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BELLAIRE MEYERLAND WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 6 OCT. 1 31, 2022
VOTER GUIDE 2022
Harris County voters to decide $1.2B bond
Bond on the ballot Harris County’s $1.2 billion bond is split into three propositions for public safety facilities, roads and parks. Commissioners Court voted 3-2 to adopt an allocation plan by precinct for the road and park bond funding.
Hand-roll sushi joint to open north of Rice Village
BY RACHEL CARLTON
6
Harris County residents will vote on a $1.2 billion bond to fund public safety facilities, road mainte- nance and parks during the midterm elections Nov. 8. Voters can approve or reject three separate prop- ositions: $100 million for public safety; $900 million for roads, drainage and multimodal transportation; and $200 million for parks. Historically, the county has proposed road and park bonds every six to eight years, most recently an $848 million bond in 2015. Commissioners were divided on whether to hold a bond election this year, voting 3-2 to place it on the ballot Aug. 19 with Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey and Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle opposed. But Daniel Ramos, executive director of the Harris County O ce of Management and Budget, told Community Impact that he believes the county needs to issue a bond because the 2015 bond will be almost fully expended by the end of next year. “Folks are driving on unsafe … [and] poor-qual- ity roads today. Our public safety personnel are in substandard facilities today. We have folks that we can take out of the ood plain today. And all of that requires funding,” Ramos said. “At the end of next year, we’re not going to have another funding source to continue to do projects.” The county has not published a list of projects that would use bond funding—something that Ramsey has voiced in his opposition to the bond. CONTINUED ON 14
OVERALL
$100M: Public safety facilities $200M: Parks and trails $900M: Roads, drainage and transportation
$1.2B Total bond amount
Tra c shifts on Bu alo Speedway paving project
$900M total
ROAD FUNDING
A
B
C
D E F
$50M Vision Zero program— re-engineering F
$300M general
$100M road
A
D
road bonds
rehabilitation $50M multimodal transit E
$200M drainage $200M partnership funding B C
Transportation
8
layouts for high-injury corridors
VOTER GUIDE 2022
Precinct 3
BY PRECINCT
Total* $1.1B
Precinct 4
Precinct 2
Precinct 1
*$100 MILLION GOES TO PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES REGARDLESS OF LOCATION. to each precinct $220M
to be allocated at a later date** $220M
Sample ballot
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**UNASSIGNED FUNDS WILL BE DIVIDED AMONG PRECINCTS OR MANAGED CENTRALLY BY THE COUNTY ENGINEER’S OFFICE.
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATION COMMUNITY IMPACT
Bellaire lls sta ng holes following investment in employee pay
Grocer brings Eastern European wares to Meyerland
BY GEORGE WIEBE
17
Bellaire salaries and bene ts, general fund budget
After three years of mostly stagnant investments in employee salaries and bene ts, the city of Bellaire has dropped $2 million into the pot over the past two years. In scal year 2021-22, the city spent approxi- mately $9.59 million on full-time employee wages. For the FY 2022-23 budget adopted by the city Sept. 19, that gure rose to $10.93 million, an increase of $1.34 million. Over that same time, approximately $141,000 more has been allocated for part-time workers, CONTINUED ON 19
After three years of at investments in employee salaries, the city of Bellaire has increased funding by $1 million in each of the past two scal years in an e ort to hire and retain sta .
SOURCE: CITY OF BELLAIRE COMMUNITY IMPACT
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BELLAIRE - MEYERLAND - WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION • OCTOBER 2022
4
COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
ABOUT US Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact Newspaper in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today. We have expanded to include hundreds of team members and have created our own software platform and printing facility. CI delivers 30 localized editions across Texas to more than 2.4 million residential mailboxes. MARKET TEAM GENERAL MANAGER Jay McMahon SENIOR EDITOR Shawn Arrajj REPORTER George Wiebe SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Anya Gallant ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Holly Nunez METRO LEADERSHIP PUBLISHER Jason Culpepper MANAGING EDITOR Kelly Schafler COPY EDITOR Kasey Salisbury SENIOR ART PRODUCTION MANAGER Kaitlin Schmidt CONTACT US 16300 Northwest Freeway Jersey Village, TX 77040 • 281-469-6181 CI CAREERS communityimpact.com/careers PRESS RELEASES bmwnews@communityimpact.com ADVERTISING bmwads@communityimpact.com Learn more at communityimpact.com/advertising EMAIL NEWSLETTERS communityimpact.com/newsletter PODCAST communityimpact.com/podcast SUPPORT US Join your neighbors by giving to the CI Patron program. Funds support our journalistic mission to provide trusted, local news in your community. Learn more at communityimpact.com/cipatron
ANNOUNCEMENT: COMMUNITY IMPACT REBRANDING & NEWSROOM COMMITMENT
2005 Total mailboxes 60,000 1 Journalist
2015 Total mailboxes 1,495,000 40 Journalists
2022 Total mailboxes 2,450,000 75 Journalists
The CI Local Pin Incorporated into our main logo, the CI Local Pin symbolizes our focus on local and making an Impact in every community we serve.
