FBISDWatch Site: According to the GSTC survey most responders had serious questions or were against the "Global Taj Mahal" project--click this link--

Is The McKeever Rd. Dispute Between The County & Arcola Over? See this chronicle piece...

Click the title link for the full piece on this long running dispute between AXH airport owner Jaime Griffith, the City of Arcola and Fort Bend County....

FBN UPDATE: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/05/26/38179

Memorial Day Tribute: Steve Miller Band!!!--just for classic fans (click here)--

Chronicle: Blue Ridge Landfill Gets Closer To Expanding!--click the title link for more--

Click the title link for this full story on how Missouri City council, our Fort Bend County Commissioners signed off on a contract deal (for tipping fees) to allow this expansion by this GFBCEDC corporate member in the areas of Missouri City, Arcola, Fresno, Sienna Plantation, Shadow Creek Ranch, etc...

5/26/09 CHRON UPDATE: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/fortbend/news/6440352.html

Fort Bend Independent Covers GSTC Controversy--click title link below for more--

Global center: Education or entertainment
By SESHADRI KUMAR, Fort Bend Independent

Fort Bend ISD’s proposed Global Science and Technology Center, moving at lighting speed, slowed down a little bit Monday night.

The board of trustees, instead of adopting a resolution to authorize the superintendent to proceed with the planning and programming of the Global Center for Science and Technology, postponed any action to a future meeting.

Apparently, the delay is to reach unanimity among board members in supporting the project and to respond to the concerns expressed by at least two trustees. . .(click the title link for more)

Vote On GSTC ("Taj Mahal") Project Gets Delayed--click this link for full FBW exclusive--

Chronicle Update: http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2009/05/to_applaud_or_n.html#c1339412

County Signs Off On Agreement With Arcola, But Will Jaime Griffith (the airport owner)--follow this link for more--

Get this update on the controversy surrounding McKeever Rd improvements and the possible airport expansion over numerous Missouri City and Arcola neighborhoods.....follow the link above!

Follow this title link for more on the negative impact the "privatization of government" movement is having on your home/investments/taxes--click--

This week Bill Davis, a Texas attorney, discusses state legislative efforts going on and being pushed by the CAI/ULI/TCREA lobbyist that may, once again, hurt individual homeowners...

FBI OP/ED: Missouri City has new priorities

Missouri City has new priorities
H. Moline

I wanted to congratulate our new Missouri City Council Member Robin Elackatt on running a very clean campaign focused on the issues of importance for District C and the rest of Missouri City.

Two of Elackatt’s top priorities during the campaign were to improve communication with his constituents and to enhance and focus Council resources on improving the business environment in Missouri City. These are two pivotal issues for the City and did much to help Elackatt win the election.

Too much of the Council’s resources are currently being spent on the Quail Valley Golf Course when, in fact, the new Golf Course as refurbished will do little to improve the City’s finances or future.

As of this time, a staggering sum of City money, almost $15 million has been spent on the Golf Course renovations.

Virtually none of the City’s recent Bond Issue has been spent on Park amenities, which were a major reason many residents voted for the Bond Issue.

I very much hope that Elackatt’s influence on the Council will help his co-members to get refocused on issues that matter to residents.

I look forward to the City Council having better communication with City residents. As indicated by a recent Chronicle article, the City Council has a General Fund surplus (Reserve Fund Balance) of about $8 million. Very few residents of Missouri City would wish that this Surplus be used to cover the operating losses of the Quail Valley Golf Course.

However, because it is the Reserve Fund, it can be used for whatever purposes that the Council desires. The Council should ask for input from voters as to how to best allocate these extra funds.

We have very critical and pressing priorities in Missouri City including business promotion, infrastructure and redevelopment needs, and public safety. Subsidizing the green fees of golfers at the local Golf Course should be a low priority.


MCC Comment: What ever happened to the planned city hospital in 2006 at Sienna Plantation?

