Kevin White

Mineola Mayor Kevin White announced his intention to seek the position of Wood County Judge.

White is serving in his first term as mayor of Mineola after serving as an alderman, and during that time mayor pro-tem, for Ward 2. He said he has checked with the secretary of state’s office and does not have to resign from his current office prior to the election. The new judge would take office in January of 2019 and if elected, White’s mayoral term would conclude in May that year, requiring his resignation a few months early.

“As county judge, I will have the executive experience to work with others to best serve the citizens of Wood County. I believe in communication and collaboration to meet goals and to work as a team,” he said. “I will work alongside others to bring more business opportunities to Wood County. There is no greater property tax relief than a strong sales tax base. If elected, I will use my experiences as a decision-maker and steward of other people’s money to the betterment of Wood County.”

“I am a longtime local educator that retired as principal of Hawkins High School in 2015. I spent 30 years in education with the last 15 at the administrative level,” he said. After retiring, White has worked as a landman and also became a realtor and works with Trophy Creek Property Company.

For those who question White’s experience with the law, he said in his careers he is versed in education, real estate, contractual and oil and gas leasing laws.

“Most of my career I have been a steward of taxpayer money and have always tried to be responsible with its spending. With other city council members and Mayor Watkins in Mineola, we are now financially stronger than in recent years and as mayor, I am working to improve our financial position even more. As we prepare this year’s budget, reducing costs and improving services to our citizens is the goal of our city council and myself.”

White is a fourth generation resident of Wood County. His family settled in the Coke and Cartwright areas at the beginning of the 1900s.

The county judge candidate graduated from Mineola High School in 1982, East Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in 1985 and a master’s degree in 1995. He has 36 hours of post graduate work in administrative studies and is a certified principal and superintendent.

White serves as vice president of the Wood County Camp of Gideon’s International. He is also a trustee of the First Baptist Church of Mineola as well as a deacon and the treasurer.

White and his wife Lori Perkins White, a second grade teacher who has taught in Mineola for 16 years, have three children and two grandchildren. Their son Jeff served in the Marine Corps and has a degree in marketing. He works for KMOO Radio in advertising. Jeff and his wife Cassie, have two daughters, Callee, 7, and Lexi, 2. The Whites’ oldest daughter, Kaysey, recently graduated from Texas State University and is teaching and coaching in Mineola and their youngest child, Mallori, is a sophomore at Texas State University. Their daughter-in-law is also a teacher in Tyler.