"A close friend suggested I run for City Council, and at first I brushed it off. But I realized I needed to do something instead of just complaining. My involvement has made a difference, and I will continue fighting for the residents of Justin."

City of Justin General Election
Candidate Profile

Meet Daniel Dennis–
Candidate for
City Council Place 5 - Incumbent
Election Day: Saturday, May 2, 2026

How have your background and experience shaped your perspective for Mayor, and what inspired your involvement in Justin?

In my professional career, I’ve worked in numerous industries and positions, including real estate, mortgage, estate planning, construction, marketing and customer service, just to name a few.

I also have experience starting and running businesses, leading teams and wearing a variety of hats over the last 18+ years.

This has allowed me to develop skills in leadership, effective communication, problem solving, strategic thinking, and time management among others, which help me bring a unique perspective to the City Council.

In addition, the last two years of serving on the council have expanded my understanding of city governance and what it takes to influence meaningful change in a growing city. 

What first inspired me to get involved was really a lack of transparency, unethical behavior, and a disregard for what the citizens wanted.

A close friend had casually mentioned that I should run for City Council. At first, I brushed it off, but after doing some research, I felt like I needed to do something instead of just complaining about the problems.

Looking back, I believe that my involvement has made a difference, and I will continue fighting for the residents of Justin. 

Justin is experiencing steady growth. How would you balance growth with preserving Justin’s small-town feel?

I believe that the small-town feel is preserved through meaningful relationships.

It’s not really about population or the size of the town. You can live in a tiny town, and be totally isolated and not know anybody. That small-town feel comes with knowing your neighbors, helping each other when in need, being involved in City Council, the boards and commissions, and investing in local businesses. 

Having said that, there are some practical things we can do as a City Council. One thing we’ve done is look at developer agreements with long term vision, and be strategic about who we allow to develop in Justin, residential or commercial. We have been working on ways to build meaningful spaces for our community to come together.

We also implemented the Old Town overlay and plan with design standards to preserve the history and small-town feel of Justin. As we grow, we need to continue being strategic in every decision we make, and that's how we maintain that balance and preserve the small-town feel.

What issues matter most for Justin in the next three to five years, and how would you address them?

With the growth we’re facing, the next 3 to 5 years are going to be crucial. Some of the main issues will be streets and utility infrastructure updates.

We have a five-year CIP (Capital Improvements Plan) in place to address a lot of the critical upgrades needed. I’ve been talking to a grant consulting firm to secure grant funding for some of these projects.

We are also working with TxDOT and should see the 407 realignment and expansion project start to materialize in the next 3-5 years. 

Another important issue is getting a big box grocery store in town. We are currently working on negotiations and hope to have an agreement signed soon. This will be the catalyst that brings in more restaurants and retail stores to the city which is also important to our residents.

What does transparent city leadership mean to you, and how would you keep residents informed?

I believe transparency in city leadership hangs on clear communication.

In the last two years, I have pushed for over-communication when it comes to notifying our residents about what the city is doing. We have made great strides as a city when it comes to keeping our citizens informed.

Our video broadcasting and archiving system for all the public meetings has been a game changer in making sure everyone gets to see every discussion and decision being made. Above all, it holds the Council and our Boards and Commissions accountable to the residents. 

We also have an alert notification system that sends out texts and emails to registered citizens to make sure everyone stays informed in a timely manner.

In addition, our Communications Director stays on top of posting updates on social media.

We have made sure that there are multiple ways for people to get access to information about what is going on. 

Disclaimer: We do not endorse any candidate. This content is for informational purposes only to help Justin voters make informed choices.