Meet Heather

This is the campaign website for Heather Jefts, for Cedar Park City Council

Heather Jefts,Cedar Park

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Meet Heather

Heather Jefts is a small business owner, community leader, and former member of the Cedar Park City Council who’s been proud to call Cedar Park home for 15 years. She’s running for election to Place 6 in the May 2020 election.

During her tenure on City Council, Heather prioritized bringing in quality jobs and businesses, lowering the tax rate and creating Cedar Park’s first-ever Homestead Exemption, public safety, traffic solutions, infrastructure and sustainable growth, and new parks and trails. She served on the Executive Board of the Capital Area Council of Governments, focusing on emergency response and disaster preparedness. Heather was selected by the Hill Country News readers’ poll as the Best Local Elected Official.

A collegiate swimmer at Johns Hopkins University, Heather started her own small business, Tempo Swimming, teaching recreational and competitive swim classes on a group and individual basis. She previously worked at the University of Texas in the Genomic Sequencing Analysis Facility and as veterinary surgical technician.

Heather serves on the Board of the Williamson County Children’s Advocacy Center. She is active in the Vista Ridge High School Band Boosters and her children’s Parent-Teacher Associations, gives back as a Literacy Partner with Education Connection, participates in fresh food distribution through Hill Country Community Ministries, has volunteered with the American Legion’s Breakfast with Santa, and helped organize and kick-off Reveal Ministries’ diaper bank program. Heather is a member of the Rotary Club of Cedar Park/Leander and the Cedar Park Chamber of Commerce.

Heather was born at Fort Bragg, where her father was a lieutenant with the 82^nd Airborne, and grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She lives with her husband Richard in the Forest Oaks neighborhood with their two sons, 20 year-old David and 16 year-old Will, and the family’s two big dogs. Heather’s favorite things about Cedar Park are the friendly people and the many hike-and-bike trails. An avid sports and outdoors person, she also enjoys participating in half-marathons, woodworking, gardening, and reading.

Accomplishments

Jobs, Local Economy, & Taxes

Brought in hundreds of jobs to bolster our local economy, while pushing for more local options for dining, entertainment, outdoor activities, and other family-oriented recreation.
Passed the city’s first-ever Homestead Exemption to provide property tax relief to homeowners.
Decreased the city’s tax rate annually without cutting any vital services and while paying off city debt on an accelerated schedule to improve our bond rating.

Public Safety

Funded new and upgraded equipment for fire and police as well as a cost of living adjustment for retirement benefits to keep our first responders safe and better address healthcare needs.
Built Fire Station #5 and hired more firefighters to reduce emergency response times.
Passed a new police contract, improving accountability, efficiency, and promotion procedures, all while keeping our officers’ pay and benefits competitive.

Sustainable Growth & Infrastructure

Spearheaded a voter-approved ballot initiative to fund needed drainage improvements and address rampant flooding in our neighborhoods.
Installed water bottle filling stations and recycling receptacles in city buildings and city parks, put in trash cans along various trails, and proposed a waste diversion study to meet the needs of continued growth.s
Purchased 70 acres of additional parkland for Lakeline Park, began construction on new trails including connecting Brushy Creek Lake Park to the Ranch at Brushy Creek, and funded more public art, including the Korean War memorial at Veterans Memorial Park.

Traffic & Connectivity

Led a city-administered transit study, the first in a decade and free of special interest influence, as well as a transportation master plan update to efficiently and strategically address traffic needs.
Supported “smart signals” traffic lights and new constituent-requested signals, including at Lakeline and Cougar Country.
Increased connectivity of sidewalks and bike trails and improved safe paths to schools for our children

Accessibility, Transparency, & Ethics Reforms

Held over 80 Office Hours at City Hall or local coffee shops to meet with constituents and hear concerns while also increasing public outreach for major city projects such as Destination Bell, Lakeline Park, the Waste Diversion Master Plan, and the Transit Study/Master Plan update.
Maintaining an active and engaged presence in our community, including Chamber events and new business openings, Rotary and other civic groups, many volunteer organizations, community meetings, and swearing-in and promotion ceremonies for police officers and firefighters.
Passed Financial Disclosure requirements for city council members to increase transparency and avoid conflicts of interest, as well as a more stringent Revolving Door Policy for council members and staff to prevent unethical profiting off proprietary information.