Posted 1:47 am Wednesday, February 08, 2012
Minister Enters Tyler Council District 2 Race
A Tyler minister is entering the race for the Tyler City Council District 2 seat.
Darryl B. Bowdre, 54, filed paperwork late Monday to pursue the office, held by outgoing Councilman Donald Sanders, who cannot run again due to term limits.
He announced his plans in December to seek the office, saying he wants to continue the successes of his predecessors.
"I desire for Tyler, Texas to be a place where people from all walks of life can call it home and a place we can all be proud of," he said.
Monday was the first day candidates could file for election; the deadline to file is March 5. Elections are set for May 12.
Bowdre, who leads the South Central Church of Christ, said he understands the needs of the west district, an area he considers the most diverse in the city.
The west district encompasses portions of the city's north and west sides and includes the longtime communities of Butler College, White City and St. Louis area, and newer areas, such as the Cascades.
Bowdre, an award-winning writer and publisher, said he has devoted more than 36 years to the ministry.
The candidate attended Southwestern Christian College in Terrell, John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio and spent 17 years as minister for Tyler's North Tenneha Church.
Bowdre is active with the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, Tyler Economic Development Board, Tyler Convention and Visitors Bureau Board, Smith County Tax Abatement Committee and Tyler Civil Service Board.
He is a former board member of PATH, North Tyler Child Development Center and Tyler Independent School District and helped create the Tyler Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Bi-Partisan African-American Coalition, a voting rights and voter education organization that began the 1980s.
Bowdre and his wife, Lynn, have been married for more than 34 years. The couple has three children and four grandchildren.