The new mission statement is: “Our mission is to provide trusted news and local information that everyone gets,” which speaks to both the editorial content and business ads that our communities love and use. The vision statement was created by all Impacters and speaks to what we hope to accomplish with each day of our work: ”Our vision is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team.” There are no changes to the company’s purpose and values, and Community Impact is committed to living those out every day. CI’s purpose is: “To be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other.” The company’s values , or stones that are physically awarded internally for a job well done each month are Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity. The company’s updated logo features the signature CI red and gray, but lighter, brighter and bolder. CI also incorporated a new design element—the CI Local Pin , a simple recognizable icon—into the new logo to further solidify its focus on local news and making an impact in every community it serves. The design of the new logo more accurately reflects CI’s design philosophy, Creative Director Derek Sullivan said. “Less is more—we always aim to keep it clear, clean and concise,” he said. “In addition, the new CI Local Pin helps us visually connect the main brand with our other internal and external initiatives. For example, the pin is part of our IRG logos (Impacter Resource Groups promoting equity, diversity and inclusion), and the pin is shifted upside down to become an ink drop in our new CI Printing logo." Vice President of Sales and Marketing Tess Coverman said CI’s updated name speaks to the company’s robust product line and allows for continued innovation in the future. “As new ideas come up, as long as they filter through our updated mission statement and core values, we can more easily introduce them to the Community Impact audience,” she said. “For example, hosting events is a recent request by some CI Patrons as a benefit to the community and a new revenue stream, which we might consider in 2023.” With this brand update and newsroom expansion, CI prides itself on being the largest community journalism newsroom in the state, covering local businesses, transportation and road projects, development, health care and government.
No longer just a newspaper company, Community Impact is rebranding to better align with one of its core values: innovation.
Although many readers may know CI for its monthly, full-color print newspapers, the company is much more than just a printed newspaper. Since its inception in 2005 in the gameroom of John and Jennifer Garrett’s home in Pflugerville, Texas, the company lived up to its entrepreneurial roots, creating its own in-house customer relationship management software, building a printing plant, launching email newsletters and podcasts, and expanding its reach to four Texas metros and more than 2.4 million homes. To reflect its entire product line and continue to allow for future growth, the media company has changed its name from Community Impact Newspaper to Community Impact. This process began in early 2022 when leadership at CI completed a workshop with Jeff Hahn of Hahn Public to strategize their next innovative move. Following the workshop, CI made the decision to update its entire brand schematic, including the logo, colors, tagline, mission statement and vision statement. "Since 2005, Community Impact has been a trusted source for local news as we have built the largest community journalism news organization in Texas,” CEO and founder John Garrett said. “Our award-winning monthly newspaper and our innovative daily digital products will be the focus of the investment Jennifer and I are making in local news for—God willing—years to come. Our team is committed to helping all Texans we serve, regardless of your socioeconomic status or political affiliation, to get news you can trust to help you connect to your community." In an effort to produce even more local journalism, CI has already promoted 10 editorial team members since January and will add more newsroom positions in the coming months to maintain its status as the leading newsroom in the state. A portion of this growth is attributed to local CI advertisers along with CI’s reader-funded Patron program that launched in 2020. The company plans to expand with a corporate Patron program in 2023 based on similar demand. As part of the rebrand, the company’s new tagline , News Everyone Gets, was shortened from Local. Useful. Everyone Gets It. to mirror what CI does best—simplify complex information into various news formats in a delivery method and tone accessible to anyone. Plus, CI created a new mission statement and updated its vision statement to reflect both present-day and future goals.
Owners and founders, John and Jennifer Garrett
communityimpact.com
@impactnewsHTXmetro
Publisher, Jason Culpepper
@impactnews_bmw
linkedin.com/company/communityimpact
@communityimpacthouston
We've teamed up to bring you more of the stories you care about.
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© 2022 Community Impact Co. All rights reserved. No reproduction of any portion of this issue is allowed without written permission from the publisher.
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BELLAIRE - MEYERLAND - WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION • OCTOBER 2022
IMPACTS
Businesses that have recently opened, are coming soon or are closing D .
