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GOOD EVENING, RESIDENTS OF LEAGUE CITY.[City Council Candidate Election Forum on April 16, 2025.]
TO TONIGHT'S CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE FORUM.I'M DUO BOSWELL LOCHELLE OF THE BOSWELL LAW FIRM, YOUR MODERATOR FOR THE EVENING.
BEFORE WE, WE BEGIN, I'D LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE TO THE LEAGUE CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR HOSTING TONIGHT'S FORUM AND TO CLEAR LIFE MEDIA WHO IS PROVIDING THE LIVE STREAM SERVICE.
THIS ALLOWS OUR CITIZENS AT HOME TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THIS IS, THIS EVENT IS BEING LIVE STREAMED.
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT NOW TO CHECK YOUR PHONES AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ON SILENCE, AND WE ASK THAT YOU REFRAIN FROM ANY SIDE CONVERSATIONS OR COMMENTS DURING THE FORUM AS THEY CAN BE PICKED UP BY MICROPHONES AND WOULD DISRUPT THE PROCEEDINGS.
WE'LL BEGIN OUR EVENING WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY PASTOR ROB BAILEY.
PASTOR BAILEY SERVES OUR COMMUNITY WITH DEDICATION, AND WE APPRECIATE HIS SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE AS WE COMMENCE THIS IMPORTANT CIVIC EVENT.
AND IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE AND AS A CITIZEN OF LEAGUE CITY, IT IS A PLEASURE TO HEAR WHAT OUR CANDIDATES HAVE TO SAY.
I DO REALIZE THAT WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDINGS OF WHO GOD IS.
SO AS A CHRISTIAN PASTOR, I DO PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS, BUT I WELCOME EVERYBODY AND THOSE ONLINE TO TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO MEDITATE AND JUST TO TAKE A MOMENT OF PEACE AS I TAKE A MOMENT FOR PRAYER.
HEAVENLY FATHER, AS WE JUST TAKE THESE, TAKE THIS MOMENT TO PRAY OVER OUR CITY, AND AS WE LOOK AT THESE FINE CANDIDATES HERE, AS WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS, LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM.
LORD, I ASK FOR YOUR SPIRIT TO BRING A SENSE OF CALM AND PEACE AS THEY ANSWER AND SHARE WHAT'S ON THEIR HEART AND THEIR MIND, AND BE OF ALL OF US AS WE GET EXCITED ABOUT TO SEE WHAT WISDOM AND GUIDANCE YOU HAVE FOR LEAGUE CITY.
NOW PLEASE RISE IF YOU'RE ABLE AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THE TEXAS PLEDGE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDERDOG, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
PLEASE FACE THE TEXAS FLAG, HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG, A PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO BE TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER GOD.
I NOW INVITE BRIAN BOLTON UP TO THE PODIUM TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
I'LL KEEP THIS BRIEF, BUT, UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE COMING TONIGHT TO HEAR THE, THE CANDIDATES.
UH, YOU GUYS ARE GONNA DO GREAT.
I WANT TO THANK, UH, DUANA FOR BEING OUR MODERATOR AND IT'S HOSTED BY THE LEAGUE CITY REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, BUT THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE DID ALL THE WORK.
I DIDN'T DO A DARN THING, SO THAT'S NICE
UM, AND GLAD YOU'RE HERE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.
AND AT THIS TIME, IF WE COULD HAVE THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE STAND SO WE CAN ALL GIVE THEM A VOTE OF THANKS.
LET ME BRIEFLY EXPLAIN TONIGHT'S FORMAT.
EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THE SAME SET OF QUESTIONS.
WE WILL ROTATE THE ORDER OF RESPONSES FOR EACH QUESTION TO ENSURE FAIRNESS FOR EACH QUESTION.
THE FIRST CANDIDATE WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND.
WE'LL THEN PROCEED IN ORDER TO THE NEXT CANDIDATE, EACH HAVING TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND.
AFTER ALL CANDIDATES HAVE ANSWERED, WE WILL MOVE TO THE NEXT QUESTION WITH A NEW STARTING CANDIDATE.
CANDIDATES, PLEASE RESPECT THE TIME LIMITS AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE SPEAKING INTO YOUR MICROPHONE.
SO EVERYONE PRESENT AND AT HOME CAN HEAR YOU.
YOU'LL RECEIVE A 32ND WARNING AT WHICH TIME I'LL ASK YOU TO CONCLUDE YOUR REMARKS.
SO YOU'LL SEE A YELLOW FLAG AT 30 SECONDS.
SO TONIGHT IS ABOUT YOU, THE VOTERS.
IT'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THOSE SEEKING TO SERVE OUR CITY COUNCIL.
THESE CANDIDATES, IF ELECTED, WILL MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY FOR YEARS TO COME.
IN THE NEXT TWO HOURS, WE'LL EXPLORE ISSUES RANGING FROM RESPONSIBLE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE APPROXIMATELY THREE MINUTES FOR AN OPENING AND TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND TO EACH QUESTION WITH THE INTENTION OF PROVIDING YOU WITH INSIGHTS INTO THEIR PRIORITIES, EXPERIENCE, AND VISION.
FOR LEAGUE CITY'S FUTURE, I ASK EVERYONE TO EXTEND THE COURTESY OF ATTENTIVE LISTENING TO ALL CANDIDATES REGARDLESS OF YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCES.
OUR GOAL TONIGHT IS CIVIL DISCUSSION THAT ILLUMINATES RATHER THAN INFLAMES AND INFORMS RATHER THAN PERSUADES.
SO LET US BEGIN THIS EVENING'S CONVERSATION WITH A BRIEF OPENING STATEMENT FROM EACH CANDIDATE.
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UM, HI, I'M ERIN AVALOS.UM, I AM ONE OF THE CANDIDATES RUNNING.
SO I AM A WORKING MOM OF FOUR.
I'M A WIFE AND I LIVE HERE IN LAKE CITY.
UM, I, WHAT SPARKED ME FOR COUNCIL IS A MEETING A FEW YEARS AGO.
I HAD HEARD A COUNCIL MEMBER, STATE WIFE LET THEM VOTE, TALKING ABOUT THEM BEING THE RESIDENTS, AND SAID, IT'S OUR DECISION, LET'S JUST DO IT NOW.
SO THAT SPARKED THE QUESTION IN ME, LIKE, WHO DO WE HAVE RUNNING FOR OUR COUNCIL AND WHO DO WE HAVE REPRESENTING US? SO FOR THE FUTURE OF MY KIDDOS, WHICH, UM, I HAVE FOUR OF, I WANTED TO BE A PART OF THAT CHANGE.
SO I'VE BEEN RESEARCHING, UM, AND THEN NOW HAVE COME TO THIS.
I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF BACKGROUND WHEN IT COMES TO POLITICS.
UM, I DO HAVE BACKGROUND IN ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT AND SKILLS IN THAT SENSE THAT I'M OPEN TO LEARN.
SO, UM, I HAVE A BLANK, A BLANK SLATE AND A REASON TO ASK WHY AND QUESTION WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING AND SEE IF THAT'S RIGHT FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
SO, UM, MY WHOLE THING IS TO LISTEN, TO SEE THE FEEDBACK OF THE RESIDENTS TO LEARN, UM, AND THEN TO LEAD AND SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY DOING THAT.
MY NAME'S KIRSTEN GARCIA AND, UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL.
I HAVE, UM, LIVED IN LEAGUE CITY FOR MOST OF MY LIFE NOW.
UM, I MOVED HERE WHEN I WAS 11 YEARS OLD, GRADUATED FROM CLEAR CREEK HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, FROM THERE I WENT TO TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY, WHERE I RECEIVED A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ENGLISH RHETORIC.
UM, FROM THERE I WORKED FOR A COMPANY THAT DID STRATEGIC PLANNING WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING WITH CITY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.
BUT I DECIDED I WANTED TO MOVE BACK TO LEAGUE CITY.
I LIVED THERE FOR, IN BRYAN COLLEGE STATION FOR A YEAR AFTER GRADUATION.
SO I MOVED BACK TO LEAGUE CITY WHERE I WORKED FOR A LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS FOR A YEAR, AND THEN DECIDED TO GET CERTIFIED TO TEACH.
I SPENT ABOUT 10 YEARS TEACHING MOST OF THAT IN C-C-I-S-D AT CLEAR SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL.
I HAVE ALSO BEEN ON THE, UH, LIBRARY BOARD, UH, HERE IN LEAGUE CITY.
AND I CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF MY HOA AND ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE GALVESTON ARTS CENTER.
UM, ABOUT A YEAR OR THREE YEARS AGO, I DECIDED TO LEAVE TEACHING AND I BECAME, UH, AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT FOR A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY IN CHANNELVIEW.
AND, UH, IN MY TIME THERE, I'VE JOINED THE WOMEN IN MARITIME ORGANIZATIONS, UH, ORGANIZATION, UM, AND PILE DRIVING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION.
UH, IN MY TIME THERE, I DECIDED I NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO DO MY JOB A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
SO I WENT BACK TO SCHOOL ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, AND I WILL GRADUATE WITH MY MBA, UM, IN TWO WEEK OR TWO WEEKS AFTER THE ELECTION ON MAY, UH, 17TH.
I'M RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE I BELIEVE I HAVE THE SKILLS AND THE PERSONALITY TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE, UM, DECISIONS THAT ARE THE BEST FOR EVERYBODY AND MOVE EVERYBODY TOWARD A COMMON GOAL.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
YEAH, UH, I'M SCOTT HIGGINBOTHAM.
UH, I JUST WANNA FIRST THANK THE CHAMBER FOR DOING THIS.
UH, IT'S, IT'S AN, IT'S A GOOD WAY FOR ALL OF US TO GET OUT AND GET TO MEET MORE PEOPLE.
SO, APPRECIATE YOU HAVING THIS FORUM.
AND I WANT TO, UM, ALSO THANK EVERYONE WHO'S SIGNED UP TO RUN FOR THIS RACE.
UM, I, I THINK IT'S PRETTY COOL THE INVOLVEMENT WE HAVE THAT THIS MANY PEOPLE WANT TO DO THIS.
SO I APPRECIATE EVERYONE UP HERE.
UM, UH, I DON'T THINK, UH, I EXPECTED TO BE HERE RIGHT NOW.
UH, I'VE SAID I DIDN'T WAKE UP ONE DAY AND SAY, I'M GONNA RUN FOR COUNCIL AGAIN, BUT HERE WE ARE.
UH, I, I GREW UP PASADENA, KIND OF THROUGH CLEAR LAKE AND MADE MY WAY TO LEAGUE CITY ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO.
UH, I'VE BEEN MARRIED TO MY WIFE CHRISTIE FOR ALMOST 18 YEARS.
UH, WE HAVE TWO KIDS, UH, GOING INTO SIXTH GRADE AND NINTH GRADE NEXT YEAR.
AND THEY DO ATTEND OUR C-C-I-S-D SCHOOLS.
UH, MY WIFE'S THE PTA PRESIDENT CLEAR CREEK, UH, INTERMEDIATE.
SO WE, WE TEND TO OVER VOLUNTEER.
UM, I'M A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.
I OWN A MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
UH, WE DO MACHINING FOR THE ELECTRICAL, PETROCHEM AND AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES.
UH, WE HAVE INLIGHT CERTIFICATIONS.
UM, I FEEL IT'S A PERSPECTIVE THAT, UH, I HAVE THAT'S A VALUE ADD TO COUNCIL, SOMEONE THAT ACTUALLY RUNS AND OWNS THE COMPANY.
UM, IN ANY GIVEN DAY, I'M DOING PAYROLL, STRATEGIC SOURCING, NEGOTIATING CONTRACTS, UH, HR BENEFITS, ALL SORTS OF THINGS.
SO I FEEL IT'S A GOOD PERSPECTIVE IN A SKILL SET THAT I BRING.
UM, UH, MY, MY BEGINNINGS OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT STARTED WITH, UH, COACHING IN THIS TOWN.
I'VE COACHED EVERYTHING MY KIDS HAVE EVER DONE SINCE THEY WERE LITTLE, UH, LITTLE LEAGUE, LEAGUE CITY COWBOYS, YOU NAME IT, THE SOCCER LEAGUE, PARKS AND REC.
I'M CURRENTLY ON THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FOR LEAGUE CITY.
I'VE BEEN ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND I'VE SERVED ON THE LEAGUE CITY ETHICS REVIEW BOARD.
UH, IT WAS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO GO TO SCHOOL TO LEARN HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS AND TO PUT THE TIME IN.
SO I FEEL I'M QUALIFIED AT THIS TIME FOR THIS POSITION.
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THANK YOU, CHARLIE.HELLO, MY NAME IS CHARLIE KEELER.
UM, AND I AM FROM LEAGUE CITY.
I THINK MY FAMILY MOVED HERE IN 95, WHERE I STARTED TO ATTEND, UM, CREEKSIDE INTERMEDIATE.
AND I, I DID MOVE AWAY, UH, ONCE I WAS OLDER, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN MY WIFE AND I DECIDED TO, UH, START A FAMILY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE KNEW THAT I, I WANTED TO COME BACK TO RAISE MY FAMILY HERE.
THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND SO I HAVE A 6-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AND A 9-YEAR-OLD SON, UH, HERE IN LEAGUE CITY.
UH, PRETTY INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY WITH CHURCH.
UM, MY KIDS' SPORTS, UH, SOFTBALL, BASEBALL.
I'M ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS THE SPONSORSHIP COORDINATOR.
SO I REACH OUT TO A LOT OF THESE SMALL BUSINESSES HERE IN LEAGUE CITY TO HELP FUND, UH, THE, THE CHILDREN'S SPORTS.
I AM IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY, UH, DOING PIPELINE WORK.
AND I'VE BEEN ON LARGE TECH STOCK PROJECTS, SMALL TECH STOCK PROJECTS.
UM, I'VE EVEN FLOWN DRONES HERE IN LEAGUE CITY OVER THE POWER LINES THAT THE, UM, FOR THE CENTER POINT RIGHT AWAY WHERE THE, UM, POWER LINES WERE UPGRADED.
