Roger Van Horn, a dentist in Nacogdoches for over 30 years, is also serving his third term as mayor of Nacogdoches. Mayor Van Horn took some time to discuss what it is like to be the mayor in a town the size of Nacogdoches.
Mayor Van Horn began by discussing the two types of city government in Texas, a strong manager commission government and a strong mayor commission government. Nacogdoches is run by a strong manager commission government, which consists of four city commissioners and the mayor.
The mayor described his job as the chairman of the city council. “Our job is to set policies,” said Van Horn. There are five votes in the city commission and the mayor’s vote is the same as any other commissioner. In Nacogdoches the mayor’s term runs two years and the commission is set up so that every year half the members are up for election. Also, the Nacogdoches city commission members don’t receive any pay. The mayor says that this limits what he can do as mayor.
Mayor Van Horn still continues his dental practice along with being mayor. “It’s a good time in my life, my kids are raised, my bills are paid,” he said. “And so I can practice dentistry a little less.” The mayor says he spends about three to four hours a day and all day Friday playing mayor. “It’s the exact opposite of dentistry,” he said.
Van Horn talked about the slow process of government. “As a dentist I get closure 15 times a day. I see a problem, the patient agrees, I fix it, they pay,” said the mayor. “On the city council you never get anything done quick.” Van Horn believes the process to be frustrating. He also believes the slow process is an important part of government. “I am finding though, that the process may be slow, but it should be,” he said.
The city council meets every second Tuesday. Mayor Van Horn urged people to come to the meetings. He joked about how boring some of the meetings can be. “We’ve got a real yawner tonight and it will last about 20 minutes; we’re voting on some grants for sidewalks,” said Van Horn.
Mayor Van Horn seemed to be fun and laid back. He wore a black blazer with a dress shirt that was unbuttoned at the neck. He was very animated as he talked. He discussed how he came to Nacogdoches with much enthusiasm. Van Horn was born in Oklahoma. He said he knew he had wanted to move to a smaller town, just he wasn’t sure where at the time. While traveling, his family became stranded in Nacogdoches for a weekend. The locals of Nacogdoches were very friendly and open to his family. So much so, that when they left they decided that this was the home they had been looking for.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
The Mayor by Daphne Taylor
Standing behind the podium in front of the News Writing class, Mayor Roger Van Horn took his reading glasses off and put them back before starting his presentation. Currently working on his third term as mayor of Nacogdoches, Van Horn is moreover a dentist with a full-time practice.
“I’m getting better at it. I had potential, but I didn’t know how to be mayor,” said Van Horn. He rubbed his hands together as the class laughed. He let the students of Stephen F. Austin know that the job hasn’t always been easy to handle. His job as mayor is a three to four day job as well as all day Friday. Nacogdoches is operated on a strong manager commission government in which the citizens elect the city commissions. The mayor is the chairman of the City Commission.
Mayor Van Horn said that one thing he had to learn was to set his personal philosophy for the city. It’s about the process and thinking broadly about the city. “It’s so hard to get closure, it’s different and frustrating,” said Van Horn. As a dentist he can go and find the problem and instantly fix it, but as a mayor it’s more of a process.
“That’s not how I make a living. I make a living as a dentist,” said Van Horn. He’s been a dentist for 40 years and said he randomly got into that particular field. He got an interview and was offered a job.
“It’s a good time of my life,” said Van Horn. The mayor at least wants to have five terms, but if he happens to not get voted back he said he would do something. He did say that he liked teaching. The mayor will keep himself busy one way or another.
“Get involved,” said the mayor to the students. Not just on campus, but in the community. Even though Stephen F. Austin students are temporary, it’s nice to do something to benefit the current community where someone resides. The mayor said to the class that even though he’s been the mayor since 2007, he’s getting better. He stood in front of the class not as if he’s better than everyone else, but as a person who knows that mistakes will be made and nobody’s perfect.
“I’m getting better at it. I had potential, but I didn’t know how to be mayor,” said Van Horn. He rubbed his hands together as the class laughed. He let the students of Stephen F. Austin know that the job hasn’t always been easy to handle. His job as mayor is a three to four day job as well as all day Friday. Nacogdoches is operated on a strong manager commission government in which the citizens elect the city commissions. The mayor is the chairman of the City Commission.
Mayor Van Horn said that one thing he had to learn was to set his personal philosophy for the city. It’s about the process and thinking broadly about the city. “It’s so hard to get closure, it’s different and frustrating,” said Van Horn. As a dentist he can go and find the problem and instantly fix it, but as a mayor it’s more of a process.
“That’s not how I make a living. I make a living as a dentist,” said Van Horn. He’s been a dentist for 40 years and said he randomly got into that particular field. He got an interview and was offered a job.
“It’s a good time of my life,” said Van Horn. The mayor at least wants to have five terms, but if he happens to not get voted back he said he would do something. He did say that he liked teaching. The mayor will keep himself busy one way or another.
“Get involved,” said the mayor to the students. Not just on campus, but in the community. Even though Stephen F. Austin students are temporary, it’s nice to do something to benefit the current community where someone resides. The mayor said to the class that even though he’s been the mayor since 2007, he’s getting better. He stood in front of the class not as if he’s better than everyone else, but as a person who knows that mistakes will be made and nobody’s perfect.
The Mayor by Nicole Rolls
Mayor Van Horn sheds light on his life as mayor of Nacogdoches and being a local dentist. Being 65 years of age has certainly not slowed him down one bit. He is an ambitious man who likes to be productive and active in all that he does, rather than take the easy way out and retire.
Mayor Van Horn has lived in Nacogdoches for 30 years and has served three terms as Mayor. He has been a licensed dentist for 40 years and loves it. His goal is to stay in office for five terms at least, while still practicing dentistry. He said as mayor he does not get paid, so dentistry is his main source of income. Mayor Van Horn splits up his week so that he can perform at both “jobs” and give each a respectable amount of time as needed.
He says that he likes being mayor, but sometimes it can be very frustrating. It can take weeks to months for a policy to make its way into action, which Mayor Van Horn is not used to being a dentist. He likes how in dentistry he finds a problem and can fix it, giving him closure. But with politics, he said, “Government is slow, but it should be, “ and that we as the general public have to be patient and let the process run its course. The benefit of being in a small town is that one can make a difference in affecting some part of that town pretty easily, then say a big city. Mayor Van Horn said that he tries to “make decisions that are best for the whole” when it comes to councils and big decisions. He hopes that “the people are confident in the process,” and feel that they are getting a say and not being forgotten; a sort of trust process to the people.
Mayor Van Horn believes that young people should get involved now in politics where they live. Being mayor, he wishes more people would vote and be engaged in what is going on in their town. He worked his way up to the position he is in now when he was younger and has seen the benefits that have come from that. Mayor Van Horn says that he loves being mayor and is “getting better at it” all the time. Every term that he has served he gets more knowledgeable about how to be mayor and the responsibilities that come with the title. When asked what he will do when he is no longer mayor he said simply, “ I don’t know…I will do something.” He has thought about the possibility of teaching or becoming a manager at the public dental clinic as options.
Mayor Van Horn has not always lived in Nacogdoches, but continues to serve this town proudly everyday.
Mayor Van Horn has lived in Nacogdoches for 30 years and has served three terms as Mayor. He has been a licensed dentist for 40 years and loves it. His goal is to stay in office for five terms at least, while still practicing dentistry. He said as mayor he does not get paid, so dentistry is his main source of income. Mayor Van Horn splits up his week so that he can perform at both “jobs” and give each a respectable amount of time as needed.
He says that he likes being mayor, but sometimes it can be very frustrating. It can take weeks to months for a policy to make its way into action, which Mayor Van Horn is not used to being a dentist. He likes how in dentistry he finds a problem and can fix it, giving him closure. But with politics, he said, “Government is slow, but it should be, “ and that we as the general public have to be patient and let the process run its course. The benefit of being in a small town is that one can make a difference in affecting some part of that town pretty easily, then say a big city. Mayor Van Horn said that he tries to “make decisions that are best for the whole” when it comes to councils and big decisions. He hopes that “the people are confident in the process,” and feel that they are getting a say and not being forgotten; a sort of trust process to the people.
Mayor Van Horn believes that young people should get involved now in politics where they live. Being mayor, he wishes more people would vote and be engaged in what is going on in their town. He worked his way up to the position he is in now when he was younger and has seen the benefits that have come from that. Mayor Van Horn says that he loves being mayor and is “getting better at it” all the time. Every term that he has served he gets more knowledgeable about how to be mayor and the responsibilities that come with the title. When asked what he will do when he is no longer mayor he said simply, “ I don’t know…I will do something.” He has thought about the possibility of teaching or becoming a manager at the public dental clinic as options.
Mayor Van Horn has not always lived in Nacogdoches, but continues to serve this town proudly everyday.
The Mayor by Tiffany Occhiogrosso
Nacogdoches Mayor Roger Van Horn showed a humorous side during an interview on Tuesday. While describing his jobs, both mayor and dentist, he added insights into his life.
This is Van Horn’s second term as mayor. His first term he ran unopposed, and claimed he had potential during that election, but he didn’t know how to be mayor. “But I’m getting better at it,” he said with a grin on his face.
One of Van Horn’s frustrations is the strong-manager city commission government of Nacogdoches, which limits his power. His vote is the same as the other four commissioners on the city commission. It is the job of the city manager to run the city on a daily basis.
But Van Horn kept his humor about him. Describing the coming commission meeting while laughing, Van Horn said, “Don’t come tonight – it’s going to be a bore.”
