Some Reform Candidates Win While Some Go Down In Defeat: See Election Day Results
Voters Oust Mayors In Arcola, Fulshear; Owen Wins Again In Mo. City
by Bob Dunn, May 13, 08:02 pm
Voters ousted incumbent mayors in Fulshear and Arcola, and held on to a mayor in Kendleton who was tossed out of office recently by city council members and then reinstated by a judge.
In Arcola, former City Councilman Tom Tuffly has become mayor, replacing Alvin Gipson, who drew fire from city residents several times over the past year for his handling of development issues surrounding Houston Southwest Airport.
Fulshear Mayor J. Michael Dinges also lost his position, to James W. Roberts, himself a former mayor.
J. Carolyn Jones won re-election easily over challenger Ruby Smith, 73 votes to 28. Jones was reinstated to office on Wednesday after City Council voted to remove her, accusing her of malfeasance in office. Assistant Fort Bend District Judge Pedro Ruiz reversed that decision, indicating Jones didn’t receive fair due process.
In Missouri City, Mayor Allen Owen turned aside a challenger by insurance executive Greyling Poats, by more than a two to one margin. . . (click the title link above for more from this FBNow.com story)
posted by responsible_dvlpmnt at Saturday, May 13, 2006
29 Comments:
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Local online newspaper is graced with (we believe) Bev Carter post (it took her long enough to acknowledge the media world is changing):
1 voterwise - May 13, 03:12 pm
“In addition to the search for a new superintendent, the newly constituted board will find itself dealing with growth issues, as Fort Bend remains one of the country’s fastest-growing counties.
A rezoning of school boundaries is under way, in an effort to even the population among existing schools and to appropriately locate new schools as new population centers develop.”
Bob,
You couldn’t have incapsulated the issues facing this area better! Thanks for keeping an open forum and hopefully soon the SOS website will be back up and providing another voice in the local district’s politics. It isn’t healthy for any community to have one communications source.
Keep it up!
2 Lynn McGuire - May 13, 03:48 pm
FBISD has been nothing but growth issues since I graduated from Dulles in 1978. As I mentioned elsewhere, can we split FBISD into smaller districts ? It is time to do something different. Isn’t FBISD approaching a billion $ budget ? This organization is too big to run effectively anymore.
3 Bev Carter - May 13, 09:33 pm
Dear Voterwise,
“It isn’t healthy for any community to have one communications source.”
Which is the “one communications source?”
Bev Carter
More from FBNow.com:
4 Voterwise - May 13, 10:44 pm
Welcome to the forum Bev (assuming this is you, of course) and good luck with future discussions here. You are not one of the communication forums I read or advocate, but tell your friends I said hello and keep buying/selling those ads!
Keep posting here too. Maybe it will give you ideas for your own paper (like not keeping peoples OP/ED pieces out when it suits you or publishing correct headlines!)
Congratulations to Tom Tuffly & James DeVoge in Arcola! Keep an eye on things neighbors.
We're proud of all of you that got out and ran against the special interest crowd. Keep the faith and prepare for the next round of these attempts to take back local control. Each one is a new opportunity!
Looks like the watchdogs in Katy won a seat on the KISD board too!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Let's get those signs cleaned up. All you people that spent time pulling them during the election can get out now and do it for community service! . . . ;-)
Congratulations to Fort Bend ISD! Looks like the people here have good sense after all!
I understand that Smelley beat Mitton in all but 2 boxes--Sugar Creek and one in New Territory. Guess that says much about the number of people who buy the spin here.
You are correct it is hard to beat the developer controlled spin and we don't expect too. Just to be an alternative source to it in our community.
Also you and your clique may want to note that Mitton got 2400+ votes which is more than 4 of the current seated board members and of course you over-look, as usual, the 11,000+ who didn't vote for your people (which I believe is more than the 10,000 who did). Your people must win them over before the next election and district elections are all to frequent.
See these other reform victories that were reported too by another alternative communications source in our county:
http://www.fortbendnow.com/elections/1152/municipal-election-chart
Please explain how with 11,778 total ballots cast in FBISD your math skills allow you to make the claim that 11,000 people voted against Smelley and Bhuchar? He got 6086 of 11778 votes and she got 4424 of 11778 votes. This was a slam dunk for Smelley and Bhuchar and a STRONG rejection of everything Team Rickert has done over the last year. Any other interpretation is either spin, irrationality or ignorance.
