See how Allen's first female city council member continues to help shape the community

Eileen Tollett (Middle) pictured with Mayor Ken Fulk (right)

Allen American
By Winston Henvey / Star Local Media
February 20, 2023

Over the course of nearly 50 years, Eileen Tollett has helped shape the Allen community into what it is today. In 1976, Tollett became the first woman elected to Allen City Council. She also served on the Library Advisory Board through the mid-1970s and has remained a devoted advocate for Allen Public Library, serving as the 2022 Allen Library Endowment Fund Board President and as a Manager Emeritus. Tollett also currently serves as a trustee for the Connemara Conservancy and as Chair of the Allen Public Library expansion steering committee. Tollett's continued commitment and service to Allen have been invaluable to our community.

What got you involved in public service?  

I was raised in a family of public servants, but when I ran for Council in 1976, I did so primarily to try to get stronger residential building codes enacted by ordinance.

In your tenure on City Council, what has been most rewarding?  

Seeing how the city government works was perhaps the very rewarding.  Also, water supply and adequate rates, establishing a city early-warning system, expanding the police and fire departments (fire was all volunteer).  And being the first female Council member.

What was your experience as Allen’s first female city council member? 

 Being the first female was interesting.  Perhaps showing the other council members and city residents that just because I was a woman on the Council (rare anywhere at that time) didn't mean I was either naive or couldn't understand what the men were talking about.  

What challenges have you faced?  

Once the other Council members worked with me for just a bit of time and accepted that I had always done and understood my homework, the challenges were few.  I learned to recognize when I was going to lose my vote because others were going to pass something, and would abstain from voting because if one simply voted no at that time, there was no discussion, but if one abstained, one could state very specifically why!  But I was not able to do the one thing I set out to do, and that was to strengthen the building codes, particularly residential ones.

What are some projects that stand out to you?  

Early warning system, building up the public library (such as it was at that time), and updating city services (water bills, etc.)

How do you feel about Allen’s development since you stepped down from council?  

Allen has grown more than any of us on the Council at that time ever expected.  We thought our "build-out" growth would be 30,000!  The city has developed very well, with wonderful City departments and personnel, the best library around, adequate water supply (we were well water then), good streets, and great parks.  Also, we now have more than two places to eat out!!

How long have you lived in Allen?  

I married my late husband, Bill, in 1969 and moved here to be with him.

What is your favorite childhood memory?  

Oh my....I have wonderful childhood memories.  I was my father's little doll, lived in a small-town Arkansas neighborhood full of kids to play with.  Suppose now, though I certainly did NOT think so at the time, my favorite memory is of time spent on Ft. Benning in Georgia when my dad's reserve engineer combat unit was activated during the Berlin crisis in 1961, Showed my a whole other way of living and took me from a very small school class (about 50 people) to a huge one (750 in my class), and completing with them in advanced classes was unbelievably challenging but certainly paid off in the rest of my schooling.

What are your hobbies?  

My hobbies are reading, traveling, and working in my yard.

What’s something about you that readers would never guess to be true?  

That I do, occasionally, know how to keep my mouth shut.........