Van Horn serves his civic duty by being mayor. He compared being a mayor to being a dentist: being mayor, “People aren’t afraid of you.” Another contrast is the pace – as he leaned forward to slap the podium in front of him, “In the city you never get anything done. It’s so hard to get closure.”
Yet Van Horn still has faith in the process. His hope is that people will trust the process, because politicians really are serving the best interest of their constituents.
Van Horn became a dentist by mere chance: his college roommate was interviewing for a dentist job, and Van horn decided to interview as well. Today he has a private practice in town.
Van Horn came to live in Nacogdoches by much the same means: chance. In the 1970s while he and his wife were looking for a place to live between Kansas City and Houston their car broke down in Nacogdoches. After being warmly welcome by friendly residents, they decided to move here.
Van Horn hopes to commit five terms as mayor of Nacogdoches, “If they’ll have me.”
This is Van Horn’s second term as mayor. His first term he ran unopposed, and claimed he had potential during that election, but he didn’t know how to be mayor. “But I’m getting better at it,” he said with a grin on his face.
One of Van Horn’s frustrations is the strong-manager city commission government of Nacogdoches, which limits his power. His vote is the same as the other four commissioners on the city commission. It is the job of the city manager to run the city on a daily basis.
But Van Horn kept his humor about him. Describing the coming commission meeting while laughing, Van Horn said, “Don’t come tonight – it’s going to be a bore.”
Van Horn serves his civic duty by being mayor. He compared being a mayor to being a dentist: being mayor, “People aren’t afraid of you.” Another contrast is the pace – as he leaned forward to slap the podium in front of him, “In the city you never get anything done. It’s so hard to get closure.”
Yet Van Horn still has faith in the process. His hope is that people will trust the process, because politicians really are serving the best interest of their constituents.
Van Horn became a dentist by mere chance: his college roommate was interviewing for a dentist job, and Van horn decided to interview as well. Today he has a private practice in town.
Van Horn came to live in Nacogdoches by much the same means: chance. In the 1970s while he and his wife were looking for a place to live between Kansas City and Houston their car broke down in Nacogdoches. After being warmly welcome by friendly residents, they decided to move here.
Van Horn hopes to commit five terms as mayor of Nacogdoches, “If they’ll have me.”
The Mayor by Taylor Hannum
A trip from Houston left Roger Van Horn’s car broken down on the side of the road in a town that he would one day become mayor. Roger Van Horn was born and raised in Tulsa but he always knew he wanted to live in a town with a population of 10,000 to 15,000 with a university. So he and his wife made a list of possible towns from Kansas City to Houston where he could practice his dentistry. They made the trip all the way down to Houston and then all the way back up to Kansas City when they unintentionally came upon their new home, Nacogdoches.
Van Horn has not always been Mayor Van Horn. He was first and foremost a dentist. He started his practice here in Nacogdoches almost 40 years ago and has remained here ever since. “I was rooming with a guy in Missouri who had wanted to be a dentist for a long time, for four years, he was a lot more organized than I,” said Van Horn. “And he was going out for an interview and I thought that sounds good, I might go try that. And I did, I took up my application and strangely enough I got accepted in the interview.” And at that point Van Horn made a big decision for his career choice and became a dentist.
Van Horn has been mayor of Nacogdoches since 2007 and is now serving his third term. For his second term election he did not have an opponent. “The reason I decided to be mayor is sort of an accumulation of my life in Nacogdoches with civic work. I started way back as the President of Jaycees, the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Planning Consumer Department and then ran for office as mayor,” said Van Horn as he held his glasses. He enjoys the contrast of dentistry to being the mayor. He spends a few hours Monday through Thursday and all day Friday doing mayor work.
The pace of being a mayor is completely opposite of being a dentist. Van Horn finds closure every 15 minutes at his dentist office, but he hardly finds closure with the city when he is working as mayor and finds it to be very frustrating. “I hope that by being chair of the city commission that the people have confidence in the process,” he tells people when they ask what it is like to be mayor. Van Horn believes the biggest contribution he can make to the city is by making the people trust the process of the government.
Van Horn does not actually have all the power in the city. He only counts as one out five votes when it comes to issues. Nacogdoches has a “strong manager commission government” compared to most cities in Texas that have a “strong mayor commission government”. And since Nacogdoches has that type of government, the mayor does not run the city day to day. Some would say it places the manager as the “CEO of our city.” So, Van Horn is limited to what he can do for the city. He would like the many people that come up to him at the local grocery stores to complain about something, to keep in mind that he does not have all the power and may not be able to help.
Van Horn enjoys what he does and hopes to continue being mayor for another two terms to have completed a full five terms. When asked what he plans to do after being mayor he chuckles as he responds, “Well, you know that’s a good question. I’m not sure how to answer that.” He wouldn’t mind teaching or continuing in his dentistry as a manager. But, he will find a way to serve the people no matter what will be happy doing so.
Van Horn has not always been Mayor Van Horn. He was first and foremost a dentist. He started his practice here in Nacogdoches almost 40 years ago and has remained here ever since. “I was rooming with a guy in Missouri who had wanted to be a dentist for a long time, for four years, he was a lot more organized than I,” said Van Horn. “And he was going out for an interview and I thought that sounds good, I might go try that. And I did, I took up my application and strangely enough I got accepted in the interview.” And at that point Van Horn made a big decision for his career choice and became a dentist.
Van Horn has been mayor of Nacogdoches since 2007 and is now serving his third term. For his second term election he did not have an opponent. “The reason I decided to be mayor is sort of an accumulation of my life in Nacogdoches with civic work. I started way back as the President of Jaycees, the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Planning Consumer Department and then ran for office as mayor,” said Van Horn as he held his glasses. He enjoys the contrast of dentistry to being the mayor. He spends a few hours Monday through Thursday and all day Friday doing mayor work.
The pace of being a mayor is completely opposite of being a dentist. Van Horn finds closure every 15 minutes at his dentist office, but he hardly finds closure with the city when he is working as mayor and finds it to be very frustrating. “I hope that by being chair of the city commission that the people have confidence in the process,” he tells people when they ask what it is like to be mayor. Van Horn believes the biggest contribution he can make to the city is by making the people trust the process of the government.
Van Horn does not actually have all the power in the city. He only counts as one out five votes when it comes to issues. Nacogdoches has a “strong manager commission government” compared to most cities in Texas that have a “strong mayor commission government”. And since Nacogdoches has that type of government, the mayor does not run the city day to day. Some would say it places the manager as the “CEO of our city.” So, Van Horn is limited to what he can do for the city. He would like the many people that come up to him at the local grocery stores to complain about something, to keep in mind that he does not have all the power and may not be able to help.
Van Horn enjoys what he does and hopes to continue being mayor for another two terms to have completed a full five terms. When asked what he plans to do after being mayor he chuckles as he responds, “Well, you know that’s a good question. I’m not sure how to answer that.” He wouldn’t mind teaching or continuing in his dentistry as a manager. But, he will find a way to serve the people no matter what will be happy doing so.
The Mayor by Maegan Prejean
Imagine being a dentist in the morning and running the town by noon. Roger Van Horn deals with all kinds of sticky situations day by day. Whether it’s cleaning teeth or keeping the city streets clean he’s always on the job.
Roger Van Horn is a dedicated 65-year-old citizen who spends his days getting involved in the Nacogdoches community. In the morning he performs dental work, and by noon he is mayor of a strong manager commission government setting policies and goals. He feels being mayor is a gift he has been given.
Although the mayor makes no money Van Horn doesn’t want to give up because he enjoys his job and said,” I am getting better at it all along.” The first time he ran for mayor he ran unopposed. This is his second term and he has learned that it is not always about him. “I had to learn to set aside my personal philosophy for the city,” he said. He didn’t have put an end to his personal morals, but as mayor he has learned to think about what is best for the city of Nacogdoches.
Mayor Van Horn was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He doesn’t mind the population difference in Nacogdoches though. It makes him feel good to know all of the people in his community because he knows they care about him as much as he cares about them. When he first moved to Nacogdoches he went to every ribbon cutting ceremony and tried on clothes in every men’s clothing store to meet new people. Now that he is so widely know in the city he is often approached. He said citizens usually don’t come up to him to talk about positive things. People usually want to talk about a problem they have. “In my life they either ask me about a pot hole or they’re taking something out of their mouth for me to check,” he said. He pretended to take teeth out of his mouth and the audience laughed. He feels this city is a great size because being mayor he can affect things and talk to people.
Mayor Van Horn is learning how to give his time to the community. As he stood behind the podium and held on tight he said, “Being Mayor Roger Van Horn is not about the process, it’s about thinking of more broadly what’s good for our city.” The city works together to make decisions based on what is good as a whole and will benefit the city.
After his term is up as mayor, Van Horn would like to do some service work somewhere. He likes to see students get involved in the community. Helping the community doesn’t have to be through service work. He said taking time out to coach a softball team or simply attending a city commission meeting counts as being involved. City commission meetings are held the first and third Tuesday of each month at 5:30 pm in downtown Nacogdoches.
Roger Van Horn is a dedicated 65-year-old citizen who spends his days getting involved in the Nacogdoches community. In the morning he performs dental work, and by noon he is mayor of a strong manager commission government setting policies and goals. He feels being mayor is a gift he has been given.
Although the mayor makes no money Van Horn doesn’t want to give up because he enjoys his job and said,” I am getting better at it all along.” The first time he ran for mayor he ran unopposed. This is his second term and he has learned that it is not always about him. “I had to learn to set aside my personal philosophy for the city,” he said. He didn’t have put an end to his personal morals, but as mayor he has learned to think about what is best for the city of Nacogdoches.
