Fred Spencer will be number 2 on the ballot for Mayor of the City of Brownwood in the upcoming May 8 election.
Spencer is a native son of Brownwood, with local roots dating back to 1901. He was born in 1955 at the Medical Arts Hospital in Brownwood to Dr. & Mrs. Fred D. Spencer, Jr. Fred attended Brownwood Public Schools and graduated from Brownwood High School in 1974. He was baptized at the Austin Avenue Church of Christ. Fred was active as a youth in many organizations and earned his Eagle Scout at Troop 14, in Brownwood.
After high school graduation, Fred worked as a Congressional Aide to Congressman W. R. Poage in Washington D. C. Upon his return to Texas, he attended Abilene Christian University and the University of Texas at Austin where he majored in Finance. He earned a certificate in Business and Management from the University of California at Los Angeles.
During his last year at the University of Texas, Fred started a Telecommunication / TV Cable construction company. Over the next 27 years he worked in almost every aspect of the industry. His experience includes the development, franchising, strategic planning, construction and management of telecommunication systems throughout North America, Hawaii and Europe. While living in California, he was the Los Angeles Division Vice President of Mastec, Inc. He also served as Vice President of Distribution Systems of Altrio Communications, Inc.
Fred returned to Brownwood in 2003. He continues to work in the telecommunication industry as a consultant to several of the largest Telecommunication Companies in the world. He also owns and operates Blue Sail Graphics, a large format digital printing business that serves clients throughout Central Texas.
When asked why he was running for Mayor, Spencer said, “I want to help Brownwood embrace the 21st century with positive economic growth while protecting the place we call home. I want to help rehabilitate our older neighborhoods. I also believe that we need to attract new industry to Brownwood. New industry means new jobs and new jobs mean economic growth. With new economic growth and increased sales tax revenues, the City should be able to freeze or decrease our current water and sanitation rates as well as our property tax rate. I also want to give consideration to the tabled landscape/beautification ordinance. I find it odd that the City has a special line item on our water bills for beautification, yet allows developers to build without any landscaping requirements. Beautification is very important to the City if we want to attract new retail businesses and residents. In expanding this vision, I believe we need to address the smoking in public places such as restaurants. We don’t allow smoking in Schools, Public Buildings and Movie Theatres. I think it is time we expand the smoking ban to include restaurants and other public gathering areas not yet covered”.
“As Mayor I will work diligently to attract new industry to Brownwood while protecting the wonderful industries we currently have in Brownwood. I will continue to work to make Brownwood a safer and healthier place to live. I will work to make Brownwood a town that people will not only want to stay in when they graduate from High School but will want to move here from other communities”.
Fred currently serves as a Unit Commissioner for the Boy Scouts of America. In June he will serve as a delegate from Brown County to the Texas Republican Party State Convention in Dallas.
Fred was married for 23 years and has two grown children. His daughter lives in California and his son lives in Massachusetts where he teaches at the Rhode Island School of Design. Fred’s constant companion is his Chihuahua, Ren.
