Only one of the three seats up for election on the Mineola City Council this year is being contested.

Crystal Arcand has challenged 2-term incumbent Cassandra Sampson for the Ward Three seat.

Polly Jones is unopposed in Ward One and Jimmy Alexander is unopposed for Ward Two.

The election is May 4, with early voting April 22-26 and 29-30 at the elections office in Quitman. Crystal Arcand, 47, is a typesetter and graphic designer with 30 years of experience, creating everything from business cards and resumes to logos and large-scale signage. She co-owns Arcand Marketing with her husband, Michael, and works part-time at Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe in downtown Mineola.

Her first job as a teenager was as the concessions girl at The Historic Select Theater. More recently, Crystal was promoted to the position of nursery coordinator for five years during her employment with First Methodist Church Mineola. 

Crystal is a member of the Mineola Chamber of Commerce and is frequently found volunteering or performing in plays at The Historic Select Theater and Lake Country Playhouse.

She began her service career in Mineola at age 14, walking to the train depot to wash dishes for the Senior Nutrition Center and prepare delivery meals for Meals on Wheels. Crystal began volunteering at Mineola ISD in 2005 when her eldest child began school and continued to volunteer for 16 years, including serving as an officer of the Band Boosters for Mineola ISD bands for three years. Her volunteering led her to a fulfilling seven years of substitute teaching for the district. She served as a Girl Scout volunteer and troop leader for ten years and held various additional positions within the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, while simultaneously volunteering with the local Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Now that her four children are getting older, Crystal has decided to focus her service on the city of Mineola.

Cassandra Sampson, 62, is a retired third generation Mineola citizen, a 1980 graduate of Mineola High School, attended Tyler Junior College (dean’s list), and is a certified Community Health Worker.

During her four years on the city council, she worked with her neighbors and the council to provide more affordable housing, street improvements and new businesses; kept taxes low, balanced the city budget and brought the 1888 Plaza Project to downtown. She patrolled for litter pick up and is invested in keeping Ward 3 and Mineola beautiful.

Her community involvement and commitment include designing and teaching a career youth development program, Create A Great Life for Yourself; serving four terms as Lions Club president, 2024 Black History Civic Leadership Award, 2022 Lions Club Woman of the Year and 2022 Kiwanis Citizen of the Month, 2014 Volunteer Service Award American Red Cross, 2022 Caring and Sharing board member, volunteer and board member of Lake Country Playhouse, Andrew’s Center Advisory Committee since 2019, Flint and Steel and FemPower Girls Club volunteer since 2021, 2012-2017 American Red Cross, 2015-2017 East Texas Area Council of The Blind, 2016-2017 Whyte Dove Writers Group, 2016-2017 Watkins-Logan State Veterans Home, 2017-2018 McFarland School Reunion Committee, 2020 City of Mineola Census Committee and is an active member of her church.

Cassandra is a devoted mother and grandmother taking care of her extended family, especially their health care needs. Her interests include singing, photography, writing poetry, local theater, stage management and acting – she has been in commercials, movie and TV shows.