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Former City Council Member Julie Davis and former Mayor Sara Countryman will vie for city of Montgomery City Council Position 3.
Early voting will begin April 24 with election day polls open May 6 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Montgomery City Hall, located at 101 Old Plantersville Road, Montgomery. The last day to register to vote is April 6.
Why are you running for election?
After my second term as mayor, I have continued to pay attention to city business, stayed connected with city residents and businesses as well as kept an eye on infrastructure and transportation issues. A number of residents are not happy and a group of concerned citizens approached me and asked for help. I am thrilled to run for Place 3 and look forward to working with [Gary] Palmer, City Council, city boards and our citizens.
What do you hope to accomplish in your term?
Our priorities are water and transportation; I understand both due to the last four years of planning and executing. The county-owned Lone Star Parkway needs some serious attention and I look forward to working with county officials to address those issues right away for the safety of our residents and commuters that use that loop daily. Mr. Palmer is committed to updating our city ordinances, and I am excited to be a small part of that.
How will you help the city of Montgomery balance its small-town roots with continual growth and development?
Controlled growth and development along with smart planning will allow the city to achieve and succeed in this area. Taking a look and consideration at the long range goal/plans to ensure what is being approved today, meets the long term future goals and plans. I don’t want Montgomery to lose the rich history, charm and character as this is what makes Montgomery so special. This is hard to balance, but not impossible.
What do you believe is the most important issue in the city and what action would you take to respond to it?
Traffic. Montgomery is split by state Hwy. 105, so we have two county commissioners responsible for working with the city on traffic issues and solutions. Current growth projections, the demand on water infrastructure and possible need for a new well is key for growth and success. Updating ordinances ensures residents, builders, business owners, contractors and developers are informed and maintain the aesthetics that allow the city to maintain its charm and important historical feel.
How do you plan to help improve transportation efforts?
I want to hold our county officials accountable and ensure we work together to meet our growing needs in and around the city of Montgomery. Road maintenance isn’t progress, planning and execution is progress, and I want to assist in getting a plan in place with real timelines and actions that will achieve our traffic needs today and in our future.
Why are you running for election?
The city has a long-standing reputation for being behind the trends for growth and development despite the areas right around the city experiencing record breaking growth. I am running to help ensure that our community is awake and paying attention to the needs of all citizens and visitors alike. I believe that what we need is to invest in infrastructure so that we can build something that will last for future generations.
What do you hope to accomplish in your term?
When I was originally elected to City Council in 2020, I had ideas on what we could do and should do. The reality is that the government moves slowly. With that being said, I would like to continue to see the taxes remain equitable and also renew the 20% homestead exemption. Additionally, I would love to see our parks and recreation areas improve and our codes and ordinances brought up to a more modern day level.
How will you help the city of Montgomery balance its small town roots with continual growth and development?
As an active member of this community, I plan to continue to be present. We must turn our focus on growing ways for businesses to come and do life here. We can do a better job at this by making it easier for some larger places like a hotel and H-E-B to come and pour into this area. But also we must focus on ways to improve the quality of life of our small/medium downtown shops.
What do you believe is the most important issue in the city and what action would you take to respond to it?
Four years ago I would have resoundingly told you that infrastructure was our greatest problem. Today that is still a need, but I feel like there is an even greater issue at the forefront today than that. Our biggest issue is a people issue. We have major communication deficits on all fronts. We must begin to pivot into a “we” mentality and not a “me” mentality. This can be accomplished by being collaborative team players.
How do you plan to help improve transportation efforts?
Transportation has been a growing issue for the city. Sidewalk installation has been the only solution discussed, but I do not see a sidewalk being the most efficient mode of travel for the long distances from the north side of town to a grocery store or other locations. Ideally, having a bus system or extending the city of Conroe’s bus system across the entire county would make the most sense.
