Today, I am honored to announce my candidacy for reelection as Mayor of Woodville.
Over 30 years ago, we chose Woodville as the place to raise our family and eventually build my law practice. It’s been a wonderful home to raise my children, and now my grandson, “Mr. Blue Eyes,” is experiencing our small-town values and strong sense of community.
My commitment to public service began long before I held elected office. I started as a Girl Scout leader and Band Booster member, then served with the Lions Club and the Chamber of Commerce where I learned progress begins with people who are willing to get involved.
Leadership is about serving others and giving back to the community. That belief has guided me throughout my time as Mayor.
Our journey together over the last term brought unexpected challenges but showed the true strength of community. Following the tragic loss of our dear friend and City Administrator, Mandy Risinger, I stepped in as acting City Administrator. Balancing that role alongside my law practice wasn’t always easy, but working hand-in-hand with dedicated city employees allowed us to keep moving forward.
We tackled critical infrastructure needs. We successfully replaced failing water meters with a modern, more reliable system and kept additional costs to a minimum. We also addressed problems at our wastewater treatment plant and worked cooperatively with the TCEQ to avoid expensive penalties by making necessary repairs and equipment replacements using existing departmental funds instead of increased taxes.
Building on Mandy’s strong foundation, and with the invaluable assistance of our City Secretary, we adopted a timely, state-compliant budget and maintained the City’s excellent audit standing. We were also able to prioritize the people who keep our town running by giving our city employees well-deserved cost-of-living raises and higher starting salaries.
While we’ve made meaningful progress, important work remains. Woodville continues to face challenges that require experienced leadership, careful stewardship of taxpayer resources, and a focus has always been on listening to the needs of the community, delivering real results, and being transparent.
I am deeply grateful for your trust, support and partnership over the last four years. Serving as your Mayor has been one of the greatest honors of my life and I respectfully ask for your continued support and your vote on Election Day.
Amy Bythewood
Mayor, City of Woodville
