Why are you running for this position?  What are the three main attributes that make you the most qualified for this position?

Over the last several years Shenandoah has become known as "Simply Shenandoah," but Shenandoah has never been known as"Simply." We've been known as the "Safest little city in Texas,"  "The Richest little city in Texas," and to try and change that to be "Simple" -it just doesn't fit. Over the last several years we've moved into more city government and have "Simply" moved away from resident representation. We've moved into more government control and city ordinances, and "Simply" away from civic virtue and community values. We've moved into creating more planning committees and "Simply" moved away from oversight and accountability. We've moved into more "transparent" government spending and "Simply" away from a commonsense approach to fiscal responsibility. This why I've chosen to run for “A Better Shenandoah.” -Better Fiscal Responsibility, -Better City Management, and -Better Oversight and Accountability. 

As the city’s population, business development and municipal services have increased markedly, the need for better fiscal services have become more pronounced. Our residents need better representation through a commonsense approach to fiscal responsibility by its elected leaders. Here’s just one example: Many residents have expressed concerns about the city spending over $350,000 on neighborhood entrance signs. Yet the current council is considering a 10% increase in residential water rates, and adding an additional $2.4 million in debt to fund a new water plant. It just doesn't’t make “cents”. We need to lower costs to our residents not increase them. I have specific plans on how to accomplish this for our community. Its time to move away from "Simply" being transparent in our government spending and  become A Better fiscally sound Shenandoah.

I believe leadership is everything!  You show me a successful business, church, club, city or high school sports team and you'll find a leader behind the scenes. A better Shenandoah needs strong, visionary, problem solving, values based leadership that's not part of the good ole boys club. Unfortunately, current city council is mired in the past and the way things have always been done. Shenandoah has some serious issues in our current administration. We lost 26% of our city employees last year, yet current council voted 3-2 to give our city administrator a $12,000 bonus for a job well done. In addition, council voted last year to give complete authority to the city administrator, and in the process relinquished their ability to communicate with city employees regarding city business. Checks and balances is the best form of governing, but if you can't speak to the city staff how do you know what is truly going on in the city. We need to "Simply" restructure our city administration to restore " A Better" city management.

Shenandoah needs leadership with clear eyes, a full heart and a no non-sense approach to review the governing process. I’m not afraid of a 3-2 votes because it focuses discussion and answers questions. The current city council leaves to many unanswered questions in chambers. Before we spend taxpayer dollars, we need to reduce our debt, eliminate frivolous spending, waste, and unnecessary capital improvements. Our city budget will obviously increase to accommodate its growth. However, moving forward Councilmen need to work with the M.D.D. on development and improvement projects (such as the $2.4 million water plant) to eliminate this type of funding from the general budget. This will free up funds for the benefit of our residents and businesses like investing in our police department and paying down debt or lowering taxes. We need good leadership that can develop a culture of oversight and accountability, and a code of ethics to guide our city.

I've been a Shenandoah neighbor for 4 years and have been a business owner for 30 years. I have successfully managed multi-million dollar business operations, budgets, and personnel in multiple office locations in seven different states. I am a strong passionate leader that understands people, processes, and what it takes to produce results. I'm experienced in start up operations, regulatory compliance, selecting, hiring, and training qualified personnel, developing collateral support and innovative resources. I understand the importance of budgets, accountability, and have the experience in turning failing organizations around into thriving, profitable ones. I am committed to bring this same business acumen, leadership, and common sense management style to the community to help solve the city’s challenges.

What are the 3 most pressing issues in Shenandoah and what is your preferred solution to each?

The three most pressing issues our city faces are oversight and accountability, crime, and growth and economic development.

I believe the greatest issue currently is oversight and accountability. The current council and city administrator are rubber stamping city budgetary items, capital improvements, and economic development expansion in 3-2 vote approvals. Spending is out of control, and there is no accountability or representation of the residents of Shenandoah. Here's an example: we are using the city's general fund tax dollars for economic development when the city has a M.D.D. Any economic development funding should be eliminated out of the city's general budget, such as the proposed $2.4 million water plant. Shenandoah's M.D.D. currently has a $5,000,000 surplus, and has funded these types of projects in the past. This is not an expense that the residents should incur, especially since the additional water plant will support the commercial mixed use development on the east side of I-45. Utilizing M.D.D. funds would prevent the city from going into further debt and increasing the residential water rates by 10%. We need to eliminate frivolous spending, waste, and unnecessary capital improvement projects from our budget, and reinvest those funds into reducing our debt, lowering our taxes and increasing our police department for the safety of our community. In addition to overspending, there is no oversight in our city administration. We lost 26% of the city's employee in 1 year. That is a horrific number of trained city employees to loose, yet current council admits there's not a staffing problem. "Simply" this is commonsense oversight. First, I would propose a change in Article 2 of the Shenandoah City Ordinance, giving back the power to city council to be involved with city employees. I would require all department heads to attend and give report on their department before council monthly. Secondly, I believe the governing process should be reviewed by citizen's with clear eyes and a full heart. Therefore, I would propose term limits for city council to no more than 3 consecutive terms served. And finally, I would propose that city council adopt a code of ethics by which we govern our city.

