City of Katy to Get New Mayor

The ballot for the City of Katy election has been set. The election will be held on May 6th. The filing deadline for the election was Friday, February 24th. At this point the ballot includes the following: Mayor: Hill Adams, Chuck Brawner and Steve Jurovic. Ward A: J. Gary Jones has also filed to reclaim his seat on Council. At this time Jones is running unopposed. Ward B: Councilmember Jimmy Mendez has filed to reclaim his seat on Council. Two new newcomers to public office, Kayse Kendall Johnson and Jessie G. Campbell, will oppose Mendez.
The current Mayor, Fabol Hughes, had originally filed in January to seek re-election, however he decided recently not to seek re-election. Hughes, if re-elected would have been serving his third and final term as Mayor. He was first elected in 2013 and won that election by a slim margin. In 2015 he ran unopposed and was re-elected for his second term. Hughes also served as councilman for Ward B in 2007, 2009 and 2011.
Below is an email sent to The Katy News from Mayor Fabol Hughes:

City of Katy Residents and Supporters:
After much thought, prayers, and with the support of my family and friends, I have decided to withdraw from the race for my last term as Mayor of the City of Katy. Although a tough decision, at almost 77-years old and with some recent health issues, I know it is time to move on.It has been an honor and privilege to serve the City of Katy as Mayor for the past four years and City Council the previous 6 years. Thank you all so very much for the great opportunity you afforded me. May God continue to bless the City of Katy.
Fabol Hughes
Mayor, City of Katy

The Katy News decided to take a different approach to the interviews for the candidates this election. We submitted 13 different questions to each candidate to answer in their own words. This gave them more time to think about their answers and not to be put on the spot when answering questions from an interviewer. These questions were some of the same ones that our readers have voiced. With this we are able to share the question and answers in the candidates own words.
The first will be for the Mayor’s Race.

