Wilmer swears in new mayor, council

WILMER – Six years on the city council, three years of that as Mayor Pro-Tem – and a lifetime resident of the area, 20-year Wilmer resident Sheila Petta was sworn in Monday night as the Mayor of the City of Wilmer.

“First of all, I would like to thank all the citizens of Wilmer for trusting me and putting me in this office,” Petta said. “I hope I can do they job they want me to do.”

Petta said she has worked hard for the city in the past and she is excited to continue that work in her latest mayoral position.

Her hopes are to bring retail – for example a grocery store, doctor’s office, more restaurants and even a hotel to the city during the next two years. Or, at least get the process started.

The new mayor said she is also aware that retail is often driven by rooftops. She plans to work hard on that too.

  The city is certainly growing. There are new homes and apartment buildings being built and ready for move-in soon.

   Petta said she wanted to thank the city council too. 

“We have a good council and I hope to be able to work with them and carry Wilmer into a bright future,” she said. 

“I want Wilmer to be seen as a relaxing, country-setting that is close enough to Dallas, but a place where you don’t have to go anywhere outside of the city for your needs if you don’t want to.”

Petta won her mayoral seat challenging outgoing mayor Emmanuel Wealthy and challenger Laura Jacobs, taking the win with 374 votes or 36.85-percent when the votes were finalized.

Council members Sergio Campos and Melissa Ramirez kept their seats on the council and were sworn in Monday night as well. Campos had 455 votes or 27.91-percent of the vote and Ramirez 464 votes or 28.47-percent of the vote against two additional challengers: Moses Garcia and Rebecca Critz for the two open at-large seats.