Why don't you look at the results and try rephrasing your deliberate miscommunication above. These are from FBNow.com:
Pos. 2
Hal Jay 3,277
James Walker 1,524
Steve Dieu 1,883
Sonal Bhuchar 4,424
Pos. 6
Rodrigo Carreon 520
Wayne Howard 1,707
Steve Smelley 6,086
Liz Mitton 2,484
You can't even spin well. . . how sad.
As you can see in Pos. 2 over 6600 (6684) did not vote for Sonal (a majority) and in Pos. 6 over 4600 (4691) did not vote for Smelley. It is not incorrect to claim that those two candidates who ran joint ads and supported each other had over 11,000 cumulative opposition votes.
Better check your Math skills and try some remediation as well as spin mgmt courses. You also seem to miss the point entirely of bringing all the disenfranchised into the process of reforming this district.--But hey, that's your own arrogance/choice!
. . . =-) (very big smile)
Internetimposter,
schoolwise did not claim that there were 11,000 votes cast not for Smelley and Bhuchar. He/she claimed that 11,000 voters did not choose Smelley or Bhuchar. That is a very difficult feat when the total number of voters is 11,778.
You new spin math allows you to count each vote not for Smelley or Bhuchar twice and each vote for either of them only once. Only the kool aid crowd here will buy that.
I guess someone needs to look up what cumulative means. Additionally, your attempting to reframe the discourse again and deliberately ignore the central point of that argument --not unexpected (even predictable, poor debating technique though).
Try to distort this one. Only 5.98% voted in the county election leaving approx. 247, 404 out of the race. The 4-6% turn-out is within the normal range and not considered high voter turn-out (by some countries standards of democracy very low). Or this one, about 56% did not vote for one of your candidates and 44% did not vote for your other one (pretty large block of voters). Is that more elementary for you?--Oh, btw do you enjoy all the puns (or did you miss those too?). . .
Keep spinning and keep those voters home right spec. interest? Again, no one is going anywhere and the "cliques" data will be refuted as soon as its reported. Keep trying!
Nice try in SPMUD2, but they were watching you guys (it gave some a great laugh here). Keep trying and we will keep reporting it!
News flash! Mitton and Dieu lost. Smelley and Bhuchar won. The race was not close by any standard. Spin all you want, but it will not change the fact that your candidates and your positions were defeated in FBISD.
56% & 44% won't suddenly disappear and this is a good base, as you know, to work from. The race would have been much closer if the reform candidates had not been split and the official party apparatus had not gotten involved with the big money backers/players. All to obvious.
PS--I had people calling/e-mailing me asking at the last minute who to vote for. Looks like many decided to get involved at the last minute. Not a good sign in any race. The electorate needs to know who finances your candidates and their voting records before making a choice (group-think isn't a good determinate).
But other reform candidates around the county won! Congrats guys/gals! . . .;-)
Nice try in SPMUD2, but they were watching you guys (it gave some a great laugh here). Keep trying and we will keep reporting it!
News flash! Mitton and Dieu lost. Smelley and Bhuchar won. The race was not close by any standard. Spin all you want, but it will not change the fact that your candidates and your positions were defeated in FBISD.
Anonymous said...
But other reform candidates around the county won! Congrats guys/gals! . . .;-)
7:40 AM
Anonymous said...
Nice try in SPMUD2, but they were watching you guys (it gave some a great laugh here). Keep trying and we will keep reporting it!
7:53 AM . . . ;-)
http://dvd.blogs.sapo.pt/arquivo/last%20samurai.jpg
http://www.desktopexchange.com/gallery/albums/Movie-Wallpapers/The_Last_Samurai_4_1280.sized.jpg
http://www.reelingreviews.com/thelastsamuraipic.jpg
http://movie.sanook.com/story_picture/b/09352_008.jpg
What metaphor!
. . . ;-I
More FBNow.com comments:
1 Tom Hilton - May 14, 07:50 pm
Congratulations to Arcola’s new Mayor Tom Tuffly.