Mayor Van Horn was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He doesn’t mind the population difference in Nacogdoches though. It makes him feel good to know all of the people in his community because he knows they care about him as much as he cares about them. When he first moved to Nacogdoches he went to every ribbon cutting ceremony and tried on clothes in every men’s clothing store to meet new people. Now that he is so widely know in the city he is often approached. He said citizens usually don’t come up to him to talk about positive things. People usually want to talk about a problem they have. “In my life they either ask me about a pot hole or they’re taking something out of their mouth for me to check,” he said. He pretended to take teeth out of his mouth and the audience laughed. He feels this city is a great size because being mayor he can affect things and talk to people.
Mayor Van Horn is learning how to give his time to the community. As he stood behind the podium and held on tight he said, “Being Mayor Roger Van Horn is not about the process, it’s about thinking of more broadly what’s good for our city.” The city works together to make decisions based on what is good as a whole and will benefit the city.
After his term is up as mayor, Van Horn would like to do some service work somewhere. He likes to see students get involved in the community. Helping the community doesn’t have to be through service work. He said taking time out to coach a softball team or simply attending a city commission meeting counts as being involved. City commission meetings are held the first and third Tuesday of each month at 5:30 pm in downtown Nacogdoches.
The Mayor by Cameron Mebane
Roger Van Horn has been the mayor of Nacogdoches since May 2007. He has been a dentist with his own full-time practice since the 1970s.
He says that some of the biggest decisions he has made in his life were random. When he was in college in Missouri, he was unsure of what he wanted to do. His roommate was readying himself for a dentist interview and Van Horn decided to apply as well. He still has no idea why he got accepted. Later, he was looking for a small town with around 50,000 to 60,000 people with a university. On his way back north, he drove through Nacogdoches and his car broke down. The people were so kind and took care of them for three or four days. He got to know several people over those few days and realized as they were leaving Nacogdoches, that this is where he wanted to live.
As mayor, Van Horn is the chairman of a strong manager city commission. There are four other commissioners. He said, “My vote is no different from the rest of the commission. We have five votes.” This is different from other cities, such as Houston, where they have a strong mayor system of government. He spends three to four hours a day and all day Friday working as mayor. He spends most of his time as a dentist.
Going from being a dentist to being mayor, caused some frustration for Van Horn. He said, “For me, the pace of it is really frustrating. I get closure 15 times a day.” He sees a problem and fixes it right away as a dentist. He said, “The city…you never get any closure.” Also, when he runs his dentist office, he can change policy repeatedly whenever he wants to. He doesn’t have to ask anyone. Being mayor is not like that.
He encourages students to get involved by going to the city commission meetings, volunteering, and giving to the community.
Mayor Van Horn is a natural at public speaking. He never seemed nervous when speaking in front of about 25 students. He even said that he is considering becoming a teacher after his terms as mayor are over.
He says that some of the biggest decisions he has made in his life were random. When he was in college in Missouri, he was unsure of what he wanted to do. His roommate was readying himself for a dentist interview and Van Horn decided to apply as well. He still has no idea why he got accepted. Later, he was looking for a small town with around 50,000 to 60,000 people with a university. On his way back north, he drove through Nacogdoches and his car broke down. The people were so kind and took care of them for three or four days. He got to know several people over those few days and realized as they were leaving Nacogdoches, that this is where he wanted to live.
As mayor, Van Horn is the chairman of a strong manager city commission. There are four other commissioners. He said, “My vote is no different from the rest of the commission. We have five votes.” This is different from other cities, such as Houston, where they have a strong mayor system of government. He spends three to four hours a day and all day Friday working as mayor. He spends most of his time as a dentist.
Going from being a dentist to being mayor, caused some frustration for Van Horn. He said, “For me, the pace of it is really frustrating. I get closure 15 times a day.” He sees a problem and fixes it right away as a dentist. He said, “The city…you never get any closure.” Also, when he runs his dentist office, he can change policy repeatedly whenever he wants to. He doesn’t have to ask anyone. Being mayor is not like that.
He encourages students to get involved by going to the city commission meetings, volunteering, and giving to the community.
Mayor Van Horn is a natural at public speaking. He never seemed nervous when speaking in front of about 25 students. He even said that he is considering becoming a teacher after his terms as mayor are over.
The Mayor by Samantha Emerson
For most people involved in politics, their campaign for a government position has been a major part of their life plan. For Roger Van Horn, like several of his other major life decisions, campaigning for mayor was something that just spontaneously came to him.
Roger Van Horn has been serving as Nacogdoches’ mayor since May of 2007, this year being his third term. But unlike most big city politicians, Van Horn does not receive a paycheck for his time. Instead, he dedicates most of his time to his family dentistry practice, “This position came at a good time. I work three to four hours a day as mayor, and all Friday,” he said.
The city of Nacogdoches also runs their government much differently from other cities like Houston and Beaumont; Rather than running a “strong mayor government,” Nacogdoches relies on a “strong manager commission government.” In Nacogdoches’ case, the mayor doesn’t operate the town, but is the chairman of the city commission, with all different commissioners taking care of different aspects of the city government.
As Van Horn begins to explain his journey from his beginnings in Tulsa, Oklahoma to the position of Nacogdoches mayor, I can’t help but notice how cordial and inviting he is. He is genuine and casual, and throughout our talk he stops several times to scratch his head or take off his glasses, making him more relatable then I would expect any mayor to be.
When asked about his life up until his candidacy as Nacogdoches’ mayor, he stayed humble about his life’s achievements. For example, he didn’t always dream of being a dentist. “I knew I wanted to work for myself, I knew I liked science, I knew my grades wouldn’t get me into medical school,” Van Horn said. In his junior year of college he interviewed for a dental school on a spur of the moment decision and was accepted. He said he never regretted his decision to become a dentist but he has had struggles with his practice that only led him to one conclusion. He said, “I found out it wasn’t the profession that was the problem, it was the dentist that was the problem. I was too wrapped up in money.”
So If Roger Van Horn grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, dedicated his life to dentistry, and spent time during the Vietnam Era in Germany, how did he end up as the mayor of Nacogdoches, Texas? For Van Horn, the decision was as simple. Roger decided he wanted to open up a practice in a college town that had less than 50,000 students and was located between Kansas City, Missouri and Houston. All it took was a brief stay in Nacogdoches and an invite to a Sunday school party to convince him that Nacogdoches would be the new home to his family. Some time later, after serving as the President of Jaycees and on the chamber of commerce, he thought that maybe mayor would be a good spot for him. “It’s just where I like to serve. It’s a gift I’ve been given I suspect,” he said.
He explained that being the mayor of a small town can be equally as frustrating as governing a much larger area like Houston. With the small budget that Nacogdoches is provided, it is difficult to finance and finish city projects. “In Nacogdoches it is so hard to get closure. It’s frustrating, but the process should be slow and tedious,” he said. He then explained the extent of the city’s budget and many of the personal issues he has to put aside in order to make decisions best suited for the city.
Initially, Roger Van Horn doesn’t fit the stereotype of a big time mayor, but as we talk, I realize that no one is better suited for the position than he is. In Nacogdoches people aren’t afraid to approach him their concerns, no matter how trivial they may be. “In Kroger people stop me all the time to ask me about a pot hole or take something out of their mouth for me to check,” he laughed. Not only can he fix Nacogdoches sidewalks and that cavity that’s bothering you, he does it with an attitude that commands attention. No matter what he is doing, he does everything with genuine concern for the people around him. And he loves doing what he does. When asked what his future plans are, he explained with a smile, “I will be engaged, doing something. I want to serve.”
Roger Van Horn has been serving as Nacogdoches’ mayor since May of 2007, this year being his third term. But unlike most big city politicians, Van Horn does not receive a paycheck for his time. Instead, he dedicates most of his time to his family dentistry practice, “This position came at a good time. I work three to four hours a day as mayor, and all Friday,” he said.
The city of Nacogdoches also runs their government much differently from other cities like Houston and Beaumont; Rather than running a “strong mayor government,” Nacogdoches relies on a “strong manager commission government.” In Nacogdoches’ case, the mayor doesn’t operate the town, but is the chairman of the city commission, with all different commissioners taking care of different aspects of the city government.
As Van Horn begins to explain his journey from his beginnings in Tulsa, Oklahoma to the position of Nacogdoches mayor, I can’t help but notice how cordial and inviting he is. He is genuine and casual, and throughout our talk he stops several times to scratch his head or take off his glasses, making him more relatable then I would expect any mayor to be.
When asked about his life up until his candidacy as Nacogdoches’ mayor, he stayed humble about his life’s achievements. For example, he didn’t always dream of being a dentist. “I knew I wanted to work for myself, I knew I liked science, I knew my grades wouldn’t get me into medical school,” Van Horn said. In his junior year of college he interviewed for a dental school on a spur of the moment decision and was accepted. He said he never regretted his decision to become a dentist but he has had struggles with his practice that only led him to one conclusion. He said, “I found out it wasn’t the profession that was the problem, it was the dentist that was the problem. I was too wrapped up in money.”
