ahead for the water, drainage, and mobility a growing city depends on"
Public safety: In a Community Impact Q&A: "Police and fire fully staffed."
Endorsements: None found in our research
Campaign website: padonholt.com

Nonpartisan

On ballot as: Valen Cepak
Current role: Works with UAS (drone) systems at AgriLife (per campaign)
Background: Master's degree, Bush School of Government and Public Service (per campaign)
Graduate certificate in Homeland Security (per campaign)
Has run two small businesses: a media company and a handyman service (per campaign)
Experience: Board or committee service: American Red Cross, YMCA, Housing Action Committee, ZBA and IFAC (per candidate questionnaire)
Ran for College Station City Council, Place 3 (2024)
Top priorities: "Public Safety, Partnerships, and Pursuing Responsible Growth"
"I will equip first responders, build partnerships that strengthen community and ensure growth improves lives."
"I will use creative zoning and infill, revise fees, and expand our down-payment assistance."
Tidbits: Property taxes and budget: In a Community Impact Q&A, lists among the city's challenges "massive $570 million budgets pushing tax rates to the voter approval limit"
Growth and infrastructure: Campaign site, on growth: "We cannot run from it, and we cannot afford to be unprepared."
Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
Public safety: Campaign site, on police and fire departments: "We must do more than just pay them competitively with neighboring cities."
Endorsements: College Station Association of Neighborhoods
Campaign website: valencepak.com