Joining mayoral candidates are Hill Adams, Chuck Brawner and Steve Jurovic.
Running unopposed for Ward A is J. Gary Jones. For Ward B, candidates Jimmy Mendez, Jessie G. Campbell and Kayse Kendall Johnson are competing. Council members serve two-year terms.
Early election runs from April 24 through May 2; election day is May 6.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and online at communityimpact.com/houston for election day coverage.
Mayor
Hill Adams
Occupation: Insurance executive
Years of residence in Katy: 24
Why are you running for mayor?
I’m ready for change. I wouldn’t be running for mayor if they were hitting home runs. I’m not unhappy with the direction the city is going, but on the city website it says they want rapid development. Governments don’t do anything well when they do it fast. I think we’ve made a few deals that probably could have been done better. The mayor’s slogan was ‘Katy is open for business.’ In some ways, I think he’s given away the store.
What are your top three priorities?
To get the fire station built, to refresh or update the drainage plan and to provide some property tax relief.
What qualifies you to be mayor of Katy?
I served on the Katy City Council from 2002 to 2008. I’ve been in private business for a very long time. If I say I’m going to do something, I do it. I’ll direct the department heads on things that need to be done and let them do their jobs. We have excellent department heads. I’m certainly not going to micromanage them.
Chuck Brawner
Occupation: Retired police officer
Years of residence in Katy: 15
Why are you running for mayor?
Katy is an exceptional city. We’ve made a lot of progress over the past four years that I’ve been on council. We’ve made strides to increase our commercial footprint. My agenda is to serve the citizens of Katy. I’ve been in law enforcement for 45 years and owned a successful business. I care so much about Katy. We completed a reorganization of the fire department and increased the force. I want to continue that. I want to continue to have appropriate growth and not overtax the city. We need to be able to control expansion.
What are your top three priorities?
Mobility: We have a tremendous amount of growth going around the city of Katy. It’s not in our city limits but we’re getting the traffic from it. Last year’s April tax day flood was devastating to Katy. We have a committee appointed to review what happened with the flood. We have an engineering study going on to determine what needs to mitigate the flooding. The wall of water that came down from the north of us washed through the city and clogged up our streams. Finally, we want to make sure we are managing our growth that meets the needs of our citizens. We have $17 million worth of road projects either underway or on the books to be done. Financial responsibility is very important.
What qualifies you to be mayor of Katy?
I have been involved in all aspects of how this city runs. There’s no other candidate that has that background. It’s a business. I’ve worked with developers. I’m very proud of what we’ve done. We’ve improved the quality of life for the people who live here. Mr. Adams has not been involved in any city business since 2008. He has no background in what has gone on here. His assumptions are not based on fact. My background is leadership and law enforcement. I was the police chief for 21 years and have extensive experience in government budgeting and management. I was captain of the West I-10 Fire Department. I’ve been very blessed in my life to have a career that has enabled me to have so many leadership functions. It all comes back to one thing: serving the people. I want to make sure they’re safe and that every dollar is spent wisely.
Steve Jurovic
Occupation: Semi-retired author
Years of residence in Katy: 8
Why are you running for mayor?
I believe Katy is growing too fast and without proper oversight. The current mayor’s motto is “open for business” and that works for a while, but then the subdivisions and residential housing in the city become neglected. I have tried in the past to point out problems facing our subdivisions but the current administration did not agree.
What are your top three priorities?
If I am elected mayor, the citizens of Katy can expect a four-hour open meeting with constituents every week and one Saturday per month to hear and solve problems and concerns; a thorough review of all city departments to determine which are working well and which need improvement; a thorough review of Katy ordinances to determine how subdivision deed restrictions are affected; and visits to homeowners’ association meetings to hear concerns in order to resolve any discord between city ordinances and deed restrictions.
What qualifies you to be mayor of Katy?
I have served on the Katy Planning and Zoning Commission and the Zoning Board of Adjustment. I served with the U.S. Army in Tokyo as a cartographer with the Army Security Agency. I also have volunteered as a Texas-certified ombudsman for senior living facilities and as a Veterans Affairs hospital chairman of visitation for the Masonic Service Association.
WARD B
Jimmy Mendez
Occupation: Driver for O’Reilly Auto Parts
Years of residence in Katy: 44
Why are you running for city council?
As your representative to the city of Katy, I have worked on short-term and daily maintenance projects, medium-range and long-term projects. I would like to finish what I started and see my big infrastructure projects through to completion.
What are your top three priorities?
