By George Slaughter
State Rep. Gina Calanni helps Special Olympics athlete and global messenger Becca Flores read a statement at a town hall meeting Thursday – George Slaughter photo
State authorization for a commercial motorized vehicles police officer for Katy was a highlight discussed at a town meeting sponsored by state Rep. Gina Calanni, D-Houston, Thursday night.
Commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), such as concrete trucks, construction trucks, dump trucks, and 18-wheelers, have a growing presence on city streets as Katy continues to grow. However, those streets aren’t necessarily graded for some CMVs. Roads can get damaged, which can lead to other safety issues.
Katy did not meet the criteria in the Texas traffic code to have a CMV-certified enforcement officer, who addresses such issues as hazardous materials, motor safety, and weight. Local officials worked with Calanni to pass a bill, which was signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, to enable Katy to meet the criteria and hire the officer. Katy Police Officer David Cornelius has been selected for the job. He is taking the required training.
Katy Police Chief Noe Diaz, who was at the meeting, said that the development in Katy required “a ton” of dump trucks to move the dirt.
“The truck traffic is incredible,” Diaz said, adding that some roads were built to last about 20 years but were lasting between nine and 11 years because of the truck traffic.
Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Kevin Tucker, who Diaz said specializes in CMV-related issues, was also at the meeting. Diaz said Katy wanted to make sure “our guy is trained as efficiently and does the same things the troopers do.”
Tucker said he looked forward to working with Cornelius, adding that he’s known Cornelius for a long time.
“I cover Fort Bend, Waller, Austin, and Colorado counties,” Tucker said. “I have eight troopers for those four counties. One of them is the commander-in-chief of a reserve unit in Washington, D.C., until 2021, so I only have seven.”
Calanni also spoke about House Bill 3, a bill she co-sponsored, that addresses state school finance issues. She said the law provides $4.5 billion for educational reforms, up to $5 billion in property tax relief, and $2 billion for additional teacher compensation. She said Katy Independent School District teachers would get a 6% salary increase under the law.
Calanni said she introduced 32 bills in the legislature, of which 11 bills became law. She touted her work on human trafficking as the most important to her personally.
The meeting was held at the Houston Community College – Katy campus, 1550 Foxlake. Calanni’s district office is on the same floor, from the lounge where the meeting was held. Approximately 30 people attended.
Calanni’s district, a section of west Harris County, includes the portion of the City of Katy that falls in the county.