Crime has consistently been increasing over the last several years. Shenandoah use to be known as the "Safest little city in Texas," and God forbid if you tried to speed through our city. Now our patrolman are being used to enforce city ordinances against homeowners like HOA security guards, rather than utilizing effective policing techniques to prevent crime. One of the greatest assets of the city is our police department. We have some of the best trained crime preventing officers in the county and state working at SPD. Unfortunately this is the one department that has not grown proportionately in terms of growth with our the city. Deterring crime evolves around 3 primary fundamentals. 1) A greater police presence - we need more officers on patrol. 2) Effective policing techniques and equipment. 3) Teamwork -residents/businesses to proactively work with law enforcement on suspicious circumstances and activity. I propose we restructure our city's organization chart to reflect the police depart reporting directly to city council. This allows council proper oversight and allows officers to freely protect our city without being under control of one individual. I would then propose a reinvestment in proper funding of our police department to add one officer on each shift, and identify with SPD the equipment needed to effectively help them reduce crime. And finally, I would propose to work with our civic club, and our business association to introduce a new Team up with SPD campaign to proactively prevent crime.

Now more than ever we need planning and zoning, city council and the M.D.D. need to come together to ensure that there is a good mix of residential and non-residential properties with adequate public facilities available, such as water, wastewater, police protection, and park facilities to assure the remaining land in Shenandoah is properly developed per the city’s comprehensive development plan. Currently, these entities work somewhat independently of one another on projects. It’s time for good leadership to unite residents, city administration, and government to be - “A Better Shenandoah.” In order to ensure proper growth and economic development of our city I would propose a workshop to be attended by P & Z commissioners, M.D.D. board members, and councilmen for the purposes of planning and agreeing on the city's comprehensive development plan. Once we agree on a comprehensive development plan all three entities would be committed to approving only projects that benefit the residents of Shenandoah per that plan. 

How can the operation of your city government be made more efficient and cost effective?

First, we need new leadership to review the governing process and implement oversight and accountability to determine the state of our city. Next, we need to eliminate frivilous spending, waste, and unnecessary capital improvements, from our city budget. We also need to identify projects that can funded through the M.D.D. that currently are being funded by the city budget. We then need to have city council, P & Z, and the M.D.D. plan together for the proper growth and development of the remaining land for the city. And finally, we need to restructure the city's organization chart to reflect the police department reporting directly to city council, and require department heads to provide monthly reports before city council. 

What's your interpretation of the "Separation of Church and State"?

I believe that "Separation of Church and State" was intended to protect our religious freedoms from government interference. It was designed to create a wall between the government and the sovereign rights of an individual to serve God in the way they choose to. Unfortunately, in today's political environment the first amendment is now being used to remove crosses, the ten commandments, and prayer from public buildings and gatherings under the same phrase rather than protect their existence. I think our forefathers would be terribly grieved by the restrictions placed on religion today. 

What is your primary resource to help you make difficult decisions as it relates to public policy?

As a Christian, I rely on my faith through prayer, the council of others, and the sovereign rights granted to all men under the Constitution of the United States of America to help make difficult decisions as it relates to public policy.

What is the current budget surplus and should any of it be returned to the residents, pay down debt or retained in a rainy day fund and if so, how much and why?

For fiscal: 2016-2017 Period Ending: 2/28/2017 there is a $155,304 budget surplus. This should be applied first to our rainy day fund, until such fund reaches one year of operational reserves, then applied to outstanding debt until paid off, and next equally divided among property owners as a property tax refund.

What is Shenandoah's bond rating?  What is the current debt load and is it too high? Please describe how you will determine the proper debt load.

According to Shenandoah's Finance Manager, Jennifer Calvert, the city's bond rating is AA+. The city's current liabilities as of 12/31/2016 was $28,865,697 which included $22,180,630 in long term debt (LTD), which represents a 30.79% assets to LTD ratio.Obviously a zero debt load is best. However, under certain circumstances in a growing city debt could be taken on to help accommodate growth within reason. The proper debt load could be determined by using a debt to revenue ratio of all monthly liabilities (including proposed debt) / gross monthly revenues =< 38-40% and be limited to a maximum of a 50% assets to LTD ratio.

How much does this position pay each year? Do you think this amount should be increased, decreased or even, like The Woodlands Township, receive no compensation at all?

Interestingly enough, my son asked me when I told our family I was going to be running for city council, "How much does the job pay dad?" I told him I don't know, but it doesn't matter because thats not the reason I'm running. While I'm definately opposed to increasing such pay, I am very open to discuss a decrease, and even elimination of pay, as well as elimination of the cell phone reimbursement for city council members.