COMPILED BY SHAWN ARRAJJ & GEORGE WIEBE
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The Menninger Clinic is located on 50 acres south of the Texas Medical Center. FEATURED IMPACT EXPANSION O cials with the psychiatric hospital The Menninger Clinic announced the completion of the rst part of an expansion Sept. 15 that will allow the facility to boost the number of visits it can handle each year from 15,000 to 25,000. The clinic is located on 50 acres at 12301 Main St., Houston. The expansion involved building a new 33,000-square-foot, two-story Outpatient Services Center, which o cials said will provide expert mental health services to adults and adolescents at a time when needs are surging. The rst oor of the building will house the Center for Brain Stimulation, Sleep Medicine Service and Outpatient Services. The second oor, which is still under construction through early 2023, will house the Center for Addiction and Medicine and Recovery. Funds for the project came from a $14 million capital campaign. Although construction on the rst oor is nished, the center will not open to patients until October. 713-275-5400. www.menningerclinic.org COURTESY THE MENNINGER CLINIC FACEBOOK
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NOW OPEN 1 Aya Sushi , a new sushi dining option, opened Sept. 1 at 5407 Bellaire Blvd., Ste. A, Bellaire, joining the growing family of restaurants opening around the Bellaire Triangle. The omakase “leave it up to you” menu is led by Tokyo-trained chef Yoshi Katsuyama and features more than two dozen sashimi options as well as a specialty 401 Roll, named after the Bellaire area’s 77401 ZIP code. 713-485-4272. www.ayasushi.com 2 Second Draught , a beer and wine taproom, is the latest addition to the Ion tech hub in Midtown with its opening Sept. 12. Located at 4201 Main St., Houston, the pub o ers 18 beers on tap from local breweries, including Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Great Heights Brewing Co., True Anomaly, Eureka Heights and Frost Town. 713-485-4221. www.facebook.com/seconddraught 3 Local O ce Bellaire held its grand opening Aug. 23 at 4909 Bissonnet St., Bellaire. The shared o ce and work space building rents space for private o ces, meeting rooms and a podcast studio. Local O ce has a second location at 2617 Bissonnet St., Houston, near West University Place. 713-337-0909. www.localo ce.com 4 Nanos , a Spanish clothing chain for children, opened Aug. 10 at 2534 Amherst St., Houston. The store specializes in high-end fashion for children and infants. The opening marked the company’s rst expansion into the Houston area. 832-851-8045. www.instagram.com/nanos_houston WILLOWBEND BLVD.
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Nanos
Norigami
COURTESY NANOS
COURTESY NORIGAMI
COMING SOON 5 Hand-roll sushi pop-up Norigami is preparing to open its rst permanent restaurant in November at 2715 Bissonnet St., Houston. The speakeasy-style diner, located a mile north of Rice Village, features handmade sushi rolls with unique ingredients, including caviar, foie gras and wagyu beef. www.instagram. com/norigamihtx 6 Eau Tour , the latest project from Houston restaurateur Benjy Levit, is set to open above Local Foods in Rice Village in November. The French cuisine bistro and cocktail lounge, located at 5117 Kelvin Drive, Houston, will share the same building as Lees Den, a bar and lounge opened by Levit in April. CLOSINGS 7 Bellaire Broiler Burger , located at 5216 Bellaire Blvd., Bellaire, closed Sept. 5 after previously reopening in April
under new management. The original burger joint closed in 2020 and was bought by restaurateur Jason Scheinthal. The restaurant announced its closing on social media, promising to reopen at a new location in the future. IN THE NEWS 8 Construction of the Dr. Shan- non Walker Neighborhood Library at 5505 Belrose Drive, Houston, has been delayed due to supply chain issues and rising costs of materials. The design of the new state-of-the-art community library, named for NASA astronaut and Houston native Shannon Walker, began in January 2020. Construction is expected to begin in the rst quarter of 2023 and be completed in midyear. It was previ- ously slated for completion in the fourth quarter of 2022. The library will combine the services of the Frank HPL Express Library and the Meyer Neighborhood Library, the latter of which was dam- aged during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. www.houstonlibrary.org
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9 Saint Nicholas School purchased 5.51 acres in August from the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church Inc., land it had leased since 2018. With the purchase, the school now owns the 48,000-square-foot former church in the Braeswood Place neighborhood. Established in 1987 as a prekindergarten through eighth-grade school at 3511 Linkwood Drive, Houston, Saint Nicholas School enrolls around 150 students per year. 832-210-2389. www.saintnicholas.school
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
TO DO LIST
October events
COMPILED BY RENEE FARMER
OCTOBER 06 CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE Join the West University Branch Library for a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month with a showing of Disney’s “Coco.” Popcorn and crafts will also be available. 6:30-8:15 p.m. Free (registration required). West University Branch Library, 6108 Auden St., Houston. 832-927-5490. www.hcpl.net 06 THROUGH 08 ATTEND FESTIVAL CHICANO Celebrate the annual Festival Chicano, an artistic re ection of the Chicano cultural experience after centuries of in uence from native peoples, Mexico, Europe and the U.S. See performances by Jay Perez, David Farias Band, Elida Reyna y Avante, La Fiebre, Little Joe y La Familia and Ram Herrera. 7-9 p.m. Free. Miller Outdoor Theatre, 6000 Hermann Park Drive, Houston. 281-373-3386. www.milleroutdoortheatre.com 15 THROUGH 16 CELEBRATE FALL Join the Hana and Arthur Ginzbarg Nature Discovery Center for its Pumpkin Patch Fall Festival. The center will have pumpkins, festival games, crafts, food, family photo ops and animals to meet.
