Petra Hawkins

In anticipation of her new role on Tyler’s City Council, Petra Hawkins discussed concerns raised by District 2 constituents during door-to-door canvassing and her plans to tackle them.

Residents’ concerns centered around enhanced connectivity, public safety and economic opportunities. Hawkins is eager to educate the public about the significance of political engagement, clarify the roles of elected officials and promote unity within the community.

Hawkins will replace outgoing councilmember Broderick McGee, who has termed out. The Tyler native won a runoff election Saturday against opponent Stephen Dinger. She will be sworn in at 9 a.m. July 10 at Tyler City Hall to the Tyler City Council District 2 seat following a close race.

According to the unofficial results, Hawkins received 508 votes or 53%, and Dinger received 456 or 47%. A total of 964 ballots were cast, including early in-person and mail-in votes out of the 9,463 eligible voters, making for a turnout of 10.19%.

She outlined her intentions to understand how she can utilize her council position to address and improve residents’ quality of life effectively.

Moving forward, Hawkins has scheduled meetings with Mayor Don Warren and City Manager Edward Broussard for orientation and training on a councilperson’s roles, limitations and responsibilities.

“I can learn the process and things I’m allowed to do … outside of city council. I need to know what I can and cannot do and can and cannot discuss,” Hawkins said. “Then I will know how to move forward.”

During her campaign she kept notes, documenting residents’ concerns and suggestions for improvements in their communities.

Many residents concerns regard access to high-speed internet and improved cell phone service. Hawkins plans to explore expanding fiber optic cabling and assess potential issues with cell phone towers in the area.

“The reception over there is really bad, especially with the internet,” Hawkins said. “That’s one that has come up a lot.”

Residents requested increased lighting on main and side streets, additional stop signs or yield signs at dangerous intersections and enhanced police patrols for improved safety.

They expressed a need for more low-to moderate-income housing and assistance with home repairs, particularly for elderly residents, as well as tree trimming over power and utility lines. They also desire better quality retail stores, restaurants and leisure activities and less car lots, vape shops, fast food and discount variety stores.

“They want to see less of that,” Hawkins said. “They want to see more family-oriented restaurants.”

While campaigning, Hawkins learned politics can be hard to understand and communicate effectively to the public. Despite the challenging work of winning votes, the experience taught her valuable lessons for the next time.

“During the first election, whenever it was announced, I was ahead in the early voting … people saw that and ran with it. A lot of people thought that I had already won,” Hawkins said. “During the runoff, a lot of people did not realize that they needed to vote again.”

She plans to work with neighborhood and community organizations that hold regular forums to educate people about local government and elections. Additionally, she’s considering creating a newsletter or bulletin to keep those who couldn’t attend informed.

“I’ll need to find out what other programs that they have in the communities where I can go and then maybe set up something myself,” Hawkins said. “Have them send me or email me topics that they want to talk about, but also have my own agenda of what I want to talk about, especially with the November election coming up.”

That information is critical, especially for next term, she said.

District 2 is predominantly composed of minority families. Established in the 1970s, it promotes minority representation on the Tyler City Council. Hawkins said people need to understand the importance and be prepared to vote, especially considering the significance of minority representation in this seat.

“The history of it should mean something to the community. Our forefathers served, and they fought for us to have these two seats,” Hawkins said. “City council members serve the entire district, but we do want to maintain our representation and our voice within those communities.”

As District 2 and Tyler continue to grow, she aims to foster unity for enhanced safety and mutual understanding, striving together towards progress and shared goals.

“As far as learning local government roles and responsibilities, I’m eager,” Hawkins said. “I love learning new things, and I love learning how things operate, and understanding how…I can be effective in the role.”