My priorities are God, family and country. I grew up in Katy. I swam in the rice wells. I rode my bike up to the local Katy drugstore and got lime freezes. Katy is my home. Traditionally, the city of Katy wanted to remain small and had no money to do anything. Houston and Fulshear grew up around the city limits almost landlocking us. A vicious cycle was created. Land values went up, taxes went up, and so did the demand for Katy properties. Taxes increased through our city, which caused us more wear and tear on our infrastructure. To keep up with the accelerated wear and tear, the city worked to get a mall into the city limits for tax revenue purposes.
What qualifies you to serve on the Katy City Council?
I am a legal resident of Katy and meet all of the other legal requirements. That makes me qualified. Most of my fondest childhood memories are here in Katy. I love this city. As for my education, it has been in the fields of construction, anti-terrorism and disaster/emergency management. I have the honor of four years as the people’s representative in local government and have been listening to and fixing their issues.
Jessie G. Campbell
Occupation: Attorney
Years of residence in Katy: 13
www.jessiecampbellforkaty.com
Why are you running for city council?
I was raised with a strong sense of community service. It is a tradition in my family through both my mother and my father. I became a lawyer specifically because I wanted to help people, and I am fortunate that I am able to do that on a daily basis through my work, but I also know that I have a greater impact. I love living in Katy, and I completely understand why people want to move to Katy. It is the charm and character of this community. I decided to run for the city council because I want to serve my community that I love and to be a voice for my neighbors who are quietly living in Katy.
What are your top three priorities?
- Transparency and updated information: Katy citizens should not have to search for information on what the city is doing and why. I will work with the city’s leadership to create a plan on better sharing information, which will begin immediately with an update of the website. I will also work to establish town halls to allow for more conversation, which currently does not happen at city council meetings.
- Address the downtown Katy Square improvement project: Listening to the business owners, we must do a better job of supporting them during the eight to nine months of this construction with signs, parking access and better temporary sidewalks. In the meantime, I want our partners to work together to ensure its ongoing success, including planning a grand reopening.
- Strategic Plan: You have to know where you’re going, how to get there, and what alternate paths to take when there is an unexpected road block. I want to establish an ad hoc committee with community leaders, economic partners and city officials to develop a city strategic plan, which will be the blueprint to manage growth. It will include residential and commercial growth, economic development, infrastructure, traffic management, cultural experiences, culinary expansion and financial goals. There will be an annual town hall on the state of the city, discussing where we are on reaching our benchmarks and what adjustments had to be made.
What qualifies you to serve on the Katy City Council?
First, I am an attorney, which has provided me with the skills to solve problems through sensible and practical solutions, including compromises and collaborations, and to know when to fight for what is just. Also, I know how to look for the unintended consequences of a decision, which is helpful in a decision-making process. Second, my professional work is not of a typical attorney as I work in legal services. I have significant experience working with a variety of people and addressing their specific needs. I have served on the board of directors for two different nonprofits, and I am constantly continuing my education and training, including most recently a nine-month certification program at the Leadership Institute for Nonprofit Executives at Rice University’s Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. Essentially, my experience is balanced, and I am prepared to meet the challenges of serving the city of Katy on its city council. Thank you for your consideration.
Kayse Kendall Johnson
Occupation: Owner, Green Events
Years of residence in Katy: 2
http://kayseforkaty.com
Why are you running for city council?
I love Katy's History and want to preserve the Heritage entrusted to our generation. I care about people and want to represent their concerns and ideas on the city council. I am optimistic about Katy's Future as I have two children in Katy ISD and a vested interest in how we grow with integrity.
What are your top three priorities?
You can characterize my race as "Preserving Katy's History while Embracing Katy's Future" I will pursue this through three S's:
- Solidarity of heritage: Unite established and newer Citizens to build on Katy's history. We are one Katy.
- Sanctity of growth: Prioritize integrity with checks and balances
- Safety of citizens: Address challenges of a growing population
What qualifies you to serve on the Katy City Council?
As a national and regional manager of U.S. Bank and Regions Bank, a registered broker with A.G. Edwards, Officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and a corporate facilitator working with the good ol' boys of Alabama, I have had plentiful customer service experience hearing the concerns of clients and patrons, working within an antiquated system in a respectful yet effective manner, cutting through the red tape and finding justice for those in need. If someone is standing up for what they believe in, I can handle being chewed out without taking it personally. I will do anything possible for that person. On May 6, vote for Kayse Kendall Johnson for council member Ward B and that is what you will get.