The city of Bellaire will host a Great Pumpkin Hunt. Guests are encouraged to come dressed in their Halloween best and hunt for toys, candy and prize- lled pumpkins. Music, prizes and games will also be available. The event starts at 4 p.m., and the Halloween hunt begins at 4:30 p.m. 4-5:30 p.m. (event duration). Free. Bellaire Town Square Great Lawn & Pavilion, 7008 S. Rice Ave., Bellaire. 713-662-8280. www.bellairetx.gov Business Association. Attendees can sample a variety of food and beverages, brush up on their chef skills with a lineup of cooking demonstrations and listen to live music. 5-8 p.m. $50+. The Great Lawn at Bellaire Town Square, 7008 S. Rice Ave., Bellaire. 832-698-9340. Nature Horror Stories, an adult Halloween event, will include spooky stories from the natural world, a night hike through the park, and adult beverages and snacks. 7-9 p.m. $25. Nature Discovery Center, 7112 Newcastle St., Bellaire. 713-667-6550. www.naturediscoverycenter.org www.bellairefoodiefest.com 28 LISTEN TO HORROR STORIES IN NATURE
The Houston 2022 Home Tour is coming this October.
OCT. 27
HUNT FOR PUMPKINS BELLAIRE TOWN SQUARE
COURTESY AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS
FEATURED EVENT Houston 2022 Home Tour Join the American Institute of Architects for its Houston 2022 Home Tour. The self-guided, two- day tour features AIA-designed houses in the Greater Houston area completed within the last ve years. Houses on the tour can be found throughout Houston, including on Redstart Street, Rose Street, Gairloch Lane, East 7 1/2 Street, East 6 1/2 Street, Ruth Street and Glourie Drive. The tour also includes a home on Pine Street in Bellaire. Noon-6 p.m. $10 (single house), $25 (full-tour advance). 713-520-0155. www.aiahouston.org
COURTESY DEE ZUNKER PHOTOGRAPHY CITY OF BELLAIRE
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Nature Discovery Center, 7112 Newcastle St., Bellaire. 713-667-6550. www.naturediscoverycenter.org/ pumpkin-patch 21 DRESS UP FOR FULL MOON Join the city of West University Place for its Full Moon Festival, with Movies in the Park to follow. Pumpkin decorating, face painting and costume contests for di erent age groups will be o ered. 5:30-7 p.m. Free. Colonial Park Pavilion, 4130 Byron St., West University Place. 713-662-7420. www.hcpl.net 22 ENJOY A FOODIE FEST Attend the second annual Bellaire Foodie Fest hosted by the Bellaire
Find more or submit Bellaire, Meyerland and West University events at communityimpact.com/event-calendar. Event organizers can submit local events online to be considered for the print edition. Submitting details for consideration does not guarantee publication.
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7
BELLAIRE MEYERLAND WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION • OCTOBER 2022
TRANSPORTATION UPDATES Crews begin nal leg of Bu alo Speedway improvement project
COMPILED BY SHAWN ARRAJJ & GEORGE WIEBE
UPCOMING PROJECTS
Lane closures Northbound drivers on Bu alo Speedway will be diverted to Kirby Drive as crews work between Rice and West Holcombe boulevards. Phase 3 Phase 4 Detour
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Construction crews switched tra c patterns in mid-September as work continues on the nal phase of a project to make paving and drainage improvements along Bu alo Speedway within the city of West University Place. Work wrapped up in early September on the placement of underground storm sewer boxes, allowing crews to completely reopen all lanes at the intersection of West Holcombe Boulevard and Bu alo Speedway. In mid-September, crews closed the west side of Rice Boulevard at the intersection of Bu alo Speedway. Moving forward, work will involve installing new inlets and junction boxes at Duke Street and University Boulevard as well as sidewalk ramps, driveway aprons and new paving between West Holcombe and Rice.
During construction, tra c patterns are shifted to the west side of Bu alo Speedway, which is reduced to one southbound lane between Rice and West Holcombe. Northbound drivers are being detoured to Kirby Drive. Rice tra c is also being detoured around the closure at Bu alo Speedway. Residents a ected by the tra c will be noti ed in advance. Some resident driveways will be a ected for three to four weeks as crews remove driveway aprons and replace them with a light nish. The overall Bu alo Speedway project involves making improvements between Wroxton Road and Gramercy Street at a cost of $23 million, which is funded in part by the city and by the state and federal grants. Work is expected to wrap up in early 2023.