UM, I GUESS WHAT REALLY CAUGHT MY EYE TO, UH, JOIN POLITICS HERE IN LEAGUE CITY, IT WAS A COUPLE YEARS AGO, UH, JUST SEEING, UM, THE GREAT THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON AND JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THAT, UM, TO CONTINUE MAKING THIS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE AND FOR OUR CHILDREN.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF MY KIDS DO MOVE AWAY, I WOULD WANT THEM TO MOVE BACK AND START THEIR FAMILY HERE AS WELL.
AND LISA? SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST.
UM, MY NAME IS LISA WELTY, AND I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT IN LEAGUE CITY FOR A LONG TIME, OVER 20 YEARS.
I, UH, MOVED INTO SOUTH SHORE HARBOR, THE LAKE SECTION WHEN IT WAS FIRST BEING BUILT, AND THERE WAS JUST A COUPLE STREETS, SO I'VE GOT TO SEE EVERYTHING EXPAND WHEN THERE WAS NOTHING ON 96, AND IT TOOK ME FIVE MINUTES TO GET TO 45, NOW IT TAKES ME 20.
UH, I HAVE MY MASTER'S DEGREE IN THAT NURSE EXECUTIVE BOARD CERTIFIED.
SO FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, FROM 2019 TO 2024, UM, I'VE HAD A CRAZY SCHEDULE, UM, JUST DUE TO COVID AND THAT KIND OF THING.
UM, MY, SO MY BACKGROUND IS, YOU KNOW, NURSING ADMINISTRATION, AND SO LEADING COUNCILS, DOING POLICIES, PROCEDURES, ALL THAT KIND OF THING.
UM, BOTH OF MY KIDS WENT TO SCHOOL AND C-C-I-S-D.
UM, I DID THE PTA CHAIR THING FROM ELEMENTARY, INTERMEDIATE, UM, AND THEN ALSO IN HIGH SCHOOL WAS THE CHEER BOOSTER PRESIDENT.
SO I FEEL LIKE IF I COULD DEAL WITH THAT KIND OF GROUP, UM, I COULD DEAL WITH ANYTHING.
SO, UM, NOW I'M, UH, ADJUNCT PROFESSOR AND HAVE A LOT BETTER SCHEDULE, AND I'VE ALWAYS VOLUNTEERED AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO GIVE BACK.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE DONE VOLUNTEERING BY CHEERING, YOU KNOW, WITH AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION, UM, MARCH OF DIMES, THAT KIND OF THING.
SO I JUST FEEL THAT'S ONE THING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS TO ALWAYS GIVE BACK.
AND AS A NURSE, THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
SO, OUR FIRST QUESTION TONIGHT, THE ROLE OF ELECTED OFFICIALS IS FUNDAMENTAL TO EFFECTIVE LOCAL, LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS THE PRIMARY ROLE OF A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, AND HOW DO YOU ENVISION FULFILLING THIS ROLE IF ELECTED? AND WE'RE GONNA START WITH KIRSTEN.
SO, A SINGLE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER BY THEMSELVES REALLY CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO WORK AS PART OF A TEAM IN ORDER TO PLAN FOR THE LONG-TERM ENDURANCE OF A CITY OR COMMUNITY.
UM, A CITY'S JOB IS TO ENDURE AND TO LAST SO THAT MULTIPLE GENERATIONS CAN ENJOY THE CITY.
UM, WHEN, I'M SORRY, THE CITY COUNCIL'S JOB IS TO STRATEGICALLY PLAN OUT THE STEPS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL OF THE ENDURANCE OF THE CITY.
SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ZONING, AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED, UM, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF CREATING AN ATTRACTIVE COMMUNITY FULL OF AMENITIES AND PROGRAMS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO BE A PART OF.
UM, A CITY COUNCIL PERSON SHOULD BE LISTENING AND ENGAGED WITH THE
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COMMUNITY, NOT JUST ON FACEBOOK, AND NOT JUST IN THEIR SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL CIRCLES, BUT GETTING OUT AND TALKING TO PEOPLE THAT THEY MAY NOT NECESSARILY ENCOUNTER IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIFE AND BEING AVAILABLE TO CITIZENS, UM, TO HEAR WHAT IT IS THAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.AS A CLASSROOM TEACHER, UM, I HAD TO SYNTHESIZE A LOT OF INFORMATION AND BRING TOGETHER GROUPS OF PEOPLE CONSIDERING MULTIPLE INTERESTS AND NEEDS, UM, AND FIND SOLUTIONS THAT MOVED EVERYBODY TOWARD A COMMON GOAL.
AND I SEE WORKING AS A CITY COUNCIL PERSON AS VERY MUCH THE SAME WAY.
UM, YOU'RE LISTENING TO THE NEEDS.
MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY GAUGING THEIR INTERESTS IN ADDITION TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE BRINGING THE OTHER PERSPECTIVES TO THE TABLE.
UM, A COUNCIL PERSON SHOULD WORK WITH THE REST OF THE COUNCIL TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS THAT ALLOW THE CITY TO ENDORSE SO THAT CITIZENS MAY CONTINUE TO ENJOY IT FOR YEARS TO COME.
YEAH, I THINK THE COUNCIL'S MAIN GOAL IS TO SET THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR.
UM, IT'S, AND WE HAVE A BIG BUDGET.
IT'S AROUND $380 MILLION NEXT YEAR.
SO I THINK THE, THAT'S ONE OF THE, PROBABLY THE MAIN FEATURE I SEE AS COUNCIL IS TO SET THAT BUDGET EVERY YEAR AND MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS BEING RUN EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY, AND THAT EVERYTHING, UH, THE PUBLIC WORKS IS COVERED, UH, SAFETY, THAT, UH, BASICALLY COUNCIL IS, I LOOK AT IT LIKE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE CITY.
UM, YOU REPRESENT THE RESIDENTS.
UM, THERE NEEDS TO BE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF DECORUM AND, UM, UH, HOW THIS, THE COUNCIL WORKS TOGETHER TOWARDS THAT GOAL.
AND I THINK WE NEED THE RIGHT GROUP OF PEOPLE TO STEER THAT SHIP.
BUT, UM, TO ME, THAT'S THE MAIN POINT OF COUNCIL IS TO REALLY JUST SET THE BUDGET AND KEEP THE CITY, UH, HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO, UM, CONTINUE TO INVOLVE, YOU KNOW, AND BE THE VOICE OF, YOU KNOW, OUR CITIZENS HERE THAT EXIST AND, UH, GET ALONG WITH THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN A, YOU KNOW, COME TO SOME KIND OF COMMON GROUND.
UM, I BELIEVE IT'S, YOU KNOW, ALREADY UNDER SOME GREAT LEADERSHIP AND JUST KIND TO, UM, LISTEN TO WHAT THE PEOPLE HAVE.
AND, UH, I KNOW THE BUDGET IS, UH, VERY TIGHT AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF WAYS.
SO, UM, JUST KEEPING TRACK WITH THAT AND, UH, CONTINUING DOWN THAT SAME PATH SO THAT WE CAN, UH, CONTINUE TO BE A GREAT CITY.
UM, ONE THING, YOU KNOW, FOR CITY COUNCIL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU'RE REPRESENTING PEOPLE.
SO IT ISN'T EXACTLY WHAT I WANT, MY PERSONAL OPINIONS, IT'S WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT, AND THAT'S WHY THEY ELECT, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN, UM, PEOPLE IN THEIR POSITIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE SURVEYS THAT WERE, WERE DONE, WHAT PEOPLE DO, LIKE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT LEAGUE CITY IS IMPORTANT.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP UP WITH THE, IN INFRASTRUCTURE, WITH OUR, OUR ROADS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP UP OUR CITY SERVICES.
SO WITH, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, EMS, AND, YOU KNOW, UM, ALL OF, ALL OF THAT, THAT GOES WITH IT.
BUT ALSO HAVING, YOU KNOW, LIKE SCOTT MENTIONED, BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND KIND OF CONSERVATIVE WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, YEAH, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO GO DO A BUNCH OF SPLASH PADS OR WHATEVER.
AS I'VE HEARD SOME PEOPLE HAVE, HAVE SAID, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF COSTS THAT GO IN WITH MANY THINGS.
SO, AND ERIN, UM, SO I BELIEVE THAT A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER'S JOB IS TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY, EACH INDIVIDUAL MEMBER WRITE, TAKE THOSE SURVEYS, LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY, SEE WHAT THEY WANT, AND THEN YOUR JOB IS TO TALK ABOUT IT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT MAKES SENSE BASED OFF OF THOSE SURVEYS.
UM, SO AS A COUNCIL, THAT IS THE JOB TOGETHER AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
IT'S TAKING THAT, DISSECTING IT, SEEING WHAT ALSO MAKES SENSE FOR YOURSELF, AND THEN BRINGING THAT TO THE CONVERSATION AND ASKING WHY IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T AGREE WITH YOU, AND FIGURING OUT THOSE AGREEMENTS AND THOSE DIFFERENCES, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS GONNA BE ABLE TO PLEASE EVERYBODY, BUT YOU CAN PLEASE THE MAJORITY.
UM, SO THERE'S A WAY, UM, TO MAKE, MEET IN THE MIDDLE FOR EVERYBODY WITH THAT.
UM, ESSENTIALLY MY, MY TOP PRIORITY IS ENSURING THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE HEARD.
UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FEEL THAT WE'VE KIND OF BEEN LACKING, OR WHAT THE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN FEELING MYSELF, IS THAT THE SURVEYS THAT ARE BEING PUT OUT AREN'T NECESSARILY COMING BACK AND BEING PUT OUT IN A VOTING SENSE AS TO WHAT WE WANT.
EVERY CANDIDATE BRINGS SPECIFIC PRIORITIES TO OFFICE.
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP THREE PRIORITIES, AND WHAT CONCRETE ACTIONS WOULD YOU TAKE TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS DURING YOUR FOUR YEAR TERM? MS TIME? WE'RE GONNA START WITH SCOTT.
ONE OF MY TOP PRIORITIES IS TO BRING A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, I, I, LIKE I JUST SAID, A LITTLE BIT OF DECORUM BACK TO COUNCIL.
I, I'VE GOTTEN A LITTLE TIRED OF SOME OF THE DISTRACTIONS AND DRAMA THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON WITH COUNCIL, UH, AS OF LATE, I, I'D LIKE TO, UH, CALM EVERYBODY DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
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ONE OF MY PRIORITIES TO COME IN ALSO.UM, I'D LIKE TO, UH, AS FAR AS WE GET INTO DEVELOPMENT, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THIS WILL BE, I'M SURE A BIG TOPIC TONIGHT.
YOU KNOW, LEAGUE CITY BEING 40% UNDEVELOPED.
I'D LIKE TO PUMP THE BRAKES ON DEVELOPMENT A LITTLE BIT, IF POSSIBLE.
UM, I HEAR THAT FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE.
THERE'S TRAFFIC, THERE'S ALL SORTS OF THINGS GOING ON.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE OF MY PRIORITIES.
I'D LIKE TO JUST PUMP THE BRAKES A LITTLE BIT.
I WOULD JUST LIKE OUR GOVERNMENT TO BE EASIER TO DEAL WITH, MORE ACCESSIBLE.
UM, I SET UP THREE MEETING GROUPS LAST WEEK AND ALL AROUND THE CITY IN DIFFERENT AREAS, AND THE TURNOUT WAS GREAT.
UH, I EVEN INVITED A COUPLE OF OUR ELECT LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND THEY WERE LIKE, ABSOLUTELY, I'LL BE THERE.
AND WE NEED TO DO MORE OF THAT.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER PRIORITY OF MINE.
TALK ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AND MAKING GOVERNMENT JUST EASIER TO DEAL WITH AND WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME TO US, BRING THEIR IDEAS, AND WE CAN GO OVER 'EM TOGETHER.
SO THOSE ARE, THAT'S THE THREE PRIORITIES I HAVE.
AND CHARLIE, UM, YOU KNOW, SAME THING, IT'S JUST BEING MORE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY.
I, I FEEL LIKE IT'S, THEY'RE SMALL GROUPS, WHICH YOU CAN'T REALLY APPROACH ALL THE TIME.
UM, SOME OF THEM YOU CAN, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST KIND OF SET UP A WALL WHERE, UH, YOU'RE KIND OF OUTCASTED FROM THAT.
BUT LIKE HE MENTIONED, THE, UM, DEVELOPMENT'S GONNA BE A PRETTY BIG THING, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN PUMP THE BRAKES ON THAT.
THEY'RE STEADILY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, BUILDING ROADS.
UM, I LIVE OFF OF THE LANDING BOULEVARD AND THERE IS, YOU KNOW, COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
THERE'S SHOOTINGS BACK THERE AND STUFF LIKE THAT, AND THOSE EMPTY FIELDS.
SO I, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY, YOU KNOW, STOPPING THAT.
BUT, UM, JUST MAKING SURE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE IS GOING TO BE SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THAT, THAT GROWTH.
I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, THE TOP THREE THINGS, I THINK YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO START AT THE BOTTOM, KIND OF LIKE MASLOW'S HIERARCHY, AND YOU GOTTA HAVE YOUR BASIC NEEDS MET BEFORE YOU CAN DO OTHER THINGS.
BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING, WANTING TO DO FESTIVALS AND ALL OF THAT, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE IF YOU'RE NOT GETTING YOUR NEEDS MET.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR POLICE, YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, YOUR EMS, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, WITH CITY SERVICES, WITH THE, THE ROADS, POTHOLES, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THOSE THREE BASICS IN PLACE BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN THINK ABOUT ABOUT OTHER THINGS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S DOING, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET SO YOU CAN GET YOUR BASIC NEEDS MET AND THEN, YOU KNOW, MAKE THAT, MAKE THAT BUDGET WITH IT, ERIN.
UM, SO ONE OF MY PRIORITIES OUT OF THE FEW WOULD BE TO, ONE, BE THE VOICE OF THE RESIDENTS, SEE WHAT THEY WANT, PUT THAT SURVEY OUT THERE.
UM, NOT NECESSARILY LIKE A PICK AN OPTION SURVEY, A A WORD SURVEY, LIKE REALLY HEAR FROM THEM OR HOLD SOMETHING.
