Candidate questionnaire: Lucas Allen

The following is Watershed Voice’s candidate questionnaire for the November 2026 local elections. We will be running all candidate questionnaires in the order received today, tomorrow, and Thursday — our regular publishing schedule. 

Lucas Allen, Three Rivers At-Large Commissioner candidate filled out our questionnaire, below are his answers as submitted. Allen is an incumbent running against challenger Joshua Williams.

Name: Lucas Allen
Age: 47
Are you an incumbent? Yes  
Family (optional): The candidate chose not to answer this optional question.

Background/bio

I have been a City Commissioner for approximately 4 years. I am a Marine and served in Combat Operations in Iraq. I possess a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice. I have helped pass several key proposals for the city. My first duty as City Commissioner was to pass an extension of the “late fee” on utility bills from 15 days to 30 days. My family lives around the area and I have lived in the Three Rivers area for over 40 years.

Why did you decide to run for this position, and what do you hope to accomplish if elected?

I will continue my quest to benefit the citizens by working for cleaner water and better roads. I will work on cleaning up the parks and getting a splash pad for families to enjoy. I will work on enforcing city ordinances to help with the aesthetics of our city and eliminate blight.

What professional, personal, volunteer or public-service experience has prepared you to serve in this role?

I have volunteered my time at Goodwill Industries, Dept. of Veteran Affairs, helping local citizens clean up their properties, Veterans of Foreign Wars along with helping people get benefits from federal, state and local governments.  I have also been an At-Large City Commissioner for 4 years.

How will you engage with and remain accessible to constituents outside of regular commission Meetings?

I will continue to talk with constituents via phone, email and in person. I am available seven days a week and my credentials are published for citizens to reach me anyway they can.

What do you believe is the most significant issue facing the city right now, and what specifically should the commission do about it?

I believe that clean water and roads are the pressing issues that need to be resolved. I will propose that we put more money into replacing lead lines in conjunction with fixing the roads. The roads will be fixed and the lead lines replaced at the same time to be fiscally responsible. The city is also rebounding from the Tornado we had months ago. We need to put more resources to clean up more trees, rebuild what has been damaged, and help people that are still suffering the effects.

What do you do for work, and how do you spend your time outside of work and public service?

I am currently retired from the United States Marine Corps with the Dept. of Veterans Affairs. I like to play golf, go for walks, go camping and volunteer my time to help people understand local government and the benefits that are available to them. I also spend a lot of time with family, friends and constituents to completely understand the scope of what people need to have a more robust life. 

Serving on the commission requires attending meetings, reviewing agenda materials and communicating with residents outside of meetings. How will you make sure you have enough time to fulfill those responsibilities?

I have devoted the last 4 years of my life to assure that I have ample amounts of time to devote for city government and my constituents. I am constantly making calls, returning emails, reviewing relevant material,  attending training sessions and conducting interviews to fully assimilate myself with the information needed to make an educated/responsible decision.

What do you believe are the most important responsibilities of city government, and what should its role be in the everyday lives of residents?

I have learned that the citizens of Three Rivers deserve accountability and transparency with the entire process of city government. They are entitled to know why decisions have been made and who are the ones making them. Every decision needs to be addressed with fiscal responsibility, common sense approach, and to ensure that the majority of citizens will benefit from the proposed Ordinance, tax increase/decrease, City Charter Amendment, budget proposals, along with all other matters handled by the City Commission.

Commissioners will inevitably disagree with one another. How would you approach disagreements with fellow commissioners while still working effectively as a governing body?

There are times when City Commissioners have disagreements on certain issues of government. This is very common and should be handled in a professional and personable matter. All information, knowledge should be assessed by all parties with logic, reason and respect for each others opinions. City Commissioners can discuss the matters with each other to understand the other persons reasoning behind their beliefs on any issue. Persuasion and being inquisitive can lead to very good discussions and meaningful outcomes for any perceived disagreements.

What is your position on the development of data centers and related infrastructure in the city? What factors should the commission consider when deciding whether to approve or support such Development?

Data centers can be a problem for small cities because they can use enormous amounts of electricity, consume significant amounts of water, take up large areas of land, are loud to operate, and provide fewer local jobs than people might expect.  They are also a pollution hazard and often times a blight on the community. They can bring economic benefits, too, but the costs and benefits aren’t always shared equally. If a project generates substantial tax revenue, pays for its own infrastructure, protects water resources, and provides good local jobs, it could benefit the community. If it receives generous tax breaks while straining utilities and creating few permanent jobs, the trade-off may be worse. I am against data centers currently and would like to see that other small communities are benefiting from having them before I commit to development in Three Rivers.

Describe a personal experience you’ve had with local government—positive or negative—that shaped how you think government should serve residents.

One experience that shaped my view of local government was seeing how important it is for residents to have their concerns heard and addressed. When community members face issues such as road maintenance, public safety, or access to local services, they rely on their local government to respond in a timely and fair manner. This reinforced my belief that government should be accessible, transparent, and accountable to the people it serves. Local government should not only make decisions for the community but also listen to residents, involve them in the decision-making process, and work toward practical solutions that improve everyone’s quality of life.