‘In the best interest of Coppell:’ Mayor reflects on career of long-time council member Cliff Long

“I try to be authentic,” Long said in a press release. “When I was first elected, I promised our residents that I would study each issue that came before me, and the end result would be to do what’s best for the city as a whole. I never violated my position on that.”

Long has also served on the city’s transportation committee, the 2013 bond steering committee for the Coppell Independent School District, and he is an active member of the Coppell Rotary Club. Long was also a board member of the Old Town Coppell Association. In 2014, he was hesitant to run for city council because he said he is not a politician, but after much encouragement, he decided to run.

During his tenure, Long encouraged the placement of a speed monitor and flashing lights in a low visibility area near Sandy Lake Rd. and Coppell Rd. to help prevent traffic accidents. He also had a hand in the “open 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset” hours verbiage on Coppell parks signs. The Coppell Chamber of Commerce also presents the Cliff Long Leadership Award to an outstanding leader in the community each year.

A self-proclaimed full-time city council member, Long never missed a single scheduled regular council meeting and was never seen on the dais without a tie.

“After doing business in Coppell for 40 years and living here for more than 30, council member Cliff Long is a pillar of the Coppell community,” Coppell Mayor Wes Mays said. “His quiet leadership and remarkable wit will be greatly missed on Tuesday nights. From offering his financial expertise to furthering the arts in Coppell to preserving our small-town feel and neighborhood integrity, Cliff has dedicated his time and energy to making Coppell the place you want to be over his nine years on city council. He may be a man of few words, but, when Cliff speaks, his thoughts are well considered, carefully worded, and definitely in the best interest of Coppell.”

Long’s latest endeavor is working to turn the Coppell Historical Society’s Heritage Park in Old Town into an official museum. From fundraising and obtaining grants to certifications and forming the board of directors, Long and his wife, who is President of the Coppell Historical Society, have taken the lead on building the museum. He said his desire to focus on this project is the main reason he decided not to seek re-election.

“It is rewarding to work with folks to try to get those kinds of things done,” he said. “I love Coppell, period. The city has a wonderful staff, the residents are passionate about their community, and I’ve made some excellent friends. It’s been a labor of love.” 

Long has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Baylor University and a master’s degree in liberal arts from Southern Methodist University. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant, former Certified Financial Planner, and former board member and past president of the Dallas Mortgage Bankers Association. He was the Chief Financial Officer for several companies throughout his career, including a large publicly traded company, and purchased Sovereign Mortgage Services, Inc., with his wife in 2002.

“I’ll miss the people I worked with and worked for, but I’m not going anywhere,” Long said. “I will continue to serve the Coppell community in other areas.”