SO TO JUST GET THAT PERSPECTIVE, LET THEM KNOW THAT I HEAR THEM, THEY'RE SUPPORTED.
THAT WOULD BE PRIORITY NUMBER ONE.
UM, ANOTHER ONE OF MINE WOULD BE TO WORK WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND GETTING, FIGURING OUT WHAT THAT, THAT RELATIONSHIP THAT EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT IS SO HARD FOR A BUSINESS TO COME HERE.
HOW DO WE FIX THAT? WHAT ARE THE RELATIONSHIPS WE NEED TO FIX? HOW DO WE DO BETTER TO BE ABLE TO GET THOSE THINGS HERE? UM, THIRD ESSENTIALLY WOULD BE TO FOCUS ON BUDGET, WHICH IS, I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WHOEVER GETS ELECTED IN THIS POSITION IS GONNA HAVE A HAND IN THAT FUTURE BUDGET, AS WELL AS WHAT THE DEVELOPMENT WILL BE AND WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
SO MAKING SURE THAT THAT REFLECTS WHAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE ASKING FOR IN MY INITIAL PRIORITY, WHICH IS HEARING THEIR FEEDBACK.
AND KRISTEN, WOULD YOU MIND REPEATING THE QUESTION FOR ME? SURE.
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP THREE PRIORITIES, AND WHAT CONCRETE ACTIONS WOULD YOU TAKE TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS DURING YOUR FOUR YEAR TERM? OKAY.
UM, SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, UM, THE REASON THAT I DECIDED TO RUN IS BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO THINK IT'S TIME FOR SOME FRESH FACES ON CITY COUNCIL, AND SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE, UM, GOING TO MAKE EVERY DECISION BASED ON ITS OWN MERITS.
UM, WITH ONLY THE INTEREST OF THE CITY IN MIND, AND RATHER THAN ANY, UM, SPECIFIC GROUP.
UH, SO MY FIRST PRIORITY WOULD BE, UM, TRULY REPRESENTING CITIZEN INTERESTS, MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON THEIR OWN MERITS, AND THROUGH THAT BUILDING, UH, TRUST FROM THE COMMUNITY AND RECREATING A SENSE OF UNITY.
UM, I THINK A LOT OF THAT COMES WITH MAKING SURE THAT YOU ARE NOT DENIGRATING OTHER PEOPLE'S OPINIONS, THAT YOU'RE HEARING WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY, AND THEN TAKING ACTIONS BASED ON THAT.
SO, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, I WILL, UM, REMAIN AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND REACH OUT TO PEOPLE WHO THINK DIFFERENTLY THAN ME TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY PERSPECTIVE IS CONSIDERED, UM, AFTER THE KIND OF SOFT STUFF
[00:25:01]
LIKE THAT.UM, I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT WE BALANCE THE DEVELOPMENT ON THE WEST SIDE, UM, IN THE SENSE THAT, UM, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO INTEGRATE BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROJECTS AND PRESERVE GREEN SPACES AND PARKS.
BUT THOSE THINGS ALL COME WITH, UM, SOME CHALLENGES AND DIFFICULTIES, UH, WITHIN THEIR SPECIFIC SPHERES.
UM, SO PARKS AND GREEN SPACES COST MONEY, UM, GETTING RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL, UM, THE TAX BASE BALANCED TO WHERE WE WANT IT TO BE IS ALSO, UM, SOMETHING THAT CAN, THAT WILL BE CHALLENGING.
UH, AND LASTLY, I AM, UM, HAVING HAD MY HOME FLOOD DURING HARVEY, I AM ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN CONTINUING THE GOOD WORK THAT WE'VE DONE ON THE DRAINAGE BONDS, UM, SINCE 2019 AND CONTINUING TO IMPROVE MOBILITY, UM, THROUGH THAT DEVELOPMENT ON THE WEST SIDE WITH, UH, 99 COMING IN.
IT'S A PERFECT SEGUE TO THE NEXT QUESTION.
SO, CURRENTLY NEAR NEARLY 40% OF LEAGUE CITY REMAINS UNDEVELOPED PRIMARILY IN THE WESTERN PORTION OF OUR CITY.
THE WEST LEAGUE CITY MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS A COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK ADOPTED TO GUIDE FUTURE GROWTH IN THIS AREA.
IT OUTLINES LAND USE PATTERNS, INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS, TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS, AND CONSERVATION PRIORITIES FOR APPROXIMATELY 21,000 ACRES OF UNDEVELOPED LAND.
THE PLAN AND VISIONS A MIX OF RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, COMMERCIAL CENTERS, AND PRESERVE GREEN SPACES WHILE ADDRESSING CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS LIKE DRAINAGE AND MOBILITY.
AS OUR CITY CONTINUES TO GROW, HOW THIS PLAN IS IMPLEMENTED WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT LEAGUE CITY'S CHARACTER, FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR DECADES TO COME.
SO WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS ON THE WESTLAKE CITY MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN, AND HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS? AND WE'RE GOING TO START WITH CHARLIE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO USE THE TEMPLATE THAT WE HAVE HERE ON THE EAST SIDE AND LOOK TO SEE WHAT WE WOULD'VE DONE DIFFERENT.
EVERYTHING'S ALREADY IN PLACE, UM, HERE, BUT LET'S LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DONE DIFFERENT AND TRY TO IMPLEMENT THAT, UM, ON THE SIDE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE WEST SIDE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, PROJECTED TO BE BUILT OUT.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THEM NEEDS TO BE RIDER WIDE AWAYS ON THE ROADS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IF SOMETHING ROADS CAN BE EXPANDED AND, UM, I KNOW INFRASTRUCTURE AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, THE SIZE OF THE WATER LINES AND, YOU KNOW, PUMP STATIONS FOR THE WASTE AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT NEEDS TO BE, YOU KNOW, HIGHLY CONSIDERED.
OKAY, LISA? UM, YEAH, WESTLAKE CITY IS SOMETHING YOU HEAR A LOT ABOUT, AND EVERYONE SAYS THAT 40%.
SO I WENT AND LOOKED IT UP AND IT'S 4,000, UM, ACRES.
AND SO, 'CAUSE I WANTED TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW BIG IS THAT.
SO IT IS A LOT AND IT'S PRIVATELY OWNED, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER WHEN YOU DO THE GROWTH.
DO WE WANT, YOU KNOW, ALL HOUSING IN THERE? ARE WE GONNA AFFECT, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S, YOU KNOW, TAXES, OR DO WE WANNA BRING, YOU KNOW, SOME COMPANIES AND SUCH IN THERE TO HELP WITH, YOU KNOW, UM, THE BUSINESS TAXES THAT WE WOULD GET FROM THAT? I THINK DOING SOME MIXED, UM, GROWTH WOULD BE GREAT, UM, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE POPULATION WHERE WE ALSO ARE BRINGING IN, UM, SOME MONEY.
SO THAT IS, UH, A BIG, BIG THING.
AND, YOU KNOW, FLOODING ALL OF THOSE THINGS YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER JUST BECAUSE 50% OF LAKE CITY IS FLOOD ZONED, SO, YOU KNOW, THAT IS A, A BIG ONE.
BUT YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER SERVICES, YOU KNOW, WITH WATER ELECTRIC, ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT, I THINK WITH A GRAND PARKWAY THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SMART PLANNING, UH, JUST SO IT DOESN'T TAKE VERY LONG.
AND THAT CAN ACTUALLY BE A GOOD SALE POINT, YOU KNOW, FOR, YOU KNOW, THE DEVELOPMENT AND BRINGING IN THE RIGHT BUSINESSES FOR THAT.
SO THAT, THAT'S A BIG ONE, I THINK.
SO THERE'S LOTS OF EXCITING CHANGES, BUT WE GOTTA DO IT, YOU KNOW? RIGHT.
AND NOT JUST PUT SOMETHING THERE.
UM, EVERYBODY LIKES TO TALK ABOUT THE AMAZON BUILDING, AND I LIVE IN SOUTH SHORE LAKES RIGHT OFF OF 96.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ELSE DOES.
SO I'M THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY SEES IT, BUT EVERYBODY LOVES TO TALK ABOUT IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DO SMART PLANNING, WE'RE HAVING INFLUENCE WITH IT.
SO WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AND EVERYTHING ON THE WEST SIDE, WE, WE AS A CITY ARE GONNA EXPERIENCE GROWING PAINS.
UM, AND SO IT'S GONNA COME DOWN TO HOW ARE WE GONNA ALLEVIATE THOSE PAINS ON OUR RESIDENTS, AND HOW ARE WE GONNA, HOW ARE WE GONNA STRATEGICALLY PLAN FOR THIS AND WHAT
[00:30:01]
ARE WE GONNA PUT AROUND THEM? UM, I KNOW THE QUESTION DIDN'T SPECIFICALLY STATE WHAT I WANTED, UM, FOR THAT DEVELOPMENT, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE LIKE THE GREEN SPACE AND THE THINGS LIKE THAT.SO IT, THE CONCERNS, I MEAN, THE RESIDENTS HAVE EXPRESSED THEM, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOW DO WE FIX THOSE? HOW DO WE ALLEVIATE THAT ON THEM? SO JUST TALKING IT OUT, UH, MAKING THE PLANS, PUTTING THEM IN PLACE, AND BEING ABLE TO, AGAIN, ALLEVIATE ALL OF THAT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ON THAT.
KRISTEN, WOULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION, PLEASE? SURE.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS ON THE WEST LEAGUE CITY MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN, AND HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS? UM, SO I, ONE THING ABOUT ME IS THAT I REALLY LIKE TO DO MY RESEARCH.
SO I WENT AND, UM, OR I DIDN'T ATTEND.
I, I WASN'T ABLE TO, MY HUSBAND WAS OUT OF TOWN AND I HAVE KIDS, BUT I, UH, WATCHED THE WORK SESSION FOR THE WEST SIDE MASTER PLAN, UM, AND IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO WATCH IT AND LEARN MORE.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW THE TAX BASE IN LEAGUE CITY IS ABOUT 80%, UH, RESIDENTIAL AND 20% COMMERCIAL.
AND WHAT THE GOAL THAT'S PREVIOUSLY BEEN ESTABLISHED, UM, BY COUNCIL IS A 60 40 SPLIT.
UM, SO THE PROPOSED PLAN, UM, I BELIEVE IT'S BOTH OPTION A AND OPTION B BRINGS IT TO A 64%, 36% SPLIT, STILL FAVORED WITH, UH, RESIDENTIAL.
AND THAT 36 IS A, A SPLIT BETWEEN COMMERCIAL MIXED AND INDUSTRIAL.
UM, BUT THE OPTION A IS MORE OF THE TRADITIONAL DEVELOPMENT PATTERN, AND IT'S NOT VERY POPULAR WITH CITIZENS OR WITH ME PERSONALLY.
BUT OPTION B UM, WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED.
AND THIS IS BASED ON THE RESULTS OF SEVERAL SURVEYS AND PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED WITH THE WEST SIDE.
UM, BUT THE, I REALLY LOVED, UM, THE GOAL OF THE PLAN, WHICH IS TO ENHANCE RESIDENTS QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH A WALKABLE, VIBRANT COMMUNITY, UM, BY IDENTIFYING STRATEGIES COMPAT, UH, FOR COMPATIBLE AND SUSTAINED GROWTH.
UM, BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE SUCH A HIGH RESIDENTIAL TAX BASE, LIKE WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, OVER NINE, OVER TIME, THAT CAN CAUSE STRAIN ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES.
UM, SO BY ENCOURAGING COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, UM, CLOSER TO PLACES LIKE 99 AND FIVE 17, WE CAN, UM, SORT OF DIVERSIFY THAT TAX BASE WITHOUT, UM, ANY NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO CITIZENS.
UM, ANOTHER THING I REALLY LIKED WAS THE AMOUNT OF GREEN SPACE ON THE PLAN.
THE CONCERN THAT I HAD, UM, WAS THE WEST SIDE IS, UH, SPLIT ON THAT PLAN INTO FOUR DISTRICTS.
AND, UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING HOW THEY NAMED THEM, BUT I WAS, I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE BRANDING EFFORT FOR THAT, BECAUSE I THINK RIGHT NOW WE KIND OF LACK A UNIFIED SENSE OF CITY, UM, AND THERE WERE LIKE FOUR DIFFERENT, UH, KIND OF AESTHETIC OPTIONS THAT WERE PROPOSED.
AND SO I'M INTERESTED IN KNOWING MORE ABOUT THE PLANS TO WORK THOSE INTO THE EXISTING CITY BRANDING, UM, AND HOW THEY'LL KIND OF TIE IT TOGETHER OR WHETHER THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD, UM, CONSIDER.
IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I'M, I'M RUNNING, UH, THE DECISIONS ARE GONNA BE MADE IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS.
THEY'RE GONNA LAY OUT THE NEXT A HUNDRED YEARS OF LAKE CITY AND, AND LONGER, UH, WE, WE REALLY HAVE ONE SHOT TO NAIL THIS AND GET IT RIGHT.
UM, I, I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, HELP OUR TAX BASE A LITTLE BIT AND, AND LESSEN THE BURDEN ON RESIDENTS BY INCREASING SOME COMMERCIAL REVENUE.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, I HAD A PART IN ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS SETTING THOSE CAPITAL RECOVERY FEES HIGH, UM, THE IMPACT FEES.
LET'S LET DEVELOPMENT PAY FOR ITSELF IN LAKE CITY, UH, THAT WE DON'T NEED TO THROW THAT ON THE RESIDENTS THAT'S GONNA IMPROVE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, IMPROVE OUR DRAINAGE WITHOUT PUTTING THAT BURDEN ON THE RESIDENTS.
SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING THAT I THINK WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHEN LAYING THIS PLAN OUT.
UM, I SAT THERE TODAY IN MY OFFICE.
I'VE ALREADY RECEIVED THE PACKET.
I'LL, I'LL BE IN HERE IN PLANNING ZONING ON THE 21ST.
WE'LL BE, UH, GOING OVER THE, THE INFORMATION AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL.
UM, IT WAS 707 PAGES AND I WAS WORKING THROUGH IT TODAY.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD QUESTIONS IN THERE WE'RE GONNA ASK, UH, BUT I THINK THE KEY IS MAKING SURE THAT, UM, THAT THE DEVELOPMENT IS PAYING FOR ITSELF IN LAKE CITY.