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ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF SEPT. 23. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT BMWNEWS COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. Braeswood Place wastewater line The city of Houston will begin con- struction this fall on a new wastewa- ter line and facilities project in the Braeswood Place neighborhood. The project will be broken in eight phases, the rst of which involves installing a wastewater diversion line through Westridge Street. The construction on gravity sewer line installations along Bu alo Speedway, Murworth Drive, Main Street and Westridge Street is expected to begin in the rst half of 2023 and be completed in early 2024. Timeline: fall 2022-early 2024 Cost: $36 million Funding source: city of Houston
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CITY & COUNTY
News from Bellaire & Houston
CITY HIGHLIGHTS HOUSTON As of press time Sept. 26, the city of Houston was set to host a public hearing Sept. 28 for the proposed fiscal year 2022-23 property tax rate of $0.53364 per $100 of valuation. The proposed rate is lower than the current tax rate of $0.55083 per $100 of valuation. Under the proposed tax rate, a homeowner with a home valued at $300,000 would pay about $52 less in annual property taxes before exemptions are factored in. The tax rate is set to be adopted by the city in October. Bellaire City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Oct. 3 at 7008 S. Rice Ave., Bellaire. Meetings are streamed at www.bellairetx.gov. West University Place City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at 3800 University Blvd., Houston. Meetings are available via teleconference. Find details at www.westutx.gov. Houston City Council will meet for public comment at 2 p.m. Oct. 4 and for regular business at 9 a.m. Oct. 5 at 901 Bagby St., Houston. Meetings are streamed at www.houstontx.gov/htv. MEETINGS WE COVER
Houston nears selecting developer for Stella Link Road affordable housing project
Bellaire OKs new sidewalk addition along Paseo Park
BY SHAWN ARRAJJ HOUSTON As planning work continues on a project to bring new affordable housing to Stella Link Road, the city of Houston hosted a virtual meeting Sept. 19 to provide a recap of efforts so far. The Houston City Council on March 31 approved the $14 million purchase of the 12.2-acre site where the project is being built. The land is located at 10301 Stella Link Road, Houston, west of Main Street and north of Willowbend Boulevard. Plans include the construction of 194 disaster-resistant and ener- gy-efficient single-family homes, according to city information. A total of 99 of the homes of the mixed-income development will be reserved for individuals earning 80% of the area median income or less. Future applicants must also have lived in Houston during Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
The city hosted meetings in May to gather input from the public on the project’s design and green space layouts, among other details. According to presentations made at a Sept. 19 meeting, a developer for the project is slated to be selected in December, and construction could begin in April 2023. New homes could be available to residents by January 2024. However, city officials noted the timeline was subject to change.
BY GEORGE WIEBE
BELLAIRE On Sept. 12, the Bellaire City Council approved plans for the addition of new sidewalks connecting existing pieces along Paseo Park’s southern end. Previously presented with two options during an Aug. 1 meeting, council settled on the “short side,” an attaching line of sidewalk between the park’s southwest corner and the sidewalk along the streetcar, which will cost an estimated $15,000-$25,000. “This project, if given the opportunity to proceed, could be completed within a week,” Assistant Director of Public Works Corey Woods said. No date was set for when construction would begin; however, direction was given by Mayor Andrew Friedberg to begin “expeditiously.”
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Art Worth the Trip Paintings * Photography * Jewelry Mixed Media * Sculpture/Pottery * Mosaics Local Art * Texas Talent
GROUP EXERCISE & PERSONAL TRAINING
BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL CARE
SOCIAL EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
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YMCA Mission: To put Judeo-Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. Everyone is welcome.
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BELLAIRE - MEYERLAND - WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION • OCTOBER 2022
2022
VOTER GUIDE GUIDE
Candidates and information for general elections
COMPILED BY SHAWN ARRAJJ
DATES TO KNOW Oct. 24 First day of early voting
WHERE TO VOTE
Nov. 8 Election Day Nov. 8 Last day to receive ballot by mail (or Nov. 9 if carrier envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. at location of election on Election Day)
Voters in Harris County can vote at any polling center in the county during both the early voting period and on election day. A list of polling centers will be published at www.harrisvotes.com.
