Mayor Matt Powell Honored For A Decade Of Service

CEDAR PARK-LEANDER, TX -- Cedar Park Mayor Matt Powell was recently honored for his decade-long service to the city.

A gathering in his honor took place earlier this month at the home of State Rep. Tony Dale and his wife, attended by more than 90 supporters. Hill Country News covered the event as part of its news coverage of the area.

“My family and I are incredibly humbled by all this,” the newspaper quoted the mayor as saying. ”There isn’t a day where I don’t count my blessings for the honor of serving all of you in this role.”

Powell is a popular political figure in Cedar Park, first elected as a city council member in 2005 and getting re-elected for the post three more successive term. He then ran a successful race for the mayor’s position, winning re-election in 2014.

Williamson County Commissioner Cynthia Long and Leander Mayor Chris Fielder were among those in attendance to praise Powell’s leadership. Cedar Park City Council member Jon Lux said the mayor embodies the prototypical leader.

“I have worked with all types of leaders in the military and in the private sector,” Lux said. “The mayor brings all of the great qualities of leadership together, and he is an incredible advocate for the city while seeking to bring people to consensus.”

For his part, Powell credited those who surround him on the council dais and beyond for his success.

“You learn a lot of things in a decade, but perhaps the most important lesson is this: Surrounding yourself with people who have a heart for service, everyone benefits,” he said. “And I have benefited from the friendships of many wonderful colleagues.”

A glance at Powell’s schedule illustrates the brisk pace of growth in the city he helps lead.

This week, Powell hosted a gathering of 15 regional mayors centered around discussion of economic development.

“Very interested in their perspectives,” he tweeted his followers. ”Happy to have them in CP.”

By Tuesday, he was busy helping usher in the Presidio development at Parmer Lane and Ranch Trails during a groundbreaking ceremony.

The Presidio development is a 100-acre mixed-use project--the first such development in the city’s history--that will feature a 100-room hotel, more than 300 loft-style apartment units, 74,000 square feet of office space, and another 21,000 square feet of space containing restaurants and retail shops.

A bio on the municipal website details the breadth of experience the Long Beach, Calif. native possesses. Some parts of Powell’s personal narrative yield evidence of varied interest beyond politics--most notably his stint as second tenor in the acclaimed California Lutheran University choir.

Appropriate for a former tenor, the party is his honor attesting to his acclaim hit all the right notes.

>> Photo of Mayor Matt Powell courtesy of the City of Cedar Park