Pauls Valley has three City Council positions that will be up for election April 1.
The election for Pauls Valley City Council Place 1 is to fill the remaining two-years of an unexpired term. The position will be up for election again in 2027. Candidates for Place 1 are Amy Richey and April Brown.
AMY RICHEY
My name is Amy Richey, and I am honored to serve as your City Council member. As a fourth-generation resident and business owner, I understand both the challenges and potential of our community. Prior to joining the council, I served on the Tourism Board for two years, working to promote our city’s assets. Now, I’m seeking re-election to continue advocating for our city’s future.
Since joining the council, I’ve focused on understanding the issues that came before my time in office and finding solutions to move us forward. While we have a wonderful town, aging infrastructure presents clear opportunities for improvement. We’re at a turning point, with a new, highly involved city manager and so many dedicated citizens working on other boards and committees to make a difference.
I’m passionate about supporting local businesses, which is why I’m working to create the Pauls Valley Entrepreneurs Network. This group will provide local business owners a space to support one another, share ideas and collaborate on challenges. I’m actively engaging with businesses, including some of our larger local enterprises, to gain their support and build momentum for this initiative.
As a business owner myself, I recognize the value of a strong, supportive network. Whether it’s improving infrastructure or boosting local businesses, I’m committed to decisions that help our city thrive.
I’m running for re-election because I believe there’s still untapped potential in our city. While we’ve made great strides, there’s more to be done! My goal is to build on our successes, continue supporting our citizens and enhance the quality of life for everyone.
A key priority for me is ensuring transparency and fostering a deeper connection with our citizens. I’m committed to listening to your concerns and keeping you informed.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve. I look forward to continuing this journey with you and making our city even better.
APRIL BROWN
My name is April Brown, and I’m running for Pauls Valley City Council.
I am married to my loving husband, Damon, a retired Army veteran. He’s currently a teacher at Mid-America Technology Center and serves as an ordained pastor here in Pauls Valley. We have four beautiful daughters, two sons-in-law, three granddaughters and one grandson.
I became a born-again Christian August 29, 2005, and have not been the same since. Praise GOD! I serve the Lord and prayerfully seek his guidance in my life.
I have served in the Oklahoma National Guard and the United States Army before transitioning into the Department of Defense. Currently I am the in-school restriction teacher at Pauls Valley Junior/ High School, trying to make a positive impact with our next generation.
My interest in government started with the loss of my highly decorated, two Purple Hearts, Vietnam veteran father over the dangerous COVID restrictions that ultimately led to his death. I questioned our elected officials who were to represent “We the People” and follow our Constitution, yet they failed my dad, who deserved his rights not to be taken.
I will stand and fight to protect and secure ALL of your God-given, individual rights.
I will stand and fight to protect and secure ALL of your Constitutional freedoms and liberties.
I envision a thriving community with reliable infrastructure, a strong environment for local businesses while incorporating President Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again agenda to include preventing fluoride from being injected into the city water supply. No one should be forced to ingest these chemicals.
To those that are concerned where I am from, I grew up in Elmore City before joining the military. My great-grandmother lived here in Pauls Valley and is buried in our cemetery. However, my husband and I chose to live in Pauls Valley in 2020.
VOTE APRIL on April 1, 2025, if you want a true leader representing your conservative values.
Pauls Valley City Council Place 4 will be elected for a full four-year term that will run from 2025 to 2029. Candidates for Place 4 are Bonnie Meisel and Matthew Huggans.
BONNIE MEISEL
I am running for Pauls Valley City Council. With my background in education and public service, I have spent my life listening and working to improve the lives of others. I do that through my work at the Samaritans of Pauls Valley food pantry where we help 250-270 families each month with essential food for their family. I work with local churches and businesses to organize “Keep Oklahoma Beautiful” activities in Pauls Valley each April. I volunteer and support Okie Noodling, the Fourth of July, Brickfest, the Angel Tree, Christmas in the Valley and Chamber of Commerce activities. I also support the local school system and library by providing snacks for children.
My mission is to strengthen our community by continuing to support the improvements in progress at the water treatment plant that are 90% completed. We are developing a plan of action to address repairs to the waste water system and the old City Lake dam. I participated in the development of the master plan for the Pauls Valley Parks and am working with TSET and the Pauls Valley Park Board to develop the needs identified by our citizens including walking trails, improvements to our lakes and to our playgrounds. I was one of the founders of the Pauls Valley Parks Foundation and helped secure the funding that paid for the Phase 1 improvements to the Wacker Park tennis courts.
I am committed to smart economic development that supports the businesses that are the backbone of our city and creates new jobs and opportunities. I support new housing like the addition in progress in southeast Pauls Valley, bringing 26 new homes. When people live where they work, they spend their money in the community helping local businesses thrive.
My experience in education has taught me that change starts with listening and working with others. I believe in building a community where every voice is heard and every family has the resources they need to thrive. I would be honored to be your voice on the City Council and work with you to build a stronger more connected Pauls Valley. Thank you for your support.
MATTHEW HUGGANS
My name is Matthew Huggans.
I am married to my beautiful wife, Mary Ann Huggans. We have three sons and one daughter. We are blessed with nine grandkids, and two more are on the way.
We attend The House Church. I love Pauls Valley; it is a beautiful place with wonderful people. The community atmosphere is what I appreciate the most. I have many friends here who all love this city and would not live anywhere else. I want to help make it better because they, like I, have concerns.
It seems to me that the government as a whole is a big mess. Its initial priority is to secure our rights, not charity. Our town has become a place to “spend more than you make” with no accountability.