So If Roger Van Horn grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, dedicated his life to dentistry, and spent time during the Vietnam Era in Germany, how did he end up as the mayor of Nacogdoches, Texas? For Van Horn, the decision was as simple. Roger decided he wanted to open up a practice in a college town that had less than 50,000 students and was located between Kansas City, Missouri and Houston. All it took was a brief stay in Nacogdoches and an invite to a Sunday school party to convince him that Nacogdoches would be the new home to his family. Some time later, after serving as the President of Jaycees and on the chamber of commerce, he thought that maybe mayor would be a good spot for him. “It’s just where I like to serve. It’s a gift I’ve been given I suspect,” he said.
He explained that being the mayor of a small town can be equally as frustrating as governing a much larger area like Houston. With the small budget that Nacogdoches is provided, it is difficult to finance and finish city projects. “In Nacogdoches it is so hard to get closure. It’s frustrating, but the process should be slow and tedious,” he said. He then explained the extent of the city’s budget and many of the personal issues he has to put aside in order to make decisions best suited for the city.
Initially, Roger Van Horn doesn’t fit the stereotype of a big time mayor, but as we talk, I realize that no one is better suited for the position than he is. In Nacogdoches people aren’t afraid to approach him their concerns, no matter how trivial they may be. “In Kroger people stop me all the time to ask me about a pot hole or take something out of their mouth for me to check,” he laughed. Not only can he fix Nacogdoches sidewalks and that cavity that’s bothering you, he does it with an attitude that commands attention. No matter what he is doing, he does everything with genuine concern for the people around him. And he loves doing what he does. When asked what his future plans are, he explained with a smile, “I will be engaged, doing something. I want to serve.”
The Mayor by Paige Beasley
When Roger Van Horn was young he never imagined that he would one day be one of the most influential and recognizable figures in a small town in East Texas. Born and raised in Tulsa, OK, Van Horn began his professional career as a dentist. A road trip through Texas in the 1970s unexpectedly brought him to Nacogdoches, where he has spent the past 30 years.
After arriving in Nacogdoches, Van Horn quickly became involved in civic affairs, which eventually led to his election of mayor of the city in May 2007. As mayor, Van Horn said that he does not run everyday operations of the town, but he serves as chairman of the city commission. “The commission’s job is to set policy and approve things done by the city manager.” Van Horn said.
Van Horn explained that it is the mayor’s job to run the meetings and they are allowed put any item on the agenda that they please. “But in terms of power,” Van Horn said, “my vote is no different that the rest of the commissioners.” The Nacogdoches City Commission is made up of five commissioners; one elected from each of the four wards, and the mayor, who is elected citywide.
But serving as mayor is not how Van Horn makes his living. Since he first came to Nacogdoches, Van Horn has had his own full-time dentist practice. However he has not always wanted to be a dentist. “I was not passionate about teeth,” Van Horn joked about deciding to become a dentist. He said that he was a junior in college, and all he knew was that he had pretty good grades, liked science, and he wanted to work for himself. He knew he could not go to medical school, and so he decided to follow his roommate to interview to be a dentist. “Strangely enough, I got accepted in the interview,” Van Horn laughed, and although he has considered different options over the years, he has never really regretted the decision to become a dentist.
Since he has been elected as mayor, Van Horn has learned to divide his time between his two passions. Most mornings and afternoons are spent in the dentist office, and he practices his duties as mayor during midday and late afternoons. Van Horn explains that he enjoys doing both things because the pace of being a mayor and working as a dentist are completely different.
He said that the pace of being a mayor is really frustrating to him. “At the dentist office I get closure fifteen times a day, but with the city you never get anything done!” Van Horn said exasperatedly. “Because what the government does effects so many people, the process is very important,” and he explained that that is why it sometimes takes things a long time to get done.
“It shouldn’t be done quick,” Van Horn explained. “It is my job to hear the voice of the people and to do as much fact-finding as I can before I cast my vote.” He believes that the most important part of his job is just listening to what that people want and making the best decision for the city based on the information he collects. Although the citizens will not always get their way, Van Horn wants them to be assured that their opinions do matter to him. Van Horn said, “People ask me about being mayor, and all I can tell them is that I hope that by being chair of the city commission that people have confidence in the process.”
After arriving in Nacogdoches, Van Horn quickly became involved in civic affairs, which eventually led to his election of mayor of the city in May 2007. As mayor, Van Horn said that he does not run everyday operations of the town, but he serves as chairman of the city commission. “The commission’s job is to set policy and approve things done by the city manager.” Van Horn said.
Van Horn explained that it is the mayor’s job to run the meetings and they are allowed put any item on the agenda that they please. “But in terms of power,” Van Horn said, “my vote is no different that the rest of the commissioners.” The Nacogdoches City Commission is made up of five commissioners; one elected from each of the four wards, and the mayor, who is elected citywide.
But serving as mayor is not how Van Horn makes his living. Since he first came to Nacogdoches, Van Horn has had his own full-time dentist practice. However he has not always wanted to be a dentist. “I was not passionate about teeth,” Van Horn joked about deciding to become a dentist. He said that he was a junior in college, and all he knew was that he had pretty good grades, liked science, and he wanted to work for himself. He knew he could not go to medical school, and so he decided to follow his roommate to interview to be a dentist. “Strangely enough, I got accepted in the interview,” Van Horn laughed, and although he has considered different options over the years, he has never really regretted the decision to become a dentist.
Since he has been elected as mayor, Van Horn has learned to divide his time between his two passions. Most mornings and afternoons are spent in the dentist office, and he practices his duties as mayor during midday and late afternoons. Van Horn explains that he enjoys doing both things because the pace of being a mayor and working as a dentist are completely different.
He said that the pace of being a mayor is really frustrating to him. “At the dentist office I get closure fifteen times a day, but with the city you never get anything done!” Van Horn said exasperatedly. “Because what the government does effects so many people, the process is very important,” and he explained that that is why it sometimes takes things a long time to get done.
“It shouldn’t be done quick,” Van Horn explained. “It is my job to hear the voice of the people and to do as much fact-finding as I can before I cast my vote.” He believes that the most important part of his job is just listening to what that people want and making the best decision for the city based on the information he collects. Although the citizens will not always get their way, Van Horn wants them to be assured that their opinions do matter to him. Van Horn said, “People ask me about being mayor, and all I can tell them is that I hope that by being chair of the city commission that people have confidence in the process.”
The Mayor by Keidrick Goss
Mayor Roger Van Horn makes his living off of his full time dentist practice in Nacogdoches, but thoroughly enjoys serving the city of Nacogdoches as mayor.
Roger Van Horn was born and raised in Tulsa, OK and ended up in Nacogdoches on a whim. He arrived in Nacogdoches in the 1970’s and began his dentist practice. In May 2007 he was elected mayor and is now in his third term.
There are two types of city governments: strong manager commissioner government and strong mayor commissioner government. Nacogdoches has strong manager commissioner government. So the mayor does not operate the city from day to day. “The mayor is the chairman of the city commission,” said Van Horn.
Being the mayor is not a paying job, but Van Horn loves to do it. “The reason I decided to be Mayor is sort of a culmination of my life in Nacogdoches and my city work,” said Van Horn, while holding his glasses in one hand and using the other hand to gesture. “It’s just what I like to serve, it’s a gift I have been given I suspect.”
Even though Mayor Van Horn is now in his third term, things were not always great for him as mayor. For one thing he did not know what he was doing coming into the mayor position. “I had potential when I ran the first time but I didn’t know how to be mayor, and I’m getting better at it all and all,” he said.
Another thing that has hindered his experience is his frustration with some of the things that go on in the city. He said that the income stays the same so they have to raise sales taxes. They get one penny from sales taxes and 50 cent per $100 of evaluation. In dealing with these frustrations he has learned to put aside his own views. “I had to learn to set aside my personal philosophy for the city,” he said. “Being mayor is not about Roger Van Horn, it’s about the process, it’s about our city, it’s based on the facts.”
Even though he loves being mayor, he makes his living off of being a dentist. He said that he works three or four hours a day as mayor and all day Friday, and for the rest of the time he’s doing dentist work. He decided to do dentistry very randomly in his college years and it has followed him to today. There was a moment when he didn’t like it, he said. But he realized that it wasn’t the occupation it was the dentist.
When asked what he would do after he was done being mayor, he said, “I don’t know the answer to that, but I will doing something. Finding some way to serve.”
Roger Van Horn was born and raised in Tulsa, OK and ended up in Nacogdoches on a whim. He arrived in Nacogdoches in the 1970’s and began his dentist practice. In May 2007 he was elected mayor and is now in his third term.
There are two types of city governments: strong manager commissioner government and strong mayor commissioner government. Nacogdoches has strong manager commissioner government. So the mayor does not operate the city from day to day. “The mayor is the chairman of the city commission,” said Van Horn.
Being the mayor is not a paying job, but Van Horn loves to do it. “The reason I decided to be Mayor is sort of a culmination of my life in Nacogdoches and my city work,” said Van Horn, while holding his glasses in one hand and using the other hand to gesture. “It’s just what I like to serve, it’s a gift I have been given I suspect.”
Even though Mayor Van Horn is now in his third term, things were not always great for him as mayor. For one thing he did not know what he was doing coming into the mayor position. “I had potential when I ran the first time but I didn’t know how to be mayor, and I’m getting better at it all and all,” he said.
Another thing that has hindered his experience is his frustration with some of the things that go on in the city. He said that the income stays the same so they have to raise sales taxes. They get one penny from sales taxes and 50 cent per $100 of evaluation. In dealing with these frustrations he has learned to put aside his own views. “I had to learn to set aside my personal philosophy for the city,” he said. “Being mayor is not about Roger Van Horn, it’s about the process, it’s about our city, it’s based on the facts.”
