Meet The Candidates: Tonya Spears Is Running For Celina Mayor

(Editors Note: This is the fifth in a series of Meet The Candidate Interviews as we prepare for the June 1 election in Celina. The office of mayor will be filled as will three seats on the Board Of Aldermen.)

Tonya Spears is one of the three people running for Celina Mayor.

Spears said she has lived in Celina her whole life and has a background in agency elder care. After two years of being mayor, Spears said she is ready to use what she has learned to lead Celina forward.

“The sewer moratorium,” Spears said. “That would be the most pressing issue at this point. If we had someone that possibly wanted to come, industry at this point we couldn’t hook them to the sewer. So that is the most pressing thing.”

Spears said once the sewer is addressed, she wants to brand the city and work on tourism. Spears said the two rivers surrounding Celina are great opportunities she wants to utilize.

This is Spears’ response on why she wants to be mayor.

“I stepped up in this position when the previous mayor resigned, and I went at it with the thought that I want to give it 150 percent, and I have been here for two years,” Spears said. “The first year I started out doing pretty well. I was getting my feet wet and trying to understand the things you can do, you can’t do, why it is this way and learning the laws. I wanted to lead and try to see how a town was actually ran. Now, I have two years under my belt, and I understand the why.”

This is what Spears said when I asked what she wants to achieve as mayor.

“Of course, what I have been faced with since day one is our issues with our infrastructure and sewer and water department,” Spears said. “If I can get that continued on the route it is on with the new head works for the sewer plant and getting everything straighten out in those areas, then we can go forward trying to possibly brand Celina. Let’s say a walkable town. Try to get some tourists and visitors in and possibly have events at our Donaldson Park and try to build up our town.”

Early voting lasts until May 27th. Election Day is June 1st.