STEVEN T. WEBB

Face to Face: Steven T. Webb

You’re never too far from home. At least in Steven T. Webb’s case.
The newly elected City of Del Rio councilperson — at-Large, Place A — isn’t a native Del Rioan but feels connected to the Queen City.
“The one thing that struck me about this town…it was very similar to where I was from…it was like coming home,” Webb told the Texas Times in a phone interview.
Webb is serving his first term as an elected official recently winning a runoff election for the at-Large, Place A seat. With his love of the city pinned to his sleeve, he feels love in the form of progress is what the city needs. He believes it’s crucial and defined by economic growth. In other words, attracting business to Del Rio.
“What can we do to make it better? What can we do to provide a better service as a city? What can we do to bring in businesses? How do we encourage people to come to Del Rio? And we’ve got a lot to offer,” Webb said.
The city is not only on his sleeve but in his blood. After retiring from a nearly 34-year career with the Del Rio Police Department, Webb still found himself discussing citywide issues with residents. The suggestion was made that he run for office. But Webb retorted that he had no interest in being a “politician.”
“Somebody says, ‘Why don’t you run for city council?’ and I was like, ‘But I’m not a politician. I’m a mover and shaker but not a politician,’” he said.
But the person told him it wasn’t about being a politician, it was about caring. And Webb cares for Del Rio. He’s determined to make the city better.
The former police officer who achieved the rank of captain believes his experience on the force has positioned him well for the duties of councilperson. His time spent as a member of local law enforcement in the community enabled him to garner invaluable insight into the city and its operations.
“After working for the city for 34 years seeing the inner workings, seeing the community as a whole, I’ve probably driven every inch of the city,” Webb said.
Originally from Parkersburg, West Virginia, he graduated from El Paso’s Irvin High School in 1970 and had planned to attend one of the service academies after receiving a nomination from the late Congressman, Henry B. González. But Webb changed course and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, his service spread over South Dakota, Alaska, Thailand and lastly at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene.
Webb’s first visit to Del Rio was in the summer of 1973, and he came to the city permanently in March of 1974 feeling like he was led here but the clarity of purpose was absent from the equation.
“There was just something about Del Rio when I first got here,” he said. “You get this weird feeling this is where you got to be. This is where you’re supposed to be. And you really don’t know the reason.”
Webb is married to Linda Guanajuato Webb — board vice president of the San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District — and has two adult sons and three adult stepdaughters.
The nascent councilperson said he has visited all of the sites where city projects are being considered or are already underway and has studied every plan and visited with many city departments.
“I have already visited departments who said… ’the city council never comes to visit us,’” he said. “I have to know what you do, how you do it, in order to make a determination on what you need and what we need to do for you as a council.”
Webb says he is a hands-on person. He volunteered at the civic center last month, helping with Covid-19 vaccinations.
“The more that you can be hands on in our community as a councilperson, the more the people will reach out to you and tell you what’s going on,” he said.
But Webb still doesn’t have a crystalline answer to the reason why he is here. “If it’s God’s plan for me then that’s where it is.” And asked what he would like his legacy to be, he said, “Webb made Del Rio grow.”

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