Meadowlakes swears in leadership
Former Meadowlakes Mayor Mark Bentley (left) shakes hands with new Mayor Garrett Wood. In a power switch, Wood ran for mayor, vacating his Place 5 council seat, and then Bentley was appointed by the City Council to take Wood’s place. Photo courtesy of Meadowlakes
Four members of the Meadowlakes City Council took their oaths of office on Tuesday, May 12, following a series of uncontested races in the May 2 elections. While there are no new faces on the council, some members switched seats.
The biggest change was a shift in the mayor’s seat. Former Place 5 Councilor Garrett Wood chose to not run for reelection and instead vacated his seat as a councilor to run unopposed for mayor. Former Mayor Mark Bentley chose to not run for reelection, but was then appointed by the new council to take the vacant Place 5 seat left behind by Wood.
Incumbent Place 1 Councilor Mike Shaw ran unopposed and kept his seat along with incumbent Place 3 Councilor Carolyn Richmond.
Most of the newly-sworn in council members will each serve two-year terms that expire in 2028. Bentley’s term expires in 2027, as he is just finishing out the one year remaining in Wood’s Place 5 term. These are all unpaid volunteer positions, with councilors meeting regularly to set policy, tax rates, budgets, and more for the city.
“Thank you for your trust and confidence,” reads a statement from Mayor Wood addressing the residents of Meadowlakes. “I look forward to serving you as mayor and the great things we are going to accomplish together. Let’s continue to make Meadowlakes one of the best places to live and raise a family in the great state of Texas.”
Place 5 Councilor Mark Bentley had served as mayor since 2020. He led the city through the COVID-19 pandemic, fought to keep the property tax rate manageable, and he helped pass a $7.5 million bond for an overhaul to the city’s club facilities. He was also known for his weekly newsletters emailed to residents that shared city business and his own musings on the world.