Oct. 28 Last day to apply for ballot by mail (received, not postmarked) Nov. 4 Last day of early voting
SOURCES: HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE COMMUNITY IMPACT
SAMPLE BALLOT
R Republican
D Democrat
L Libertarian
G Green
*Incumbent
Justice, Supreme Court, Place 9 D Julia Maldonado R Evan Young* Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 5 D Dana Hu man R Scott Walker* Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 6
Harris County Civic Court at Law No. 2 D Jim F. Kovach* R Clyde Raymond Leuchtag Harris County Civic Court at Law No. 3 R Aaron G. Adams D Lawshawn A. Williams* Harris County Civic Court at Law No. 4 D M. K. Monica Singh R Brian Staley Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 1 R Nathan Moss D Alex Salgado* Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 2 D Ronnisha Bowman* R Paula Goodhart Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 3 D Porscha Natasha Brown R Leslie Johnson Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 4 D Shannon Brichelle Baldwin* R Zachary Gibson Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 5 R Elizabeth Buss D David Marcel Fleischer* Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 6 D Kelley Andrews* R Mark Montgomery
Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 7 R Mike Monks D Andrew A. Wright* Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 8 R Mark Goldberg D Erika Ramirez Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 9 R Sartaj Bal D Toria J. Finch* Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 10 D Juanita Jackson R Dan Spjut Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 11 R Dan Simons D Sedrick T. Walker II* Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 12 R Matthew Dexter D Genesis E. Draper* Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 13 R Lance Long D Raul Rodriguez* Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 14 R Jessica N. Padilla D Je’rell A. Rogers Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 15
Probate Court No. 2 R Sophia Mafrige D Pamela Medina Probate Court No. 3 D Jason Cox*
STATE Governor
R Greg Abbott* G Delilah Barrios D Beto O’Rourke L Mark Tippetts Lieutenant governor
R Rory Robert Olsen Probate Court No. 4 R Will Archer D James Horwitz* Harris County District Clerk D Marilyn Burgess* R Chris Daniel Harris County Clerk D Teneshia Hudspeth* R Stan Stanart Harris County Treasurer R Kyle Scott D Carla L. Wyatt Harris County Commissioner Precinct 4 D Lesley Briones R Jack Cagle* Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 5, Place 2 D Roberick D. Rogers R Bob Wolfe
D Mike Collier R Dan Patrick* L Shanna Steele Attorney general L Mark Ash D Rochelle Mercedes Garza R Ken Paxton* Comptroller of public accounts D Janet T. Dudding L V. Alonzo Echevarria-Garza R Glenn Hegar* Commissioner of the General Land O ce R Dawn Buckingham D Jay Kleberg G Alfred Molison Commissioner of agriculture D Susan Hays R Sid Miller* Railroad commissioner R Wayne Christian* G Hunter Crow L Jaime Andres Diez D Luke Warford Justice, Supreme Court, Place 3 R Debra Lehrmann* D Erin Nowell L Thomas Edward Oxford
D Robert Johnson R Jesse McClure*
Texas Senate, District 15 R George Brian Vachris D John Whitmire* Texas House of Representatives, District 134 D Ann Johnson* R Ryan McConnico L Carol Unsicker FEDERAL U.S. House of Representatives, District 7 D Lizzie Fletcher* R Johnny Teague U.S. House of Representatives, District 9 D Al Green* R Jimmy Leon LOCAL Harris County judge R Alexandra Del Moral Mealer D Lina Hidalgo* Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 1 D Audry Lawton Evans* R James Lombardino
R Xavier Alfaro D Tonya Jones*
Probate Court No. 1 D Jerry Simoneaux* R Loyd Wright
Only candidates in contested elections are included. Go to county election websites for information on uncontested races.
For more election coverage, go to www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide.
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
GOVERNMENT 7 Houston bond propositions would fund public safety, parks
Voters will be asked to weigh in on seven separate propositions during the Nov. 8 election. PROPOSITIONS
BY SHAWN ARRAJJ
Projects: renovations, replacements and maintenance projects for re and police departments PROPOSITION A Public safety Projects: improvements to swimming pools, park facilities, salaries and the Hermann Park Conservancy PROPOSITION B Parks Projects: funding for the Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care, including a new facility PROPOSITION C Animal care Projects: renovate facilities that provide health-related services, salary recovery PROPOSITION D Public health
PROPOSITION E General permanent improvements Dollar amount: $29M PROPOSITION F Libraries Dollar amount: $26M Projects: general maintenance and improvements PROPOSITION G Solid waste Dollar amount: $6M
“The bond allocation will fully fund projects currently included in the ... plan,” Turner said. “These are critical projects located in every council district throughout the city.” Among the projects labeled “future bond election” in Houston’s plan are more than $70 million for emergency response vehicles; $23 million to replace or renovate
In addition to races at the local and statewide level that will be on ballots this November, Houston voters will be given the chance to vote on seven bond propositions that would help fund city needs, including police department maintenance projects and the expansion of a city-run animal shelter. If all seven bonds
Dollar amount: $277M
Projects: City Hall and annex structure repairs, exterior waterproo ng, renovations to the water system and replacement of sanitary lines
re stations; and about $20 million in salary recovery across the police, re, solid waste, public health and parks departments. About $2.1 million would go toward replacing the roof at the Houston Health
“THESE ARE CRITICAL PROJECTS LOCATED IN EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.” SYLVESTER TURNER, HOUSTON MAYOR
Dollar amount: $60M
pass, it would give the city the ability to sell roughly $478 million in bonds to investors, which would be paid back with interest over a longer term. The bonds would not
Dollar amount: $47M
require an increase in property taxes, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said. Voters have the ability to choose which of the seven bonds to support. The largest bond, which will show up on ballots as Proposition A, would provide $277 million toward public safety, including for renovations of police and re stations as well as new vehicles. Other referendums would support parks, animal care, public health, libraries, the city’s solid waste department and general improvements to city facilities. The city has not released a detailed project list for the bonds, but o cials said they would in part be used to fund roughly $194 million in projects in Houston’s 2023-27 capital improvements plan but have not yet been funded.