FINALLY, a man of integrity takes the helm. There’s alot of cleaning up to do in City Hall, but I predict that 2 years from now, people will see this as a historic turning point for Arcola…one for the better.
Kudos Tom!
All the best,
Tom Hilton
2 Chris Calvin, Ph.D. - May 15, 04:46 am
Tom Hilton,
I just wanted to say we are proud of you too and all those that worked to change that city council. You have been an example for the rest of us and provide hope for the area.
Keep up the good work and congratulations to Mr. Tuffly & DeVoge!
Liz,
Please excuse my typo. I did mean to indicate 5-2 but got on the wrong key.
“Intheknow”, if you are indeed not Liz Mitton, please simply state so. You try to cleverly indicate that we are wrong, but you have refused repeated requests to unequivocally deny it. Just type the words “I, intheknow, am not Liz Mitton” if that is the case. Don’t try to play the readers but also, please don’t lie to us.
Strange as it sounds, Rickert’s agenda appears to be to elevate herself as some sort of savior for the district. She appears to have come to office with an overwhelming desire to get rid of Dr. Baitland and then place herself in the position of functional leader of the district. She has accomplished that, however, I believe she has learned that she does not have the skills or knowledge necessary to operate the 7th largest district in the state and thus we find ourselves in one heck of a mess. I guess her computer classes in Louisiana didn’t prepare her for the tasks she has tried to do.
You state,” From what I’ve observed, her agenda seems to be exactly what she has been trying to do—bring more fiscal responsibility and accountability to the district.” All I can say is that if spending almost $42,000 over 3 months on outside legal advice, canceling meetings in midstream without doing the district’s business, acting in such a way that a district patron files a lawsuit against the BOT alleging wrongful termination of a minority owned business’ contract, failing to begin the process to find a new superintendent, failing to control abusive and rude behavior by fellow trustees during meetings, and limiting the public’s ability to address their elected officials represent “fiscal responsibility and accountability” then I believe that the voters were very wise to reject your candidacy.
I assume by your tone that when you state, “I believe Rickert and Caldwell will be more than willing to work with any board member who is professional and has the best interests of the district at heart in terms of moving it forward—not backwards,” that you really mean that if Bhuchar and Smelley do what Rickert and Caldwell want, all will be well. If, however, they seek to reverse the destructive course charted by Rickert over the last year, that you expect Mrs. Rickert will continue fighting and attempting to get her way at any cost. I do hope that is not what you meant.
My guess is that at least one of the former members of the “gang of 4” is intelligent enough to recognize the true message sent by the voters on Saturday—stop what you have been doing and behave professionally. If so, and your friend Rickert insists on staying on her ridiculous and disastrous course, then do look for many 4-3, 5-2 or 6-1 votes that do not go the way Rickert prefers. Voters can be very forgiving if people listen to them. If officials ignore the message and seem to thumb their nose at the will of the electorate, then voters can be brutal when the next election rolls around. IMHO those who used to refer to themselves as the “new guard” hold their fate in their own hands. I hope that they will act wisely and in the best interest of FBISD students, employees and taxpayers. That is what Saturday’s election was all about.
55 Deepak Bhatt - May 16, 02:06 am
Congratulation to all candidates to throw their hats for non-paid positions and best won. Sonal Bhuchar and Steve Smelley will give a healing touch and unite the board and remove politics from education where it has no place to begin with. We want doers who care for quality education and betterment of our new generation. Many times I felt that the Board was behaving like non-disciplined kids even though they were grown-up persons. People care for who does a good job and this is a good warning for all that they forget their personal agendas and take responsibility for what they are elected for. Otherwise, they will also be kicked out as soon as possible. I am sure that they will also remember that they are responsible fiscally in using public money and make sure that each penny is used wisely and optimally.
I am still wondering that how come we are getting poor performance school rating when an apple is compared with an apple (i.e. using the same criteria for all to remove any bias). In 2005 School Survey, out of 131 Honor Roll schools in Texas, there is not a SINGLE Honor Roll school in FBISD. How can we justify that FBISD is doing great? Where are we falling behind when test scores are getting higher? Are we spending enough money or are we spending money wisely? Comparative data helps in grading our own performance. Let us not get carried away by our own habit of self-glorification.
