By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Alvaro “Al” Arreola is seeking election to the position of mayor on the Del Rio City Council.
Arreola is a member of a true border family. He and four of his siblings were born in Ciudad Acuña, Coah., Mexico. Several other siblings were born in the United States.
Arreola said his mother decided to move the family to the United States in 1967.
“My mama did everything the legal way. She actually borrowed money from my granddaddy to bring us across, because she saw the need for us to come over to the United States,” Arreola said.
His mother worked as a maid to make ends meet, and the family also migrated to Wisconsin and Illinois to work.
“She taught all of us to be hard workers,” Arreola said.
Arreola graduated from Del Rio High School in 1977.
He said he set aside dreams of going to college to work to help support his family.
After working for a local motel and a shoe store, Arreola persisted in landing a job at the local Zales jewelry store.
He started from the bottom, working as a “cleaning boy,” a salesperson and a bill collector. Today, Arreola has marked 43 years working for the company and is the store manager in Del Rio.
“It’s been a blessing,” he said.
In 2017, the company awarded him its Founders Award, presented to an individual who not only exemplifies the company’s business goals, but who is also actively involved in the community. Arreola was the first person in the company to receive the award.
Arreola has served as an elected member of the city council, the local public school district’s board of trustees and the hospital district board of trustees.
Arreola served two terms on the school district’s board of trustees and has been its secretary, vice president and president. While he was president, the district presented and voters passed the largest construction bond in the district’s history.
After serving on the school board, he was elected to the Del Rio City Council, where he served a single term. He ran for mayor in 2016, but lost to Robert Garza.
Arreola was appointed to the hospital board. He successfully ran for a full term on the board, on which he currently serves.
He has also served on the Del Rio Economic Development Corporation board of directors for three years and the Middle Rio Grande Workforce Council, where he still serves.
Arreola said his only goal in seeking elected service is improving the community.
“I have a lot of experience. I come in with experience from the school, the hospital, the city itself, from being on the economic development corporation board, from being a businessperson for 43 years in the community. I understand the necessities in our community, and I think that’s one of the key things,” Arreola said.
“I think Del Rio is a blessed community for all of us. We have several real assets in our community, which are Laughlin Air Force Base, our Lake Amistad and our sister city in Mexico, Ciudad Acuña. I think the potential for real progress is there if we work as a unified group,” he added.
Arreola said he wants to lead the council in completing vital projects, like a second international bridge.
“I believe we are on the verge of breaking out with what this current council has done, which is opened the avenues for a second international bridge. I think it’s a necessity, and we can’t wait until we absolutely need it. We can’t wait until they start coming,” Arreola said.
Arreola pledged his focus would be strictly on the community.
“One of the things I always say is communicate and listen, and that will bring success,” he said.
But Arreola said he isn’t one to make extravagant promises.
“I understand how the city works, and I understand there will be obstacles, but I believe every obstacle can be transformed into an opportunity for us to get better. I know there are a lot of projects in progress at the city, and we’re going to finish all of those, the city manager and the council working together. Let’s continue the progress,” Arreola said.
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Contact the author at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
