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.

Reiter Beats Hasty Exit Off Council Leaving District A Open To Challengers!

Reiter Decides To Vacate District A Position After Very Narrow Win In 2007!

MCC Exclusive:

Incumbent council member Eunice Reiter of district A made it official tonight and has decided not to seek re-election. After narrowly defeating her opponent in 2007 by just 3 votes, Rodney Griffin, she was reported to have said enough is enough.

The district A council woman was involved in several highly controversial votes over the last 3 years including supporting more apartments in the city and higher taxes on several occasions.

She took a great deal of criticism from the community during her 2007 run for accepting campaign contributions from Houston development companies and then voting on their projects when they came before council. Some credit her comments during 2005 & 2006 sessions and voting approval of up to 2700 apartments in the ETJ community of Sienna Plantation along with ex-council members Don Smith, Bob Burton and current mayor Allen Owen along with Buddy Jimerson as leading to one of her first challenges for her seat in the many years she sat on city council.

MCC endorsed her opponent in 2007 and wishes her well in retirement. The district A seat currently has two challengers with rumors of a third waiting in the wings. Filing closes soon for council and school board positions.

GO VOTE SATURDAY MAY 10TH FOR MUNICIPAL AND SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES AT YOUR LOCAL POLLING STATION!

Note: MCC/CRD (this site) has endorsed Pinnock, Poats and Tunstall in the Missouri City council races for their ethical stance on city function and other issues!

FB Chronicle: Missouri City Officials Admit Errors Involved In TPIA/TOMA Complaint Filed With Attorney Generals Office

Complaint filed over access to information in Missouri City
Official: timing of press release an error, no law was violated
By ZEN T. C. ZHENG
Houston Chronicle

Chris Calvin, a critic of the Missouri City municipal government and a Pecan Grove resident, has filed a complaint with Attorney General Greg Abbott's office requesting an investigation into possible violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act and the Texas Public Information Act by city officials.

The complaint filed on April 21 stemmed from a city press release dated March 4 that was handed out at the March 3 city council meeting. The pre-written release announced council's approval of the purchase of the Quail Valley Country Club before such action was taken at the March 3 meeting.

While the city's media relations specialist Elsa Maxey later retracted the release, saying it was an innocent error, Calvin said he smelled something "fishy."

"We found this odd considering the meeting hadn't taken place yet. Following this session, where they voted after the announcement, several of those in attendance decided we needed to dig a little further to attempt to ascertain if a meeting in violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act had taken place prior to the council session and official vote," Calvin wrote in his letter to the attorney general.

Calvin said supporters for the investigation also include Kevin Tunstall, candidate for the At-large Position 2 council seat.

Both Calvin and Tunstall have accused city officials, including Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen and most members of the city council, of allowing "special-interest groups" such as developers to influence city decisions. City officials have denied such allegations.

In explaining the premature release of the city council's decision on the purchase of the country club, Maxey offered an apology . . .

. . . Two weeks later, Calvin filed a request with City Secretary Patrice Fogarty for all documents pertaining to city-funded studies since 2005, including information on vendors involved in bidding, companies awarded contracts and the award amount as well as any action taken by the city administration on those matters.

Calvin also asked for text messages sent and received by city council members on their Blackberries that Calvin said are paid for by taxpayers.

Numerous e-mail exchanges have subsequently occurred between Calvin and Fogarty. While Calvin accused Fogarty of using "delay tactics" in "dodging" his public information request, Fogarty said she did everything within her responsibility to comply with the request under the law.

. . ."Council members don't do text messages. They do e-mails. I cannot produce something we don't have," Fogarty said.

Calvin said he is not buying what he was told and claimed that a former city council member told him that such text messages exist.

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Go vote Saturday for positive change and a NEW beginning after decades of special interest control of the city agenda!

Houston Chronicle Covers Possible TPIA & TOMA Violations--click title link for more--

Did Missouri City officials hide anything from the public?