Even though he loves being mayor, he makes his living off of being a dentist. He said that he works three or four hours a day as mayor and all day Friday, and for the rest of the time he’s doing dentist work. He decided to do dentistry very randomly in his college years and it has followed him to today. There was a moment when he didn’t like it, he said. But he realized that it wasn’t the occupation it was the dentist.
When asked what he would do after he was done being mayor, he said, “I don’t know the answer to that, but I will doing something. Finding some way to serve.”
The Mayor by Briana Garlow
As full time activist in the community as the Mayor of Nacogdoches Dr. Van Horn still has time to continue his dentistry practice. He works about four hours a day from 8 A.M. –noon in the mornings and all day on Fridays. Although many citizens might believe that their tax dollars are paying for his seat on the city council in actuality Dr. Van Horn receives no salary as the Mayor of Nacogdoches. Nacogdoches runs the city on a 57 million dollar budget. “There are four enterprise departments, which trash, sewer, water and airport have to support themselves”, Dr. Van Horn said. Every January SFA and city officials go to Washington to ask for funding. The funding received is for the city not for city-governed salaries. He described the process of funding and the trip to Washington with excitement and made direct contact with every student in the room. Nacogdoches government runs on the common characteristics of Dallas or Houston but runs its government on a strong manager commission, which limits Dr. Van Horn’s authority. His main job as the mayor is to set policies and he is very involved in listening to the citizen of Nacogdoches at city council meetings.
“I had to learn that being mayor is not about Roger Van Horn its about the process, thinking broadly what’s good for our city”, he said. He firmly placed his hands in an cross position and took his time to make emphasize on describing the process of Nacogdoches government.
At the age of 65 –year-old Van Horn sees him self, filling five success terms if re-elected. Dr. Van Horn is on his second term as the Mayor of Nacogdoches.
He wants to continue his career in dentistry or with something. He says he gets, “bored about half a day.” He hopes to be engaged with something and finding some way to serve.
He loves going to the local Kroger grocery store while shopping enjoying conversations with citizens about either their dentures or the local neighborhood problems.
He told the Stephen F. Austin students to “find something in your community where you can give of your self.” Dr. Van Horn continued to speak with the local college students regarding the importance in a firm voice to “ Yes Vote! Yes get involve not just to vote, get involve with the community where you go to school.” The city council meetings are held every first and third Tuesday 5:30 in the afternoon downtown at city hall.
“I had to learn that being mayor is not about Roger Van Horn its about the process, thinking broadly what’s good for our city”, he said. He firmly placed his hands in an cross position and took his time to make emphasize on describing the process of Nacogdoches government.
At the age of 65 –year-old Van Horn sees him self, filling five success terms if re-elected. Dr. Van Horn is on his second term as the Mayor of Nacogdoches.
He wants to continue his career in dentistry or with something. He says he gets, “bored about half a day.” He hopes to be engaged with something and finding some way to serve.
He loves going to the local Kroger grocery store while shopping enjoying conversations with citizens about either their dentures or the local neighborhood problems.
He told the Stephen F. Austin students to “find something in your community where you can give of your self.” Dr. Van Horn continued to speak with the local college students regarding the importance in a firm voice to “ Yes Vote! Yes get involve not just to vote, get involve with the community where you go to school.” The city council meetings are held every first and third Tuesday 5:30 in the afternoon downtown at city hall.
The Mayor by Ashley Land
Most people would not think of their car breaking down as a good thing; however, for Roger Van Horn it was a blessing in disguise.
Van Horn always wanted to live in a small town with a university. On a trip from Houston back to Kansas City, his car broke down in Nacogdoches, Texas, in front the dealership of the vehicle he owned.
“They were so nice, they took us to hotel Fredonia and put us up in a room,” Van Horn said.
Not long after they got settled into their room, he received a phone call from Dr. Walker, a surgeon in Nacogdoches. Dr. Walker came and picked them up and took them to a Sunday school party.
Van Horn and his family were in town for three or four days, were taken care of, met many people, and he knew before they left that this was the town he wanted to move his family to.
Van Horn was born in Tulsa OK, has been in Nacogdoches since the 1970s, has a full time dental practice, and is the mayor of the town. Van Horn is currently serving his third term as mayor of Nacogdoches.
“I like to serve” Van Horn said. He only spends three or four hours a day as mayor with a full day on Fridays. The other times he is in his dental office.
Van Horn talks about the differences in the processes between being mayor and having his dental practice. With his dental office he can change the policies however and whenever he wants and does not have to go through anyone to do so.
“My dental staff knows that when it get to pushing and shoving, I will ask them to glance out the window and see who’s name is on the sign out there,” Van Horn said with a laugh and his hands in his pockets. “With government that is not true, which is a good thing sometimes.”
Van Horn talked about that how a mayor of a small town like Nacogdoches is different than that of a larger city like Houston. Nacogdoches is a strong manager commission style of government and the mayor is there to head up the meetings and serve as the chairman on the city commission. Another thing with being mayor in a small town, it is strictly service-based and he does not get paid.
Van Horn is serving his community not only as a mayor but also as a dentist. As mayor he has to set aside his personal beliefs and choose what is best for the city of Nacogdoches, even if it is not what he believes is the best thing.
From a simple thing like a car breaking down, a man and his family found what they call home. Nacogdoches: a small town, with a university, a place Roger Van Horn moved his family to, started his dental practice, and serves his community as mayor.
Van Horn always wanted to live in a small town with a university. On a trip from Houston back to Kansas City, his car broke down in Nacogdoches, Texas, in front the dealership of the vehicle he owned.
“They were so nice, they took us to hotel Fredonia and put us up in a room,” Van Horn said.
Not long after they got settled into their room, he received a phone call from Dr. Walker, a surgeon in Nacogdoches. Dr. Walker came and picked them up and took them to a Sunday school party.
Van Horn and his family were in town for three or four days, were taken care of, met many people, and he knew before they left that this was the town he wanted to move his family to.
Van Horn was born in Tulsa OK, has been in Nacogdoches since the 1970s, has a full time dental practice, and is the mayor of the town. Van Horn is currently serving his third term as mayor of Nacogdoches.
“I like to serve” Van Horn said. He only spends three or four hours a day as mayor with a full day on Fridays. The other times he is in his dental office.
Van Horn talks about the differences in the processes between being mayor and having his dental practice. With his dental office he can change the policies however and whenever he wants and does not have to go through anyone to do so.
“My dental staff knows that when it get to pushing and shoving, I will ask them to glance out the window and see who’s name is on the sign out there,” Van Horn said with a laugh and his hands in his pockets. “With government that is not true, which is a good thing sometimes.”
Van Horn talked about that how a mayor of a small town like Nacogdoches is different than that of a larger city like Houston. Nacogdoches is a strong manager commission style of government and the mayor is there to head up the meetings and serve as the chairman on the city commission. Another thing with being mayor in a small town, it is strictly service-based and he does not get paid.
Van Horn is serving his community not only as a mayor but also as a dentist. As mayor he has to set aside his personal beliefs and choose what is best for the city of Nacogdoches, even if it is not what he believes is the best thing.
From a simple thing like a car breaking down, a man and his family found what they call home. Nacogdoches: a small town, with a university, a place Roger Van Horn moved his family to, started his dental practice, and serves his community as mayor.
The Mayor by Austin Beesley
The current Nacogdoches Mayor Roger Van Horn might not have been here if it wasn’t for that amazing Nacogdoches hospitality. Living in Germany during the Vietnam War he decided that he wanted to live in a small town with a university in it. While driving from Houston with his family, their car broke down in Nacogdoches in front of a car dealership where “they were so nice they took us over to the hotel Fredonia, and got us a room”, Van Horn said. When leaving Nacogdoches for the first time, Roger and his wife knew immediately that Nacogdoches was the place for them.
Being the mayor though is not how Roger Van Horn makes a living. He has been a dentist for nearly forty years. His busy schedule consist of doing dentistry work from 8a.m. to noon, then mayor business for about two hours, then back to seeing patients at his practice and then finally back to being the mayor but he said he “loves the contrast” between his two professions.
He started way back as president of Jaycees, then president of the chamber of commerce, chairman of planning of zoning department, and then he ran for office as mayor. “It’s just where I like to serve and it’s so different then sitting in a chair and fixing teeth,” Mayor Van Horn said. But one frustrating thing as being mayor he expressed is the pace of how things get done. Being a dentist, a patient comes in, states the problem, and when the patent leaves the problem is fixed; but on the other hand, working for the city and trying to get closure is very difficult. Mayor Van Horn said “not to get impatient with the government” because the process is so important that it has to take a long time and has to be done right because it affects so many people.
One of the hardest speed bumps to overcome in being mayor is to “ set aside my personal philosophy for the city, not my morals, but my personal philosophical and political I had to learn to set it aside,” Mayor Van Horn said.
Roger Van Horn’s own personal goal is to serve five terms as mayor in Nacogdoches and when asked what he will do after being the mayor and a dentist he replied honestly “ I don’t know”, but he will do something for the fear of being “bored”.
Being the mayor though is not how Roger Van Horn makes a living. He has been a dentist for nearly forty years. His busy schedule consist of doing dentistry work from 8a.m. to noon, then mayor business for about two hours, then back to seeing patients at his practice and then finally back to being the mayor but he said he “loves the contrast” between his two professions.