Hill Adams

Hill Adams

TKN: What position are you running for?
HA: Mayor
TKN: What is your reason to run for this particular position?
HA: My family has loved living in Katy for 25 years. From the start we have been very involved in making it a better. I’m concerned about recent developments and believe we’re moving in the wrong direction. Spending is out of control; it has increased 44% in just four years and we’re rolling over for special interests. The tax rate cuts we’re getting aren’t really reducing taxes for most of us. I also think when the city embarks on long term, expensive, and significant projects some input from the citizens who are paying for it should be solicited.
TKN:What is your education that you feel makes you qualified for this position?
HA: I have a BBA from the University of Houston and over 35 years of successful business and real estate investment experience. I would count the 6 years I spent on City Council as an experience that qualifies me for this as well. I know what challenges council members face and how much more could be done to allow them to better represent their constituents. Katy needs a truly conservative leader, who respects council and the citizens and will share information and act in the best interest of everyone – we don’t have that right now.
TKN: How long have you lived in Katy?
HA: 25 years
TKN: What are some of the things that you think need to be changed in the running of the City of Katy?
HA: There is no reasonable explanation for why we don’t already have our second fire station. It’s unconscionable to leave the south side of Katy at risk like it is. The second fire station was identified as the #1 priority 4 years ago and the citizens voted to support it. But we’ve more effort into the new city hall – which this administration said was NOT a priority. I think we need leadership that understands what is important and makes it happen.
We can vastly improve transparency. We have a number of boards that spend our money and make significant recommendations to City Council. Their meeting dates, agenda and back up information need to be posted online. Then the minutes from those meetings need to be posted too, so the public knows exactly what is being discussed. We built a great website, but it isn’t updated – the minutes from Council meetings haven’t been added since August 2016.
I think we’ve got some great council members, but I know regarding some big decisions they have not been given all the facts. This happened when I was on council too. Every member of City Council is there because they care about Katy. That should be respected enough to give them all available information about everything they will need to vote on, in ample time to review it. They want to do what is best for their constituents and should be counted on for input and debate, not just a yes vote.
TKN: What do you feel will be some of the challenges you will face in your campaign?
HA: The biggest challenge of all Katy elections is getting our citizens to show up and vote. I know they care about the city, I don’t know why more of them don’t vote. As we saw in the last mayoral race, a very few votes can make a big difference in the direction the city goes, every vote really does matter.
Specifically to the campaign – It isn’t realistic to expect a candidate to knock on every door any more. When we moved here and Hank Schmidt knocked on our door to ask for our vote, we thought it was great – and we did vote for him. But now we have a few thousand more doors to knock on so getting to every one of them isn’t possible. I don’t think a decision as important as this should be decided because someone knocked on your door. I think everyone should study the candidates and cast an educated vote.
TKN: What will be your running platform?
HA: Our city government can and should be doing more. We have not delivered the second fire station, improved drainage, controlled spending or offered real property tax relief to most of our citizens.
We need conservative, thoughtful leadership. We’re spending money too fast, we aren’t looking at the big picture – some of this land we’re annexing seems like a great investment for commercial growth, but it will require more public safety, more streets, more utilities, more everything. How big our footprint is should be less important than how great it is inside it. If our leadership was conservative we would really have lower taxes, we would be investing in our city, not just adding acreage. Our government is getting bigger but it should be getting better.
TKN: Who do you think will be your biggest competitor in this race?
HA: I am not running against anyone, I am running FOR mayor. But the biggest competitor or opposition for everyone in this race isn’t a ‘who, it’s a ‘what.
It is the baseless rumors that some people start to get voters worried or mad. Within a few hours of my filing for office a friend of mine got a phone call from someone who said heard I stormed out of Fabol’s office and told everyone I was going to fire them.
This is a lie. Mayor Hughes and I have not had a conversation for years. Our payroll budget has gone up about $6M in the last 4 years so I have not had an opportunity to meet all of them, but Katy’s always had a great team of dedicated employees, I have no intention of firing anyone.
Those who spread lies can’t have Katy’s best interest at heart – elections should be a positive experience for Katy voters. They should learn the truth about candidates and make an informed choice when they vote.
TKN: Are there any of the current City Projects that you would change and why?
HA: It really doesn’t matter once contracts have been signed and work has begun. If it was still possible, I’d amend the plan to use part of the old city hall for a community meeting room downtown. I’d prefer to see the money that is being spent on that to be used to rebuild the VFW Museum and a new community space over there. I don’t think we need this downtown, even with all the changes the parking is limited and the VFW hall was still used for many things. Our VFW Post’s museum provided an amazing educational experience for all ages. It brought visitors to Katy and it’s adjacent to a beautiful park. I think that location is better for a community center. I’m sure it will be beautiful, but I’d prefer to see a simpler town square with more green space.
TKN: How do you feel about the Katy Boardwalk project?
HA: This project is already in motion and I hope it is a great success. I support projects that improve the quality of life in Katy, and I appreciate the amount of planning that has gone into the Boardwalk. I am concerned about the traffic this will bring and that we’ve started allowing apartments to be built in Katy again.
TKN: Are you married and do you have children and grandchildren?
HA: I have been married to my wife Carol for 37 years. We have two children, Anne & Robert.
TKN: Do you feel that the position you are running for will interfere with your current job?
HA: No. I own my business and work independently. I have plenty of time to give things that matter this much all the attention needed.
TKN: Do you have ideas & plans for the future of Katy?
HA: I am a strong advocate for economic development but I don’t agree with the current administration’s goal to get bigger so we won’t ‘get swallowed up’ by Houston. Katy doesn’t need to get bigger, we need to establish our boundary and work with the Katy Area EDC and Katy Area Chamber of Commerce to bring strong businesses into it. We need to stop adding rooftops and concentrate our efforts on making a sustainable city that can deliver residents truly lower taxes and utility costs, more and better parks, and premium city services. Careful planning could make Katy the most desirable place to live in this area – but we are not heading there now.

…………..

Chuck Brawner:

Mayor Pro-Tem resigned his position on the Council so that he could run for Mayor.

