Randy Scott, Position 4 Township Director: Welcome to Randy Scott's REAL Campaign

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Welcome to Randy Scott's REAL Campaign

Many know me as Indian Springs Guy. My REAL name is Randy Scott. I am running for Director Position 4, The Woodlands Township. The person elected to that position will be one of seven residents governing The Woodlands for the next two years.

My campaign is real. It is simply a grass roots campaign, not politically motivated but issue motivated. What matters the most is how you vote in the booth. We start with residents, not getting endorsements from politicians or famous people, not churches or influential institutions. I am here because I am Randy, a very normal but very informed resident of The Woodlands who really cares about my neighbors and community.

I came here 12 years ago because I simply fell in love with The Woodlands. It took me an entire year to find my home. I was very particular! I still love The Woodlands and want to stay here for all the same reasons that I elected to live here. So I give you a chance to elect a real resident to work for you.

Ah ha! "Who is a real resident?" you ask. It is someone concerned about the same issues as his neighbors, someone in the "norm" of local living standards, and someone who experiences the hustle and bustle of everyday life here. So how come I proclaim to be the norm? I worked in downtown Houston for years, commuting as many do. So I am very familiar with commuting issues. I flew internationally in the oil business for years, so I am aware of the issues people have in mobility and transportation. I live next to a park, so I am very familiar with safety issues in the woods and outside visitors. The park also connects me to the Recreation and Parks Department and the issues they deal with every day. I live next to The Woodlands Parkway and another major thoroughfare, so I am very familiar with noise, lights and the other issues around increased traffic. I have been representing other residents in my area, facing major issues with the county, Development Company, association and now township. I run, walk and bike on the Hike and Bike paths. My lifestyle is to use the amenities of The Woodlands. I spend most of my time right here. I am retired and get to appreciate the community as never before.

By being here day and night, I have become increasingly aware of local issues. There are many. I hope you read some of the articles in the Commentary. Over the past three years, I have written quite a few articles on specific topics I have chosen to dive into. I have talked face-to-face with management of the Development Company, Mayor of Tomball, Mayor of Conroe, everyone on the Township Board who bothered to understand a resident's point of view, the County Judge, our Texas Senator, our Texas Representative, and the list goes on. I have not asked anyone for their endorsement, because you are not voting for them. Who they vote for in the booth is their business. I am asking for your vote and asking them for their vote. Endorsements are often politically motivated. Local politicians and high profile personalities are usually not the guys next door, although I have a high respect for many of them.

My credentials include education and activities, but that will be presented elsewhere. I expect you will want to know where I stand on certain issues. I can assure you that I not only have a position on many of them, I seek dialogue with residents on how they stand as well. I have already picked up useful ideas from some individuals. I will publish where I stand on many issues but don't want to leave the impression that I know everything, because I certainly do not! That is why I have an open door policy. I love to talk and you will find me here and there talking to people. There are a jillion things to learn about in this world, and I have not even begun.

That is where diversity plays a strong role in my life. I would love to discuss with you why this is the case. I find some good traits in many of the candidates. I do not believe there is anyone with the credentials I have that can serve you as I can. I hope to give you my view of an ideal candidate. I would certainly like to hear your comments on it.

The strength of diversity is the resulting broadness of thought from embracing it. That brings tolerance and acceptance of others' ideas and customs, as well as helping to identify what needs to be communicated in order to include others in discussions and decisions. There are not enough hours to tell you all about all of the reasons that make people call me REAL. REAL RANDY is a phrase coined by a very good friend of mine, knowing where I come from on many subjects and being able to understand my heart. I am making a REAL commitment and willing to provide REAL representation. I am the REAL choice for The Woodlands Township Board.

So I am offering you my services for two years and maybe more. This is strictly a volunteer job. Many hours will be expended working on projects and issues on your behalf. There will only be seven directors on The Woodlands Township Board, charged to manage a $78 million dollar budget. These seven directors will have the services of the Township Manager to manage day-by-day activities of the Township. The organization of the board can be expected to change with the reduction to seven members. Committees need to be reviewed for efficient handling of matters.

I would personally like to work on the "final government". I want all residents and businesses to be represented as the next and final step as our governance model unfolds.

What is needed from you? Your support and vote for sure! Yet more than that. If you are a citizen and not registered in the county you live in, I want you to go to the county right now and register! Make a difference! You must register before April 8th These are the ways you can do it in Montgomery County:

email: Request forms
Call: 936-539-7843
Drive to:
9159 FM 1484
Conroe, Texas 77303
Visit Montgomery County Website

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FAQ

What is your position on homestead exemptions?