UM, WE'RE A DESIRABLE PLACE TO BUILD.
NOW, THAT WASN'T ALWAYS THE CASE IN LAKE CITY.
UH, WE'RE A, I THINK THE AVERAGE HOME PRICE IN LAKE CITY IS AROUND $400,000.
UH, WE'RE BUSINESSES WANNA COME HERE, BUT WE WANT THE RIGHT KIND OF BUSINESSES HERE.
AGAIN, YOU HEAR THE AMAZON BOX NO MORE AMAZON WHITE BOXES IF I HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.
BUT, UM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT.
SO, UM, IT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS SOME BIG DECISIONS ARE COMING UP THOUGH.
GROWTH BRINGS BOTH OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE MAJOR CHALLENGES OF GROWING A COMMUNITY LIKE OURS AND HOW WOULD YOU BALANCE THE INTEREST OF NEW DEVELOPMENT WITH THE NEEDS AND CONCERNS OF EXISTING RESIDENTS? WE'RE GONNA START WITH LISA.
SO WITH GROWTH, WE HAVE GROWN, UM, YOU KNOW, EXPONENTIALLY IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, AND WE'RE OVER 120,000 PEOPLE.
AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT AGAIN, IS KIND OF WHAT YOUR NEEDS ARE, UM, VERSUS, YOU KNOW,
[00:35:01]
WHAT THE NICE THINGS ARE, THE WANTS.SO THE NEEDS ARE PART WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO WHEN YOU GO TO, YOU KNOW, THAT BUDGET AND BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH OF YOUR POLICE OFFICERS, YOU'RE MEETING THE NEEDS THERE, THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT LEAGUE CITY IS REMAINING, YOU KNOW, A SAFE PLACE AND WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB THERE.
MAKING SURE, YOU KNOW, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, EMS IS ALL MEETING THOSE NEEDS.
AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE TOP VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, HOW BIG DO WE NEED TO BE GROWING? SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND IT'S ASKING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MANAGERS OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY, YOU KNOW, WITH THE GROWTH AND CONSTANTLY REEVALUATING IT.
AND SO ALWAYS REEVALUATING IT, MAKING SURE THAT THE, THE NEEDS ARE MET.
UM, SO SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT I SEE ARE INFLATION AND TRAFFIC CONGESTION.
UM, WE CAN MITIGATE THE IMPACT WITH PLANNING.
UM, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, BUT WITH THE STRATEGIC INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS, THE TRAFFIC FLOW IMPROVEMENTS AND CAREFUL FINANCING, FINANCIAL PLANNING, WE CAN NAVIGATE OUR WAY THROUGH THIS.
UM, WITH THOSE GROWING PAINS AND ALL THE THINGS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE SHOPPING CENTERS AND MORE RESTAURANTS, UM, ON THE WEST SIDE OF LEAGUE CITY, THAT WOULD CREATE LOCAL JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND IT WOULD INCREASE OUR CITY'S REVENUE BASE WHILE ENHANCING THE CONVENIENCE FOR THE RESIDENTS.
UM, AS SAID BEFORE, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A TRADER JOE'S, THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LONGED FOR.
UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, WITH GROWTH, WE'LL COME THOSE GROWING PAINS, IT'LL JUST BE ABOUT THE PLANNING AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE PUT IN PLACE TO ALLEVIATE THAT ON OUR RESIDENTS AND JUST LISTENING AND LEADING FOR THEM.
UM, SO I KIND OF MENTIONED IT A LITTLE BIT BEFORE WITH, UH, TALKING ABOUT THE AESTHETICS OF THE WEST SIDE IN FROM THE PLAN.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT, UH, MAINTAINING A SENSE OF UNIFIED COMMUNITY IS, UH, AN, A REALLY MONUMENTAL CHALLENGE AS WE ARE, UH, LOOKING AT THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH THAT WE BOTH HAVE EXPERIENCED RECENTLY AND ARE LOOKING TO EXPERIENCE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT GOES FROM EVERYTHING TO, FROM AESTHETICS TO FEELING LIKE YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE A, A TWO-WAY SENSE OF COMMUNICATION WITH COUNCIL AND SOME INPUT IN THE DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE IN THE CITY.
UM, BUT BEYOND THAT, I THINK THAT, UH, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE GOING TO OVERCOME ARE THE ONES THAT ARE, UH, RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO IF, UM, YOU'VE STAYED UP TO DATE, THEN YOU KNOW THAT OUR WATER RATES ARE GOING TO INCREASE OVER TIME.
UM, OR THE RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN THAT THEY INCREASE OVER TIME TO COVER THE, UM, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEM THAT ARE GOING TO BE NEEDED WITH THE, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY.
AND SO, CONTINUING TO FIND WAYS TO OFFSET THE COST AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOR RESIDENTS SO THAT, UM, IT'S THINGS REMAIN LIVABLE, UM, BUT ARE ALSO ATTRACTIVE AND WELL MAINTAINED ENOUGH THAT THEY ARE LIVABLE AND ATTRACTIVE.
UM, AND THEN I THINK THAT THE WAY THAT YOU ACCOMPLISH THAT IS BY TRUSTING THE EXPERTS THAT WE HIRE TO WORK FOR THE CITY, AND THEN DOING ENOUGH OF YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE MATERIAL TO REMAIN INNOVATIVE AND TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.
SCOTT? YEAH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS ARE BIGGER THAN THREE MINUTE ANSWERS.
UM,
UM, ESPECIALLY TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC WISE.
IT'S, IT'S A HEADACHE GOING ON THE WEST SIDE.
UH, IT CAN FROM HERE, IT COULD TAKE YOU HALF AN HOUR, IT GETS FRIENDS WITH SOME DAYS, UM, GOING ALL THE WAY DOWN FIVE 18.
IT TOOK ME QUITE A WHILE TO GET HERE TONIGHT FROM MY HOUSE.
UM, SO I THINK, UH, SOMETIMES WE HAVE MULTIPLE PROJECTS LAID OUT ON THE SAME ROUTE.
UH, AGAIN, MOST OF IT'S TEXDOT, BUT I THINK WE COULD BE A SQUEAKY WHEEL ON THAT.
UM, THERE NEEDS TO BE A BETTER DIALOGUE THERE, UH, WITH HOW WE HANDLE THE MUNICIPALITIES AROUND US AND THE GOVERNING BODIES AS FAR AS PROJECTS GO.
UM, ALSO THE PROJECTS WE BRING IN, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE MARKET WE HAVE HERE IS GONNA DICTATE A LOT OF THE PROJECT, THE PROJECTS AND BUSINESSES THAT COME IN HERE.
UM, WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE CHOOSY ON THAT, MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S GETTING THE KIND OF BUSINESSES THEY WANT, UH, THAT THEY, THE PLACES THEY WANT TO ENTERTAIN AND EAT, PLAY, AND WORK.
UM, SO I THINK, AGAIN, GAUGING CITIZEN IMPACT AND BEING CHOOSY ABOUT THE BUSINESSES WE BRING IN IS A WAY TO KIND OF HELP ALLEVIATE THOSE GROWING PAINS A LITTLE BIT FOR THE RESIDENTS.
AND CHARLIE, THOSE GROWING PAINS, THERE'S, THERE'S NO WAY AROUND IT.
YOU KNOW, EVEN ON THE EAST SIDE WHERE THEY HAD THE PIPE REPLACEMENT BY CLEAR CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, THAT AREA'S BEEN BUILT OUT, BUT THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, UPGRADING THAT AREA.
SO EVEN ON THAT SIDE, THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TRAFFIC AND, YOU KNOW, INFRASTRUCTURE REPLACEMENT GOING ON.
UH, I LIVE ON THE WEST SIDE, COMING
[00:40:01]
BACK FROM CHURCH ON SUNDAY, THERE WAS QUITE A FEW BIG, UH, TRUCKS CARRYING DOUBLE I DOZERS GOING DOWN BAY AREA TO WHERE ALL THAT, UH, CONSTRUCTION'S GOING ON BACK THERE.UM, I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB BY, UM, LETTING EVERYBODY KNOW UPFRONT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT.
THAT'S, THERE'S NO WAY AROUND IT.
AND, UM, DOING THAT, UM, JUST GETTING THEM MORE INVOLVED AND HAVING THEM MORE AWARE OF, UH, WHAT'S, WHAT'S COMING.
UM, I THINK OFFERING THEM THAT IN ADVANCE, WE'LL HELP THAT, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S ABOUT ALL WE CAN DO.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S HERE, IT'S COMING.
SO LEADERSHIP OFTEN REQUIRES DIFFICULT DECISIONS.
PLEASE DESCRIBE A SPECIFIC TIME WHEN YOU HAD TO MAKE A CHALLENGING DECISION AND WALK US THROUGH YOUR APPROACH TO REACHING THAT DECISION.
AND WE'RE GONNA START AGAIN WITH AARON.
SO, UM, I'M IN MANAGEMENT, SO I MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS ALL THE TIME.
UM, HARD ONES THAT I'VE HAD TO MAKE.
UM, ONE SPECIFICALLY WAS AS A GENERAL MANAGER, I HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION TO SPLIT TWO STORES.
UM, THAT WASN'T AN EASY DECISION.
IT WAS SPLITTING A CLEAR LAKE LOCATION, WHICH IS RIGHT BY THE MALL WITH THE LAKE CITY LOCATION THAT SOME OF Y'ALL MAY KNOW.
UM, IT WAS A VERIZON STORE, SO WE WOUND UP SPLITTING THE STORES, BUT MY EMPLOYEES WERE NOT HAPPY.
THEY WEREN'T HAPPY THAT WE SPLIT THEM.
THEY WEREN'T HAPPY THAT THEY HAD TO DRIVE BETWEEN TWO PLACES, BECAUSE ORIGINALLY WE EACH HAD TWO GMS AT EACH STORE.
AND NOW THERE WAS ONE BETWEEN TWO STORES, BUT ALL THOSE EMPLOYEES WERE SHARING ONE PERSON.
UM, SO THEY GOT INCONVENIENCED IN A SENSE.
AND SO WHEN I CAME IN, I WAS LIKE, WELL, WHY, WHY DO WE HAVE TO CHANGE ANYTHING? THE ONLY THING THAT SHOULD HAVE TO CHANGE, RIGHT, IS THE LEADER IN THAT SENSE, THE GM, THAT SHOULD BE THE ONLY PERSON GOING BETWEEN TWO STORES.
UM, SO AFTER GOING BACK AND FORTH FOR PROBABLY FOUR MONTHS, UM, WITH OUR CORPORATE, UH, EVENTUALLY WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE, GET THE WANTS AND THE NEEDS OF OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES AND FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY WANT IT TO WORK, WHAT WAS CONVENIENT FOR THEM? DID THEY WANNA STAY AT THEIR ORIGINAL STORE? DID THEY WANT TO SWITCH IT UP AND GO BETWEEN TWO STORES? UM, SO WE DID THAT, AND I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT WORK.
E EVENTUALLY AFTER SIX MONTHS, WE GOT TO A, A HAPPY PLACE WHERE EVERYBODY, UM, LIKED IT.
UH, BUT THAT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS.
I WAS DEALING WITH ABOUT 50 PEOPLE AT THE TIME.
WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO COLLABORATE A SCHEDULE FOR 50 PEOPLE AND WHAT THEY WANT AND WHAT THEY NEED, UM, HE, YOU REALLY CAN'T PLEASE EVERYBODY IN THAT SITUATION.
BUT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A HAPPY MEDIUM AND MAKE IT WORK FOR EVERYBODY.
KIRSTEN, I'M GONNA CHEAT AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU ABOUT TWO DIFFICULT DECISIONS BECAUSE I THINK THAT THEY, UM, KIND OF DEMONSTRATE DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, BUT I SPENT A VERY LONG TIME AS A CLASSROOM TEACHER.
UM, AND SO IN THAT TIME, I, UH, I HAD SOME STUDENTS WHO MAYBE DIDN'T MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS.
AND IN MY LAST YEAR TEACHING, I HAD A SENIOR WHO, UM, WHO PLAGIARIZED A TEST GRADE RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
AND, UH, I HAD TO MAKE A DECISION.
THIS WAS A FOOTBALL PLAYER AND HE WAS VERY POPULAR AND HE WAS WELL LIKED BY TEACHERS IN ADMINISTRATION, BUT HE ALSO DID A THING THAT HE REALLY SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE.
AND I HAD JUST TAUGHT A, A, A LESSON THE WEEK BEFORE ABOUT PLAGIARISM, SO HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.
UM, AND SO I MADE THE DIFFICULT DECISION TO HOLD HIM ACCOUNTABLE.
UH, IT WAS NOT A WELL, WELL-RECEIVED DECISION, AND I WAS, UM, I WAS, UH, PRESSURED TO CHANGE IT.
AND, UM, I HELD FIRM AT LEAST UNTIL CLOSE TO THE END OF THE NINE WEEKS.
UM, AND I MADE ANOTHER DIFFICULT DECISION.
AND THAT DIFFICULT DECISION WAS THAT I WANTED TO REVERSE THE FIRST ONE THAT I MADE.
UM, ONE THING THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN LEADERSHIP IS BEING ABLE TO RECOGNIZE WHEN THE, THE DECISIONS THAT YOU HAVE MADE MAYBE NEED TO CHANGE BECAUSE THE CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE CHANGED.
SO IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, THE STUDENT CHANGED THEIR BEHAVIOR.
THEY CAME TO TUTORIALS, THEY WORKED ON DOING THEIR OWN WRITING.
THEY WROTE EVERYTHING BY HAND FROM THEN ON, SO I COULD MAKE SURE THEY WEREN'T CHEATING.
BUT, UM, HE PUT IN THE WORK TO, TO TURN THINGS AROUND.
AND SO IT WASN'T WORTH IT TO ME TO HOLD ONTO THAT INITIAL DECISION.
AND INSTEAD, UM, I SHOWED SOME GRACE AND SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO THIS A DIFFERENT WAY.
AND, UH, AND I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE TO HIM.
