The race for the four positions on The Woodlands Township board of directors is in its final days and candidates are making a last push to pick up votes. Positions 1, 2, 3 and 4 are up for election this year and the final day to vote is Saturday, May 12.

Community Impact Newspaper published a comprehensive candidates guide to The Woodlands Township election in April. The following is additional comments and answers to topics by the candidates in the Position 3 race.

What are some areas that you believe the Township could cut or save money?

Roland Borey: "Most of The Woodlands residents are happy with their services and might be leery of cutting [services]. But my question is, 'How efficient are the departments in delivering those services?'"

Borey also said he would consider cutting back on the township's capital reserves and contingency funds. He suggested possibly cutting back the 40 percent contingency and capital reserve funds "without even looking at cutting back services."

Margarita Chavez: "I believe the board has done a good job. Cutting expenses and saving money takes an extremely attentive and detailed study, which I would be committed to undertake."

Jeff Long: "I think the interest rates are one thing I would look at. We need to make sure we wrung every penny we can out of the lower bond rates going on right now. Because that ends up being big dollars."

Long said he would consider The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau budget for possible cost savings to "see if it all made sense." "We may need to trim those areas and see what impact that might have," he said.

Tim Nutt: "I don't know that if its financial cuts that concern the residents. I think it's spending in excess, whether people think you need to spend $250,000 for a [Waterway Cruiser], they want they money [the township has] spent more wisely. It's not that residents are looking for us to cut."

Jay Mac Sanders: "It is hard to say where to cut for 2013, where we need to cut is going to be complicated. Without digging into the [current] budget, and saying we could save some money [on a particular item], you can only save on future budgets."

What are some areas you would like to see the Township fund?

Sanders: "I think right how we have a very good public safety record and, I don't want to be an alarmist, but we only have one dedicated full-time detective. As we're continuing to grow, that may be an area that we evaluate further. Let's make sure we keep our quality of life and the bad guys out."

Sanders also said he would like for the township to establish a capital reserve requirement.

"As we age, we're going to need a capital reserve requirement. It will help us determine what are long-term needs are going to be," he said.

Nutt: "I think people need to sit back and appreciate the job that has been been done before. As an elected official, I would make sure that we just spend [funds] wisely."

Long: "I think we're a bit underfunded on some of the larger sports complexes. We don't have a whole lot of [athletic fields] for a city of 100,000. We probably don't have an equal number that many cities have."

Long also said he would examine cost efficiencies of maintaining the many pocket parks in The Woodlands.

Chavez: "I would like to see the township increase funds to the recreation center. The recreation center serves all of the community and it is the heard of our family activity. So much more could be done with increased funding."

Borey: "I would like to see a better referral service. Whenever I need to report something, I have to look at all of the websites. We need one number to call. In terms of fire and police service, I think residents are pretty happy with those. If there was something coming up short, I would be complaining."

How are you different from your opponents:

Long: "The one thing is experience. I have an incredible amount of experience in municipal city services. I have almost 30 years of running large capital budgets and I know that stuff pretty well."

Long has served on The Woodlands Village Association, Residential Design Review Committee, Woodlands Community Association, and the Development Standards Committee.

"It's clearly a considerable experience difference," Long said.

Borey: "I think I have professional experience some of the other [candidates] do not have. I have been a manager over two research laboratories, so I'm used to dealing with issues regarding funding of personnel, buildings and the upkeep of buildings."

Borey also said he has 30 years experience dealing with issues communities face, such as traffic congestion.

Nutt: "My opponents have had either the resources or the people to help them get elected. I think we lose sight in the election that it is the people's choice, not a special interest group, or a previous board member, or a [political action committee]. At the end of the day, it is the residents who decide."

Sanders: "I'm the only currently serving in The Woodlands in any capacity. Nobody else sits on a committee or is involved in the governing structure or community relations structure right now. There are ways to serve even if you do not win your election. I lost two elections before I won."

Sanders is a member of Panther Creek Village Association, the Panther Creek Residential Design Review Committee and the South Montgomery County Woodlands Chamber of Commerce Mobility Team.

Chavez: "I am different from my opponents in the simple fact that I do not represent any special interest group or seek any personal gain. I am wanting to represent The Woodlands people by keeping them informed of what is taking place in the community and bringing their needs before the board."