Former Mayor Trace Johannesen

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Rockwall, TX
Former Mayor Trace Johannesen

I serve in many capacities in Rockwall County, Texas, including City Council 2018 - 2023 and Mayor 2023 - 2025. I use this page for official communications.

I decided to continue my service to Rockwall by running for one of the open City Council seats. My themes are safety, streets and taxes.

04/05/2026

Happy Easter! He is risen. We are celebrating with from tatumcellars, upliftvineyard and of course williamchrisvineyards.

12/31/2025

My 2025:
1. I changed careers entirely away from corporate consulting (which I had done since the Marine Corps) to Chief Operating Officer - offering fractional family-office services to high net-worth families.
2. The Marine Corps’ 250th birthday. Semper Fidelis!
3. My farewell post as Mayor of City of Rockwall, Texas, having termed out in May 2025 and thrilled to start my new career, and refocus my time and energy to my family.
4. A public statement about an incident in town
5. My lovely bride and me when we met in 2006 at
6. My lovely bride and me as we took our annual Christmas Day Mimosa Selfie
7. A letter to Governor Abbott expressing my concerns of statewide legislation stripping local control from our municipalities
8. A picture of the first iteration of the historic Rockwall County Courthouse downtown
9. A press release expressing concerns about proposed statewide legislation and taking away government where it works best: Locally, and closest to its residents

Happy New Year to all! 2025 has been challenging and amazing. 2026 stands to be incredible.

12/25/2025

Continuing our tradition of Christmas Day mimosa selfies.

12/01/2025

Significant charter amendments are being rushed through Monday's Council meeting. Here's my letter asking Council to slow down:
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Council Members,
As a former mayor and concerned citizen, I am writing regarding the proposed charter amendments in Action Item #5. I respectfully ask that Council table this item to allow adequate time for research and deliberation.

1. Government Should Move Deliberately
Charter amendments are foundational changes we will live with for decades. They deserve careful study, not rushed votes. Good governance means resisting the urge to act quickly on significant structural changes - especially when the full implications are not yet understood.

When I addressed Rockwall County Commissioners Court about their desire to quickly alter a decades-old comprehensive plan, I made the same point: there had not been an adequate accounting of downsides. In that case, it was the risk of losing local city road funding, among others. The principle applies here as well. Before we make structural changes to our charter, we need to understand what could go wrong - not just what proponents hope will go right.

2. This Process Feels Familiar
This is not the first time charter amendments have appeared as a surprise agenda item with no prior discussion. The last time this happened, Council wisely recognized the need for deliberation and formed the Charter Commission to study the issues properly. That was the right call then. The same principle applies now.

3. These Proposals Deviate From the Charter Commission's Work
The Charter Commission - citizens who volunteered their time to study our governing documents - did not recommend these changes. Bypassing their work and established process raises questions about intent and undermines the value of citizen participation.

4. The Proposals Themselves Warrant Scrutiny
- Political appointments of city directors would fundamentally change our council-manager form of government, replacing professional hiring with political control
- The forced resignation clause would require any council member or mayor who announces candidacy for state or federal office to automatically forfeit their seat

Both deserve thorough analysis of long-term consequences before any vote.

5. We Have Resources We Should Use
Frank Garza is an excellent resource. I encourage Council to ask him to research cities where councils are involved in hiring. What were the outcomes? What unintended consequences emerged? What does micromanagement of professional staff look like in practice?

This research should happen before we vote - not after we discover problems.

6. My Request
Please table Action Item #5 and allow Council members adequate time to:
- Research comparable cities and outcomes
- Consult with our city attorney
- Understand the long-term effects of these structural changes
- Engage in proper deliberation

We owe it to our 55,000 residents to get this right.

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving! This is our first flight of . 2020 Tatum GSM, 2022 Uplift Cab Sauv, 2018 William Chris Enchanté magnum. TatumCellars.com williamchriswines.com upliftvineyards.com

11/26/2025

RESPONDING TO FEEDBACK ON THE TRASH CONTRACT

A resident raised several concerns about my earlier post on the Republic Services contract. I appreciate the engagement and want to address these points directly:

"Polished justification for decisions already made"

This process spanned multiple public meetings - October staff review, December Council presentation, April 5 discussion where we requested more data, and the April 21 vote. Every meeting was posted on the agenda and broadcast publicly. The decision wasn't made in a back room; it was made over months in full public view. (With the notable exception of one council member who chose to invest his time in creating social media videos while the six remaining council members conducted the business of the city.)