SO I THINK LEADERSHIP IS, UM, BOTH HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, BUT RECOGNIZING THAT, UM, THAT SOMETIMES DECISIONS AND OPINIONS CAN CHANGE WHEN THE FACTS EVOLVE.
AND AS TIME GOES ON, SCOTT, DIFFICULT DECISIONS ARE GONNA BE PART OF COUNCIL REGULARLY.
[00:45:01]
POPPED IN MY HEAD WHEN YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION WAS A SITUATION THAT CAME UP ON PLANNING ZONING, UH, WHEN THE FIRST BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE FACILITY CAME THROUGH THE BEST SYSTEMS, UH, THE ONE DOWN HIGHWAY THREE, UH, BY THE OAKS, BY PAR ELEMENTARY.UM, THAT WAS AN INTERESTING SITUATION.
UM, UH, THE RESIDENT, A LOT OF RESIDENTS CAME IN, HAD A LOT OF FEELINGS ABOUT THAT.
UM, THERE WERE FEELINGS ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT.
UH, THAT WAS A DIFFICULT DECISION.
UH, I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT VOTED NO ON THAT FACILITY.
I THINK IT'S GREAT TECHNOLOGY AND I THINK WE NEED IT.
I THINK IT HELPS EVEN OUT OUR GRID, AND WE NEED TO BE OPEN TO THAT.
IN THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION, I HEARD THE RESIDENTS AND I HEARD WHAT THEY WERE SAYING, AND MY PARTICULAR TOUGH DECISION ON THAT ONE WAS, IT WAS JUST THAT LOCATION FOR ME.
BUT THERE'S A POINT IN COUNCIL MEETINGS, ESPECIALLY WHEN BIG THINGS LIKE THAT COME UP, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION.
YOU CAN'T MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY, AND YOU NEED TO OWN THAT DECISION.
AND SO THAT WAS, IN THAT CASE, I, I WAS KIND OF IN THE MINORITY ON THAT ONE.
I MADE A TOUGH DECISION THERE AND I CHOSE TO SAY NO ON THAT ONE.
UM, THE COMPANY THAT CAME IN DID EVERYTHING RIGHT.
THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY ABOVE THE BOARD ON EVERYTHING THEY DID.
UH, I THINK THEY, UH, WE, WE HAVE AN OUTSTANDING, UM, ORDINANCE FOR BEST SYSTEMS, PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST ONES IN THE NATION.
UM, BUT, BUT THAT WAS A SITUATION THAT POPS UP WHERE YOU GOTTA MAKE A DECISION SOMETIMES.
AND, UH, AND I OWN THAT ONE AND I'LL DO IT CHARLIE.
UM, I WORK ON VERY LARGE SCALE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, AND FOR 10 YEARS OR SO, I TRAVELED AROUND, UH, DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION SITES.
I'VE HAD GUYS QUIT ON ME OR TRY TO QUIT ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, AND YOU JUST HAVE TO BE AVAILABLE.
YOU KNOW, THEY'LL QUIT ON YOU FOR AN EXTRA $10 A DAY SOMETIMES, AND YOU JUST HAVE TO BE AVAILABLE, KIND OF TALK 'EM DOWN AND MAKE SURE TO GET ALONG WITH, UM, GET ALONG WITH EVERYBODY AND JUST BE THERE FOR THEM.
THEY'RE TRAVELING AROUND, THEY'RE AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES, THEY MISS HOME, YOU KNOW, THEY BIRTHDAYS, YOU KNOW, HOLIDAYS, THEY MISS, AND YOU JUST GOTTA BE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE, ANSWER THE PHONE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
OR IF SOMEBODY COMES, KNOCKS ON YOUR DOOR, GET UP, YOU KNOW, GET ALONG WITH EVERYBODY.
UM, SAME THING ON ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION SITES.
UM, BEFORE LONG YOU COULD HAVE $60,000 WORTH OF EQUIPMENT SITTING AROUND AN HOUR JUST WAITING FOR YOU TO MAKE THAT DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD, OR THEY HAVE TO BACKTRACK OR WHAT.
UM, SO YOU HAVE TO THINK ON YOUR FEET VERY, VERY QUICKLY AND COME TO A RESOLUTION AND JUST GET ALONG AND FIND THAT COMMON ROAD FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, GREAT BEHAVIORAL QUESTION.
UM, WE, WE DO THAT A LOT IN THE HEALTHCARE FIELD WHEN WE INTERVIEW PEOPLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE THING THAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
I WAS, UM, WHEN I DID MY MASTER'S DEGREE A FEW YEARS BACK, UH, THE CNO SAID TO ME, ONE THING YOU WANNA DO IS NEVER BELIEVE THE FIRST PERSON THAT COMES TO YOU.
SHE GOES, YOU ALWAYS WANT TO GET THE FACTS.
YOU WANT TO HEAR WHAT EVERYONE HAS TO SAY BEFORE YOU MAKE A JUDGMENT.
AND SHE SAID, SHE SHARED WITH ME THAT SHE HAD HAD, THAT HAD HAPPENED TO HER.
AND IT TURNED OUT, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST PERSON THAT GETS THERE ISN'T ALWAYS THE PERSON THAT IS HONEST OR ARE RIGHT.
SO ESPECIALLY DURING, YOU KNOW, TIMES THAT WE HAD C MANY THINGS HAD A CHANGE IN THE, IN THE HOSPITALS AND WE HAD TO THINK MORE ABOUT LIKE SECURITY.
WE HAD FACE MASKS, WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH SUPPLY CHAIN, GETTING FACE MASKS.
SO WE HAD CONSERVATION OF THOSE.
UM, WE HAD PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC COMING INTO THE HOSPITALS TAKING TOILET PAPER.
EVERYBODY WANTED THAT TOILET PAPER OUT OF A BATHROOMS AND THEN EVERYTHING.
SO THINGS THAT WE HAD TO DO, WE HAD TO LOCK STUFF UP, WE HAD TO LOCK, UM, WIPES UP AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND IT MADE MORE INCONVENIENT FOR PATIENT CARE.
BUT THAT'S ONE THING WE HAD TO DO BECAUSE WE HAD TO ENSURE WE HAD THESE THINGS FOR INFECTION CONTROL AND KEEPING, YOU KNOW, OUR STAFF SAFE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE THING IS YOU ALWAYS WANT TO LISTEN TO WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS, SO YOU CAN COME UP WITH THAT BEST SOLUTION.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A PAPER BAG SYSTEM, THAT KIND OF THING.
SO, AND ALWAYS LISTENING AND, AND IMPROVING THAT PROCESS OF HOW THINGS ARE DONE.
SO RESPONSIVE GOVERNANCE DEPENDS ON COMMUNICATION.
AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, WHAT SPECIFIC METHODS WOULD YOU USE TO COMMUNICATE WITH CITIZENS AND HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE GREATER CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, PARTICULARLY FROM TRADITIONALLY UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS? AND WE'RE GONNA START WITH KIRSTEN,
[00:50:03]
WOULD YOU REPEAT THE BEGINNING OF THE QUESTION? I, THE SECOND HALF? IT WAS VERY LONGSO WHAT SPECIFIC METHODS WOULD YOU USE TO COMMUNICATE WITH CITIZENS AND HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE GREATER CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, PARTICULARLY FROM TRADITIONALLY UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS? SO I MENTIONED IT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, UM, BUT THERE ARE THE TRADITIONAL MEANS OF COMMUNICATION.
UM, LIKE, WELL, I GUESS WHEN YOU'RE GETTING REALLY TRADITIONAL, IT'S THE TIME, THE ONE THAT I'M LEADING TOWARDS, WHICH IS IN PERSON.
UM, BUT WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT NOW AS TRADITIONAL, LIKE PHONE AND EMAIL AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT, UM, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO PHYSICALLY BE AVAILABLE AND SHOW, UM, WITH YOUR PRESENCE THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO I THINK THAT THAT MEANS, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, ATTENDING GATHERINGS OF PEOPLE THAT YOU MIGHT NOT NORMALLY ATTEND OR, YOU KNOW, REACHING OUT TO GROUPS THAT ARE UNDERREPRESENTED AND FINDING WAYS TO, UM, IF YOU TALK TO PEOPLE MOST OF THE TIME, THEY'LL TELL YOU WHAT THEY WANT, YOU KNOW, IN TIME.
AND SO, UM, BEING IN FRONT OF THEM RELATIONALLY IS, UM, SO MUCH MORE IMPACTFUL THAN, UM, THAN REACHING OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR VIA EMAIL, UM, IN THE CLASSROOM.
UH, AND IN MY, UM, OFFICE WHERE I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR CHASING DOWN A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UH, PIECES OF THINGS, UM, PROXIMITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND SO IN THE CLASSROOM WHEN YOU HAVE, THIS IS FOR BEHAVIOR ISSUES, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE HERE, BUT, UM, WHEN YOU WANT STUDENTS TO BEHAVE A CERTAIN WAY, THEN YOU HAVE TO GET OUT FROM BEHIND YOUR DESK AND YOU HAVE TO GO BE PRESENT IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CLASSROOM, AND THAT IMPACTS THEIR BEHAVIOR.
UM, AND SOME OF THAT BEHAVIOR IS THAT STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT PREVIOUSLY WILLING TO ENGAGE WITH YOU WILL ENGAGE WITH YOU.
BECAUSE IF YOU GO TO PEOPLE AND YOU MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH THEM AND, AND SHOW THAT THEY ARE IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR YOUR TIME, THEN THEY'LL TELL YOU WHAT THEY NEED.
SCOTT, YEAH, BACK TO WHERE I STARTED, ONE OF THE REASONS I'M RUNNING, UM, TO MAKE OUR GOVERNMENT MORE ACCESSIBLE, UH, TO GET OUT THERE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I BROUGHT UP LAST WEEK, I SET UP THREE COMMUNITY MEET AND GREETS TO GET OUT THERE BEING A SHORT CYCLE.
UH, WE HIT THREE DIFFERENT AREAS OF TOWN.
UH, ONE OF 'EM, WE WENT DOWN TO BAY COLONY.
UH, I KNOW SOME OF THE RESIDENTS DOWN THERE MENTIONED WE FEEL KIND OF, WE FEEL LIKE NO ONE PAYS ATTENTION TO US DOWN HERE IN BAY COLONY, BASICALLY ALMOST DICKINSON DOWN THERE.
SO THE RESPONSE WAS INCREDIBLE.
THOSE, UM, A LOT OF, HEY, WILL YOU DO THIS MORE OFTEN? UM, I EVEN REACHED OUT AGAIN TO SOME OF OUR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND I MEAN, EVERY ONE OF 'EM WAS LIKE, YOU JUST TELL ME WHAT TIME TO BE THERE AND I'LL BE THERE.
SO I THINK WE HAVE THE PEOPLE IN PLACE TO DO THIS.
IT'S JUST GONNA TAKE SOME MORE EFFORT FROM US TO GET OUT AND SET THESE THINGS UP.
UH, WE, WE HAD A FOUR OF US YESTERDAY.
WE WERE AT THE, UH, CROSSINGS FOR AN INCREDIBLE MEET AND GREET, UH, WITH A LOT OF RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I WAS THERE FOR A COUPLE HOURS JUST TALKING TO PEOPLE.
IT WAS, UM, SO I THINK WE JUST NEED TO MAKE MORE OF AN EFFORT AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO BETTER.
AND IT GOES BACK TO ONE OF THE REASONS I'M RUNNING IS, UH, JUST TO GET OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY A LITTLE MORE, MAKE OUR GOVERNMENT ACCESSIBLE AND EASIER TO DEAL WITH AND WELCOMING CHARLIE, UM, BEING OUT THERE WITH, UH, EVERYONE ELSE, YOU KNOW, BEING THAT GUY THAT'S USUALLY AROUND TOWN.
I KNOW USUALLY ON SUNDAYS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN FIND ME AT CLEAR CREEK COMMUNITY CHURCH.
AND, UH, LAST WEEK UP UNTIL YESTERDAY AT THE SPORTSPLEX NINE DAYS IN A ROW, I AM, I'M USUALLY OUT IN THE COMMUNITY WITH EVERYONE.
UM, YOU KNOW, BEING ACCESSIBLE, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, ENGAGING WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND NOT TRYING TO BUILD A WALL AROUND YOURSELF.
THAT IS A, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE.
UM, WHEN YOU HAVE THE GOVERNANCE AND WHAT IS GOING ON, AND ALSO GROUPS THAT ARE UNDERREPRESENTED.
SO I USUALLY WATCH THE COUNCIL MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, AT, AT THE CONVENIENCE OF HOME IN MY PAJAMAS AT NIGHT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I SAW THEM, THEM COME AND THEY INVITED EVERYONE.
UM, AND I THINK OUR MAYOR, UH, YOU KNOW, WENT, UM, SO THAT, THAT'S ONE THING IS THEY CAN COME HERE AND INTRODUCE THAT, BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE WATCH CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ONLINE? I THINK IT'S FUN, BUT PROBABLY 90% OF THE WORLD DOES NOT.
UM, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS, HOW CAN WE COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE? BECAUSE I DID GO AND THERE IS A LEAGUE CITY APP, IT'S AWESOME.
AND YOU CAN GO ON THERE AND YOU CAN SEE THE EVENTS AND EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S FREE TREES SUCH THAT ARE BEING GIVEN OUT THIS WEEK.
SO IF EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET ONE OF THOSE, SO THEY HAVE LIKE 250 AVAILABLE, BUT WITH UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS, I DID ACTUALLY THINK OF THIS QUESTION AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, HOW DO THEY KNOW WHO TO GO TO OR HOW TO GET IT OUT THERE? AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING A BIG COMMUNITY
[00:55:01]
CALENDAR, SO TO SPEAK, YOU KNOW, WOULD IT BE MAYBE A VOLUNTEER, UM, JOB? I WOULD HELP DO THAT.MAYOR NICK LONG, SO, AND YOU KNOW, PUTTING THOSE THINGS ON THERE AND HAVE A CONTACT PERSON SO PEOPLE KNOW, JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, IN THE COMMUNITY, NEWSPAPERS AND SUCH, HAVE IT IN BY THIS DEADLINE.
THEN THEY KNOW IT WOULD BE INCLUDED.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE COOL.
