Bob Seay appointed to fill vacancy for Ward I at Lamar City Council special meeting

A special Lamar City Council meeting was held on September 16, 2026, to fill the Ward I vacancy due to the resignation of Brent Bates. Council needed to have position filled within 30 days. It was posted to the public that they were accepting applications as well as informing the public of this special meeting.  There was one applicant who was able to supply the appropriate documents and letters of recommendations. That applicant was Bob Seay, who was present at the meeting to be interviewed by current Councilmembers to be considered for the position.

Mr. Seay addressed Council, saying “Thank you for considering my application.  As a teacher, I spent 39 years of my life in public service, the last 17 of which were here in Lamar. I loved that job with all my heart.  I retired because I didn’t want to become one of those teachers who stayed past their prime.  One of the basic rules of music is that you always leave your audience wanting more.  As a teacher, I was known for speaking up for students and groups that were bullied or otherwise marginalized.  I worked to make the music room a safe place for all my students.  That effort paid off in growth in numbers, and several superior ratings at contests including an 8-year consecutive run of superior ratings at the end. My students learned music. I would also like to think they learned how to treat people with dignity and respect, including themselves.  I see City Council as a continuation of that public service, specifically to the residents of Ward I and the people of Lamar.  I look forward to your questions”

Each councilmember was allowed to ask Mr. Seay two questions from a suggested list provided to them by the City Administrator.

One question asked was “Can you tell us why you want to serve on city council and what you hope to accomplish during the remainder of this term?  Seay replied “I see this as a continuation of things I’ve been doing basically my whole life.  I’ve always felt you serve the community in which you live. I want to help with ideas for jobs and income.  We have a problem in Lamar where too many of our graduates are leaving because there is not a whole lot for them to stay for.  We need economic development that will allow people to raise families, and we need growth for the community’s sake”.

When asked what he thought were most important issues currently facing Lamar, Seay said he felt that right now, the data center is one of the biggest issues hitting Lamar, adding that he felt it has the most potential for impact, both good and bad in the community.  He also felt that the city’s aging infrastructure was an issue.

One scenario presented to Seay was “During a contentious meeting, public comments are starting to become personal and hostile.  What responsibility does a councilmember have in that situation?   Seay said the first thing he would do is to try and defuse the situation, and not inflame or escalate it. Then, he said, “you make sure everybody is heard – the person who is angry needs to feel like they are being heard”.  His last resort as a teacher, he said, was to say “Thanks for sharing” and then close out the discussion but that it was important that people not feel ignored.

Another question asked was what experience, background or perspective he would bring as to people feeling underrepresented and how he could strengthen Council. Seay mentioned that there were people at the past couple of Council meetings who felt they were underrepresented. “My strength is in doing research and finding information. I learn as much as I can and then try to give them factual information”.

When asked how he would respond as a councilmember when receiving criticism or incorrect information from social media or public comments, he replied “ You have to do research and not be lazy”.  He then went on to mention an untrue rumor recently that stated Mayor Crespin earns $150,000 a year as mayor, saying “That takes about one minute to look up online and find out whether that is true or false.  I can get passionate in my discussions.  I try to be aware of the feelings of the other person and watch how they are reacting. My policy for social media would be to just say no.  I will not engage in council discussion online.  That doesn’t do anybody ultimately any good”

When asked what he would do if contacted by a constituent with a complaint about a city employee and asking that the employee be disciplined, he said he would tell them he isn’t in a position to do that but that he would bring it to the attention of the appropriate people, explaining why the city has managerial structures with administrators and supervisors.

Seay was also asked how he would evaluate the decisions Council has to make regarding issues that can have significant city-wide benefits but are unpopular with constituents. He said his first obligation is to his constituents, learning what their feelings are about the issue. He mentioned the last Council meeting where Councilmember Gonzales said he wouldn’t change a previous vote he made.  Seay said he felt that showed integrity and went on to say “Reversing a vote is a big deal and I think sometimes in any leadership position we act like our decisions don’t have impact, or that they can be reversed without any consequence.  That is not the case.  Know your stuff, make your decision”.

Asked if he wanted to speak about anything in his application or background that he would like to clarifybefore Council voted, Seay spoke about how he has been writing online for 30 years, advocating for mentalhealth, kids in special education, or other causes he felt worthy.  “My positions on most issues are pretty well-known.  In this role (as a councilmember), my primary interest is with the constituency and the people ofLamar”.

After an Executive Session to discuss his application, Council came back and voted unanimously to appoint Mr. Seay, with all councilmembers expressing their excitement to work with him – most mentioning the importance of adding diversity and different points of view to the makeup of the Council. Seay will be sworn in at the next regular City Council meeting on Monday, September 28.

By: Barbara Crimond