Projects: roof replacements, environmental services, salary recovery, locker room upgrades, concrete
Department Rabies Laboratory in the Texas Medical Center, while $255,000 would help renovate the Hiram Clarke Multi-Service Center in southwest Houston. Another $500,000 would go to the Hermann Park Conservancy. Conservancy CEO Doreen Stoller said the funding would be used for general needs at Hermann Park, including the repair of broken infrastructure, such as mechanical systems, lighting and leaks in the ponds in the Japanese Garden. The remaining $274 million would be used for projects for 2028 and beyond, city o cials said. This would help future councils by increasing spending exibility to avoid having to schedule future smaller bonds,
and pavement repairs, and a facility conditions assessment
Dollar amount: $33M
SOURCE: CITY OF HOUSTON COMMUNITY IMPACT
according to Will Jones, Houston’s interim chief business o cer and director of nance. Abbie Kamin, who represents District C on the Houston City Council, said there are other needed improvements that are not in the CIP, including renovations to the West Grey Metropolitan Multi-Service Center. “MMSC is the primary location
citywide where families and those with disabilities can access city programs and support,” she said. “It is in desperate need of renovation, and I will continue to push hard for it.” The city most recently called bond elections in 2017. Informational public hearings are slated to take place at 6 p.m. Oct. 5 and Oct. 12 and at 9 a.m. Oct. 19 at City Hall, 901 Bagby St., Houston.
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BELLAIRE MEYERLAND WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION • OCTOBER 2022
INSIDE INFORMATION
CANDIDATE Q&A
Get to know candidates running in November’s midterm elections
2022 VOTER GUIDE
Understanding mail-in ballot rejections
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
COMPILED BY RACHEL CARLTON
Republican D Candidates were asked to keep responses under 75 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity. Democrat R
Incumbent
Errors cited in rejected mail-in ballots include failure to provide ID numbers on applications and numbers not matching on ballots. Those without an acceptable ID can vote if none of the required ID numbers are found in registration records. Notice is provided if applications or ballots are rejected.
STEP 1: SAMPLE MAIL IN BALLOT APPLICATION
STEP 2: SAMPLE MAIL IN BALLOT
Harris County judge
Why are you running for the role of county judge?
What is the biggest issue facing Harris County?
Our priority on Commissioners Court will be public safety, and as long as we are in agree- ment that that is the top priority, we will be able to nd ways to work together. My obligation as judge will be to our residents above partisan politics. [Previously], Harris County worked in a bipartisan fashion and didn’t get bogged down in left vs. right. That’s what I believe we need to be moving toward. How will you work with your colleagues to get things done? Opposing perspectives can push us to nd more equitable solutions, and I am dedi- cated to keeping Harris County moving for- ward. Since taking o ce, I led a bipartisan Commissioners Court to invest in reducing the criminal court backlog and cut home- lessness by 20%. My priority is providing access to brighter opportunities. While my colleagues and I sometimes disagree, we share the goal of providing the best services and outcomes for all residents.
Texas Driver’s License, Texas Personal Identi cation Number or Election Identi cation Certi cate Number issued by the Department of Public Safety (NOT your voter registration Voter Unique Identi er Number) You must provide one of the following numbers:
Since the passage of state Senate Bill 1 during the 87th legislative session in 2021, mail-in ballot rejections have risen statewide. COMPILED BY WESLEY GARDNER
ALEXANDRA DEL MORAL MEALER
FOLD LINE
Occupation: energy investment banker Relevant experience: West Point grad; Cap- tain, U.S. Army bomb squad; Harvard JD/
I watched as petty crime in my neighbor- hood turned into violent crime and our local o cials refused to even acknowledge the problem, let alone try to nd solutions to immediately address the issue. When I launched my campaign in November of 2021, public safety was my top priority. ... My family and I love living in Harris County, and the rst and foremost responsibility of government is to protect the most vulnerable. Before I was elected, county government ew under the radar, dodged tough decisions and operated reactively, not proactively. I’ve steered Harris County through a winter storm, chemical res, oods, hurricanes and COVID[-19]. I did it while making bold changes to how our government operates— from record law enforcement funding to early childhood education [and] smarter ood control. I’m running to protect our progress and keep Harris County moving forward.
The biggest issue facing Harris County is the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester. ... To tackle this unprecedented rise in crime there is a funding element and a legal element. [The county] stripped the constables and the district attorney of their saving accounts during an unprece- dented crime epidemic, … and denied the overwhelming majority of their budget requests. [The county] signed the ODonnell Consent Decree that created a cashless bail system for misdemeanors. 1. Keeping Harris County safe: from natural disasters, from crime, and from any other threat to our health and well-being. 2. Building an early childhood education system that gives every child in our county a fair start in life. 3. Continuing to strengthen our ood resil- ience and our disaster preparedness.
Signature
SENATE BILL 1
If you do not have a Texas Driver’s License, a Texas Personal Identi cation Number or a Texas Election Identi cation Certi cate Number, give the last four digits of your Social Security number.
