Hoping to appeal to constituents one final time before early voting—which ends May 3— candidates for Sugar Land mayor debated April 23 at the Ismaili Jamatkhana and Center. Infrastructure, term limits for city appointees and public safety were discussed by candidates Lloyd Myatt Hancock, Council Member Harish Jajoo, Sarwar Khan, Kyle Stanley and Council Member Joe Zimmerman. ABC 13 reporter Miya Shay and Brandon Rottinghaus, an associate professor of political science at the University of Houston, moderated the debate. In light of the April 18 flooding around the Greater Houston area, Rottinghaus asked candidates for their vision for the city’s infrastructure. Jajoo said the city needed more people submitting bids for roadway and other large projects to better ensure infrastructure is repaired for the best price. “We need to make sure that our infrastructure [is] to code and [we] have a plan in place,” he said. Each of the candidates addressed spending for infrastructure projects, while Kyle Stanley predicted the city’s levee improvement districts and older neighborhoods would need the most attention. “These levee improvement districts are where a lot of the action’s going to take place,” Stanley said. When Shay asked candidates for their opinions on term limits for members of Sugar Land’s boards and committees, the two sitting council members—Jajoo and Zimmerman—pointed to their own term limits. Each candidate said appointees to the boards and commissions are dependent upon the City Council, which is elected. Hancock said he supported term limits for appointees to encourage new ideas, and because the same people serve year after year. “I would much rather see a process where there’s an independent committee that looks at resumes and it looks at community service and picks these people, rather than having these people getting picked by the City Council, often times for favors or support,” he said. Zimmerman argued that board and commission appointees are thoroughly vetted based on their merit. “I take offense to people saying that it’s because of favors,” he said. “It’s absolutely because of qualifications.” The sitting council members also faced claims by Hancock, Stanley and Khan that citizens do not have enough opportunity to give input to the City Council. Jajoo and Zimmerman pointed to City Council and board agendas, which are posted days in advance of meetings. Moderators also asked about increased safety needs as new event spaces open in Sugar Land, including the Smart Financial Centre and the Festival Site in Brazos River Park. All candidates agreed the city’s police force will need secure new sites to make sure nearby neighborhoods are not impacted by increased traffic and visitors. “The security and the safety for our citizens of Sugar Land is a great priority of mine,” Khan said.