FB Sun: New Sienna High School Gets Zoning Preferences!--click the title link for more--

Get the actual and functional capacity numbers in this FB Sun release on the zoning proposal the board and administration are pushing prior to public hearings.....http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2009/10/31/fort_bend_sun/news/sws_-_fbisd_zoning_1027.txt

Visit "Texans For HOA Reform"--click this title link for more....

Also see these related sites:

http://pages.prodigy.net/hoadata/ -- A growing problem locally...


http://www.ahrc.com/new/index.php/src/news -- And nationally...

http://thetupcareview.com/ ...and more...

Gary Opposes Tax Rate Increase And Draws Heavy Criticism--click the title link for more--

Chron update 10-22: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2009/10/parkway’s-sidewalks-drainage-be-upgraded#comment-183

MoCity’s Lenton-Gary Defends Vote Against Tax Increase
October 20th, 2009 | by Jamie Mock | Published in News | 5 Comments

An update on the Texas Parkway Corridor project led to a not-so-friendly exchange between Missouri City Councilman Jerry Wyatt, At-large Position 1, and Councilwoman Cynthia Lenton-Gary, District B, at Monday night’s council meeting.

City council voted earlier this month to approve the effective tax rate of $0.5284 – the rate the city has to levy to generate the same amount of money as the previous year – which was about a penny higher than last year’s rate due to decreased property values. Lenton-Gary was the lone nay vote on the rate, with Councilman Robin Elackatt absent....

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/10/20/41553

FBN: Reasons For Lost Sienna-Missouri City Hospital Finally Reported Through The Media--click on the title link for more--

Chron: Damaged campus fire alarm system replaced at LOMS

Damaged campus fire alarm system replaced
October 19, 2009 1:04 pm Zen T.C. Zheng wrote:

Criticism from the community was quick when Lake Olympia Middle School’s [Missouri City, TX] fire alarm was out on Oct. 2.

I got a couple of e-mails alerting me to the problem, counting the days that the campus had gone without a functioning alarm and accusing the Fort Bend school district of neglect.

I was told that the Missouri City fire marshal had to place the campus on fire watch. One sender charged school officials of having “not done due diligence and cannot guarantee our children's safety...."

...Here is the good news: the new alarm system was installed last week, Porter said.

http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2009/10/damaged-campus-fire-alarm-system-replaced#comment-156

Olivo Seeks Re-election To District 27 Seat--click the title link for more--

This was sent to the MCC site and we are posting it here. Ms Olivo has opposed the expansion of the Blue Ridge Landfill and the tolling of our public roads for private foreign companies as well as supports and works for school improvement at the legislative level. She is also working for the property rights of individual homeowners being eroded by special interest. Get more below:

St. Representative Dora Olivo
Endorsed by Houston Area Legislators

State Representative Dora Olivo of Rosenberg has received the endorsement of many Houston area legislators as she seeks re-election in 2010.

Olivo, a Democrat representing part of Fort Bend County, will be running for her eighth term in the Texas House of Representatives next year.

“I am humbled by the support of so many of my colleagues in the Houston area,” said Olivo. “I look forward to returning to the House and working with them on many issues that protect the interests of our families and communities, including education and mental health.”

Endorsing Olivo for re-election are State Senator Mario Gallegos and State Representatives
Alma A. Allen, Carol Alvarado, Ellen Cohen, Garnet F. Coleman, Harold V. Dutton, Jr., Jessica Farrar, Ana E. Hernandez, Scott Hochberg, Kristi Thibaut, Senfronia Thompson, Sylvester Turner,
Hubert Vo and Armando Walle.

Olivo serves on the Public Education and Border and Intergovernmental Affairs Committees in the House.

Campaign site: http://www.doraolivo.com/

FBW: Problem With Lake Olympia Fire Protection System Continues--according to our sources--

According to this linked release from FBISDWatch, Lake Olympia Middle School, in Missouri City, is still under a fire-watch ordered by the fire marshall. It has been over two weeks since the system went down. Click the title link for the full story and e-mail quotes from concerned residence of the LOMS....

Richard Raymond Announces Run For Fort Bend County District Attorneys Office!

FBN: Raymond Announces Run For Fort Bend County District Attorney

Raymond Announces Run For Fort Bend County District Attorney
October 15th, 2009 | by FortBendNow Staff

Republican Richard Raymond has officially announced his candidacy for the Fort Bend County District Attorney Republican primary on March 2. He will most likely face long-time District Attorney John Healy, although Healey has made no formal announcement that he will run again.