ANOTHER OUTSIDE OF THE BOX IDEA I HAD, BECAUSE THIS ALL HAS TO DO WITH COMMUNICATION, YOU KNOW, WITH PEOPLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT WOULD TAKE TOO LONG TO GO OUT THERE AND, AND TALK TO EVERYBODY AND SUCH, BUT I THOUGHT DIGITAL SIGNS, HOW COOL WILL IT BE IF I'M AT 96 AND 45 IN THAT TRAFFIC AND THERE'S A BIG DIGITAL SIGN AT THAT CORNER AND SAID, HEY, HERE'S WHAT'S GOING ON.
OR KIND OF INFO FOR LAKE CITY, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND ERIN? UM, SO AS FAR AS COMMUNICATION, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE A PRETTY HEALTHY COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, IF WE WEREN'T, THERE WOULDN'T BE ALL OF US UP HERE WANTING TO BE A PART OF THE CHANGE AND THE VOICE AND ALL THESE THINGS THAT, THAT WE'RE SAYING, RIGHT? SO, UM, I THINK WE'RE JUST NOT FULLY CONNECTED.
UM, SO HOW, LIKE, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? YES, WE CAN BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, IDEALLY I THINK WE ALL HAVE THE SAME GOAL.
WE'RE WE WANT TO BE OUT THERE, WE WANNA BE PRESENT, BUT HOW DO WE LET PEOPLE KNOW WHERE AND WHEN? UM, I AM A, I LOVE OUR FACEBOOK EVENTS.
THAT'S HOW I KNOW, UM, I SAVE ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING.
'CAUSE I LOVE TO DO IT WITH MY KIDS.
BEFORE THE BOOKS AT THE BALLPARK, UM, WAS A, LIKE, I HAD THAT SAVED IN BEFORE I EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR THE ELECTION AND SHOWED UP TO THAT AFTER, AFTER BEING IN THIS.
SO I'VE, I'VE BEEN GOING TO THESE EVENTS AND I THINK THAT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE SHOWING UP THAT WE COULD.
SO HOW DO WE GET THAT OUT THERE? BETTER? CAN WE SEND ALERTS THROUGH THAT APP THAT WE HAVE? UM, WE'VE HAD IT, I THINK FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, BECAUSE I REMEMBER DOWNLOADING IT YEARS AGO FOR LIKE THE PUBLIC SERVICE PART OF IT FOR EMERGENCIES.
AND SO IT'S COOL TO SEE AND HEAR THAT IT'S, IT'S ADVANCED.
SO, UM, CAN WE UTILIZE THAT MORE? UM, AND THEN HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THOSE UNREPRESENTED GROUPS? I MEAN, I KNOW THERE WAS A MARKET THAT THEY FELT THEY DIDN'T GET THE RECOGNITION THEY DESERVED THIS PAST WEEKEND.
SO HOW DO WE MAKE THE PEOPLE THAT WANNA DO EVENTS HERE IN LAKE CITY, HOW DO WE MAKE OUR RESIDENTS THAT ARE ACTIVELY HOSTING THE EVENTS IN LAKE CITY, HOW DO WE MAKE THEM FEEL HEARD AND LISTENED? WE SHOW UP, WE HAVE PEOPLE COME TO THE COUNCIL MEETINGS AND THEY'RE ASKING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE PEOPLE TO SHOW UP, BUT WE'RE NOT SHOWING UP.
SO, UM, I WOULD JUST LOOK FOR THE, THE HOW TO MAKE THAT BETTER.
SO EXPERIENCE INFORMS LEADERSHIP.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR LEVEL OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN LAKE CITY UP TO THIS POINT? AND HOW DOES YOUR BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE UNIQUELY QUALIFY YOU TO SERVE EFFECTIVELY ON THE CITY COUNCIL? WE'RE GONNA START WITH SCOTT.
MY EXPERIENCE IN THE COMMUNITY, AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO, UH, COACHING.
UM, I COACHED EVERYTHING MY KIDS HAD PLAYED SINCE THEY COULD PROBABLY WALK.
UM, WHAT THAT DID, THE INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE THERE WAS IT, I LITERALLY COACHED HUNDREDS OF KIDS THROUGH THE YEARS AND, AND HAD INTERACTION WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
AND YOU GET TO REALLY KNOW PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT THEY CARE ABOUT AND WHAT THEY NEED THAT GETS YOU INVOLVED.
PAST THAT, UH, AGAIN, WE'RE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE PTA AND SCHOOLS.
UH, THERE ARE LOTS OF OUTREACH THINGS, SO PUTTING YOURSELF OUT THERE IS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS.
AND THEN PAST THAT, WHAT'S NEXT? UH, TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET ON A BOARD HERE IN THE CITY.
STARTED WITH THE ETHICS BOARD, UM, HEARD SOME CASES THERE, GOT TO WORK WITH A GOOD DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE ON THAT BOARD.
AND WE SETTLED EVERY CASE UNANIMOUSLY.
WE FOLLOWED THE CODE, UH, PASSED THAT MOVED INTO PLANNING AND ZONING AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
UM, I FEEL THOSE ARE THINGS THAT, UM, I BRING AS FAR AS MY INVOLVEMENT THAT, UH, UNIQUELY QUALIFY ME FOR THIS POSITION.
UM, I TELL PEOPLE IT'S KINDA LIKE GOING TO SCHOOL A LITTLE BIT FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
UH, YOU LEARN WHAT YOU LEARN WHAT MATTERS, WHAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT, AND YOU LEARN HOW IT WORKS.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF MY PERSPECTIVE, HOW I THINK I'M QUALIFIED FOR IT.
MY INVOLVEMENT, CHARLIE, A LOT LIKE SCOTT.
UH, MY FIRST INVOLVEMENT WAS CHILDREN'S SPORTS.
JUST ANSWERING AN EMAIL, HEY, WE NEED A COACH.
IF NOT, WE HAVE TO, UM, TURN KIDS AWAY.
I WAITED TWO DAYS AND FINALLY SUBMITTED MY NAME AND WITHIN 30 MINUTES, CONGRATULATIONS.
UH, SO THAT WAS PROBABLY FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO, AND I'VE COACHED MY SON'S TEAM EVER SINCE THEN.
AND LAST COUPLE YEARS, UH, SAME THING.
ANOTHER EMAIL WENT OUT ABOUT THEY NEEDED SOMEBODY, SOME HELP ON THE, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR LEAGUE CITY LITTLE LEAGUE.
I ANSWERED THAT EMAIL AND SURE ENOUGH, ONCE, ONCE AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS, YOU'VE BEEN SELECTED.
UM, IN THAT ROLE, I AM THE, UH, SPONSORSHIP COORDINATOR AND JUST REACHING OUT TO ALL THESE SMALL BUSINESSES AND, UH, AROUND HERE TO HELP PROVIDE THE STUFF THAT KIDS NEED.
UM, AS FAR AS MY EMPLOYMENT, UH, I AM INVOLVED IN LOTS OF LARGE SCALE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, WHICH HAVE INCLUDED
[01:00:01]
TXDOT, UM, JUST CENTER POINT, UH, POWER POLES, AND EVEN IN HERE IN LAKE CITY.UH, THE UPGRADES FOR THAT AND JUST, UM, VERY DATA DRIVEN IN WHAT I DO.
UM, MY LEADERSHIP, UM, HAS BEEN IN NURSING.
I DID MY NURSE EXECUTIVE CERTIFICATION, WHICH IS ONE OF THE HARDEST ONES TO GET IN NURSING.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I USE THAT BEING IN NURSING ADMINISTRATION.
I FEEL LIKE I USE A LOT OF LEADERSHIP, ESPECIALLY DURING COVID AS WE ALL WERE FIGURING OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING, WHAT WAS GOING ON, PUTTING ALL THOSE HOURS OUT THERE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR PEOPLE I DID.
UM, IT'S ABOUT A HUNDRED PAGES OF RESEARCH WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, WITH THE, THE NURSES AND STRESS DURING, DURING COVID.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A PSYCHOLOGY BACKGROUND ALSO.
UM, AND WITH, UH, THE NURSING I'VE SERVED IN, YOU KNOW, LEAGUE CITY.
I'VE, I'VE DONE SUNDAY SCHOOL, TAUGHT THAT FOR ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS, OTHERWISE MY DAUGHTER WOULDN'T GO.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SO LIKE I SAID BEFORE, PTA CHAIR, UM, I, WITH MRS. DOOGIE, I WAS ON THAT WITH HER.
UM, I DID THE, YOU KNOW, BOOSTER CLUB, UM, NURSING WISE ALSO, I DID GET THE GOOD SAMARITAN IN NURSING EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR, UM, LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION TWO TIMES.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING I DON'T SIGN UP FOR.
YOU HAVE TO BE NOMINATED AND THEY, THEY CHOOSE PEOPLE FOR THAT.
SO, UM, I ALSO, YOU KNOW, RAISED, YOU KNOW, UM, QUITE A BIT OF MONEY AS, YOU KNOW, TEAM CAPTAIN WHEN I WAS DOING STUFF WITH THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION AND MARCH OF DIMES.
UM, ANOTHER WAY, YOU KNOW, BEING A CHANGE, CHANGE AGENT, GETTING STRUCTURE GOING AND, AND POLICIES IS, IS, YOU KNOW, VERY IMPORTANT AND PART OF LEADERSHIP.
AND AGAIN, LISTENING TO WHAT EVERYBODY HAS TO SAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, BEING DRAMA FREE AND ON A EVEN KELL AND MAKING, YOU KNOW, SMART CONSERVATIVE DECISIONS, ERIN.
UM, SO I FEEL THAT I, I BRING SOMETHING REAL TO CITY COUNCIL.
UM, I MEAN, NOT THAT THE PEOPLE HERE CURRENTLY AREN'T REAL, BUT JUST THAT I, I'M A WORKING MOM.
UM, JUST IN, I'M GONNA SAY IT JUST LIKE BEING A FEMALE AND HAVING THAT OTHER PERSPECTIVE.
I TOOK A STEP BACK ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO FROM BEING A GENERAL MANAGER.
I THOUGHT I WANTED TO STAY HOME.
SO I WENT BACK TO WORK, UM, TO BE ABLE TO, TO KEEP THOSE SKILLS AND MAINTAIN THOSE THINGS.
AND SO I HAVE ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS, LIKE I'VE SAID, THE MANAGEMENT SKILLS, BUT I ALSO HAVE A BLANK SLATE TO BE ABLE TO LEAD AND LISTEN AND SERVE AND DO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR.
UM, SO THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT I WOULD BRING JUST AN OPEN, AN OPENING EAR, UM, SOMEBODY WHO THE CITY CAN RELY ON AND LISTEN TO.
AND KIRSTEN, THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION WAS LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE IN LEAGUE CITY.
AND THEN THE SECOND PART WAS OUR QUALIFICATIONS.
WHAT'S BEEN YOUR LEVEL OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN LEAGUE CITY AND HOW HAVE YOU QUALIFIED? UM, SO, UH, THERE'S A FEW WAYS THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, FROM BEING A MEMBER OF THE PTA AND VOLUNTEERING TO BE, UM, MY, THE ROOM MOM FOR MY DAUGHTER'S CLASS.
UM, I TAUGHT IN LEAGUE CITY, UM, FOR SEVEN YEARS.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET TO KNOW, UM, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT TEACHING ANYMORE, I STILL SEE FORMER STUDENTS IN THE WILD SOMETIMES AND THEY REMEMBER ME.
UM, BUT AS A TEACHER, I, UH, WAS RESPONSIBLE.
I RECEIVED PROGRESSIVE LEVELS OF RESPONSIBILITY, UM, BECOMING A TEAM LEAD RESPONSIBLE FOR, UM, LEADING THE, THE CURRICULUM TEAM THAT I WORKED ON.
I ALSO, UH, DID EXTENSIVE VOLUNTEER WORK THAT I DID NOT NECESSARILY KEEP TRACK OF BECAUSE I ALSO SPONSORED OUR STUDENT, UM, GOVERNMENT.
AND SO IN SPONSORING THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT, THERE WAS A LOT OF ADDITIONAL, UM, VOLUNTEERISM IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I'VE SERVED AS THE SECRETARY OF THE HELEN HALL, UH, LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
UM, ALTHOUGH I AM NO LONGER ON THE BOARD AND I AM CURRENTLY, UM, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF MY HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, UM, I AM GENERALLY, UH, OR I GUESS YOU CAN SEE THE PROGRESSIVE RESPONSIBILITY IN BEING CHOSEN AND ELECTED TO, TO LEAD THESE SMALLER GROUPS OF PEOPLE.
UM, AND THEN IN TERMS OF MY QUALIFICATIONS, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, I WILL, UH, GRADUATE ON MAY 17TH WITH A 3.9 GPA.
UM, IN MY MASTER'S OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, I'VE BEEN GOING TO SCHOOL FULL-TIME WHILE WORKING FULL-TIME.
UM, BECAUSE I AM A LIFELONG LEARNER, I BELIEVE IN, UM, FINDING OUT MORE.
IF YOU WANT TO DO THINGS AND CONTRIBUTE, THEN YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DO IT WELL, AND IT'S WORTH
[01:05:01]
YOUR TIME, UM, TO LEARN TO DO THAT.UM, I AM A FACILITATOR OF PEOPLE IN MY CLASSROOM WITH ADULTS.
UM, I AM GOOD AT MOVING PEOPLE FROM ONE, UH, FROM WHERE THEY GET STUCK TO A COMMON SOLUTION.
UM, AND THEN I'M, I'VE ALSO BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING VULNERABLE GROUPS OF PEOPLE AND MAKING SURE THAT I'M BEING A STEWARD OF RESOURCES AND, UM, AND NOT LETTING ANYBODY SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS OR, UM, OR MISSING ANYBODY'S NEEDS.
UM, WHEN PROCESSES BETWEEN PEOPLE GET STUCK AT WORK, NOW THEY CALL ME THE END.
