Next Tuesday marks a big Election Day for Texas side residents. Citizens will have the opportunity to cast their votes for Mayor. One of the candidates is incumbent Mayor Bob Bruggeman. Bruggeman is a lifelong resident of Texarkana, Texas, and has been serving as Mayor since 2012. Prior to becoming Mayor, Bruggeman served as a Council Member for seven years. TXKToday had the pleasure of sitting down with Mayor Bruggeman to discuss his plans for the future of Texarkana, Texas and his desire to continue working on many ongoing projects that will continue to improve our area.
“It’s been exciting on the campaign trail. I have had the opportunity to visit with our great citizens over the past several months and I appreciate their continued support as I seek another term as Mayor,” said Bruggeman. In addition to being the Mayor, Bob is a husband, father, grandfather, is active in his church and serves on six boards within City Government. He is a member of the local Kiwanis Club and has been a high school baseball umpire for forty-two years. “Because Texarkana is my home, I want to see our community continue to grow and prosper in the future,” said Bruggeman.
Mayor Bruggeman has been working diligently in City Government for the past 16 years, with many positive changes taking place, such as new businesses, the development of a new campus for Texas A&M University-Texarkana, new frontage roads along Interstate 30, downtown revitalization and much more. “It’s been very exciting. Service and leadership are two important areas in my role as Mayor. There are challenges from time to time, but I like to focus on the positive things that have taken place. We have taken on quality of life projects, such as walking trails and parks. We have two University Systems represented locally, along with a Community College. This is unique for a city of our size,” said Bruggeman.
When asked what he hopes to continue to do if reelected as Mayor of Texarkana, Texas, Mayor Bruggeman has a lot to share. “One key thing is to continue to provide services to our community. There are several large projects underway or soon to be underway that will shape our city for the next 40 to 50 years,” stated Bruggeman.
The projects are as follows:
1. The Hotel Grim project in Downtown Texarkana. “This project will serve as an anchor for future downtown development,” said Bruggeman.
2. New Airport Terminal. “First impressions matter when someone travels here for the first time and lands at our airport. The new terminal will provide a positive first impression and help with economic development,” said Bruggeman.
3. Construction of a new Wadley Regional Medical Center hospital. “This is a $227 million dollar hospital project, the largest commercial project in the city’s history,” said Bruggeman.
4. Interstate 30 widening. “Our traffic count has been increasing on the interstate. To provide a more efficient flow and for safety, two additional lanes are being added,” said Bruggeman.
5. New water treatment plant. “The treatment plant on New Boston Rd. has been in service since the 1950’s. A new plant is needed that will serve our citizens for many years to come. The new plant will be located on the footprint of the TexAmericas Center,” said Bruggeman.
While there are a lot of current projects impacting our local City, Bruggeman hasn’t forgotten what it means to be Mayor. “First of all, I’m from Texarkana. I love my community and my city. Having this position is a way that I can give back to the Community. I was raised in an environment that encouraged me to help others, and serve others in any capacity. From a young age, I became very interested in local government. I would watch City Council Meetings on TV to keep up with what was going on around the area, and I have worked hard to be able to make an impact on our city,” said Bruggeman.
“I have been able to accomplish a number of things as Mayor of the City of Texarkana, one of those being a cooperative and working relationship with our neighboring entities including, Texarkana, AR., Miller and Bowie counties. With those strong relationships, we have been able to get a lot of things done to not only improve our side of the City but others as well,” said Bruggeman. While Mayor Bruggeman certainly has a lot on his plate, continuing his service to the City of Texarkana, Texas is among his greatest hopes.
Early voting has already begun across the Texarkana Area. Election Day is Tuesday, November 2nd.
