Meet Deborah Morris

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Deborah Morris moved to Garland with her husband and children in 1985, and quickly learned why people who lived here loved it!  But soon after settling into their home in Northlake Estates, they were shocked to learn that the lush greenbelt directly behind their neighborhood was about to be bulldozed. Deborah discovered that the wooded acreage recently donated to the City for use as parkland had been quietly "repurposed" by the City Council to build a 6-lane divided highway.

Her neighbors turned to Deborah for help, organizing a neighborhood association and electing her president. Deborah successfully led the citizen effort to realign the highway onto nearby open space, saving both the parkland and millions in tax dollars--a solution the city engineer declared a "win-win". 

That mature greenbelt is, today, a highly valued part of the celebrated Rowlett Creek Preserve and trail system in North Garland.  

Working from her home in Garland, Deborah saw her writing career take off until she was acknowledged as "one of America's leading writers of real-life rescue and survival stories". Her work was translated into as many as 10 languages. Her popular young adult book series, Real Kids Real Adventures, was adapted as an Emmy-nominated Discovery Channel television series which aired in the U.S., Central and South America, the Caribbean Islands, Canada and Europe.

It was an idea born right here in Garland that circled the globe.

Meanwhile Deborah volunteered here at home as a Red Cross Disaster Team Leader (recognized in 2000 as "Volunteer of the Year" by the Dallas Area Red Cross), served on the Garland Building and Fire Codes Board, did reading motivation programs in GISD schools, served on the First Aid Team with the Christian Motorcyclists Association, and served as the volunteer youth group leader at Springcreek Community Church. 

Then, in 2017, Deborah was once again called on to speak on behalf of hundreds of distressed Garland residents who felt they'd been ignored in important local decisions. She spearheaded a successful recall effort that resulted in the resignation of a council member. Afterward Deborah was asked to run for the City Council.   

Deborah ran for election in 2018 to represent District 2, the city's largest district which includes the Historic Downtown Business District as well as over 32,000 residents. Her theme was: "Your Voice Counts. Talk to Me", and her straightforward message resounded with Garland voters.

She was elected to the Garland City Council in 2018, and re-elected in 2020 and 2022.  She was chosen by her Council colleagues to serve as Deputy Mayor Pro Tem, then as Mayor Pro Tem.  In May 2023 she was called on to serve as acting mayor for a time.

From the start Deborah earned a reputation for listening to her constituents and getting things done.  Her years of experience as an interviewer and community leader made it easy for her to engage with people, and her approach--deliberately including her constituents in the regular decision-making process at City Hall.

During the challenges of the 2019 tornado, 2020 pandemic and 2021 ice storm, Deborah acted quickly to mobilize practical assistance such as hot meals, hot showers, water deliveries and more, as well as providing timely communication to distressed residents.