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 82nd 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
- Held over 70 days of office hours at City Hall and local coffee shops. Continues to hold weekly
- Responsive to all constituents, via email, letters, social media, and phone
- Improved diversity and inclusivity on our appointed Boards and Commissions
- Increased public outreach for major city projects, including storm water drainage ballot initiative, Destination Bell workshops, the Lakeline Park planning, Waste Diversion Master Planning, and Transit Study/Master Plan update
- Advocated for and passed early adoption of Financial Disclosure to uphold high standards of integrity
- Posting and highlighting Council Agenda to improve transparency
- Advocated for and brought to voters initiative to uphold election integrity by curbing back-door appointments to City Council; it passed and has been adopted into City Charter
- Advocated, voted for, and passed a more stringent Revolving Door Policy to stop former officials and employees from profiting off proprietary information
- Balanced budget with a decrease in tax rate two straight years while strengthening vital services
- Keeping our city tax rate one of the lowest in our area and among similar growth cities across Texas
- Brought in several hundred new jobs, including Hyliion, a manufacturer of hybrid semi-truck parts
- Passed first-of-its-kind Homestead Exemption for property tax relief
- Proposed and passed first major transit study in nine years and transportation master plan update in four years
- Proposed and passed Waste Diversion study to help Cedar Park plan for our future needs
- Increased connectivity of sidewalks as well as strong, vocal advocate for pedestrian- and bicyclist-friendly policies to improve public safety and safe paths to schools
- Brought a ballot initiative to the voters for drainage improvements to protect our homes
- Purchased 70 acres of new parkland to bring Lakeline Park up to nearly 200 acres, and used 2007 and 2015 bonds to begin its planning and design
- Helped get water bottle filling stations installed in municipal buildings and will be installed in our parks
- Implementing recycling bins in all city parks and buildings as well as waste receptacles installed along Town Center trails
- Funded more public art pieces to beautify our parks and trails, including our newest Korean War memorial at Veterans Memorial Park
- Worked to get several new trails passed and construction started, including a new trail connecting Brushy Creek Lake Park to Ranch at Brushy Creek and 1431 as well as mountain bike paths in Brushy Creek Sports Park
- Represents Cedar Park on the Capitol Area Council of Governments Exec Committee as well as Clean Air Coalition
- Fought LCRA putting a high-power line next to Caballo Ranch neighborhood homes
- Long-time community volunteer in PTA, Band, and several local clubs and charities
- Named 2018 Fellow from Center for Public Policy and Dispute Resolution
- Appointed to Council Legislative and Finance Subcommittees
- Increased Cost of Living Adjustment retirement benefits for police & fire
- Passed new police contract, improving everything from managing reports and supervision to promotion procedures, all while keeping our officers’ pay and benefits competitive
- Funded and broke ground on our fifth fire station and continued hiring new firefighters to staff the fire station
- Funded new and upgraded equipment for our police and fire
- Regularly attends the swearing-in and promotions of police officers and firefighters
- Cut the ribbon on our new dam and trails, which will improve public safety and security while providing beautiful new trails between Champions Park and Brushy Creek Park
- Responded to public input and voted for a new traffic signal at Lakeline and Cougar Country, improving safety and security for hundreds of children
- Supported “smart signals” traffic lights that recognize cyclists and extend the green light for them
