Meet the Katy City Council Candidates: Dan Smith

By George Slaughter

Dan Smith (Dan Smith photo)

Dan Smith, a territory senior manager, is seeking a Ward A seat on the Katy City Council.

Incumbent Dusty Thiele, an insurance executive, was appointed to the seat last year following the resignation of Frank Carroll. Thiele is not seeking election in his own right to the seat.

Smith faces Diane Walker, who works as a virtual assistant.

In addition to the council race, voters will decide whether to approve a $6 million bond proposal. The proposal has two propositions:

  • Proposition A, for $1.8 million, is for construction of improvements to municipal public buildings. These include reimbursement of expenses for Fire Station No. 1, construction of a training tower, expansion of the city’s fleet maintenance facility, and refurbishing of existing police facilities.
  • Proposition B, for $4.2 million, is for constructions of city park improvements, including a hike and bile trail system, and the construction of a city parks administration building.

Voters will also decide whether to approve changes to the city charter, a summary of which can be seen at the city’s website.

Early voting is April 19-27. Election Day is May 1.

1. Why do you want this job?

Katy is truly a treasure, with rich heritage and strong community spirit. In only 10 short years, the number of Katy households has grown by nearly 50%. Our city is changing quickly and all aspects of Katy need to keep pace with this explosive growth.

I am running to bring my 20 years of professional experience creating great experiences for my customers to Katy City Hall. I view residents as “customers” of the City of Katy. Every ordinance passed, dollar spent, and city employee action must serve and provide a great experience to residents. This customer service mindset, along with resident input, will guide my decisions on council. I want Katy to continue to be the outstanding community my family has fallen in love with, and I will do everything in my power to keep it prosperous, family friendly, and safe.

2. Briefly discuss your professional background, and how that will help you if elected.

I have 20 years of professional experience at a Fortune 100 company, working from an entry level job up to my current role of territory senior manager. I have done many things over the years, but ultimately everything has been devoted to serving customers. I have extensive leadership experience and financial responsibility, working with very large P&L’s and leading teams with hundreds of employees. While working full-time, I completed my Bachelor of Science degree in Business as well as an MBA.

This professional background will help me in all aspects of city council including financial expertise, leadership experience, collaboration, and of course serving customers. My customer-first mentality is core to everything I want to accomplish in Katy. If you live here, you pay taxes here, and you are the customer of the city.

3. If elected, what would your top three priorities be, and why?

  • Customer Service Focused City Government
  • Economic Development/Business Growth
  • Enhance Public Safety

Customer service is core to who I am and how I view decision-making. It has been my entire professional career, and I see many opportunities where we can enhance how this shows up for residents. The permitting department is a prime example.

It is critical that we take action over the next 3-5 years to ensure the City of Katy remains a great place to live for the next generation. All around our borders is Houston extraterritorial jurisdiction, which is rapidly growing without zoning restrictions or input from Katy. This growth impacts everyone.

We must focus on economic development to secure our small town charm and increase sales tax revenue to fund city services including police, fire, EMS, flood mitigation, and infrastructure while keeping property taxes low. I will bring my experience and passion for service to city council to benefit all residents of Katy.

4. Do you support bond proposals on the ballot? Do you support the proposed city charter changes on the ballot? Why or why not?

Yes. On city council I would have supported putting both the bonds and charter changes on the ballot, which gives Katy residents the opportunity to decide the future of our city. Proposition A contains public safety measures that will enable our first responders to continue providing great service as the area grows. Proposition B contains parks enhancements that many residents have been seeking for years. The great thing about putting proposals on the ballot is that we get to hear straight from voters.

The proposed city charter changes are mostly language updates to simplify and align our charter with Texas state law. I submitted several recommendations to the charter review commission and I support the proposed changes. The City of Katy’s website has a lot of information, and I encourage residents to reach out to me if they have specific questions.

5. What specific changes would you like to see made to the Katy Animal Control Department in light of the concerns expressed in council meetings this year?

I strongly support the humane and ethical treatment of all animals. I have visited both Katy Animal Control as well as Rosenberg, which was identified by the “No Kill” community as a vision of good. My biggest learning from Rosenberg Animal Control was how they focus on each case as an individual in order to take the appropriate action. While they focus on getting adoptable pets out of the shelter into loving homes, they do euthanize animals when it is deemed to be the best outcome for the animal and the public. I think this individualized approach is a good one, and something Katy can seek to replicate.

I am very excited to have an animal control advisory board in place, and I am looking forward to its recommendations on programs such as adoptions, partnerships, and more. I would support adoptions from the shelter in a way that fits within the context of our city and the relatively low number of animals. For example, weekly events operated in partnership with 501(c)3 charities could be a great way to start adoptions immediately because it would not require a costly remodel to our existing facility.

6. Is there anything else that Katy News readers should know about your candidacy?

I am not a politician, and I have never run for public office or worked for the government. I am a business professional who has spent the last 20 years working hard to take great care of my customers, and that is the mindset I will bring to city council. I invite everyone to learn more about me and my views on the issues facing our city at my website. The most important thing to me is remembering that city government is in the customer service business, and you are the customer!