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Staud
“I’d like to see more involvement with the community,” said Dublin mayor candidate John Staud. “There are a lot of our organizations dependent on a few volunteers.”
“I’d like to get young people involved and get them to see this as their city and not the place they want to leave as soon as they graduate,” he continued.
Staud said the first step towards this goal is for the city to support new businesses and job opportunities.
“There should be a way to bring other businesses to Dublin that don’t need a massive infrastructure,” said Staud. “Every business supports other businesses.”
Staud said possibilities are greater now because of satellite offices and the ability to work remotely. His own ability to work remotely for Accenture made his move to Dublin possible 3.5 years ago. A Texas native, Staud moved to Germany 30 years ago with his then wife, a German resident. Staud had lived in Germany for decades before needing to return home to care for his mother.
“I’m lucky the company I worked for was also in America,” he said.
Staud and his wife, Ursi, looked at towns around Texas that and had staples like a grocery store, pharmacy and a clinic….. and a good Mexican restaurant.
“We have everything you need in a town and a good school district,” Staud said.
“Dublin was one of the few towns west of Fort Worth that had everything except the traffic,” he added. “I hate traffic.”
The geography of the town and its small size even allow his wife to ride a bike around town.
“I like the convenience of everything here and the civic involvement with organizations like Keep Dublin Beautiful and Revitalize Dublin,” Staud said. “I would like to see things more coordinated in working towards a common goal.”
Staud is a believer in service, having been with the Coast Guard and the Carrollton Fire Department before moving to Germany and now volunteering with the Dublin Lions Club.
“I think we all want to keep Dublin ’Dublin,” he said. “I want to be sure Dublin keeps growing and the businesses are supported.”
“The city needs to not be on the sidelines,” Staud said. “There should be someone willing to guide that.”
Staud said the city can be more active in helping residents and businesses by ‘marketing it as a place to come’ and hosting events itself, citing the regular events in Comanche and Stephenville.
Staud even noted the city could have an events coordinator to assist in these endeavors.
“I’d also like to see more involvement with the Hispanic community,” he said, noting the sizable Hispanic population in town.
Staud noted issues like water service and code enforcement that need to be addressed and said he’d like the city to be more active in communication with a site and internet radio that could act as the official venue for whether roads or the school is closed that day without the uncertainty of back and forth Facebook communication.
Staud is a father of eight, with his youngest currently attending Dublin High School.
Staud is challenging incumbent Mayor David Leatherwood in the May 4 general election.