He started way back as president of Jaycees, then president of the chamber of commerce, chairman of planning of zoning department, and then he ran for office as mayor. “It’s just where I like to serve and it’s so different then sitting in a chair and fixing teeth,” Mayor Van Horn said. But one frustrating thing as being mayor he expressed is the pace of how things get done. Being a dentist, a patient comes in, states the problem, and when the patent leaves the problem is fixed; but on the other hand, working for the city and trying to get closure is very difficult. Mayor Van Horn said “not to get impatient with the government” because the process is so important that it has to take a long time and has to be done right because it affects so many people.
One of the hardest speed bumps to overcome in being mayor is to “ set aside my personal philosophy for the city, not my morals, but my personal philosophical and political I had to learn to set it aside,” Mayor Van Horn said.
Roger Van Horn’s own personal goal is to serve five terms as mayor in Nacogdoches and when asked what he will do after being the mayor and a dentist he replied honestly “ I don’t know”, but he will do something for the fear of being “bored”.
The Mayor by Ambreishia Lewis
As he walked into the room, we wondered, who is this man? He came in and shook everyone’s hand like a politician. However, when he spoke, he came off as nice and friendly like a family friend or doctor. To our surprise we later found out that he was both. This man was Nacogdoches mayor Roger Van Horn: a small time politician on his third term and surprisingly, a full time practicing dentist.
Van Horn, a Tulsa, Oklahoma native, came across dentistry the same way he came across Nacogdoches; randomly. “ When driving back from Houston one night, our car broke down in Nacogdoches, right in front of the dealership.” Van Horn and his family later checked into the Hotel Fredonia, where they quickly invited by Dr. Walker and his wife to attend a party. After staying in Nacogdoches for three days, he and his wife decided that they needed make Nacogdoches their home.
After years of serving the community with his dentist office and serving smaller positions in city government, Van Horn decided to run for mayor. “ I enjoy serving the community, so I decided to run for mayor, and I won,” he said Van Horn became Mayor in May 2007 and is now serving his third term in office. He balances his days by being mayor for three to four hours a day four days a week and dentist two to three hours a day. He dedicates all day Friday to his mayoral duties.
Though he enjoys serving his community, he does know about the frustrations of being mayor of a small town with a strong manager commission. “Mayors are the chairmen of the city commission. But the City Manager is the boss of the city.” He explained how the process of getting things in a small town could be difficult. “ Being mayor is the exact opposite of being a dentist,” he said “ In dentistry, I can fix the problem and the customers pay and we are through. It is so hard to get things done in city government.”
However, Van Horn does enjoy governing a small town because of his ability to connect with the citizens and actually see the changes in the city that he helps make compared to larger cities in the state. “ In Houston, Mayor White is the main man, the boss, he is the president of Houston,” he said “ It not like that in Nacogdoches.” Van Horn explained that in strong manager commission, the mayor just work with other commission members, which gives him limited power.
But with the power that he does have, Van Horn understands the power as citizens and university students have over the community. He encouraged all citizens and all university students to get involved. He said do not do so by just voting, but get involved outside of the university and help someone in the community. That small contribution to the community can equal up the great things that Van Horn does as mayor.
Through the frustrations and the dentist appointments, Mayor Van Horn loves serving his community. He has learned that he has to set aside his own “personal philosophies on politics” and support what was best for the greater good of the community.
So as this man finishes speaking and begins to leave, we now know who he is. Now we know wonder, how could we serve our community and be active citizens of Nacogdoches?
Van Horn, a Tulsa, Oklahoma native, came across dentistry the same way he came across Nacogdoches; randomly. “ When driving back from Houston one night, our car broke down in Nacogdoches, right in front of the dealership.” Van Horn and his family later checked into the Hotel Fredonia, where they quickly invited by Dr. Walker and his wife to attend a party. After staying in Nacogdoches for three days, he and his wife decided that they needed make Nacogdoches their home.
After years of serving the community with his dentist office and serving smaller positions in city government, Van Horn decided to run for mayor. “ I enjoy serving the community, so I decided to run for mayor, and I won,” he said Van Horn became Mayor in May 2007 and is now serving his third term in office. He balances his days by being mayor for three to four hours a day four days a week and dentist two to three hours a day. He dedicates all day Friday to his mayoral duties.
Though he enjoys serving his community, he does know about the frustrations of being mayor of a small town with a strong manager commission. “Mayors are the chairmen of the city commission. But the City Manager is the boss of the city.” He explained how the process of getting things in a small town could be difficult. “ Being mayor is the exact opposite of being a dentist,” he said “ In dentistry, I can fix the problem and the customers pay and we are through. It is so hard to get things done in city government.”
However, Van Horn does enjoy governing a small town because of his ability to connect with the citizens and actually see the changes in the city that he helps make compared to larger cities in the state. “ In Houston, Mayor White is the main man, the boss, he is the president of Houston,” he said “ It not like that in Nacogdoches.” Van Horn explained that in strong manager commission, the mayor just work with other commission members, which gives him limited power.
But with the power that he does have, Van Horn understands the power as citizens and university students have over the community. He encouraged all citizens and all university students to get involved. He said do not do so by just voting, but get involved outside of the university and help someone in the community. That small contribution to the community can equal up the great things that Van Horn does as mayor.
Through the frustrations and the dentist appointments, Mayor Van Horn loves serving his community. He has learned that he has to set aside his own “personal philosophies on politics” and support what was best for the greater good of the community.
So as this man finishes speaking and begins to leave, we now know who he is. Now we know wonder, how could we serve our community and be active citizens of Nacogdoches?
The Mayor by Nikki Barajas
Roger Van Horn, born in Tulsa, Ok, has come about important decisions in his life by mistake. Following his roommate to an interview for dentistry lead him to his dentist career and his car breaking down in Nacogdoches lead him to live here. But, standing at a podium in front of 20 students, Van Horn’s presence does not seem like a mistake.
His voice boomed throughout the room, drowning out random buzzes of students’ phone’s on vibrate. He stood confidently and spoke with his hands about his position of mayor and frustrations he has.
Van Horn first clarified the type of government that the city of Nacogdoches has.
He said, “The mayor does not operate the town, the mayor is the chair of the city commission.”
Because of this, the mayor is limited in what he can do. Every decision is controlled by a vote of the board. So, to make ends meet, Van Horn has a dentist practice here in Nacogdoches. He manages to be both a dentist and the mayor by breaking up his day into four parts. A few hours in the morning he works as a dentist, then in the early afternoon as mayor, then again as dentist, lastly in the evening he works again as mayor.
The first term Van Horn ran as mayor he was unopposed but his second term he did have someone to run against.
“I didn’t know how to be mayor, I didn’t know how to do that,” he said about his first term, “but I’m getting better at it.” He said that naturally he is more qualified the second time than he was the first.
Van Horn expressed his support of students of Stephen F. Austin to be active in the Nacogdoches government. He urged students to get involved in the community where they go to school in.
When asked about what he plans to do after being mayor, Van Horn, smiling and amused by this question, replied that he did not really know what was next.
“I went through this emotional crisis about getting my medicare card. I was down there at the social security office thinking ‘why am I here with all these old people?’” He joked.
Van Horn has been offered a job at the public dental clinic off Highway 7 as a manager and said that this may be an offer he would like to take. He also considered teaching for a while.
“I committed in my mind to five terms [of mayor] if they allow it. If they don’t want me I’ll have to figure out something else to do,” Van Horn said. However, he does plan to stay engaged and involved after his time as mayor is over and finding some way to keep serving.
His voice boomed throughout the room, drowning out random buzzes of students’ phone’s on vibrate. He stood confidently and spoke with his hands about his position of mayor and frustrations he has.
Van Horn first clarified the type of government that the city of Nacogdoches has.
He said, “The mayor does not operate the town, the mayor is the chair of the city commission.”
Because of this, the mayor is limited in what he can do. Every decision is controlled by a vote of the board. So, to make ends meet, Van Horn has a dentist practice here in Nacogdoches. He manages to be both a dentist and the mayor by breaking up his day into four parts. A few hours in the morning he works as a dentist, then in the early afternoon as mayor, then again as dentist, lastly in the evening he works again as mayor.
The first term Van Horn ran as mayor he was unopposed but his second term he did have someone to run against.
“I didn’t know how to be mayor, I didn’t know how to do that,” he said about his first term, “but I’m getting better at it.” He said that naturally he is more qualified the second time than he was the first.
Van Horn expressed his support of students of Stephen F. Austin to be active in the Nacogdoches government. He urged students to get involved in the community where they go to school in.
When asked about what he plans to do after being mayor, Van Horn, smiling and amused by this question, replied that he did not really know what was next.
“I went through this emotional crisis about getting my medicare card. I was down there at the social security office thinking ‘why am I here with all these old people?’” He joked.
Van Horn has been offered a job at the public dental clinic off Highway 7 as a manager and said that this may be an offer he would like to take. He also considered teaching for a while.
“I committed in my mind to five terms [of mayor] if they allow it. If they don’t want me I’ll have to figure out something else to do,” Van Horn said. However, he does plan to stay engaged and involved after his time as mayor is over and finding some way to keep serving.
The Mayor by Shelbe Blacklock
Oklahoma native Roger Van Horn, spoke about his experiences serving his third term as mayor of Nacogdoches.
The mayor, taking off his eyeglasses, began by telling of the government system that’s in Texas, “I need to tell you this so some of the things I talk about later will make sense,” he said. Emphasizing the strong manager city commission government in Texas, Mayor Van horn said, “The manager is the CEO, the boss of the city.” He told tell how he the system operates similar to a board of directors of a bank and how his commission makes big decisions in the city.
“You need to come to a city commission meeting sometime. If you’re having trouble with sleeping you should come tonight,” jokes the mayor, “It is really going to be boring.”