Chris Calvin, a critic of the Missouri City municipal government, has filed a complaint with Attorney General Greg Abbott's office requesting an investigation into possible violation of Texas Open Meetings Act and the Texas Public Information Act by city officials.

A former Sienna Plantation resident locked in a lawsuit with the developer, Calvin later moved to Pecan Grove. He has accused city officials, including Mayor Allen Owen and most on the city council, of "allowing special-interest groups" such as developers to influence city decisions. City officials have denied such allegations.

The complaint Calvin filed with the AG stemmed from a city press release, which was dated March 4 but handed out at the March 3 City Council meeting. The pre-written release announced the council's approval of the purchase of the Quail Valley Country Club -- before such action was taken at the March 3 meeting.

While the city's media relations specialist Elsa Maxey later retracted the release describing it as an innocent error, Calvin said he smelled something "fishy." Here is what he wrote in his letter to the AG:

We found this odd considering the meeting hadn't taken place yet. Following this session, where they voted after the announcement, several of those in attendance decided we needed to dig a little further to attempt to ascertain if a meeting in violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA) had taken place prior to the council session and official vote.
Calvin said supporters for the investigation also include Kevin Tunstall, candidate for the At-large Position 2 council seat.

Two weeks later, Calvin filed a request with City Secretary Patrice Fogarty for all documents pertaining city-funded studies since 2005, including information on vendors involved in the bidding, companies awarded contracts and the award amount as well as any action taken by the city administration on those matters.

Calvin also asked for text messages sent and received by city council members on their Blackberries that Calvin said are paid for by taxpayers.

Numerous e-mail exchanges have subsequently occurred between Calvin and Fogarty. While Calvin accused Fogarty of using "delay tactic" in "dodging" his public information request, Fogarty said she did everything within her responsibility to comply with the request under the law. Her e-mail exchanges aimed to clarify with Calvin on the exact scope and content of what he wanted, she said. . . follow the title link above for the full story. . .

Fort Bend Independent News Covers Missouri City Elections, Term Limits & Other Important City Issues!--click here for more--

Term limits for city council members
Howard Moline

I think one of the more interesting aspects of life in Fort Bend County is the excitement and enthusiasm generated by politics.

Every two years we see new candidates asking for our vote and helping us to refocus on how we can improve our cities and county.

To me, the democratic process is invigorating and refreshing. New candidates bring fresh approaches to problems, different personalities, and zeal to the election process and their newly won offices.

Having said this, there is one city in Fort Bend County that has a difficulty with this constant renewal aspect of politics, and that is Missouri City.

Politics is not quite as much fun, exciting or productive in Missouri City because we have City Council Members who have held their offices for extended periods and the City has never adopted term limits.

Term limits is a City ordinance that restricts the number of terms a City Council Member can serve. Points in favor of terms limits are that new Council Members bring many positives including new ideas, unique approaches to problems, a fresh outlook, and enthusiasm.

I think most people would agree that serving in City Council positions is a privilege and not a right.

It’s not only a privilege but a great opportunity for residents to show their patriotism, creativity, positive attitudes, and enthusiasm for their neighborhoods and the City.

Many Missouri City residents would appreciate and be delighted at the opportunity to run for City Council office and serve there.

America has a long history of being democratic and giving opportunities to everyone. What does it say about Missouri City when we deny our residents those opportunities because we have near-permanent members on the current City Council?

The Missouri City Council has five (of seven) Council Members who have been in public office for periods ranging from eight to twenty-seven years! I think it is inevitable that Council Members with these records of longevity in office suffer “burn out” and that they become less responsive to their constituents’ needs.

More importantly, the present situation makes it extremely difficult for other City residents to run for office and win. The incumbents hold huge advantages including large campaign fund accumulations, a substantial network of friends and political favors, and name recognition.

Term limit ordinances provide that each Council office will see a new office holder every eight years.

Thus, at least every few years, challengers with no record of public office are on a level playing field.

The race is then won or lost on the candidates’ qualifications or lack of them.

Missouri City has rarely seen this type of Council race and we will see them with decreasing frequency if trends continue as they have. . .(follow the links above for the full story).