Raymond is a practicing attorney and partner at Cohen & Raymond, L.C., as well as the president of Gulf Scientific, Inc. Raymond serves on the board of directors for Access Chemicals & Services LLC. Raymond is a past CEO of Pritech Technologies, Inc., and a past director of Petrochem Consulting SA de CV. Raymond has also worked as a tax research analyst at Deloitte & Touche.

“As your next District Attorney, I pledge to make Fort Bend County a better place for families to live, work and raise children,” said Raymond. “As DA, you can be assured that Fort Bend County will not be a friendly place for drug dealers and career criminals. I believe in seeking strong sentences for criminals, and will make sure individuals wanting to do harm to our county’s children and senior citizens will be punished for their actions to the fullest extent of the law.”

He has been a Fort Bend County resident for almost 30 years.

Source: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/10/15/41442#comment-5156

"Weinmann said Raymond believes he can clean up the image of Healey's office that in recent years has been tarnished by public criticism of his office's handling of several cases as reported by the press.

"Mr. Raymond wants to provide better service to taxpayers and further his commitment to justice," Weinmann said." Chronicle

http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2009/10/missouri-city-lawyer-eyes-das-job

FB Sun: Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen & City Manager Pushing For Another Tax Rate Increase (Gets Approval)!

Hiring freeze considered during budget crisis.....Click the above title link for more...

FB Star piece: http://www.fortbendstar.com/101409/n_missouricityapproveshigherrate.htm

MCC note: Currently Missouri City has a lower bond rating than Sugar Land which means it costs the city more to borrow and create additional debt, which has a major impact on their current budget decisions regarding taxes.

Visit MyFortBend.Net (Formerly fortbendweb.com) For The Latest In County News & Blogs--click this title link for more--

FBN: Christus Hospital In Mo-City Is No More?--click the title link--

MCC comment:
In 2006-07 this story was first leaked to the media. At that time the development company involved attempted to unsuccessfully place a gag order on this blogsite via judge Ruiz of the FBC district courts (under supervising judge Thomas Culver) when it released the exclusive. See the follow up story by clicking the title link above...


UPDATE 10-8-09: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/10/08/41181

"Missouri City has been without a hospital since 2006, when Herman Memorial left the property on Hwy. 6 that is now home to a Lowe’s home improvement store. Soon after, city representatives were talking about an imminent groundbreaking at Sienna Plantation for a Christus Hospital system facility...

Sienna even has a street named “Sienna Christus Drive” that runs through the property once expected to become a hospital. The land, however, is now for sale, and Missouri City representatives say the hospital has no plans to build." FortBendNow

FBN: Conflicting Explanations As To Reasons For The Budget Crunch Emerging From MC Leadership!--click the title link for more--

Click the title link for more on MC tax increase....

More at: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/10/05/41016

FB Star Reports: Police Chief Resigns!

FBISD police chief plans to retire
Watchdog group called for investigation

Houston Chron Update 10-6: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2009/10/why-fort-bend-isd-police-chief-leaving

By Cheryl Skinner

Fort Bend Independent School District Police Chief J. L. Campbell announced last week he will retire from that position at the end of this year. In the meantime, a watchdog group is still calling for an investigation into allegations made by some of the members of the school police force on alleged mismanagement on the part of Campbell....

Full article: http://www.fortbendstar.com/093009/n_FBISD%20police%20chief%20plans%20to%20retire.htm

Other:

http://www.fortbendstar.com/093009/n_Instructional%20day%20added%20to%20calendar%20at%20expense%20of%20Fort%20Bend%20County%20Fair%20Day.htm

FBISD VOTES TO RAISE TAXES AGAIN!

Tax rate goes up in Fort Bend ISD
Trustees approve increase Sept. 28
By ZEN T.C. ZHENG HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Sept. 29, 2009, 8:57PM

Fort Bend school officials said the district's 3½-cent property tax hike for next year will not fund anything other than what voters endorsed nearly two years ago.

The school board approved on Sept. 28 a new tax rate of $1.305 per $100 assessed value. Last year, the district's tax rate rose by 2 cents from $1.25 in 2007. . .

During recent school board workshops and the Sept. 28 meeting in which trustees approved the tax-rate increase, officials tried to dispel speculation from critics that the district sought the higher tax rate to fund projects they described as wasteful, including a controversial “Global Center for Science and Technology.”

Get the full story at: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/fortbend/news/6643858.html

http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2009/09/fort-bend-isd-raises-property-tax-rate#comment-79