An at-large Bellmead City Council member who has served for 14 years is facing three opponents in the May 2 elections.
Gary Moore, who was first elected to the council in 2012 and has served as mayor twice, faces Katrinna Forrest, Anita Gomez and Alfreda Love in the at-large election.
Early voting for local city and school board elections runs April 20-28, with April 21 off due to a state holiday. The four early voting sites can be found at the McLennan County Elections website.
Bellmead has two other council races with unopposed incumbents: James Cleveland in Place 3 and Warren “Tommy” Bainbridge in Place 4.
The city of Bellmead serves a population of about 10,500. It continues to have one of the lowest property tax rates in the county, but the council last year raised the rate by about 4 cents to 38 cents per $100 valuation to cover rising costs.
The Waco Bridge sent questionnaires to candidates in the contested Bellmead race but did not get a response from Moore or Forrest.
Here are the responses from participating candidates for the at-large seat:
Alfreda Love
Age: 47
Occupation: Administrator in Waco Independent School District / community advocate.
Civic experience: Bellmead City Council, multiple terms spanning 2015–2021, including role as mayor pro tem. Service on local boards and community outreach programs focused on municipal growth and equity.
What makes you the best candidate for this position?
With over a decade of direct experience on the Bellmead City Council, I offer a blend of institutional knowledge and a proven commitment to our residents. I have navigated complex municipal budgets, overseen infrastructure projects, and consistently advocated for transparent governance. My background in education has equipped me with the listening skills and collaborative spirit necessary to bridge gaps between the council and the community. I am not just looking to hold a seat; I am looking to use my experience to ensure Bellmead grows responsibly while remaining a place where families can afford to thrive.
What would be your top three priorities as a Bellmead councilmember?
1. Infrastructure longevity: Moving beyond “patchwork” repairs to implement sustainable, long-term solutions for our streets and drainage systems.
2. Economic vitality: Attracting diverse businesses to broaden our tax base, reducing the financial burden on individual homeowners while creating local jobs.
3. Public safety and community engagement: Ensuring our first responders have the resources needed for modern policing and fire safety, while fostering a culture where citizens feel their voices directly influence council decisions through regular town halls and accessible communication.
What are the main challenges for Bellmead and how do you plan to address them?
The primary challenges are aging infrastructure and the rising cost of living. To address infrastructure, I plan to aggressively pursue state and federal grants to supplement local tax dollars, ensuring we fix our roads without draining our reserves.
Regarding affordability, I will advocate for smart economic development that targets underutilized commercial zones. By revitalizing our business corridors, we can generate more sales tax revenue, which provides the city with the necessary funds to maintain services without relying solely on increasing property tax rates for our residents.
In the last budget year, the city raised its tax rate by 4 cents. Did you agree with that decision?
While tax increases are never a first choice, I support this specific decision because it was a dedicated investment in the streets and drainage fund. For too long, Bellmead relied on temporary fixes that ended up costing more in the long run. By raising the rate to $0.38 per $100, the city secured a stable revenue stream specifically for critical infrastructure. It is a matter of fiscal responsibility: we must pay for the maintenance of our city today to avoid the much higher costs of total reconstruction tomorrow.
Anita Gomez
Age: 60
Occupation: Peace officer
What makes you the best candidate for city council?
I bring 18 years of experience as a peace officer, serving and protecting the community while building trust. I understand the importance of public safety, strong schools – and listening to the concerns of the community. Most importantly, I am passionate about serving this community. Public service has always been at the heart of what I do, and I want to continue that service on the City Council – working hard, staying accessible, and making decisions that reflect the needs and values of the people I represent.
What would be your top three priorities as a Bellmead councilmember?
1. Learning city operations: Understanding the city charters, code of ethics and major ongoing projects. Meeting with city staff, the city manager and existing city council members to establish collaborative relationships.
2. Constituent Engagement: To actively seek input from communitymembers and stakeholders to understand pressing needs and concerns.
3. Public safety and essential services: Ensuring adequate funding for police, fire and emergency services is a top priority.
What are the main challenges for the City of Bellmead and how do you plan to address them?
Bellmead faces several significant challenges, including aging water and sewer infrastructure, persistent poverty and deteriorating properties throughout our neighborhoods. Too many abandoned and neglected structures remain vacant, creating concerns about illegal occupancy, public safety and declining property values.
As a City Council member, I will work closely with the public works and code enforcement departments to address these issues through practical, long-term solutions. That means prioritizing infrastructure improvements, strengthening code enforcement efforts and identifying opportunities to rehabilitate or remove unsafe and abandoned properties.
I believe every neighborhood in Bellmead deserves to be safe, well-maintained and a source of pride for the families who live there. By investing in our infrastructure and improving the condition of our neighborhoods, we can help protect property values, encourage new investment and build a stronger future for our community.
In the last budget year, the City of Bellmead raised its tax rate by 4 cents and about .38 cents per $100 to pay for street, drainage and other needs. Did you agree with this decision? Why or why not?
I support a reasonable tax increase to address the critical needs within our community. Our city is facing significant challenges related to aging infrastructure, including utility upgrades to improve low water pressure, necessary street repairs and drainage improvements. These issues directly affect the quality of life for residents. In my own neighborhood, the street requires major repairs, and the drainage system needs to be upgraded to prevent ongoing problems. Investing in these improvements is necessary to ensure our community remains safe, functional and prepared for future growth.
This story first appeared in The Waco Bridge. To get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for the Waco Bridge newsletter at wacobridge.org/newsletter.