R
You must provide one of the following:
Required information:
Banned in-person drive-thru voting, 24-hour voting Added new ID requirements for voting by mail Made proactively distributing mail ballot applications a state felony Increased autonomy for poll watchers by allowing them “free movement,” requiring training Limited help voter assistants can provide to in- person voters
MBA; wife and mother of two young children www.alexandramealer.com
Driver's license, personal ID or election ID
Last four digits of Social Security number
I have not been
issued a driver's license or ID
I have not been issued a Texas Driver’s License/ Texas Personal Identi cation Number/Texas Election Identi cation Certi cate or Social Security Number. APPLICATION REQUIREMENT: ID NUMBERS A new law requires those who vote by mail to include one of the following ID numbers on their applications:
Phone: OPTIONAL CONTACT INFORMATION: Email:
Occupation: Harris County judge LINA HIDALGO Relevant experience: Medical interpreter, Texas Civil Rights Proj- ect, advocacy through-
Provide optional contact information to expedite the correction process. Visit www.votetexas.gov/voting-by-mail/track-my- ballot.html to track ballot status and correct errors. BALLOT REQUIREMENT: MATCHING ID NUMBERS The same number submitted on applications must also be on their ballots. Election o cials o er the following tips:
RISING REJECTION RATES
2016* 2018* 2020* March 1, 2022 May 7, 2022 May 25, 2022
1.8% 1.8%
0.8%
Texas driver’s license number Texas state ID number Last four digits of their Social Security number Election ID certi cate number
D
12.4%
out Southeast Asia, Harris County judge 281-624-6225 | www.linahidalgo.com
5% 3.9%
*INCLUDES ALL ELECTIONS HELD THAT YEAR
SOURCES: HARRIS COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, MONTGOMERY COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE COMMUNITY IMPACT
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Figuring out the nancial impact
Harris County’s overall tax rate stayed at after voters approved the 2015 bond but has since declined each year since 2019. If approved, November’s bond would impact the tax rate by $0.012, but the total rate may not necessarily increase.
CONDITIONS IN HARRIS COUNTY
Identifying the need Daniel Ramos, executive director of the Harris County O ce of Management and Budget, described the bond as a “meat-and- potatoes” bond that would improve aging roads and drainage structures, add park space and invest in public safety facilities.
Tax rate (per $100 valuation)
$0.70 $0.65 $0.60 $0.55 $0.50 $0.45 $0.40 $0
+$0.012 if bond passes
$0.62998
County places $1.2B bond on Nov. 8 ballot
Voters approve $848M Harris County bond
ROADS
DRA I NAGE
105,000
588 260
miles of roads considered in poor to failed condition
structures outside the 100-year ood plain ooded during Hurricane Harvey
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022* 2023** Tax year 2016 2017 2020 2021
miles of roads with congested conditions
430
39%
tra c-related fatalities per year on average
of roads have sidewalks
*PROPOSED RATE YET TO BE APPROVED **PROJECTED RATE SHOWN ASSUMES NO CHANGE ASIDE FROM BOND IMPACT
Annual cost to average homeowner if bond passes $32
PARKS
PUBLIC SAFETY
[The public] had to tighten their belt coming out of the pandemic ... and I think we should do the same. This is not the time [for a bond election].
Taxes for Harris County residents will continue to go down over the next decade, barring something unforeseen. DANIEL RAMOS,
4 new public safety facilities recommended by the Harris County Sheri ’s O ce could be funded by bond:
• District 6
4.9 acres of parks per 1,000 people in Harris County 9.9 acres of parks per 1,000 people recommended by National Recreation and Parks Association
substation • 3 training facilities: • Flood and swift- water rescues • Driving
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HARRIS COUNTY OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
JACK CAGLE, HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT 4 COMMISSIONER
• Simulating active- shooter scenarios
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET COMMUNITY IMPACT
“I’m not saying you have to have 99% speci c projects,” Ramsey said at an Aug. 2 meeting. “But to have no speci c projects? To say, ‘Let me have a blank check on roads, ... parks [and] public safety’? When that’s out there, there’s not speci cs that you can com- municate with people.” The county did not publish a list of projects to the 2015 bond, according to prior Community Impact reporting. However, Grant Martin—a political
precincts can use this funding for any applicable capital road projects. The court members voted 3-2 to adopt a “worst- rst” policy to direct bond money to areas of greatest need during their Aug. 2 meeting with Ram- sey and Cagle opposed. A minimum of $220 million would be allocated to each precinct under this policy, and the remainder would either be allocated to each precinct based on the need at a later date or managed centrally by the
consultant who ran the 2012 and 2017 bond campaigns for the city of Hous- ton—said it is not typical to have set project lists for bonds. “It’s tough to put a list of guaran- teed projects on a ballot because of the voters,” said Martin, who has run cam- paigns for Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis and is running Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia’s cam- paign. “You don’t want to be in a posi- tion where the voters have approved
money for [a project that] is impossible to complete.” However, county o cials have presented some information on how the proposition funds could be spent during Commissioners Court meetings. Road work Out of $900 million in mobility bonds, $300 million would go to gen- eral road bonds. Harris County Engi- neer Milton Rahman said individual
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