Idolina "Dolly" Perez, an 81-year-old longtime resident of Premont, has been sworn in as the town's new mayor, completing what she describes as a full circle in her life.
Perez, who was born and raised in the rural community, previously worked as the city's secretary before retiring. She decided to run for mayor last year, following in the footsteps of her father who served on the city council in 1953.
"He would be announcing to the whole city my daughter is the mayor of Premont," Perez said.
When voters elected her in early May, Perez was overjoyed by the results.
"I couldn't believe it. I was very happy. I felt like I can help the city and I'm going to," Perez said.
The new mayor believes her age and knowledge of the city will benefit the town and its residents. Since being sworn in on May 13, she has been collaborating with city council members on her priority issues.
"I'm studying budget. October first is our new fiscal year. So, I'm hoping to help the council members prepare a new budget," Perez said.
Just two weeks into her term at city hall, Perez remains optimistic about Premont's future.
"We hope to go on to get more people interested in the city. And to see where we can go," Perez said.
One of Mayor Perez's biggest goals is to complete projects from previous administrations and bring new initiatives to the town.
Perez expressed excitement for her city and the people who live in it as she begins her term as mayor.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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