Mayor Van Horn goes on to tell how he is able to balance being mayor of a city as well as working as a dentist. “I make a living as a dentist, I have for nearly 40 years,” he said joking about the contrast in the way people treat him as a dentist apposed to the way he is treated as mayor. “People aren’t afraid of you, they actually look at you in the eye and talk. It’s a neat contrast,” he said smiling. “The people can talk to you, I like that a lot” said the mayor. He joked about being stopped in Kroger, “Rarely do they want to see you about something they are proud of,” he jokes. “They usually have a problem when they stop you in the produce section.”
He wants people to get involved and get active in the government and community. The mayor also told how the pace of being mayor is very slow. “I hope that the people have confidence in the process” he said hoping that they get something out of it. Unable to stay still the mayor, pacing back and forth, said, “Being a mayor is not about Roger Van Horn. It’s about the process, it’s about thinking more broadly what we can do for our city.”
The mayor, holding his hands in his black blazer, ponders on where he would like to be once he has fulfilled his term as mayor. “You know I am not sure, I don’t know the answer to that question,” he said. While scratching his head, the mayor said he is not sure what he will do but it will have something to do with teaching something in life. He has been offered a job here in Nacogdoches at a local dental clinic as a manager. He is considering it. “I have committed in my mind to five terms if they allow it,” he said. “If they don’t want me I will have to figure out something else to do.”
The mayor said he would be finding some way to serve his city and community. He said the quicker you learn to give a little time to someone who needs something, you find it to be very rewarding.
The mayor, taking off his eyeglasses, began by telling of the government system that’s in Texas, “I need to tell you this so some of the things I talk about later will make sense,” he said. Emphasizing the strong manager city commission government in Texas, Mayor Van horn said, “The manager is the CEO, the boss of the city.” He told tell how he the system operates similar to a board of directors of a bank and how his commission makes big decisions in the city.
“You need to come to a city commission meeting sometime. If you’re having trouble with sleeping you should come tonight,” jokes the mayor, “It is really going to be boring.”
Mayor Van Horn goes on to tell how he is able to balance being mayor of a city as well as working as a dentist. “I make a living as a dentist, I have for nearly 40 years,” he said joking about the contrast in the way people treat him as a dentist apposed to the way he is treated as mayor. “People aren’t afraid of you, they actually look at you in the eye and talk. It’s a neat contrast,” he said smiling. “The people can talk to you, I like that a lot” said the mayor. He joked about being stopped in Kroger, “Rarely do they want to see you about something they are proud of,” he jokes. “They usually have a problem when they stop you in the produce section.”
He wants people to get involved and get active in the government and community. The mayor also told how the pace of being mayor is very slow. “I hope that the people have confidence in the process” he said hoping that they get something out of it. Unable to stay still the mayor, pacing back and forth, said, “Being a mayor is not about Roger Van Horn. It’s about the process, it’s about thinking more broadly what we can do for our city.”
The mayor, holding his hands in his black blazer, ponders on where he would like to be once he has fulfilled his term as mayor. “You know I am not sure, I don’t know the answer to that question,” he said. While scratching his head, the mayor said he is not sure what he will do but it will have something to do with teaching something in life. He has been offered a job here in Nacogdoches at a local dental clinic as a manager. He is considering it. “I have committed in my mind to five terms if they allow it,” he said. “If they don’t want me I will have to figure out something else to do.”
The mayor said he would be finding some way to serve his city and community. He said the quicker you learn to give a little time to someone who needs something, you find it to be very rewarding.
The Mayor by Fernando Verver
For a Tulsa native, Roger Van Horn made himself comfortable in the small town of Nacogdoches. Van Horn moved to Nacogdoches, TX after serving in the military for six years. Having the dream of settling down in a small college town made Nacogdoches the right spot for him.
Since his junior year in college, Van Horn had the passion to become a dentist and for 40 years he has practiced that profession. But being a dentist is not all that Van Horn wanted. He was president of the Jaycee of Nacogdoches and other civic organizations and worked his way up. In May of 2007 the city of Nacogdoches voted Van Horn mayor. Mayor Van Horn is now in his third term and says that he loves it.
Mayor Van Horn says that being mayor is a great thing. He has people always come up to him to talk and he loves to listen. Laughing about it, Mayor Van Horn said he likes when people randomly stop him at Kroger’s to talk to him. He said that being mayor is like a gift that he has to serve. It’s something that he enjoys. Mayor Van Horn spends about 3-4 hours a day and all day Friday on mayor stuff and the rest working on teeth.
According to Mayor Van Horn, being mayor can be fun but very frustrating. Running a strong manger commission government, which is when the mayor has his board to make the decisions with him for the city, can be difficult. Passing laws on smoking in public places, sidewalks and highway crossovers can make citizens upset at points. “ The thing that I had to learn as mayor was to set aside my philosophy,” he said. “I had to learn to put things aside for what’s best for Nacogdoches.” His hope was that the people have confidence in the process, that they listen and trust him. “Being Mayor is not about Roger Van Horn, It’s about the process!” said the mayor.
Mayor Van Horn was asked on his view of the students here at the university and he replied that it’s hard to get them interested. When running for mayor he was told to not worry about the student vote because they never vote. “I want students get involved more. Volunteer yourself more in your community,” he said.
After his term, Mayor Van Horn said that he doesn’t know what will come next. “I was offered manager of a dentist clinic to run it but I’ m still is undecided,” he said with a laugh.
Since his junior year in college, Van Horn had the passion to become a dentist and for 40 years he has practiced that profession. But being a dentist is not all that Van Horn wanted. He was president of the Jaycee of Nacogdoches and other civic organizations and worked his way up. In May of 2007 the city of Nacogdoches voted Van Horn mayor. Mayor Van Horn is now in his third term and says that he loves it.
Mayor Van Horn says that being mayor is a great thing. He has people always come up to him to talk and he loves to listen. Laughing about it, Mayor Van Horn said he likes when people randomly stop him at Kroger’s to talk to him. He said that being mayor is like a gift that he has to serve. It’s something that he enjoys. Mayor Van Horn spends about 3-4 hours a day and all day Friday on mayor stuff and the rest working on teeth.
According to Mayor Van Horn, being mayor can be fun but very frustrating. Running a strong manger commission government, which is when the mayor has his board to make the decisions with him for the city, can be difficult. Passing laws on smoking in public places, sidewalks and highway crossovers can make citizens upset at points. “ The thing that I had to learn as mayor was to set aside my philosophy,” he said. “I had to learn to put things aside for what’s best for Nacogdoches.” His hope was that the people have confidence in the process, that they listen and trust him. “Being Mayor is not about Roger Van Horn, It’s about the process!” said the mayor.
Mayor Van Horn was asked on his view of the students here at the university and he replied that it’s hard to get them interested. When running for mayor he was told to not worry about the student vote because they never vote. “I want students get involved more. Volunteer yourself more in your community,” he said.
After his term, Mayor Van Horn said that he doesn’t know what will come next. “I was offered manager of a dentist clinic to run it but I’ m still is undecided,” he said with a laugh.
The Mayor by Megan Kelley
Nacogdoches was not on Roger Van Horn’s radar until his car broke down in front of a car dealership in the 70s. After staying a few days he and his wife headed back to Kansas City and decided then that Nacogdoches was the place for them. Van Horn shared personal and professional experiences Tuesday in an interview.
Van Horn opened his dental practice and has had it running for over thirty years. Most recently to be a part of the community Van Horn became mayor of Nacogdoches in 2007 and is now on his third term.
Being mayor many would think that he ran Nacogdoches. That is far from the truth. A strong manager committee governs Nacogdoches, Van Horn explained. The county is divided into four sections and each ward elects their own commissioner. Out of the commissioners one is elected to become mayor. As mayor he is the chairman of the city commission and the town is actually ran by the city manager.
Being mayor many would think they were paid. Van Horn said that his position is not a paying one. Not being paid would turn many people off, not Van Horn. His love for government and being able to help the community is conveyed in the smile he gave when speaking about the topic.
While Van Horn’s love for the community is easily seen he did share his frustrations. Living in a small town it is hard to bring in new ways to help revenue and he has had to watch his personal preference.
“I had to learn to set aside my personal philosophy for the city,” Van Horn said.
Van Horn had to learn that it was not about him. It was about the city and people of Nacogdoches.
“I had to learn to think what is best for the city of Nacogdoches,” Van Horn said.
Van Horn has learned to be tough when it comes to making decisions for what is best for the town and not individuals. People are not always the happiest with decisions the commission has made but Van Horn reminded us that they are out to help the community.
“You need to give all elected a shot, give them a chance,” Van Horn said. “It’s a tough job.”
As for what is next for Van Horn he is unsure. He said that at one point he committed he would stay in the mayor position for five terms if allowed. Even if not elected to five terms Van Horn has some idea of what he would like to do.
“I wouldn’t mind teaching. I love teaching,” Van Horn said.
Van Horn encourages young people to get out and be part of the community.
“I would tell you start right now being engaged doing something,” Van Horn said. “The quicker you learn to give a little of your time because somebody needs something you’ll find the rewards are great.”
Van Horn opened his dental practice and has had it running for over thirty years. Most recently to be a part of the community Van Horn became mayor of Nacogdoches in 2007 and is now on his third term.
Being mayor many would think that he ran Nacogdoches. That is far from the truth. A strong manager committee governs Nacogdoches, Van Horn explained. The county is divided into four sections and each ward elects their own commissioner. Out of the commissioners one is elected to become mayor. As mayor he is the chairman of the city commission and the town is actually ran by the city manager.