I think we owe our city a government that is run like a business. A place that is profitable and where everyone wants to raise their family and bring more jobs. I think we can make this happen in Pauls Valley, but it's going to take making hard decisions that might cause us to suffer for a season. Or we will suffer later; the problems are real, and we have to change now in order to save our city.
The change starts and ends with leadership, with the right people willing to make sound decisions.
As an elected official, our duty should always be about “we the people” not “we the council.”
In our representative republic, individual liberty is a priority. That means the people are the government. Transparency needs to take place in our city council meetings, which it has not for a long time. Which is why so many are voicing their concerns.
Infrastructure and city debt need to be the first priority for any city council member, and I will address them. As a business owner, I understand how to eliminate waste and abuse along with hiring the qualified individual for the job.
If elected, I would make these things my priority.
Together we can “Make Pauls Valley Great Again.”
Elect Matt Huggans on April 1.
Pauls Valley City Council Place 5 will be elected for a full four-year term that will run from 2025 to 2029. Candidates for Place 5 are Kevin Driskill, Kahn Nirschl and Jeff Satterlee.
KEVIN DRISKILL
My name is Kevin Driskill. I have lived in Pauls Valley my whole life, minus one semester I lived in Ada to attend East Central University. I was born in Pauls Valley in the old hospital. I attended Jackson, Jefferson, Lee and PVHS.
I feel my background and experience make me a perfect candidate for the Pauls Valley City Council. I am putting together a plan to help bring the community together and encourage unity and inclusion.
My dad was Harrell Driskill, the artist. Growing up he owned and operated a sign shop, so I went to work at a young age, sweeping floors and taking out trash. I learned the sign business and art at his knee.
In high school, I worked at the Royal Theater, the Drive In Theater, Field Brothers Service Station and my dad's sign shop. I also played football and wrestled in high school. You can still see some of my art in the halls of the high school on the murals.
After high school I attended East Central majoring in psychology, but did not officially graduate from college until 2021.
Lisa and I have been happily married over 15 years. I have two children and four stepchildren. We have two dogs, Rocky and Laydi, and you can find us at the dog park when the weather is nice.
We work hard to shop local and encourage others to do the same. We support our local grocery store, doctors, pharmacy, restaurants, veterinary, stores and garage sales / estate sales. I have been part of the Arts Council as an artist and in past leadership roles.
We own property in the county and in the city limits and moved from east of town into town in early 2024.
I have supported the city by volunteering on the Planning and Zoning Committee for over 20 years. I believe in lifelong learning and read approximately 100 books a year. Currently, I am also learning Spanish and practice with those who speak Spanish at work.
KAHN NIRSCHL
My name is Kahn Nirschl, and I am announcing my candidacy for Pauls Valley City Council Seat 5. I grew up in Pauls Valley, graduating from Pauls Valley High in 1994. I am happily married with three children, and we have chosen to raise our children in this community as we feel that Pauls Valley is an ideal place to raise a family. My candidacy for City Council stems from my desire to see my children, and future generations of families have the same opportunity to raise their families here too.
Pauls Valley has so many wonderful amenities to offer a family from a strong education system, wonderful outdoor opportunities for recreation, businesses that have a wonderful history in the community, and an active community that desires to promote and grow Pauls Valley as a community that is Not Your Ordinary Small Town with citizens who care and look out for each other.
However, with our city approaching 168 years of existence, it faces challenges that we all see daily in our infrastructure that include water treatment, sewer management and roadways to cite a few key examples. Couple this with inflationary pressures, this has created challenges to the budgetary process of managing the sales tax revenues that help address our infrastructure and essential services that the city government is tasked with providing. Budget shortfalls have been challenging for our city.
For 20 years, I have opened and operated physical therapy clinics across the state of Oklahoma, opening my first clinic here in Pauls Valley in 2005. This has afforded me the opportunity to gain a keen understanding of the economics of budget creation, managing expenses, hiring and management of a workforce, retention, and development of strategic plans to foster growth and an ability to expand services. I am transparent in my communication and feel that this openness creates an understanding of critical issues that affect our business as well as how and why we make decisions. I feel that this level of experience would be valuable to the City Council in addressing the challenges that currently face the city. I would appreciate your vote on April 1.
JEFF SATTERLEE
My name is Jeff Satterlee, and I am running for seat five on the Pauls Valley City Council.
My main concerns are infrastructure, city growth and governmental transparency.
I've lived in Pauls Valley since 1988, and my wife's family has been here since the early 1900s. I started out working for the city of Pauls Valley in the water department, where I got water and wastewater licenses. I later went to work at Homeland. While working there I met Bill Beck and started to help him in the heating and air business, and after a few years I was able to get my license and strike out on my own.
I've been in business in Pauls Valley for over 20 years now and have worked for many of you. Besides being in the heat and air business, I also buy and sell old neon signs and help my wife, who runs a cat rescue.
After living here for all these years, I can't imagine being anywhere else. Pauls Valley has been very good to me, and now I want to give something back. I would appreciate the opportunity to be able to do something for the entire community and ask for your vote on April 1.
Thank you,
Jeff Satterlee
Communities across Garvin County will hold city council, town board and school board elections April 1. The Garvin County News Star will continue to feature candidates for those offices in our next two issues.
- March 14: Elmore City and Wynnewood city council candidates and Paoli Town Board candidates.
- March 21: Maysville Town Board candidates and Board of education candidates for Elmore City, Paoli, Pauls Valley and Whitebead school districts.