Chuck Brawner

TKN: What position are you running for?
CB: Mayor
TKN: What is your reason to run for this particular position?
CB: Katy, Texas is one of the most fantastic cities in our great state. Our city is known for its long history of community and hard work. Katy is known for its people and their capacity for being, quite simply, nice – “Katy nice”. Who would think that niceness is such a rare commodity these days? But it is. And Katy has it. My wife and I and our family, we love being a part of Katy like everyone else who lives here.
Our loving and spiritual community is second to none. We care about our families, our children. We care about their futures. We care about a family’s ability to succeed. We care about access to a great education for our children. We certainly love to cheer on our sons and daughters in our unmatched sports programs and we love to let our kids play in our neighborhoods because we know we are safe here. And more families are coming back home to Katy because of the lifestyle, the quality of life and the amenities we have here.
I want to keep Katy moving in this strong and positive direction, where we remember where we came from and we know where we are going. Any project I undertake will keep this concept at the forefront.
We must continue to productively manage growth. As Mayor Pro Tem for the last three years, I have been a part of facilitating healthy growth that benefits our families and our community.
This growth has afforded homeowners a reduction in their tax rate and our senior citizens a reduction in their tax rate and increases in their homestead exemption. We have a AAA credit rating – a rarity – and we must keep it that way. The City is required by Council resolution to have reserves no lower than 50% of the city budget, but we have expanded those reserves to cover city projects that are necessary to track with our growth so there is no additional tax burden to our taxpayers. We must continue to plan and save smartly, which is to the benefit of our citizens.
I am running for Mayor because I care about the future of Katy, because I am excited about where we are headed, and because I have a path to get us there. As Mayor, I will focus on our public safety, on managing our growth, on increasing our mobility while fiercely protecting our private property rights and on those things that increase the quality of life for our Katy families and their children.
I ask for your vote for Mayor. It would be my honor to serve you and our great city.
TKN: What is your education that you feel makes you qualified for this position?
CB: Graduate from Sam Houston State Leadership Command College
TKN: How long have you lived in Katy?
CB: 15 years
TKN: What are some of the things that you think need to be changed in the running of the City of Katy?
CB: New leadership brings change and a fresh vision. We are at a special time of unprecedented growth in Katy. It is exciting and it is also challenging. We must evaluate and continue to “stress test” our processes. We must refine as we move forward to ensure that everything we are doing is geared to an enhanced quality of life for our citizens and that our growth does not have a negative effect on their family budget. We must keep an open and honest dialogue with our stakeholders – the taxpayers. We are constantly changing in Katy right now. I will bring my vision and my leadership to make wise decisions to move forward to the benefit of our citizens.
TKN: What do you feel will be some of the challenges you will face in your campaign?
CB: I have my sights set on winning this campaign and addressing any challenges any campaign tends to bring. I look forward to an engaging race for Mayor where we can address real results, real policy, real concrete plans about how to increase our quality of life for our community, ensure our taxpayers see stability they can rely on in their family budgets and keep Katy the nicest and most attractive place that people want to raise their family!
TKN: What will be your running platform?
CB: My platform will work to enhance what we know about Katy – that the City of Katy is a loving and spiritual community to live and raise a family and that our quality of life is second to none. We must keep Katy safe and I have the background as a former law enforcement officer and President of a statewide law enforcement organization to keep improving our public safety. I will work to manage our growth in a way that is not a burden to our taxpayers and their family budget. I will fiercely fight for the private property rights of our property owners. I will work to increase our mobility. I will embrace our heritage and legacy and use it to inspire our path forward. We want excellence and deserve excellence in these areas and they will be the core of my campaign.
TKN: Who do you think will be your biggest competitor in this race?
CB: I take both opponents seriously in this race.
TKN: Are there any of the current City Projects that you would change and why?
CB: The flood control engineering study is almost complete. As Mayor, I will begin the next phase of studying the recommendation to mediate future flooding. As Mayor Pro-Temp, I have built a strong working relationship with our three area county leaders and am ready to work with them in a mayoral capacity if elected.
Mobility projects must be continued to meet the need of our citizens and alleviate traffic congestion created by growth outside of the city. We must fully leverage the Metro revenues generated by in-city sales tax. These funds are used by the City on the majority of our roadway projects. This will help improve traffic congestion.
Katy Fire Station #2 will provide improved response times to the City’s areas south of I-10. In the past fire and EMS from station 1 on Ave. D has met with delayed responses due to trains blocking the responses of our fire and EMS personnel. Station #2 will alleviate the train delays.
The Town Square project next to City Hall will provide the old-town Katy area new life. The park will provide our families a safe area to visit and play. The re-designed old city council chambers will provide meeting space with wi-fi for our citizens to use for meetings or other events. This Old Town Katy project will provide more parking that will make it easier for people to visit and shop. Our business owners are excited about the Town Square project and the new life for Old Town Katy. This project is one way that the City is giving back to our citizens and business owners.
TKN: How do you feel about the Katy Boardwalk project?
CB: The Boardwalk is going to be a great benefit to the City, in the same manner as the Mall. This project will be an economical boost to the Mall and area businesses and create great local job opportunities. State tax receipts will enhance the city by providing funding for the city services including public safety.
TKN: Are you married and do you have children and grandchildren?
CB: Yes, married for 30 years and have four grandchildren.
TKN: Do you feel that the position you are running for will interfere with your current job.
CB: No. I am retired and will be devoting my full time and energy to the job of Mayor of City of Katy.
TKN: Do you have ideas & plans for the future of Katy?
CB: I want to keep Katy as a city that people want to live in, move to or move home to. Folks love to raise their families here, watch their kids play sports here and feel safe here. Creating that quality of life requires a strong fiscal footing. I am very conservative therefore; I will make sure that Katy is financially strong with an increasing reserve fund balance. I will continue to make sure that the city remains financially strong and we maintain our triple AAA rating. Only 5% of American cities have as high of a credit rating as Katy and I want to keep it that way. A strong financial foundation will yield greater benefits to a greater quality of life for our families.
I will also review all action plans to make certain city departments are meeting their targets and look for ways to eliminate waste.
Customer service at City Hall is an extension of our reputation for being “Katy nice”. The citizens of Katy are our customers and I want to ensure our City is providing excellent customer service to meet their needs.
Public Safety is one of the major reasons people want to live or move to Katy. The City is home to many Senior Citizens who rely on the City’s ability to deliver superior EMS. I will make sure that our first responders will have the staffing and equipment to meet the needs of our citizens. Over the last four years, the city has upgraded communication equipment, vehicles and staffing. I will continue to monitor the demands of our first responders and, if needed, make the necessary adjustments in resources to serve our citizens.
I am running for Mayor because I care about the future of Katy, because I am excited about where we are headed, and because I have a path to get us there. As Mayor, I will focus on our public safety, on managing our growth, on increasing our mobility while fiercely protecting our private property rights and on those things that increase the quality of life for our Katy families and their children.
I ask for your vote for Mayor. It would be my honor to serve you and our great city.

