By George Slaughter It’s one thing to have coffee with the mayor. But it’s unique to have coffee with not just the mayor, but all his predecessors, too. That’s what happened Thursday morning at the Johnny Nelson Katy Heritage Museum. To hear City Administrator Byron Hebert tell it, the idea of a “Coffee with the Mayors” has been discussed for some years. Hebert said he told the staff that this year, it was time to […]
City of Katy Mayor
Family, Friends Celebrate Hastings’s Birthday As Council Prepares to Resume Full-Access Meetings
By George Slaughter Mayor Bill Hastings’s birthday was actually July 1, but family and friends celebrated his birthday Saturday afternoon at Snappy’s. The party came as Hastings and the city council prepare for their first fully-open meeting since the pandemic struck last year. The council is set to meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall. The council held virtual meetings during the pandemic. In recent weeks, the council met in its city hall chamber, […]
Mayor Issues Declaration of Disaster, Enabling Residents to Apply for Federal Aid
By George Slaughter Mayor Bill Hastings Monday issued a declaration of disaster within the City of Katy, which makes federal funding available to city residents following last week’s winter storms. President Joe Biden Saturday declared 77 Texas counties eligible for federal aid. The three counties in which the city sits–Fort Bend, Harris, and Waller—are on that list. Citizens affected by the storm can apply for disaster assistance at www.disasterassistance.gov. They can also call the Federal […]
Former Katy Mayor John Morrison Dies
By George Slaughter John Morrison, who served on the Katy City Council during the 1970s Texas oil boom years and as mayor from 1979-1983, died Wednesday, the city said in a news release. Morrison served on the city council from 1978-1979, when he was elected mayor. During Morrison’s mayoralty, the city obtained its home rule charter in 1981. The city continues to use the charter today. The charter serves as the city’s constitution, and under […]
Mayor Issues, Council Extends Disaster Declaration
By George Slaughter Mayor Bill Hastings Monday issued a proclamation of disaster for the city, and the city council voted to extend it, in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The proclamation said the city will follow its emergency management plan and an executive order issued by Gov. Greg Abbott last month. Abbott’s order requires Texans to avoid social gatherings in groups of more than 10 people and avoid eating or drinking at bars, restaurants, and […]
Mayor Bill Hastings Settles into New Job
By George Slaughter As he enters his fourth week as mayor, Mayor Bill Hastings has several departments to focus on nowadays. It’s a change from his days as police chief, where he said he focused just on that department. As mayor, he said that things are a lot more intricate than what’s seen from the outside. “I’m working very fast, furiously, and hard to get caught up,” Hastings said. “It’s been very educational. It’s gone […]
Hastings Sworn in As Mayor; Carroll and Stockdick Sworn in As Council Members
By George Slaughter Mayor Bill Hastings, Ward A Council Member Frank Carroll, and Ward B Council Member Jenifer Jordan Stockdick were sworn into their respective offices before a standing-room-only crowd Tuesday night at City Hall. Hastings, a former Katy police chief, was making his first bid for elected office. He defeated incumbent Mayor Chuck Brawner to win the seat. Hastings becomes the 16th mayor in Katy history. He will serve a three-year term thanks to […]
Hastings Elected Mayor; Stockdick Elected to Council
By George Slaughter Bill Hastings, the former Katy police chief, unseated Mayor Chuck Brawner in Saturday’s city election, polling 1,243 votes, or 60%, to Brawner’s 846 votes, or 40%. Hastings was appointed chief in 2009 and retired in January to run for mayor. This was his first run for political office. Hastings said he got very little sleep the last three days of the campaign, and joked if he could sleep late on Sunday—late being […]
Today is Last Day for Early Voting
By George Slaughter Today is the last day for early voting in the Katy city election and Katy Independent School District trustee election. City Election For polling locations and times, click here. Voters will decide the mayor’s race between incumbent Chuck Brawner and former police chief Bill Hastings. Ward B voters will decide between banking executive Jenifer Jordan Stockdick and former council member Steve Pierson. Incumbent Jimmy Mendez cannot seek reelection due to term limits. […]
Officials Give Overview of City’s Activites at KBA Meeting
By George Slaughter Continuing flood mitigation efforts, public safety, and economic development were among the highlights described by Mayor Chuck Brawner and Public Relations Director Kayce Reina Wednesday afternoon at the Katy Business Association meeting at Midway Barbeque, 6025 Highway Blvd. Brawner said the city has worked with U.S. Rep Mike McCaul, R-Austin, to secure funding to build the Cypress Watershed north of Katy, following Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The federal government was to have […]