I hope the new Board, made of old and new trustees, learn how to get along putting their personal differences and agendas aside and do their work for which they are trusted. Thanks.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
More FBNow.com comments:
1 Tom Hilton - May 14, 07:50 pm
Congratulations to Arcola’s new Mayor Tom Tuffly.
FINALLY, a man of integrity takes the helm. There’s alot of cleaning up to do in City Hall, but I predict that 2 years from now, people will see this as a historic turning point for Arcola…one for the better.
Kudos Tom!
All the best,
Tom Hilton
2 Chris Calvin, Ph.D. - May 15, 04:46 am
Tom Hilton,
I just wanted to say we are proud of you too and all those that worked to change that city council. You have been an example for the rest of us and provide hope for the area.
Keep up the good work and congratulations to Mr. Tuffly & DeVoge!
more:
58 mark dremely - May 16, 07:35 am
Hopefully we can get a new superintendent soon, one that is concerned about more important issues than dress code and capri pants like our current regime is.
59 JRK - May 16, 09:16 am
THank you Mark Dremely. I had to go to school with shaving cream & razor, after my son stayed up late doing homework and studying, in order to send my son back to class (in lieu of In School Suspension) to be offered a drug deal ( in class) or duck when a classmate pulls out a pellet gun or give up his seat to a pregnant classmate or withstand a substitue when his favorite teacher is terminated for being falsely accused of flirting with a student (who still walks proudly through school halls – and her Mom probably never got called up to school). So, school board and Principal Linda, do not judge our district by Elementary schools alone. First, bring in a good superintendent, then give these high schools back their properly designed (for the various needs and types) classes, so more of our kids can graduate at least as smart as they were when they completed elementary school. And, BTW collegestudent, I’m still waiting for the genesis (info) of this two-tier curriculum (in HS) thing, so we can properly (continue) fight(ing) it. Because I am for any board and any administrator who is truly for educating these kids, not just creating a facade of achievement (or wearing blinders or calling concerned parents “irresponsible” or “spin”sters – like Linda and Susan have said).
60 schoolwise (55) - May 16, 09:25 am
Susan,
You continue to blame the current board for all past (long term problems). As you know, many voted for a repeat candidate that brings his own baggage to the BOT. His running mate does not and perhaps will be the one that helps form a new direction.
Of course, when the official party machine got involved in this election with their special interest backers did you all really expect any other outcome? The reformers do not have the deep pockets of the Houston corporations and thus can’t continue your relentless spin, but you are moving so we will keep an eye out for your replacement.
Don’t talk about keeping politics out of the schools when you all did your best to get involved. We will continue to work to change the party machinery through the vote and educating those that didn’t even know Mr. Smelley is not a new board member, but a party regular repackaged.
He has a chance to improve things and leave his baggage behind and form a new BOT that can move away from the image only “old guard” BOT of the past. My question to you and the party/machine is will you let him?
Remember, it is more important now than ever with the stressors the system is undergoing. moving from 14th to 9th and now to 7th in the state may be good for business, but certainly not for children. Maybe they should consider breaking up the district. . .
61 Sienna Resident - May 16, 09:55 am
I am not aligned with any candidate or board member. Don’t know any of them. In fact, I don’t think I know anyone personally who posts here. I am a parent and just call things as I see them. Don’t forget that elections can be won and lost on PERCEPTIONS. Here are mine – 1) Dr. Baitland was mediocre at best. I decided that after the request for new skylights in the administration building was added to the past bond election (I think the one that failed). Plus, scores ain’t what they used to be. 2) The current board is not helping. Why did I have to pay taxes to cover salary for a super that isn’t here? She wasn’t so bad that we should go without for so long. It’s like a mini-version of the Tom DeLay issue. No one to serve us! 3) Board members – learn your policies and procedures in regards to running meetings. I went to three this past year and was not thrilled with the lack of organization (again, this is my perception). If you have a manual or policy book, how about reading it? Just know that there are more regular folks like me starting to read the papers and news sites like this. We are learning more and some of us are starting to vote more. Most of us are able to understand that the truth lies somewhere in the middle of the two extremes that tend to argue.
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