OKAY, SO WORKING WITH OTHERS IS ESSENTIAL IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
HOW DO YOU APPROACH RECONCILING CONFLICTS, WHETHER WITH COLLEAGUES BETWEEN COMPETING PRIORITIES OR IN MANAGING YOUR OWN TIME AND RESPONSIBILITIES? CHARLIE, I, UH, HIGHLY BELIEVE IN, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH EVERYONE IN GETTING ALONG THAT IS, UM, A VERY GOOD CHARACTER AND ANYBODY, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONCE AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THESE LARGE SCALE PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE THAT PERSON, YOU HAVE TO GET ALONG AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN CATER TO OTHER PEOPLE'S NEEDS TO MOVE STUFF ALONG.
UM, AND JUST BE OUT THERE WITH THEM EVERY DAY AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.
UM, AND THAT'S, UH, THAT'S VERY BIG TO ME.
UH, WITH, WITH CONFLICT, UH, RESOLUTION.
UH, WITH CONFLICT RESOLUTION, I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY, YOU KNOW, HAVING, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT I HAVE A PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE ALONG WITH MY NURSING, LOTS OF THINGS THAT, THAT PLAY INTO THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU NEVER KNOW THAT SAYING THAT YOU'VE HEARD, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT KIND OF A DAY A PERSON'S HAVING.
SO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO KIND OF, KIND OF LISTEN.
'CAUSE SOMETIMES PEOPLE AREN'T HAVING SO GREAT OF A DAY AND HAVE DIFFERENT REACTIONS.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT IF THERE IS ISSUES GOING ON, IT'S ALWAYS TO LISTEN TO PEOPLE, UM, AND HAVE THE, HAVE THE FACTS AND ALSO ASK THE WHY'S.
THAT'S HOW THINGS DO, PROGRESS PROGRESSES, ASKING THAT, THAT WHY, AND HOW CAN SOMETHING BE BETTER? AND GETTING OTHER VIEWPOINTS, BECAUSE NOT NECESSARILY IS MY VIEWPOINT GONNA BE THE BEST ONE, BUT GETTING, YOU KNOW, OTHERS AND THEIR THOUGHTS AND HAVING PEOPLE FEEL VALIDATED AND, AND HEARD.
AND THAT APPLIES IN CITY COUNCIL.
IT APPLIES AT HOME, IT APPLIES, YOU KNOW, AT WORK, FEELING VALIDATED AND LISTENED TO.
ERIN, WILL YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION FOR ME PLEASE? SURE.
HOW DO YOU APPROACH RECONCILING CONFLICTS, WHETHER WITH COLLEAGUES BETWEEN COMPETING PRIORITIES OR MANAGING YOUR OWN TIME? OKAY.
SO I HAVE TO MANAGE CONFLICT ALL THE TIME.
MY KIDS, I HAVE FOUR KIDS, LIKE I'VE SAID.
UM, ALL FOUR OF MY KIDS ARE IN SPORTS, AND THEY RANGE FROM AGE THREE TO 10.
SO I HAVE TO MANAGE CONFLICT IN MY EVERYDAY LIFE ALL THE TIME.
I WAS JUST JOKING WITH, WITH ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES ACTUALLY, YESTERDAY.
I WAS LIKE, I LITERALLY CHANGED MY SCHEDULE EVERY DAY.
LIKE I'M WHITING OUT MY CALENDAR.
UM, SO I, I NAVIGATE IT HEAD ON.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO OTHER WAY, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE TO NAVIGATE CONFLICT LIKE THAT.
UM, CONFLICT IN LIKE A WORKPLACE OR WITH PEOPLE, THERE'S ALWAYS A SOLUTION.
I ALWAYS SAY, UM, THERE'S A PROBLEM, THERE'S A SOLUTION, AND THERE'S THIS LITTLE INVISIBLE STRING.
UM, AND THERE THAT STRING IS, IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT GETS YOU TO THE SOLUTION.
SO IT'S JUST A WORK IN PROGRESS, FINDING OUT WHY DO WE HAVE THE PROBLEM? HOW CAN WE GET TO A SOLUTION? WHERE CAN WE MEET IN THE MIDDLE? SO, UM, I DEAL WITH THAT BY ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS, NAVIGATING THEM HEAD ON, AND THEN JUST PIVOTING AS NEEDED.
UM, SO IN RECONCILING CONFLICTS, I THINK, UH, THE VERY FIRST THING THAT HAS TO BE DONE IS BRINGING EMOTIONS DOWN.
UM, AND SO A LOT OF TIMES THAT STARTS AS ESTABLISHING WORKING AGREEMENTS AND, UM, AND PROFESSIONALISM OR STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONALISM.
UM, AND FROM THERE, FINDING A COMMON GOAL.
UH, AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FEEL THAT I'M SKILLED AT IS BEING ABLE TO LISTEN BEYOND, UM, THE SEMANTICS OR SOMETIMES THE EXCITEMENT OR EMOTION AND HEAR WHAT PEOPLE'S PRIORITIES AND NEEDS ARE.
UM, AND FINDING WAYS TO, UM, KIND OF TETRIS IT ALL TOGETHER, UM, BEING CALM, SURE OF, UM, OF THE PATH FORWARD AND RECOGNIZING THAT EVERYTHING, ALMOST EVERYTHING ALLOWS, UM, FOR YOU TO TAKE ENOUGH TIME TO DEESCALATE AND GET A FULL PICTURE OF THE SITUATION.
UM, SOMETIMES THERE ARE GOING TO BE CONFLICTS THAT CAN'T BE, UM, ARRIVED AT WITH JUST A MIDDLE SOLUTION.
AND SO I THINK THAT PART OF THAT ALSO HAS TO BE, UM, NOT BEING AFRAID TO MAKE, UM, DECISIONS THAT MAY MAKE PEOPLE UPSET WITH YOU.
UM, UH, SO THEN BETWEEN CONFLICTING
[01:10:01]
RESPONSIBILITIES, I THINK IT'S AN, UM, A MATTER OF PRIORITIZATION AND RECOGNIZING WHERE, UM, YOUR COMMITMENTS ARE AND WHERE YOU HAVE COMMITTED TO BE, AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU DO NOT, UM, OVERCOMMIT YOURSELF OR, UM, HAVE AN IMBALANCE OF, UH, NOT IMBALANCE, BUT MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T OVERCOMMIT YOURSELF IS WHERE I WANNA END THAT ONE.YEAH, IT'S A FEW LAYERS OF THIS.
UM, I, SOME, I HAVE SOME BUSINESS EXPERIENCE HERE.
UM, UH, I'VE BEEN DOING MY COMPANY FULL-TIME FOR 25 YEARS.
I THINK WE HAVE FIVE OR SIX PICTURES ON IT OF EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEEN THERE 20 YEARS.
UM, SO WE HAVE A HISTORY OF LEARNING TO WORK WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
UM, AND I THINK PART OF THAT IS JUST BEING REASONABLE AND LOGICAL AND, AND LISTENING TO PEOPLE AND LAYING OUT EXPECTATIONS.
AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA RESOLVE CONFLICT HERE AND THERE.
BUT, UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF COMES BACK TO PEOPLE SKILLS A LITTLE BIT.
HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU HANDLE PEOPLE? HOW DO YOU TALK TO PEOPLE? HOW DO YOU HAVE THAT DECORUM AND EVERYTHING? SO THAT'S ONE LEVEL.
AS FAR AS BEING REASONABLE, LOGICAL, I'LL GO TO THE, OUR EXPERIENCE ON THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD.
WE HANDLED THREE CASES ON THERE.
UM, POLITICALLY, THAT ROOM WAS AS DIVERSE AS IT COULD HAVE GOT.
UM, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO SET IT ASIDE, UH, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND WORK TOGETHER AND, AND USE LOGIC AND USE WHAT THE CODE SAID, WHAT THE LAW TOLD US TO DO, SET THAT ASIDE.
SO WHEN YOU GET THE RIGHT GROUP OF PEOPLE, YOU CAN, YOU CAN, YOU CAN RESOLVE CONFLICTS LIKE THAT.
UM, TIME MANAGEMENT, MAN, MY LIFE IS TIME MANAGEMENT RIGHT NOW, UH, BETWEEN WORKING AND KIDS AND, UH, THE BOARDS I'M ON, AND HEY, NOT, WHY NOT RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL? YOU KNOW, WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED TO DO? BUT, UM, TIME MANAGEMENT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, IT TAKES TIME TO LEARN THAT.
AND HOW DO YOU BALANCE THAT? UM, AND I THINK ALSO YOUR TIMING FOR DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS IMPORTANT.
UH, I, I, I WANTED TO RUN A LONG TIME AGO.
MY KIDS WERE REALLY YOUNG AND I HAD TOO MUCH GOING ON AND, AND WORK WAS BUSY.
AND I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? MAYBE WE PUT THIS OFF A LITTLE BIT, LEARN A LITTLE BIT.
UH, SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE ALL EVOLVED WITH A LITTLE BIT AS FAR AS TIME MANAGEMENT, BUT, UH, IT'S ALSO AN IMPORTANT SKILL.
BUT, BUT AGAIN, THERE'S, THERE'S LAYERS OF THIS QUESTION, I THINK, BUT, UH, I HOPE I COVERED A LITTLE BIT OF IT.
SO, ECONOMIC VITALITY AFFECTS QUALITY OF LIFE.
WHAT SPECIFIC POLICIES OR INITIATIVES WOULD YOU CHAMPION TO SUPPORT LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENCOURAGE SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN LEAGUE CITY? I'M GONNA START WITH LISA.
I THINK A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PERSON CAME UP WITH THAT QUESTION,
SO WHEN IT, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, IT'S SHOWCASING THEM.
THEY DO A GREAT JOB OF DOING THAT.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO ON, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ON, ON FACEBOOK AND SUCH, AND THEY WILL, THEY WILL HAVE IT.
HAVING EVENTS HELD AT DIFFERENT BUSINESSES AND DIFFERENT VENUES AND PLACES IS A GREAT WAY ALSO TO SHOWCASE THEM.
SO WHEN PEOPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, WE USED TO DO MEETINGS AND WE WOULD HAVE 'EM AT DIFFERENT, UM, YOU KNOW, RESTAURANTS AND SUCH.
AND, YOU KNOW, I CLEAR CREEK REPUBLICAN WOMEN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF US WERE THERE LAST WEEK, THAT WAS AT ONE OF OUR MEXICAN RESTAURANTS.
THERE'S SOMETHING AT SLATE WE'RE DOING NEXT, NEXT WEEK.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE CROSSINGS, IT IS JUST A GREAT WAY.
AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS HUGE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, VERY VITAL IN THAT, UM, SHOWCASING WHAT A SUSIE HAS AND BUSINESSES, AND, YOU KNOW, ALSO ENTICING OTHER ONES TO COME HERE.
SO I HOPE I ANSWERED THAT AND MADE, MADE PEGGY PROUD.
SO ERIN, UM, FOR THAT, THAT ECONOMIC GROWTH, I MEAN, BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL GROWTH ARE GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR A BALANCED AND THRIVING CITY.
I MEAN, WE'RE ON THE WAY THERE.
WE'VE BEEN DOING IT, WE'VE BEEN MAINTAINING IT, BUT HOW DO WE DO IT BETTER? AND HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO KEEP THE RESIDENTS HERE AS WELL AS WELCOME THE ONES TO COME? UM, COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IS KEY TO FINANCIAL RESILIENCE.
I MEAN, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, UM, I THINK SOMEONE HAD TOUCHED ON, ON WHAT THE SPLIT WAS, BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, IT MAKES SENSE TO ADD BUSINESSES TO KEEP THAT GOING AND NOT JUST HOMES.
SO THAT'LL KEEP US ACROSS THE BOARD, UM, AS FAR AS LIKE INFRASTRUCTURE AND GROWING AND VIABILITY AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
KRISTEN, THE FIRST PART OF THAT QUESTION WAS HOW TO ENCOURAGE SMALL BUSINESSES, AND WHAT WAS THE SECOND PART? SO WHAT SPECIFIC POLICIES OR INITIATIVES WOULD YOU CHAMPION TO SUPPORT LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENCOURAGE SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, I THINK, UM, IT'S KIND OF BEEN A THEME IN THE THINGS THAT I'VE SAID, BUT MAINTAINING TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION WITH, UM, WITH PEOPLE IN THE SMALL BUSINESS, UH, COMMUNITY.
UM, I'M ALSO CURIOUS, I'M, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE ANSWER TO THIS IS, BUT I'M INTERESTED TO KNOW WHETHER THE CITY HAS, UM, SPECIFIC GOALS FOR LOCAL BUSINESS USE, UM, IN THEIR EVERYDAY, UH, IN THEIR EVERYDAY BUSINESS.
I KNOW THAT, UM, I SPEND A LOT OF TIME, UM, PREPARING
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BIDS TO GO OUT FOR, UH, FOR LARGE PROJECTS FOR LIKE THE PORT OF HOUSTON.AND, UM, THEY HAVE, UH, SPECIFIC REQUESTS WITH THEIR PROPOSALS FOR PERCENTAGES, UM, THAT ARE ALLOTTED TO SMALL BUSINESS.
SO I WONDER IF THE CITY HAS, UM, PROGRAMS LIKE THAT.
AND, UM, SO KIND OF IN THAT SAME VEIN, SEEKING AND RESEARCHING GRANTS AND FUNDING THAT MIGHT BENEFIT THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES AS THEY DEVELOP.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME OF REALLY, UM, HIGH LEVEL, UM, UH, CODES.
AND SO THOSE CONSUM THOSE, UM, HIGH BARS CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES TO MEET.
AND SO FINDING WAYS, UM, FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH THEMSELVES SUCCESSFULLY WITHIN THE CITY AND SUPPORTING, UM, BOTH THE TYPE OF, UH, THE TYPE OF STRUCTURES AND AESTHETICS THAT WE WANT TO SEE, BUT, UM, MAKING IT, UH, MANAGEABLE AND REACHABLE FOR THEM.
OKAY, SCOTT? YEAH, WE CAN, UH, I, I THINK ALONG THOSE LINES A LITTLE BIT, I THINK WE CAN DEFINE, CLEARLY DEFINE THE, THE PROCESSES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES TO COME INTO THE CITY.
UM, I THINK, UH, SOMETIMES LEAGUE CITY DOES HAVE A REPUTATION OF BEING A LITTLE TOUGH TO WORK IN.