…….

Steve Jurovic:

TKN: What position are you running for?
SJ: Mayor
TKN: What is your reason to run for this particular position?
SJ: Slower growth, more access to elected officials, revision and changes to home rule charter and ordinances of Katy
TKN: What is your education that you feel makes you qualified for this position?
SJ: Real Estate, Law Courses, Finance Courses, Construction Courses, founder Quality Pro LLC/Replacement Windows of Katy.
TKN: How long have you lived in Katy?
SJ: I have lived in the City of Katy for 9 years and the Katy Area approximately 20 years.
TKN: What are some of the things that you think need to be changed in the running of the City of Katy?
SJ: Slower growth, more access to elected officials, revision and changes to home rule charter and ordinances of Katy
TKN: What do you feel will be some of the challenges you will face in your campaign?
SJ: None
TKN: What will be your running platform? (Question #7)
SJ: As your mayor you can expect, four hours open meetings with constituents every week and one Saturday a month to hear and solve your problems and concerns. You will get a full time Mayor.
TKN: Who do you think will be your biggest competitor in this race?
SJ: All of them.
TKN: Are there any of the current City Projects that you would change and why?
SJ: Approval of new Subdivisions, much too fast. When I was on the planning and zoning commission we approved 7 new subdivisions within approximately one hour.
TKN: How do you feel about the Katy Boardwalk project? SJ: Great
TKN: Are you married and do you have children and grandchildren?
SJ: I have been married for 57 years with 5 grown children and many grandchildren.
TKN: Do you feel that the position you are running for will interfere with your current job?
SJ: I am retired and I refer back to the answers to question number 7.
TKN: Do you have ideas & plans for the future of Katy?
SJ: Slow the growth down, many of the above listed issues. I want firm term limits, 2,2,2 and no more. Finished after 3 two year terms then you cannot run again.