After 25 Years Of Service, Cedar Hill City Council Place 6 Is On The Ballot
CEDAR HILL – These days few people live in the same city for 25 years, so it is more than impressive that Cedar Hill Place 6 City Councilmember Clifford Shaw has served in the Place 6 seat for 25 years.
His biography reads of his many years of dedication to the city. Beginning, with the fact that he has been active in the Cedar Hill community since the early 1990s. It was way back then that he coached his children’s youth sports teams.
Shaw said he has decided not to run for another term on the Cedar Hill City Council because “I believe it is time for a changing of the guard. I don’t have any more mountains to climb and I believe that the city is positioned well for its bright future.”
His decision to first run back in 1998 came about when he said a group of concerned citizens who had a vision for the growing diversity in the city approached him.
“As a resident and president of the community organization, “Diversity for Equality,” I shared the vision, passion, and concerns of these concerned citizens,” he added.
Cedar Hill Has Seen Significant Changes
The rest has been history. Shaw said some of the most significant changes he has seen in Cedar Hill over the years while sitting on the City Council include an overall positive shift in the racial makeup of every aspect of the city.
He said this includes “our neighborhoods, as well as the city’s staff, boards, and council. The city has done a good job of changing as the times and demographics change.”
He believes the most important change however was the hiring of current Councilman Alan Sims. Sims was the first African American City Manager in southwest Dallas County and is among, what Shaw said, has been a big win for the city.
“In addition, the efforts of the city under the current city manager to serve our senior citizens in ways unseen in municipalities similar in size to Cedar Hill,” is another win Shaw said. “I am proud of the collaboration between the city staff and council to create and execute our comprehensive plan, the living blueprint of the city’s future as well as the construction of the city’s new library, a 21st-century beacon of the community, business and municipal cooperation.”
Success has not come without challenges however and to that, he pointed out “The greatest challenges were in the realm of continually identifying and embracing new and improved ways to ensure the city is always a premier city.”
Shaw has always been a strong advocate for parks, recreation, and open space in Cedar Hill. Most residents are aware he was instrumental in the development of many community facilities enjoyed today, including Valley Ridge Park, the Alan E. Sims Cedar Hill Recreation Center, and the Cedar Hill Government Center. He has also been passionate about strong neighborhoods and has supported initiatives to strengthen the city’s focus on neighborhood engagement and beautification.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Prairie View A&M University and works as a system engineer for DCMA Lockheed Martin. Shaw’s three children are all CHISD graduates.
Who Will Sit In Place 6 Next?
As for the person who will take his Place 6 seat, he said that person needs to pick their battles with wisdom and ensure that the decisions made align with the city’s mission statement, comprehensive plan, and what is ultimately best for all citizens of the city.
“Also, anyone who wants to serve on the council must be prepared to support and defend the school district; without a premiere school system, there is no premiere city,” he added.
As for his next 25 years, Shaw concluded “I plan to continue to work with, coach, and/or mentor servant leaders who support the best interests of the entire Cedar Hill community.”
That, and he said he also plans to enjoy sharing and doing life with his sweetheart, Dr. Camille Gray.
Cedar Hill Place 6 Candidates
There are five individuals running for the Cedar Hill Place 6 seat:
Gerald L. Malone – Malone works in quality control for Bell Helicopter as the senior lead of the composite structural test lab. Since 2014, he has served on the Beautification & Environmental Sustainability Board, most recently as Vice Chair in 2019. He was appointed to the 2017 Bond Committee as well as the Comprehensive Plan Committee (2019-2021). Q&A with Gerald Malone
Bertha Middlebrooks – Middlebrooks is retired and is a board member of the Cedar Crest Neighborhood Cedar Hill Public Improvement District #6, she is also an Army Veteran.
Kiphani Allen – Allen is a treasury manager at Rexel, a provider of a wide range of electrical supplies for industrial, commercial & residential use.
Maranda Auzenne – Auzenne is a Senior Vice President, Property Management at Trademark Property Company. Q&A With Maranda Auzenne
Darian Pace – Pace is a member of the Cedar Hill Neighborhood Advisory Board and a customer service account manager as listed on the candidate application. Q&A Darian Pace
*We linked to candidates pages if we were able to find their candidate page.
