North Richland Hills Mayor Oscar Trevino
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
By Noah Alcala Bach
North Richland Hills Mayor Oscar Trevino announced Monday that he would not seek reelection in May after leading the city for 22 years.
Trevino was elected to the City Council in 1999 and as mayor in 2002. He was re-elected 10 times. During that time, the city grew from 55,000 to 70,663 residents.
In a statement announcing his retirement, Trevino said he was proud of investments that include a new library, recreation center, senior center, animal shelter, police station, fire stations and city hall.
The new city hall is the centerpiece of City Point, a mixed use development on the site of the old North Hills Mall along Boulevard 26 near Northeast Loop 820. Homes and apartments surround the municipal complex, and restaurants and shops are on the way.
During Trevino’s tenure the city embraced the TEXRail line between Fort Worth and DFW Airport, and the development around the Iron Horse and Smithfield stations in the city.
City manager Mark Hindman said Trevino excels at building a consensus and bringing people together with different viewpoints.
“That’s so missing in today’s society and he has done such a great job with that over the past 20 years,” he said. “I think that is going to be the biggest challenge for whoever replaces him.”
Trevino is the second-longest serving mayor in Tarrant County. Grapevine Mayor William D. Tate was first elected in 1973.
Former Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley said the best word to describe Trevino was “humility.”
“Oscar has always been a leader in the community, someone who could bring folks together,” he said. “He was always looking for the best interest of certainly for the people in North Richland Hills, but really all over northeast Tarrant County for that matter, really all over Tarrant County.”
Whitley offered advice to Trevino’s successor.
“Talk with him regularly, seek out his counsel and just don’t get caught up in politics. Remember that that’s a nonpartisan position and one that is there to serve all of the people of North Richland Hills.”
This story was originally published January 16, 2024, 5:28 PM.