FBISDWatchDogs Website "A Good Resource For Alternative School District Information"

FBISDWatchDogs are a group of taxpayers, residents and voters in the Fort Bend ISD working together to make sure quality education and your tax dollars are used wisely.

--Click the title link for more and to read the recent guest column from KISD Watch member and former board member Mary McGarr.


Stay informed and keep in touch!

6603 Voters Participated In Early Voting (Ended Tues)-Click the title link

From the Chron:

More than 6,000 Fort Bend County residents voted early

By SESHADRI KUMAR
Chronicle Correspondent

In Fort Bend, 6,603 people voted by the end of early voting Tuesday, representing about 2.5 percent of the county's 265,000 registered voters.

Expected turnout Saturday is 6 percent, said Fort Bend County Election Administrator J.R. Perez.

On Tuesday, 1,841 people voted at 14 locations in Fort Bend, Perez said. Four more early voting locations were added this year.

Also, 803 people have voted early by mail, though 1,531 had requested a ballot by mail.

As in May 2006, Fort Bend voters have a bond proposition on the ballot this May. The county is asking voters Saturday to approve a $156 million bond issue for road and bridge projects.

The highest early voting turnout was at the Rosenberg Annex where 1,050 people voted, followed by 1,019 at City Hall in Missouri City and 942 in First Colony.

For the Fort Bend Independent School District election in which Position 3 and 7 incumbent trustees face challengers, 4,076 people had voted early. . .

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Comment: If you haven't voted get out Saturday and do so!

Chronicle Reports: City Fails To Act On The Repeal Of Ordinance 46-4 In Time For The Election (click title link for more)-

City delays action on sidewalks due to election

By SESHADRI KUMAR
Chronicle Correspondent

City Manager Frank Simpson told Missouri City City Council Monday night that he has allocated $150,000 in the preliminary 2007-08 municipal budget for sidewalk repairs in anticipation of the city taking over the responsibility of walkway maintenance.

City Council had an agenda item to receive the status report and authorize staff to amend ordinances relating to sidewalks as recommended by the sidewalk subcommittee.

But, the council could not act on the item as outgoing Councilman Bob Burton, in whose district the sidewalk repairs and the infrastructure ordinance have become an election issue, wanted to table the item.

"Both the candidates have some ideas on the issue. As my term ends, my participation won't continue. Let my successor have an opportunity to fully participate in the debate," Burton said.

Burton urged council not to discuss the matter any further, and said, "It is appropriate for people in District C to have their elected representative participate. If discussed now, it won't allow full participation."

Mayor Allen Owen said the agenda was only to authorize staff to prepare an ordinance and ample time would exist for debate in the future.

But, Assistant City Attorney Caroline Kelley told council the ordinance is not yet ready.

While agreeing to table authorization of the ordinance, Owen said council could discuss the status report and Kelley agreed. Burton was not pleased with the discussion.

Councilman Jerry Wyatt asked one of the candidates, Barbara Gibson, if she had any objection to council discussing the sidewalk issue. Gibson said she had no objection.

The other candidate, Kevin Tunstall, was not present. Tunstall had initially raised the issue and urged the city to delete the ordinance that placed liability for sidewalk repairs on residents. . . (click title link above for more).


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Comment: Perceptions can be deceiving. Why would the city suddenly attempt to rush this issue to a vote before the Saturday election? This reminds me of the patterns involving the Hospital information, apartments, disparity in development along Texas Pkwy, etc...I want to wish the reform challengers the best this Saturday. You are truly good people/neighbors!

MC Exclusive: Sign Wars Mark The Start Of Early Voting

It looks like the Missouri City and FBISD elections are in full swing. Much like last years races the sign wars have begun in earnest (click the title link above for background). For instance, just this past weekend in Brightwater, district C challenger Kevin Tunstall's signs were removed from homeowners yards in Brightwater by Gibson supporters, the Owen endorsed/backed candidate. Across town in the district A race it was reported that similar activity had taken place in the neighborhood of Eunice Reiter (the district A incumbent).

During the mayoral races last year signs were ravaged by supporters of the mayor. Click the title link to get that historical perspective from Fort Bend Now. Kevin Tunstall, the district C reform candidate stated that signs that had been requested by homeowners had been removed from their yards and replaced with Gibson signs (Gibson's campaign is being personally handled by the special interest backed mayor of MC). Tunstall said he was in the process of confirming and replacing the signs after talking to the victimized homeowners. "I can't believe supporters of my opponent would go on someones private property and actually, without permission, remove my signs and replace them with Ms. Gibsons. This is not only illegal it maybe criminal tresspass and certainly can be viewed as stealing, if not allowed by those individual homeowners." Tunstall said.

Kevin further urged Missouri City residents to get out and vote today (Monday). Early voting has started and with the return of the sign wars, apparently in full swing. Get out and vote and change this type of politics here in MC!

FBISD Candidate Forums (From SOS)-

These are the dates for the FBISD forums. Please attend if you can:

Fort Bend Employee Federation Forum Sugar Land Marriot --April 12 7:00 - 9:30 pm

Retired Teacher's Association is hosting a candidate forum 1st Colony Conference Center-- April 19th at 1:00 pm

New Territory Community Assoc. Forum 1200 Walker School Rd. --April 19th 7:30 - 9:30 pm

A Concerned Citizens Group Glover Elementary - 1510 Columbia Blue Dr --April 19th 7:00 - 9:00 pm

AARP Meeting is allowing candidates to speak briefly at their regular meeting scheduled at the Senior Center on Matlage --April 25th at 1:00 pm

Community Forum for Old Sugar Land Sugar Land Library on Eldridge -- April 26th 7:00 - 9:00 pm

Fresno Education Steering Committee is hosting a forum held at Ft. Bend MUD 23 M.R. Massey Administration building at 1570 Raab Rd. in Fresno -- May 1st at 7:00 pm


Get full SOS release at: http://save-our-schools.blogspot.com/2007/04/fbisd-candidate-forums-coming-up.html

Chronicle Reports: Relief From Over-Crowded Sienna Plantation Schools On The Way!

Fort Bend ISD trustees approve land purchases for future campuses
Elementaries would be built in Sienna and Aliana areas

By ZEN T. C. ZHENG
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

The Fort Bend school board on Monday approved purchases of two elementary school sites, one in the Sienna Plantation subdivision east of Missouri City and the other in the Aliana development in the district's northern sector.

The planned Sienna campus has been selected on12 acres northwest of Baines Middle School, to be bought for more than $601,100.

The school would be built to an 860-pupil capacity and scheduled to open in August 2008, said Lee Petros, associate superintendent of facilities and planning.

The project aims to lessen crowding at two elementary campuses, Sienna Crossing and Scanlan Oaks, Petros said.

Sienna Crossing, with a capacity for 820 pupils, had an enrollment of 912 last October. Scanlan Oaks, also designed for 820 pupils, enrolled 1,061 pupils in October.

The Sienna project would cost $16.7 million, including the land, design, construction and furnishings, Petros said.

The project will be initially financed through a district fund balance. District officials are considering calling a bond referendum in November to fund new campuses and other improvements, including the planned elementary campus for Sienna, he said.