New Dayton City Council Takes Office: Discussing Rezone Request, Election Runoff and Future Agenda

On Monday night, the Dayton city council met to discuss the May 6 election results and related matters. During the meeting, the newly elected council members were sworn in, including John Headrick and Harry Barnes Jr., who took up the seats previously held by Sherial Lawson and an empty seat.

The council also ordered a runoff election for June 15 between the top two candidates in the Position 2 race, as neither candidate received a majority in the May 6 contest.

During the meeting, discussions were held on a request to rezone a 5.65-acre property near Grand Parkway and FM 1413. The property was proposed to be rezoned from General Commercial to Suburban Residential, a decision endorsed by city staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Some council members expressed concerns about changing the property’s designation to residential given its proximity to Grand Parkway. Headrick felt that commercial designation reflected a forward-looking approach, especially considering its access to important intersection. However, after some discussion, the council decided to table the zoning conversation for a future meeting and adjourned.

The meeting marked the beginning of Dayton’s new council term and addressed important matters related to recent election results.