UM, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO WHERE A COMPANY CAN COME IN AND, AND, AND HAVE A CLEARLY LAID OUT, OKAY, HERE'S HOW YOU CHECK THESE BOXES AND YOU COME IN HERE.
UM, AS FAR AS ON THE WEST SIDE, AGAIN, UH, WE'RE LAYING OUT THE PLAN, THE MIXED USE THAT YOU'RE KIND OF BRINGING THE KIND OF BUSINESSES THAT, UH, THIS COMMUNITY IS GONNA SUSTAIN, WHICH IS GONNA ENCOURAGE THOSE BUSINESSES.
UM, WE ALSO DON'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR THE OTHER WAY AND START GIVING AWAY TOO MANY TAX, UH, TAX INCENTIVES TO COME IN.
AGAIN, I, I DON'T WANNA BEAT UP ON WEBSTER A LITTLE BIT, BUT MAN, GREAT WOLF WAS A MESS.
THEY, UM, THEY GAVE 'EM AROUND $65 MILLION TO BUILD GREAT WOLF.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA SEE A DIME FOR 30 YEARS.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF THAT GOING ON OVER THERE.
UH, SO WE NEED TO BE SMART IN HOW WE DO THIS AGAINST SET OUR IMPACT FEES.
SO DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS THE RIGHT WAY WITHOUT PUTTING THE BURDEN ON THE RESIDENTS.
AND CHARLIE, UM, SMALL BUSINESSES ARE NEAR AND DEAR TO ME WHAT I DO WITH, UH, LEAGUE CITY LITTLE LEAGUE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE COUNT ON THEM A LOT FOR, UH, TO SUPPORT OUR KIDS.
YOU KNOW, YOU DRIVE BY THE SPORTSPLEX, YOU DON'T SEE THESE BIG NAME CORPORATIONS OUT THERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO I AM TOTALLY FOR MORE SMALL BUSINESSES COMING INTO THIS TOWN AND, UM, OPENING UP SHOP, YOU KNOW, WE LIVE RIGHT BETWEEN HOUSTON AND GALVESTON, WHERE THEY'RE BUILDING NEWPORTS FOR THE, UH, ALL THESE CRUISE LINES AND FIGURE OUT, MAYBE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO FUNNEL 'EM THROUGH HERE TO SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, OUR SMALL BUSINESSES SO THEY CAN, UH, GROW.
UH, I HEAR ALL THE TIME THAT GALVESTON IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE WANNA, YOU KNOW, STAY THERE.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT A WAY TO ADVERTISE THAT SO THEY CAN STAY HERE TO HELP SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND HELP THAT GROWTH.
AND FINALLY, WHAT QUESTION DO YOU WISH I HAD ASKED TONIGHT? PLEASE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS ANY ADDITIONAL ISSUES YOU BELIEVE IS IMPORTANT FOR VOTERS TO CONSIDER.
AND WE'RE GONNA START WITH AARON.
UM,
UM, I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS MAYBE I MIGHT'VE MISSED IN MY QUESTIONS, SO I'LL SHARE THAT WITH Y'ALL.
UM, I, I DIDN'T REALLY TOUCH ON MY INVOLVEMENT.
I DID SAY MY KIDS ARE IN SPORTS.
UM, MY GIRLS DO LEAGUE CITY SPORTS.
I'VE HAD MY FAIR SHARE OF EMAILS WHERE I GET STUCK COACHING OR ASSISTANT COACHING AS WELL.
UM, I'M HEAVILY, I'M, I'M THE HEAD TEAM MOM FOR MY BOYS' FOOTBALL TEAM.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A HEAD TEAM MOM DOES, YOU FILL IN FOR ANY LEVEL THAT THE TEAM MOM CAN'T DO SOMETHING.
UM, SO I'VE ACTUALLY, UH, IT'S NOT A LEAGUE CITY TEAM, I'M SORRY, BUT WE, WE'VE BEEN WITH THE BAY AREA CARDINALS, UM, AND I'VE, I'VE HELPED BUILD UP THAT, THAT ORGANIZATION.
SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I'VE DONE, UM, FROM THE GROUND UP WITH, WITH THE PERSON WHO DOES RUN THAT PROGRAM.
UM, IT JUST, IT FIT AT THE TIME THE COWBOYS WERE FILLING UP, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THEM AND THE 49 ERS, THE 49 ERS ARE ALL FULL.
SO I HAD TO FIND SOMETHING FOR MY BOYS TO GO ON, AND WE'RE KIND OF JUST STUCK THERE.
BUT EVERYTHING ELSE WE DO DO HERE, UM, WE DO THROUGH THE LEAGUE CITY.
MY SON WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN DOING, UH, I DON'T KNOW, WHAT'S THE, THE NEXT STEP AFTER THE LEAGUE CITY BALL WHEN THEY LIKE AGE OUT OF THAT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT NEXT YEAR.
WE DIDN'T MAKE IT OFF THE WAIT LIST THIS YEAR, BUT, UM, WE'RE GETTING THERE UP IN THE, UP IN THE RANKS.
SO ESSENTIALLY JUST TO SHARE THAT I, I MAY NOT KNOW AT ALL.
UM, I MAY NOT HAVE ANSWERED ALL THE QUESTIONS THE WAY YOU GUYS WANTED ME TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ALL THE EXPERIENCE.
UM, I GRADUATED FROM CLEAR CREEK IN 2016, SO I'M STILL LEARNING.
BUT I DID FINISH MY SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE DEGREE JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO.
SO I'M GONNA DEVOTE THAT TIME TO THIS IF YOU GUYS FEEL THAT I AM THE BEST FIT CANDIDATE FOR THIS POSITION.
AND I THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR TIME.
SO THAT'S USUALLY MY LAST QUESTION.
UM, WHEN I CONDUCT INTERVIEWS OR WHEN I WOULD, UM, WHEN I WAS CONFERRING WITH STUDENTS ON A DAILY BASIS, UM, EVEN TODAY I WAS DOING SOME
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TRAINING OVER TEAMS. AND THE LAST, UM, THING THAT I ASKED, UM, WAS, WAS THAT.SO, UM, OF COURSE, I CAN'T THINK OF MY OWN EXACT QUESTION RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT I WANT TO SHARE.
UM, BUT I GUESS, UM, IF YOU ASKED ME, UM, WHAT PROJECT IS, UH, KIND OF MAKING ME FEEL A LITTLE BIT EXCITED RIGHT NOW, OR SOMETHING THAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE IS, UM, THERE'S AN OPERATION, SOME OPERATIONS BUILDING UPDATES THAT WERE, UH, GONNA BE MADE TO, UH, I THINK IT WAS AT THE, THE, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M NOT GONNA ONE OF THE WATER RECLAMATION FACILITIES.
UM, AND IN THAT BUILDING IS WHERE THE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES WOULD WEATHER STORMS LIKE HARVEY.
UM, AND THAT'S SORT OF THEIR HOME BASE WITH SHOWERS TO BE ABLE TO GO AND, UM, SERVE THE PUBLIC AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUFF IS STILL WORKING.
UM, BUT THAT WAS, UM, TAKEN OFF OF THE PLANS, UM, RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION.
UH, I THINK MAYBE AS A LITTLE BIT OF A MEASURE TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE WE WERE GETTING SOME COST SAVINGS, BUT WITH THE DIRECTION THAT CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS HAVE GONE, UM, NOW THINGS ARE GOING TO BE MORE EXPENSIVE ONCE WE DO FINALLY GET AROUND TO DOING THAT.
AND I THINK THAT THE, THE, UM, THE CURRENT BUILDING I THINK WAS RATED FOR LIKE A CAT TWO STORM, AND WHAT THEY WERE WANTING TO DO WAS, UM, UH, STRENGTHEN IT FOR A CAT FOUR.
AND SO THAT IS A PROJECT THAT, UM, I'D LIKE, I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE, UM, FIND A WAY ONTO THE, UH, THE PLANS FOR THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SAY, UH, COVERING SOME OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES YOU HEAR AROUND TOWN.
UH, HOW ARE YOU GONNA LOWER MY TAXES? UM, EVERYONE HERE, IT'S NO SECRET.
WE DEAL WITH RISING HOME VALUES FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT IN LAKE CITY.
UM, I WISH I COULD SELL MY HOUSE FOR WHAT THEY SAY IT'S WORTH.
UM, SO HOW DO YOU DO THAT? WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU, YOU AT, AT OUR COMPANY, WE'RE RELENTLESS IN SEARCHING FOR EFFICIENCIES.
AND AT THE OTHER, AND THE OTHER, THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT, WE'RE RELENTLESS IN LOOKING FOR WASTE AND WHERE'S WAYS WE CAN CUT YOU TAKE THAT, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT? UM, YOU CONSTRAIN THE GROWTH OF GOVERNMENT AND YOU CONTINUE TO FUND AT OR BELOW THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE.
THAT'S HOW YOU CAN HELP PEOPLE WITH THEIR TAXES.
SO THEY EFFECTIVELY DON'T LOSE ANY, ANY MORE MONEY.
YOU CAN HELP MITIGATE THAT PROBLEM WITH RISING VALUES.
HOW DO WE HANDLE TRAFFIC? UH, LET'S GAUGE CITIZEN IMPACT A LITTLE BETTER.
UM, IT'S A BIG ONE, YOU HEAR I THE MEET AND GREET LAST NIGHT, PROBABLY 90% OF IT WAS TRAFFIC.
DRAINAGE ISN'T A LAKE CITY ISSUE.
UH, LET'S TALK ABOUT DRAINAGE.
UH, THE WATER DOESN'T STOP AT THE BORDER OF DICKINSON OR FRIENDSWOOD IN LAKE CITY.
LET'S MAKE SURE OUR NEIGHBORS ARE DOING THEIR JOB.
HOW DO WE AS A GROWING CITY SAFETY IN OUR, IN OUR FIRE AND EMS SERVICES HAVE TO GROW WITH IT? HOW DO WE DO THAT? WE ATTRACT AND RETAIN THE BEST POLICE OFFICERS WE CAN.
WE CONTINUE TO BUILD OUT THOSE SERVICES ON THE WEST SIDE.
UH, WE MAINTAIN OUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, IT SAVES THE CITY AROUND $10 MILLION A YEAR, UH, TO GO FULLY PAID.
20, $30 MILLION, I THINK IN BAYTOWN IS CLOSE TO 30 MILLION.
UM, LET'S RETAIN THOSE SERVICES.
LET'S CONTINUE TO SAVE PEOPLE MONEY.
LET'S HELP LOWER PEOPLE'S TAXES.
LET'S BE RELENTLESS IN THOSE PURSUITS.
UM, I DON'T WANNA REITERATE WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS JUST SAID, BUT, UH, I JUST WANT TO, UH, LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT I AM A PERSON THAT'S OUT AND ABOUT ALL THE TIME AND VERY APPROACHABLE, UM, HERE IN LEAGUE CITY.
UM, I'M JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
SO, UM, WHAT'S SOMETHING I WISH YOU WOULD'VE ASKED? I THINK SOMETIMES WE FOCUS ON TOO MUCH.
WHAT IS WRONG? I WISH YOU WOULD'VE ASKED, HEY, WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK THAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT IN LAKE CITY? UM, 'CAUSE I THINK WE HAVE TO SWITCH THAT MINDSET.
'CAUSE WE HAD ENOUGH NEGATIVITY IN HEALTHCARE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
WE HAVE TO SWITCH THAT, THAT MINDSET.
WHAT ARE WE DOING, RIGHT? AND SO, YOU KNOW, I GIVE KUDOS TO THIS, THIS APP THAT DOES HAVE ALL THE EVENTS.
YOU CAN PAY YOUR, YOUR WATER BILL.
UM, I WILL ALL, ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE, WE DO HAVE, WE DO HAVE ACTUALLY GOOD ROADS.
'CAUSE IF YOU'VE GONE, YOU KNOW, TRAVELING AND YOU'VE GONE TO SAN ANTONIO ON SOME OF THE ROADS AND OTHER PLACES, WE'RE JUST LIKE, WOW, WE HAVE REALLY NICE ROADS.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE SOLAR ON MY HOUSE AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BEING KIND OF PROACTIVE WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, THE FLOODING.
THAT'S A HUGE THING, UM, THAT WE'VE DONE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY PROUD OF OUR, YOU KNOW, FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT,
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AND HOW WE ARE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BEST AND WHEN IT, WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.SO I WISH YOU WOULD'VE ASKED, WHAT ARE WE DOING WELL HERE IN LAKE CITY? BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO FOCUS ON THAT INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS WHAT IS WRONG AND BEING, BEING NEGATIVE.
SO IT'S MORE OF THINKING OF BEING PROACTIVE, NOT REACTIVE.
SO AS WE CONCLUDE THIS EVENING'S FORUM, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE APPRECIATION TO OUR CANDIDATES FOR THEIR THOUGHTFULNESS, PREPARATION, AND WILLINGNESS TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
RUNNING FOR OFFICE REQUIRES COURAGE AND COMMITMENT, AND EACH PERSON UP HERE DESERVES OUR RESPECT FOR STEPPING FORWARD.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THAT STEP.
THANK YOU TO YOU, THE RESIDENTS WHO ATTENDED TONIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR DEMONSTRATING YOUR INVESTMENT IN LEAGUE CITY'S FUTURE.
THE STRENGTH OF LOCAL DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON ENGAGED CITIZENS LIKE YOURSELVES.
THE CHALLENGES FACING OUR GROWING CITY REQUIRE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION AND BALANCED LEADERSHIP.
WHETHER IT'S MANAGING GROWTH, IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE, ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY, OR FOSTERING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, THE DECISIONS MADE BY OUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL WILL SHAPE LEAGUE CITY FOR GENERATIONS.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO REFLECT ON WHAT YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT.
SEEK ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WHERE NEEDED, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE.
EARLY VOTING BEGINS APRIL 22ND.
WE HAVE MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT FOR THIS PART.
UH, EARLY VOTING BEGINS APRIL 22ND AND ENDS APRIL 29TH WITH ELECTION DAY ON MAY 3RD.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS AND YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOICE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS IMPORTANCE.
CIVIC A CONVERSATION AND GOOD NIGHT.