Wallace, Jenney & Bhuchar Move Another Step Closer To Duplication of the HMNS-Sugar Land Museum On Our Dime--click the title link for the full piece--

See this update from FBN: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/05/11/37808

Full Election Results For FBISD, Missouri City & Arcola--follow the title link (Mayor Owen loses another city council seat to reform candidates)

EXTRA: Vendor candidates win in local school district races after strong showing, but another Missouri City council seat falls to reform candidates. In Arcola, Tom Hilton is returned for another term!

Also see: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/05/09/37759

And http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2009/05/10/fort_bend_sun/news/sws_-_mc_winners_59.txt

Chron: MHS Academy, In Missouri City, May Be Closed While Jenney Promotes Duplicate "Global Taj Mahal"--click the title link for more--

UPDATE: http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2009/05/global_center_d.html#c1325838

Don't forget to vote in your local school and city elections THIS SATURDAY!

Click the title link for more on some local races.

FBN: AXH Airport Expansion Project Impacting Many Missouri City, Arcola & Fresno Neighborhoods Could Influence The Arcola Elections! -Click the title-

YES THIS HOT BUTTON ISSUE IS STILL INFLUENCING ARCOLA CITY POLITICS AND MAY IMPACT SOUTH MC NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE SIENNA PLANTATION, ARCOLA HEIGHTS, SILVER RIDGE I & II, WATERBROOK WEST, WATERBROOK, PLANTATION OAKS, NEWPOINT ESTATES, COLONY LAKES and many others. Follow the title link for more.

FBN Release: State Rep. Roasts FBISD Admin Over Summer School Pay Issue

“Do we know that there’s a problem with this district’s cash flow, or is it an administrative problem?” asked committee Chairman Mark Srama, D-Austin." FBN

State Rep. Roasts FBISD Admin Over Summer School Pay Issue
May 4th, 2009 | by Bob Dunn, FortBendNow

Testimony over Fort Bend Independent School District’s apparent failure to pay summer school teachers on time has drawn heat from House committee members - one of whom suggested administrators’ pay be withheld.

Testifying on behalf of Texas House Bill 2119, which would require Texas school districts to comply with provisions of the state’s so-called payday law, bill author and Missouri City Democrat Dora Olivo told committee members the law is needed “so that our educators and district employees have options when the district does not take its obligations or its employees seriously.”

Teacher and Fort Bend Employee Federation member Rosie Williams told the House Technology, Economic Development & Workforce Committee last week that FBISD hasn’t been paying summer school employees on time.

For the past two years, the district’s pay schedule showed teachers and hourly employees such as bus drivers were to be paid once on June 30 and again on July 30. . .

Get the full piece at: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/05/04/37618

EARLY VOTING TURNOUT IS LOW SO FAR--GET TO THE POLLS!

See this early voting commentary from a local popular blog:

http://halfempth.blogspot.com/2009/05/halfway-through-fbisd-trustee-early.html

http://www.co.fort-bend.tx.us/upload/images/elections_administration/evpa.PDF -county results

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE TODAY (EARLY VOTING ENDS TUESDAY!)

EARLY VOTING SITES--

• Early voting at Garcia Middle School, 18550 Old Richmond Road in Sugar Land; Missouri City Community Center, 1522 Texas Parkway in Missouri City; and Hightower High School, 3333 Hurricane Lane in Missouri City will be:
8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through May 2; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. May 4-5.

• Early voting at First Colony Conference Center, 3232 Austin Parkway in Sugar Land, will be:
10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through May 1; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. May 2; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. May 4-5.

• Early voting at Lost Creek Park, 3707 Lost Creek Blvd.; and Sugar Land City Hall, 2700 Town Center Blvd. N. will be:
10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through May 2; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. May4-5.

• Early voting at Fort Bend Independent School District Administration Building, 16431 Lexington Blvd., Sugar Land; Meadows Place City Hall, One Troyan Drive in Meadows Place; Willowridge High School, 16301 Chimney Rock in Houston; and Sugar Land Branch Library, 550 Eldridge in Sugar Land, will be:
8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through May 1; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. May 4-5.

GET UPDATES here!

http://www.carloscain.com/

http://www.brucealbright.com/

http://griffinforcouncil.blogspot.com/

http://robinelackatt.com/