Longview District 1 Councilman Derrick Conley said he's "trying to do what's right for everybody" as he continues serving on the council while working as superintendent in Alto ISD.
Alto is about an hour from Longview, and he is required to live in the school district. At the same time, the Longview City Charter requires candidates for the council to live in the district they're seeking to represent for at least 12 months before running for office. The charter also says a person who is elected to the City Council should "continuously reside in said district during his term of office."
Conley was elected in 2024 to represent District 1. He formerly was an assistant superintendent at Pine Tree ISD.
He will complete the first year of his three-year term in May. Conley officially began as Alto ISD's superintendent on March 3.
"I still have a residence in Longview," he said this week, and his house is not up for sale. He said he also has a place to stay in Alto, a requirement for his job.
The city charter provides no path for verifying information about a council member's residence or enforcement if a member is violating that requirement. The city charter does offer a way for city voters to petition for a recall election to remove a council member.
A review of council recordings since the beginning of the year shows Conley missed a meeting Jan. 23, which he said was because he was with his grandchildren several hours away at a basketball game. He also participated virtually in another meeting on Feb 27. Other council members have sometimes done the same.
Conley said if something changes, if he sells his Longview residence, he'll inform the city.
"I'm trying to do what's right for the people," he said, later adding that he doesn't know why there is a question about his residency. He's trying to honor the people who elected him, he said.
Conley said he would inform the city is anything changes concerning his residence.