"Republic being a trusted partner isn't a substitute for competitive bid"

Our decision wasn't based on comfort with the incumbent. Staff conducted extensive research comparing rates and service levels across surrounding cities, reviewed Republic's own cost estimates for maintaining twice-weekly service, and compiled detailed spreadsheets analyzing alternatives. This was data-driven analysis, not inertia.

"Other cities do it is copy-paste policy"

I spent my career in consulting solving complex problems. When a problem has been solved elsewhere, examining those solutions isn't laziness - it's smart governance. We didn't blindly copy anything. We analyzed how comparable cities handle waste services and applied those lessons to Rockwall's specific situation over several months.

"Population growth used to justify less service"

The justification wasn't population growth - it was universal price increases. Costs have risen significantly over the past seven years. You're paying more because prices went up industry-wide, not because we arbitrarily cut service. Maintaining twice-weekly pickup would have cost substantially more.

"The comparison chart was created after concerns were raised"

Incorrect. The comparative analysis was completed well before public concerns emerged. Anyone following the process through the posted agendas and meetings would know this.

"Release the full evaluation"

It's already public. The full evaluation documents are posted on Councilmember Sedric Thomas's page. You can review the alternatives considered and the data that informed our decision.

"Residents were never given a voice"

Every Council meeting includes public comment. Every agenda was posted in advance. Citizens had multiple opportunities to engage before the vote. Showing up matters more than angry posting on social media.

A note on term limits

The commenter suggested I'm "no longer mayor" as if that's a referendum on this decision. For clarity: Rockwall has term limits, and I termed out on May 19th after serving my full term. That's how our system works.

I understand frustration when service changes. But claiming residents had no voice ignores months of public process that anyone could have participated in.

-Trace Johannesen, Former Mayor of Rockwall

11/05/2025

BOTTOM LINE: I rarely post anymore, but yesterday's VATRE success was too important to our community's future to stay quiet. Congratulations to Rockwall ISD voters for the strategic choice to invest in education while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

Why I'm Speaking Up:
I'm thrilled the most vocal online opponents didn't succeed in derailing this critical investment. We've seen consistent loud pot-banging half-truths from people borrowing national headlines that simply don't exist in our district. These same voices can't be bothered contacting elected officials for clear answers, instead fomenting anger online.
The Smart Choice:

- RISD was falling behind 14 neighboring districts in teacher pay
- 4-cent rate keeps us among lowest 3 of 18 regional districts
- 64% for staff compensation, 24% for special education, 12% for safety

Community Over Clicks:
Voters saw through social media noise and chose substance over sensationalism. The opposition seemed more focused on generating clicks than ensuring a wonderful long-term community.

The district's record speaks for itself: AA credit rating, TEA "Superior" rating, clean audits. This isn't throwing money at problems - it's strategic resource deployment.

Yesterday proved thoughtful residents do homework rather than fall for online theater. This reflects Rockwall's commitment to balanced growth: fiscal conservative principles with targeted investments in competitive advantages.
Well done, Rockwall.

06/30/2025

🎉 Honored to join the exceptional team at Lifetime Cos. as Chief Operating Officer!

Lifetime has built something truly impressive across nearly two decades - a comprehensive multi-family office platform serving clients across wealth management, business consulting, tax advisory, insurance (and more!) with a team culture and growth trajectory that speaks for itself.

After 20+ years in enterprise consulting and military leadership, I'm excited to contribute to what this talented group has already accomplished. They've proven they know how to win, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to support their continued success through operational excellence and strategic initiatives.

Looking forward to learning from this high-performing team and helping accelerate the great work they're already doing! 🚀

05/26/2025

Today I drink in memory of my fallen brothers.

1stLt Clayton J. Kennedy '98
Cpl Jeremiah A. Baro
Cpl Jared P. Hubbard
Cpl Daniel R. Amaya
Cpl Dean P. Pratt
Cpl Dustin J. Libby
SgtMaj Joseph J. Ellis

Don’t let anyone shame you for enjoying life today. I know for a fact my guys would be disappointed if we didn’t live our lives and have a drink with loved ones.

Semper Fidelis.

Address

Rockwall, TX
75032, 75087

Website

http://www.TraceJohannesen.com/

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