Being mayor many would think they were paid. Van Horn said that his position is not a paying one. Not being paid would turn many people off, not Van Horn. His love for government and being able to help the community is conveyed in the smile he gave when speaking about the topic.
While Van Horn’s love for the community is easily seen he did share his frustrations. Living in a small town it is hard to bring in new ways to help revenue and he has had to watch his personal preference.
“I had to learn to set aside my personal philosophy for the city,” Van Horn said.
Van Horn had to learn that it was not about him. It was about the city and people of Nacogdoches.
“I had to learn to think what is best for the city of Nacogdoches,” Van Horn said.
Van Horn has learned to be tough when it comes to making decisions for what is best for the town and not individuals. People are not always the happiest with decisions the commission has made but Van Horn reminded us that they are out to help the community.
“You need to give all elected a shot, give them a chance,” Van Horn said. “It’s a tough job.”
As for what is next for Van Horn he is unsure. He said that at one point he committed he would stay in the mayor position for five terms if allowed. Even if not elected to five terms Van Horn has some idea of what he would like to do.
“I wouldn’t mind teaching. I love teaching,” Van Horn said.
Van Horn encourages young people to get out and be part of the community.
“I would tell you start right now being engaged doing something,” Van Horn said. “The quicker you learn to give a little of your time because somebody needs something you’ll find the rewards are great.”
The Mayor by Blake Williams
The city of Nacogdoches Mayor Roger Van Horn spoke to an SFA class in his casual attire looking comfortable. He talked to us about the responsibilities of a Mayor and also a Dentist with a full-time practice in Nacogdoches since the 1970s.
Van Horn, when asked what he likes the most about being a mayor, answered, “You can really affect things in the community.” Being a mayor of a city does not mean that you have control of everything in that city but you are one vote, which means something, he said.
Mayor Van Horn, a native of Oklahoma, was introduced to dentistry in the 1970s after driving from Houston in which his car broke down, ”right in front of the car dealership” in Nacogdoches where he discovered that the city wasn’t so bad and was comforted by friendly people all around the city.
On his third term as being mayor he is getting better. “I was more qualified the second time then I was the first time,” he said. This is fairly normal to say because most people get better in time as they pursue through the years what they plan to excel in.
The one thing that Mayor Van Horn had to work on the most was being able to put his personal views aside for the good of the community. The one thing that he agrees with is the two-year term for mayor. “Having two-year terms is good for the city. That way if you didn’t like something your representative is acting then they will not be in office for four years.
Mayor Van Horn was an educational speaker towards the government in Nacogdoches in which he came off friendly and open with the listeners to their questions and gave sufficient amount of information.
Van Horn, when asked what he likes the most about being a mayor, answered, “You can really affect things in the community.” Being a mayor of a city does not mean that you have control of everything in that city but you are one vote, which means something, he said.
Mayor Van Horn, a native of Oklahoma, was introduced to dentistry in the 1970s after driving from Houston in which his car broke down, ”right in front of the car dealership” in Nacogdoches where he discovered that the city wasn’t so bad and was comforted by friendly people all around the city.
On his third term as being mayor he is getting better. “I was more qualified the second time then I was the first time,” he said. This is fairly normal to say because most people get better in time as they pursue through the years what they plan to excel in.
The one thing that Mayor Van Horn had to work on the most was being able to put his personal views aside for the good of the community. The one thing that he agrees with is the two-year term for mayor. “Having two-year terms is good for the city. That way if you didn’t like something your representative is acting then they will not be in office for four years.
Mayor Van Horn was an educational speaker towards the government in Nacogdoches in which he came off friendly and open with the listeners to their questions and gave sufficient amount of information.
The Mayor by Michael Garcia
A young man who was unsure of his career at the end of college is now serving the citizens of Nacogdoches, in more ways than one.
Walking into class was different than usual, a sophisticated older man stood in front of the class and not knowing who he was, it was apparent that he was going teach us a lot. Upon sitting in my seat a classmate told me who he was, “He’s the mayor” she said. It’s always excited to listen to people who are successful in their business or career field. To be able to learn from this man was going to be a treat.
Roger Van Horn, born in Tulsa Oklahoma, has been the mayor of Nacogdoches since May 2007. He is also a dentist with a full-time practice in Nacogdoches since the 1970’s. Knowing his accomplishments even made me more interested in how he became successful.
I’m not into politics or government in any way but listening to a man of his statue would help me gain knowledge of working in a high positioned job. When he began to talk, his good character gave me the notion that he wasn’t going to bore me to sleep. Hearing him talk about how the politics are in Nacogdoches it still kept me focused and interested, because he let us know how the people should help make the city function better. His humor on how meetings can be boring really made him seem more of a citizen than a politician trying to push the seriousness about working for the city.
Mayor Horn also gave good advice about reporting the facts on important issues the Mayor and the city deals with. He said, “Hold people accountable…they need to be,” when the media publishes false information. My idea of the mayor’s job is to run everything and to fix every problem the city is dealing with. It makes sense when he informs us that mayors have different jobs due to the size of the city. Texas has two types of government, which are strong management commission government, and strong mayor commission government. Nacogdoches has strong management commission government due to the small size of the city, and the mayor does not operate the city everyday but is chairman of city commission and runs the meetings. He also can put any issue on the agenda to discuss. Another important fact he taught us about how the city is operated is that the process of fixing issues is that nothing ever gets done in a timely fashion, which he said is a good thing. Every aspect of a problem can be examined with a solution that will help the people and the city. Money is a big issue and Mayor Van Horn tells us that every city wants money. It’s important because every city has needs, no matter how big it is.
Trying to steady my camera steady, it came to my attention that Mayor Van Horn has been talking for more than 20 minutes and I have yet to doze off to sleep. One piece of information I wanted to know was how much money a mayor makes a year. He talked about the difference from working as the mayor and as a dentist, and he informed us he lives off being a dentist. It’s noticeable now that being in a government isn’t always bringing in a lot of money. His position as the mayor is about serving the people and finding ways to make Nacogdoches operate better.
Being tempted to ask many questions about his life, the class understood that he may have other places to be, but one question that was asked by yours truly was, “How did you decide to be a dentist?” Being a dentist isn’t one dream or passion a lot of people have growing up. He said when he had the opportunity to be interviewed to work in the dentist field he was accepted and went along with the job. He later understood that he loves working with people.
Mayor Van Horn is a kind man who is in a position to give people relief that he will not hurt how the city is operated. I can see that he is very smart and very understanding of the people. All mayors need to have the servant’s heart the Mayor Van Horn possesses and I will happily vote for him to continue his position as mayor of Nacogdoches.
Walking into class was different than usual, a sophisticated older man stood in front of the class and not knowing who he was, it was apparent that he was going teach us a lot. Upon sitting in my seat a classmate told me who he was, “He’s the mayor” she said. It’s always excited to listen to people who are successful in their business or career field. To be able to learn from this man was going to be a treat.
Roger Van Horn, born in Tulsa Oklahoma, has been the mayor of Nacogdoches since May 2007. He is also a dentist with a full-time practice in Nacogdoches since the 1970’s. Knowing his accomplishments even made me more interested in how he became successful.
I’m not into politics or government in any way but listening to a man of his statue would help me gain knowledge of working in a high positioned job. When he began to talk, his good character gave me the notion that he wasn’t going to bore me to sleep. Hearing him talk about how the politics are in Nacogdoches it still kept me focused and interested, because he let us know how the people should help make the city function better. His humor on how meetings can be boring really made him seem more of a citizen than a politician trying to push the seriousness about working for the city.
Mayor Horn also gave good advice about reporting the facts on important issues the Mayor and the city deals with. He said, “Hold people accountable…they need to be,” when the media publishes false information. My idea of the mayor’s job is to run everything and to fix every problem the city is dealing with. It makes sense when he informs us that mayors have different jobs due to the size of the city. Texas has two types of government, which are strong management commission government, and strong mayor commission government. Nacogdoches has strong management commission government due to the small size of the city, and the mayor does not operate the city everyday but is chairman of city commission and runs the meetings. He also can put any issue on the agenda to discuss. Another important fact he taught us about how the city is operated is that the process of fixing issues is that nothing ever gets done in a timely fashion, which he said is a good thing. Every aspect of a problem can be examined with a solution that will help the people and the city. Money is a big issue and Mayor Van Horn tells us that every city wants money. It’s important because every city has needs, no matter how big it is.
Trying to steady my camera steady, it came to my attention that Mayor Van Horn has been talking for more than 20 minutes and I have yet to doze off to sleep. One piece of information I wanted to know was how much money a mayor makes a year. He talked about the difference from working as the mayor and as a dentist, and he informed us he lives off being a dentist. It’s noticeable now that being in a government isn’t always bringing in a lot of money. His position as the mayor is about serving the people and finding ways to make Nacogdoches operate better.
Being tempted to ask many questions about his life, the class understood that he may have other places to be, but one question that was asked by yours truly was, “How did you decide to be a dentist?” Being a dentist isn’t one dream or passion a lot of people have growing up. He said when he had the opportunity to be interviewed to work in the dentist field he was accepted and went along with the job. He later understood that he loves working with people.
Mayor Van Horn is a kind man who is in a position to give people relief that he will not hurt how the city is operated. I can see that he is very smart and very understanding of the people. All mayors need to have the servant’s heart the Mayor Van Horn possesses and I will happily vote for him to continue his position as mayor of Nacogdoches.
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