Van · officials
City officials
Elected officials for Van — promises, tenure record, and accountability.
Mayor
Ernie Burns
Mayormonth-level start: May 2025 (won the May 3, 2025 'Mayor Unexpired Term' election 162-103 per Van 'Unofficial Tabulation' May 3, 2025 (vantx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1347)); previously Place 5 council member and Mayor Pro Tem (won Place 5 May 2024 per Van 'Unofficial Tabulation' May 4, 2024 (vantx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1121); acting presiding officer after Mayor Huff left, Aug 2024). month-level end: November 2026 (certified unopposed for Mayor in the Nov 3, 2026 election per City of Van 'Certification of Unopposed Candidates' signed 9/10/2026 for the Nov 3, 2026 election (vantx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1546); two-year terms).
City council
Samantha Smith
Place 1 Council Membermonth-level start: August 2024 (first listed on the Van council agenda header/roll call Aug 8, 2024; appointment date not published); elected Place 1 May 3, 2025 per Van 'Unofficial Tabulation' May 3, 2025 (vantx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1347). month-level end: May 2027 (two-year term; places 1-3 are elected in odd years per vantx.gov/2397).
Mark Heatwole
Place 2 Council Member, Mayor Pro Temmonth-level start: May 2025 (re-elected Place 2 May 3, 2025, unopposed, per Van 'Unofficial Tabulation' May 3, 2025 (vantx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1347)); council member on the roster since at least Jan 12, 2023 (earlier minutes); stored start is the current term. month-level end: May 2027 (two-year term; odd-year places).
Bill Dwyer
Place 3 Council Membermonth-level start: May 2025 (won Place 3 on May 3, 2025 per Van 'Unofficial Tabulation' May 3, 2025 (vantx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1347); first listed on the June 12, 2025 agenda header). month-level end: May 2027 (two-year term; odd-year places).
Laura Duncan
Place 4 Council Membermonth-level start: July 2023 (first on the roll call Jul 13, 2023, replacing Melissa Rust; appointment date not published); elected Place 4 May 4, 2024 per Van 'Unofficial Tabulation' May 4, 2024 (vantx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1121). month-level end: November 2026 (certified unopposed for Place 4 in the Nov 3, 2026 election per City of Van 'Certification of Unopposed Candidates' signed 9/10/2026 for the Nov 3, 2026 election (vantx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1546)).
Mark Thompson
Place 5 Council Membermonth-level start: August 2025 (first listed on the Aug 14, 2025 agenda header as Council Member, absent from the Jul 10, 2025 header; appointment to Place 5 after Burns became mayor; exact date not published). month-level end: November 2026 (certified unopposed for Place 5 in the Nov 3, 2026 election per City of Van 'Certification of Unopposed Candidates' signed 9/10/2026 for the Nov 3, 2026 election (vantx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1546)).
Former officials (4)
Charles Ryan
Place 3 Council MemberPlace 3 council member (roll calls Jul 2023 to May 2025 per Van council minutes/agenda headers (vantx.gov CivicClerk)); successor Bill Dwyer won Place 3 on May 3, 2025 and is on the Jun 12, 2025 header; month-level end: June 2025.
Linzy Neal
Council MemberCouncil member (on every roll call Jan 2023 to Jul 11, 2024); absent from the Aug 8, 2024 header onward per Van council minutes/agenda headers (vantx.gov CivicClerk); month-level end: August 2024 (resignation date not published).
Tammy Huff
MayorMayor (presided Jan 2023; re-elected May 4, 2024 with 122 votes per Van 'Unofficial Tabulation' May 4, 2024 (vantx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1121)); last on the Jul 17, 2024 agenda header, replaced on the Aug 8, 2024 header by Mayor Pro Tem Burns presiding; month-level end: August 2024 (resignation date not published).
Melissa Rust
Council MemberCouncil member on the roll call through Jun 8, 2023; Laura Duncan appears from Jul 13, 2023 per Van council minutes/agenda headers (vantx.gov CivicClerk); month-level end: July 2023.
City staff
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