What is the Sales Tax Rate for the City in which you're running?  Property Tax rate?  How much of the revenue is derived from each? Do you think it would be a good idea to broaden either or both of them to increase revenues?

The sales tax rate for the City of Shenandoah is 8.25%, and the property tax rate is 2.1505% (0.2295 per $100 in valuation). The city generated 63.95% of its revenues from sales tax , or $8,091,739, and 14.67%, or $1,867,070 from property taxes. I do not think it would be a good idea to broaden either the sales tax or the property tax to increase revenues for the city. I believe the city is well funded with it's revenue sources, and we should find ways to eliminate waste, and frivolous spending to reduce our debt load, as well as lower property tax rates. In fact, the city's property tax rate went down 0.0104 per $100 in valuation. However, the city's property tax revenues increased by 13% or $209,898 in 2016 because of an increase of assessed property values.  Which in essence was a property tax increase, which I oppose.

Do you support or oppose creation of Improvement Districts and Economic Development Districts? Why or why not?

I'll be honest to say I do not have any personal experience in dealing with Improvement Districts (ID) and Economic Development Districts (EDD). However, it appears these are vehicles used to create tax dollars that benefit a specific district within a city, and while this may help improve economic recovery in that area, it also creates a new tax. At this point, with the little I know about ID and EDD's, I am opposed to using these types of vehicles as a method of economic development and recovery. I believe the best opportunity for any economic recovery is through free and open markets. I oppose local, county, state, and federal governments involvement in free and open markets because they put prerequisites on the use of such funds which in turn create unfair markets. Also, my experience with any new taxes is that they become old taxes and never go away. I often say we do not have a taxation problem, but rather a spending problem. If we can control the spending we can eliminate the tax. Bottom line... no new taxes.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of Economic Development Partnerships?

Again, I do not have any personal experience with Economic Development Partnerships (EDP), and with the little information I could find about them online, it appears this is a program sponsored by cities which provide incentives to attract businesses to their city. These incentives include, but are not limited to, tax abatements, grants, sales tax rebates, inventory tax exemptions, and infrastructure cost sharing. I firmly believe the best approach to economic growth is free and open markets with out government interference. The advantages to economic development partnerships is obvious tax breaks and grant programs to specific business types by a city as a means to develop or redevelop a specific area within a city that has experienced slow to no economic growth. If the business is successful, the economic impact on the community can out way the investment of initial government incentives. The disadvantages evolve around whether the business is a success or not. If the business fails after a period of time the city loses its investment or tax dollars invested through incentives, as well as, taking another hit, or loss in a redevelopment area. Not to mention the effect of government interference on free and open markets.

Are you now or have you ever done business with The City of Shenandoah and/or a Shenandoah/county official and if so, the nature of that relationship?

I have not done business with the City of Shenandoah, other than in the normal course of business applying for annexation and zoning approval.

List Civic, Political or union organization or individuals to whom you have contributed time or money (past five years).

Republican Party

Donald Trump for President

Ted Cruz for President

Texas Republican Party State Alt-Delegate

Rob Harmon for County Commissioner Precinct 2

Montgomery County Republican Delegate

Ron Raymaker for Shenandoah City Council

List all clients you have represented or lobbied for on behalf of any governmental entity during the past five years.

None.

Please list your top 5 donors and what their relationship to you is?

None. Our campaign is self-funded.

Please describe what measures you propose to improve transparency and accountability to the public.

"A Better Shenandoah" involves community. Unfortunately, the current administration involves civic virtue to little or too late in the governing process. I’m committed to creating a Code of Ethics to guide our city leaders in governing our city. Being transparent is not making decisions available to the public, but rather including the public in the making of decisions. Transparency is controlled through the dissemination of information to the public. I believe quarterly town hall meetings, monthly newsletters and working with both the civic club and the Shenandoah business association to disseminate information will improve the transparency of the city and keep elected officials accountable to the citizens they serve..

Have you and/or any of your family members been employed by or working under contract to either The City of Shenandoah or Montgomery County?

No, I nor any of my family members are employed by or working under contract with the City of Shenandoah or Montgomery County.

How long have you been consistently voting in elections? For which parties candidates? List all the elections you have voted in for the past 3 years (2014-2016).

Presidential Election 2016

City and County Election 2015 and 2016.  Otherwise since 18 years old.

Would you vote in favor of spousal benefits for same-sex partners of State, County and City employees? Please explain your reasons.

I personally am opposed to same sex marriage and same sex partner benefits. I believe the term "marriage" is a biblical term and is defined as a union between a man and a woman, and thus the same term should not be used to define a union between same sex partners. Unfortunately, this question has been answered by the supreme court, and if elected I would uphold the law of the land, and protect each individual's sovereign right under the constitution with respect to life, liberty, and property.