After nine years of service to the community, Coppell City Councilmember Cliff Long, Place 1, is stepping down from the dais and passing the torch to Jim Walker on Tuesday, May 23. Long did not seek reelection, and Walker was elected to Place 1 in the Joint Election on May 6, 2023.
Long has been an active member of the Coppell community since becoming a resident in 1991. He has served on the City's Transportation Committee, the 2013 Bond Steering Committee for the Coppell Independent School District, and is an active member of the Coppell Rotary Club. He was also a board member and past board chairperson of the Coppell Chamber of Commerce, and past president of the Old Town Coppell Association. However, Long said one thing he is not is a politician, so he was hesitant to run for City Council. After much encouragement from a respected friend, Long ran unopposed for the then vacant Place 1 position on the Coppell City Council and was elected in 2014. He ran unopposed and was elected for two additional terms after that.
“I try to be authentic,” Long said. “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.”
During his City Council 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. Additionally, he 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 Councilmember, Long never missed a single scheduled regular Council meeting and was never seen on the dais without a tie.
“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.
His 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 reelection.
“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.”
Long lives in Old Town Coppell with his wife Chris. He has three grown sons and three granddaughters.
The City of Coppell is hosting a reception to honor Cliff Long at 6:30 pm, Tuesday, May 23, at Coppell Town Center, 255 Parkway Blvd. The public is invited to attend.