My name is Alan E. Mesecher.  I am 67 years old and was reared in upstate New York in a small farming community.  I graduated in 1969 from Galway Central High School in Galway, New York.  I worked for some year for General Electric before going into real estate properties full time.  I was a member of the Schnectady County Jaycees for many years.

I wasn’t born in Texas, but, as they say, I got here as fast as I could.  

I met my lovely wife in Orange in 2000 and within a year had moved to Orange to marry her.  I have lived here ever since, three years in Roselawn (where I was part of the Roselawn Neighborhood Watch and a member of the Southeast Texas Property Investors out of Beaumont), and 15-plus years in the beautiful Historic District.  Since moving to Orange, I have continued to invest in real properties, all within the Orange area and, although I consider myself semi-retired, I continue with the upkeep of those properties.  

Through my experience in real estate and in dealing with tenants, I have come to know the people of Orange and am able to work with various types of people and situations, using common sense and a positive attitude to come to solutions that are mutually agreeable to all parties.  I know and am known by most of the current Council members and enjoy a positive relationship with the people of my neighborhood and the community at large.  I currently sit on the Historic District Preservation board and strive to keep my neighborhood beautiful.

The first thing I would most like, should I be elected Councilman, would be to see the quality of life improve in Orange.

 I view the planned Sports Complex and the steps being taken toward cleaning up the City (especially the gateway streets of Simmons Drive and 16th Street) as very positive steps with which I would like to contribute my time and efforts toward full implementation.  I also feel that our citizens need a hospital and I would hope that, through the cooperation and assistance of the full City Council, Orange County and State officials that we could again make that a reality.  

Entertainment is also on my list of issues which I hope to help bring to fruition, such as a theater, arcade, bowling alley, water park, etc.  I plan to actively visit cities that have such amenities and discover what steps were taken to implement the projects.  Parks and recreation are also important.  Walking and bicycle paths would be a great benefit for young and old.  A dog park would be a welcome addition also.  

The second thing that is a priority for me is for the City to work toward fiscal responsibility in getting out of debt entirely, lowering taxes and allowing Orange to progress responsibly, without the burden of debt weighing down, not only us but our children as well.  I have followed the Dave Ramsey way of dealing with finances and I feel there should be greater oversight of every dollar spent, budgets should be constantly scrutinized and volunteerism encouraged.

 I believe that it is my responsibility to be a good steward of the taxpayer’s money and that indebtedness makes slaves of us all.

I hope that you will cast your vote for someone who “thinks locally.”  A vote for me is a vote for the continued forward progress of District 4 and the City of Orange as a whole.