For Your Consideration: Dan Blakemore

Editor’s note: The Inquirer will be running a story on four of the five candidates vying for a seat in Gonzales City Council. This is part one of this series. Councilman District 3 Lorenzo Hernandez declined to participate. The order of publication was picked at random. All stories will be linked together online.

Gonzales City Council hopeful Dan Blakemore was raised in the small town of Union City, Tenn. and finds similarities between his hometown and his home in Gonzales.

"Union City and Gonzales are similar in size and both serve as the county seat of their respective counties and both economies are heavily influenced by agriculture,” Blakemore said.

Blakemore attended Union City High School and went on to attend University of Tennessee Martin. He moved to Texas in 1973 and began a career with an insurance company that spanned more than 35 years.

"I began my career as an account executive and progressed into regional management, then national account management for our major accounts,” Blakemore said. "I was responsible at every position for developing a game plan that included production goals, expense expectations to achieve these goals, and an evaluation of corporate resources needed for the success of this game plan."

Blakemore met his wife, Lucianne Vollentine, in 1977 and then married in Gonzales in 1978.

"Lucianne and I have lived in Missouri, Louisiana and Ohio before returning to Texas in 1993," Blakemore said. "We retired to Gonzales in 2012 and presently reside in Lucianne’s childhood home which we have restored."

Since moving to Gonzales, Blakemore has been responsible for the restoration of the historic Old College, the Episcopal Church, the Tinsley Building in downtown as well as other residential homes.

"These restorations have allowed me to meet some very talented local contractors and dedicated city employees,” Blakemore said.

Blakemore is an active member of the Gonzales community and serves for his church and with civic organizations.

"I am a member of the Episcopal Church of the Messiah where I have served on the Vestry as both Junior and Senior Warden and am a member of the Gonzales Noon Lions Club," Blakemore said.

Blakemore said he is campaigning with hopes to win, because he has the know-how to help get the city of Gonzales back on track financially.

"I bring a background of management experience to the table that is grounded in the budgeting process, financial analysis and forecasting, including revenue projections and expense evaluation," Blakemore said. "I believe in having the proper people in the proper positions, then giving them the resources that enable them to be successful."

According to Blakemore, a good plan can only have success if proper leadership is implemented and this type of leadership will require making hard and sometimes unpopular decisions to follow through with the plan that should be designed to help Gonzales recover from its current status.

"Accountability is at the heart of this management philosophy. Each member of the team is held accountable for their decisions and the results of those decisions," Blakemore said. "The best way to achieve success under this system is open and honest communication every day."

Blakemore said good feedback is essential to evaluating the city's game plan and adjusting the plan if necessary.

"I fully expect to be held responsible and accountable to the people that I represent and I fully expect the people that I work with to be responsible and accountable for their actions and decisions," Blakemore said.

Blakemore said the current financial situation in Gonzales cannot and should not continue its current path.

"We did not get into this situation overnight and we will not recover overnight. We need to put a long term comprehensive recovery plan together that covers income and expense analysis," he said. "This plan should look at all levels of staffing and resources to ensure that the right people are in the right positions at all levels and once this is determined that resources are adequate to support their success."

Blakemore said he looks forward to working with the city manager, mayor and other members of the council to restore sound financial strength.

Blakemore said he is committed to Gonzales culturally, historically, and economically.

"I have focused on utilizing local businesses and craftsmen on all projects that I have been involved with," he said. "This focus has generated taxes, employment income and growth for our economy."

According to Blakemore, attending city council meetings has been important to him to better understand the city's situation.

"I have met with almost all of our council members for feedback on our situation and to discuss their thoughts on how best to get back on the right track," he said.

Blakemore said his meetings are ongoing. He intends to meet with as many District 4 residents, downtown merchants and property owners as possible between now and the election to discuss issues and answer their questions as best as he can.

"I do not have all the answers but I have the courage to ask about what I do not know or understand and the courage to stand up for what is best for the City of Gonzales," Blakemore said. "I am accustomed to being held responsible for my decisions and actions and would expect Gonzales citizens to not only expect that but demand that."

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For Clarence Opiela's story, click here.

For Hector Porras' story, click here.

For Bobby O'Neal's story, click here.