Stephen Montoya
Mattie Parker: “My intention is to run again. Right now, I just want to focus on governing."
Mayor Mattie Parker’s annual State of the City address to a full lunch crowd at Dickies Arena on Oct. 22 was set to the steady pulse of beats.
In harmony with the Fort Worth Chamber’s theme of “A City in Concert,” the Castleberry High School mariachi band welcomed guests, and Dunbar’s drumline moved through the arena floor percussing distinctive rhythmic beats and cadences as lunch-goers prepared to put knife and fork to work on the same strips of beef the city made great all those years ago.
DJ Dawn was mixing and matching, blending and fading. Lorena Leigh & The Fresh Manicures, a great band name, no matter how one might look at things, churned out Dolly Parton.
Fort Worth indeed is humming along.
Parker took on a full agenda during the lunch hour, plus 20 minutes, in a speech that was Bill Clinton-esque in length and detail.
So expansive was her list of to-do’s and updates that it certainly did not sound like her last. Lots of projects and unfinished business in a city transforming right before our eyes.
Sure enough, it likely won’t be the finale.
Parker said on Thursday that she is planning to run for a third term as the city’s chief political officer.
“That's my plan,” she said afterward when asked about running again. “My intention is to run again. Right now, I just want to focus on governing. You know, people get pretty excited about campaign season. And I think we're probably all a little tired of campaigning. If you're like me, most Americans are at this point fatigued. But, yeah, I’m excited about 2025 for sure.”
Agitated, rather than excited, is the word about election season. And she’s right: We’re all beat to death by national political culture. It’s a place she had no interest in going to in the wake of some speculation that she might try to succeed the retiring Kay Granger.
City elections are set for May. Filing begins on Jan. 15.
As an aside: Someone who won’t be on the ballot is Mayor Pro Tem Gyna Bivens, six times elected to the City Council to represent District 5. She is a treasure by any standard. That’s a big hole that will need to be filled on the roster. David Cooke, the city manager, who does the heavy lifting, is leaving, too.
So, there will be transition, but Parker is planning to stay aboard the ship. She will have a strong record of accomplishments to support her argument for why voters should return her to office.
U-Haul can’t produce enough vans to keep up with the demand from people eager to relocate here. The newcomers are everywhere in the nation’s 12th-largest city. We welcome you, naturally.
Business has found fertile ground here, too. Parker noted Embraer’s recent $70 million commitment to build a maintenance, repair, and overhaul services center at Perot Field Alliance Airport.
Economic development is trending upward in Fort Worth. In addition to Embraer, Big Ass Fans, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Continental Tires, and GE On Wing have all jumped in the warm water.
Moreover, Hollywood is bringing more and more of its big-ass cameras to town, too. Development in the Stockyards and in the Cultural District are continuing to reflect new eras — and lots more business — in those areas.
Higher education is booming in Fort Worth with the development of Texas A&M-Fort Worth, UTA West, and the expanding footprint of Tarleton State, along with TCU’s new medical school building. Texas Wesleyan just welcomed its largest freshman class ever.
As it concerns workforce capital, however, there are some low, repetitive John Williams-type “Jaws” notes that arouse anxiety and unease.
That would be the Fort Worth school district, one of 11 school districts that touch the city. It’s in crisis.
The mayor has tried to put heat and light on the school district. So far, it has resulted in just the resignation of the superintendent. It’s unclear what kind of start that is. But change is always confronted with resistance.
And changing faces likely won’t be the end-all. Reform will require the hopes, prayers, and courage. Plus, the efforts of all of the village.
The city is a very willing partner with much at stake. As part of that end, the police department has partnered with South Hills and Eastern Hills to create career pathways in law enforcement and public service.
"My job is not to meddle," Parker said. "It's to be supportive and listen up and also listen closely where the community might need to come along and give resources that they may need. And importantly, I have to remind you this, the Legislative session is in January. Education is going to be back on the agenda. And I want to be a mayor that's advocating for school funding and teacher resources."
Another topic she could have used 50 minutes to discuss was transportation. How to efficiently move 1 million people around town and across the region? That’s a good question.
She noted those challenges in transportation and infrastructure but highlighted positive developments like the Interstate 30 expansion starting in both directions, from the Dallas County line to downtown and from the Parker County line to downtown.
TEXRail recently marked the milestone of more than 3 million passengers since 2019. TEXRail is also in the engineering phase of an expansion into the Near Southside and Medical District.
The Urban Rail Committee is assessing the benefits and feasibility o that mode of transportation.
So, yeah, there’s plenty left to do.
Parker said she intends to stay around and do her part.
After all, there’s a mark — a legacy — in shaping this transformation of a city that, at 175, is, in many ways, just beginning.
