2023 LOCAL VOTER GUIDE
COMPILED BY MELISSA ENAJE
Residents in the city of West University Place can vote on no more than one candidate for mayor and no more than four candidates for West University Place City Council. For City Council, the top four vote-getters will be elected as Council members.
West University Place City Council
CLAY BRETT
SHANNON CARROLL
BUCKLEY MORLOT
MATT HART
JOHN MONTGOMERY
Occupation: attorney Experience: corporate attorney at Simpson Thacher; ad-
Occupation: development Experience: 2022 West U Citizens Acad- emy graduate; co-chair of auction committee, 2022 Friends of West U Parks Gala; career in business develop- ment 720-308-3053 www.buckleyforwestu.com I am running for City Council to bring more transparency to local government, work with law en- forcement to take the necessary steps to keep our neighborhood safe, and to maintain the city we all love.
Occupation: energy investment professional Experience: Zoning Board of Adjust-
Occupation: senior com- mercial insur- ance litigation adjuster Experience: City Council,
Occupation: vice president, commercial risk and devel- opment at Alta Resources Experience:
ment; organized neighbors in support of the Edloe Street Pathway 713-452-1661 www.claybrettforwestu.com
junct professor, University of Houston Law School; former federal law clerk on the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in Houston www.matt-hart-for-west-u.com
Senior Services Board council liaison, West U Good Neighbor Team, Sunday school teacher 346-802-7471 www.facebook.com/ carroll4westu
mayor pro tem; City Council liaison to West U Parks and Recreation Board; 27 years of business experience with lead- ership positions www.tinyurl.com/s3v93ave
Why are you running for West University Place City Council?
As in incumbent, I’m running to continue the work and accomplish- ments of my rst term. A recent survey found 90% of residents believe West U is moving in the right direction. Improvements to drainage, safety and sustainability include the on-time, under budget Bu alo Speedway completion, in- creased rst responder pay, Edloe Street Pathway construction, and citywide composting implementa- tion. As senior board Council liaison and a mother of young children, I’m working for all West U residents.
I was born and raised in Louisi- ana; received my engineering, economics and law degrees on the East Coast; and built my career in New York and London. I moved to West U because it’s a great place to raise a family. Now, I’m running for West U City Council because I want West U to be a great place for families for decades to come. I’m running for you, for West U.
I am running again for the oppor- tunity to continue the positive momentum we have built in key ar- eas, including our balanced budget, long-term infrastructure, ensuring public safety and sustaining best- in-class resident services. I believe West U should be a family-friendly city that creates opportunities for our children to learn, grow and play in a safe environment. West U should remain a city that helps secure the future for seniors, as well as welcoming newcomers. Execution of the East Side Street & Drainage project starting in 2023; urgent advancement of design plans for the West Side Street & Drainage project; execution of the joint [Harris County Flood Control District]/West U/[Southside Place] agreement to repair the Poor Farm Ditch, south of University Boule- vard; initiate plans for repair and replacement of the [Poor Farm Ditch], north of University Bou- levard; acquisition of mandatory HCFCD acre/foot of detention.
West U is such an exceptional place that it invokes a sense of duty. I saw a need for a new voice on behalf of West U’s families and all pedestrians during my experience successfully advocat- ing for the Edloe Street Pathway, which will better connect our side of Albans [Street] (3700 block) with the rest of the neighborhood. I feel passionately about keeping West U a safe and prosperous city for all generations.
If elected, what would your top priorities be with ood mitigation control?
Continued collaboration with Southside Place and [HCFCD] to address repairs to Poor Farm Ditch south of University [Boulevard], completion of the feasibility study for Poor Farm Ditch north of University, and ensuring completion of the East and West Side drainage projects. In addition, I will prioritize seeking continued resident feedback and input on the projects and identifying and obtaining detention land in and around West U.
My main focus as an o ceholder will be to hear what my constit- uents think on any given issue, especially a vital one like ood mitigation. I will meet with the city manager, engineers, urban planners, and other experts to nd a solution that will address the ooding issues West U residents face. Our city streets should not ood several times a year. It’s unacceptable and should be a top priority of the next City Council.
We should accelerate plans to complete the West Side and East Side drainage improvement projects. There are important decisions to be made to imple- ment these projects economically, e ectively and inclusively, but they must be done. Planning for the continued future of Poor Farm Ditch is also of critical importance. The ditch and its surrounding features can be a community amenity, but its primary purpose is drainage.
I support the East and West ood control projects and expedited repair of the Poor Farm Ditch. We still have many, many homes and roads in the 100-year oodplain, and we all know that Houston receives a “100-year rain” more often than every 100 years. My vision for West U is a city support- ed by modern infrastructure that removes home ooding risk for all residents.
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BELLAIRE MEYERLAND WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION • APRIL 2023
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