We must have homestead exemptions. Residents living in their home support the community much better than renters and investors. They deserve to pay less taxes. We must encourage homeowners to live in their homes so the community is better maintained. Rentals are a financial burden on the community. Unfortunately, in the last board meeting, the incumbents were unprepared and too politically motivated to provide that to you.

What is your opinion on the water taxis?

We have water taxis now but have too many. I believe this operation should be a private enterprise, not a government one. Our public image carries passenger boat images all over the world. Perhaps we need to dry dock some of them, change operating hours, cut the cost of operations, and certainly be forthright on what their purpose is. Private enterprise would find ways to make money with them. We have them for advertising and for short excursions by visitors and residents. They are not a transportation vehicle and not part of our mobility plan. It is very simple – keep some in operation, keep advertising their availability, keep operating them. They have a role for doing business in The Woodlands. Let’s optimize the use of what we have and minimize or eliminate the burden on residents.

You say that you support the current expanded policing plan. Can you be a little clearer in your vision?

The new plan will bring deputies closer to each neighborhood. I envision “beat cops” to be a successful practice. Yes, I am cautiously optimistic, but it does not mean that I am status quo. We will get to know our beat cops if we choose to do so. Since there remains a staff turnover of sheriff deputies, we must be able to replace them without undue stress on our residents. We need to check and measure if our vision is working. Therefore, we need to develop metrics such as the number of contacts with “beat cops” or by simple feedback from their customers (residents and businesses). My view is that we need to right-size the policing operation to fit the problem, not necessarily be staffed to respond to worse case scenarios. We will need more detectives. That should be first step toward right-sizing. The local “policing city” is really the combination of Shenandoah, Oak Ridge and The Woodlands. I-45 is also part of that combination. Any comparisons to other municipalities must be in this context, looking at the area policing staff levels, not just The Woodlands. All the police agencies act together for our safety and law enforcement. In addition to staffing for crime response and police visibility, we need to enforce the speed limits within The Woodlands better to reduce risk to drivers who are not comfortable driving at high speed on main thoroughfares. I might also add, there is considerable merit to starting a process to develop our own police department. In my view that is part of the consideration of what we are to be in the future as we move forward towards our final governance model.

How are you aligned politically?

I am a conservative and aligned with Republican values. Conservatism is reflected in my desire to trim the budget and do the right things for the Township with as little of your money as I can. Your money is real! It isn’t anything to be taken lightly. Private enterprise typically provides more efficient operations than public enterprises. However, we must also consider our growth. That growth continues to require master planning to achieve the vision of The Woodlands. Residents must play a part in determining the use of our neighborhood streets and amenities to abate unwanted growth consequences.

What village do you live in?

Indian Springs, on the border with Panther Creek. I love my little home in the forest!

How long have you lived here?

12 years.

Why do you think you can do the job better than your opponents?

I am glad you asked it that way. My opponents are nice people, but they lack the skills and background that I bring to the table. My project management background provides you with a person having skills in managing budget portfolios, setting the project scope and work frame correctly, asking pertinent questions, researching ideas, questioning solutions, understanding rejected alternatives, contracting issues and following up with success measures. My community background gives you deep and broad experience in this community. I also have deep information technology experience which enables me to vision time saving automated processes. I will commit 8 hours a day or more if necessary to this voluntary position, scheduling my time around my mandatory presence and involvement, without asking for prestige or honor. I do it for you, not my ego or substance gain. I am retired, so I know what it is like to be on fixed income. I am a people’s person, eager to discuss issues with any ethnic or cultural group of any color. Therefore my friends say, "you are the real candidate".

Are you open to ideas and complaints?

I have never failed to answer an email arriving in my inbox and often take action on it. That will not change. There will always be a REAL person here. I will answer the phone as well. Yes, I am open and encourage dialogue. I have been told several times that I am an excellent listener. When I wrote this, I was working on four issues - three in Indian Springs and one in Grogan's Mill.

Do you have a family here in The Woodlands?

Yes, I am a bit different than many people, but the same as most. I have a wife and two children here in The Woodlands. My two lovely children and wife are Venezuelan, a vestige of working in Venezuela for Chevron. Therefore I speak Spanish as a second language. I also have four grown children in this part of Texas and four grandchildren with two additional on their way. I am blessed with family and love The Woodlands.

How would you reduce taxes?

This is not an easy subject for a sound bite. I will write a more detailed response on the Commentary before the election. All is not well with the current system of property value assessments, budgeting and taxation. Additional processes need to be put into place to stop over-budgeting. I have several taxation alternatives to show you which could provide more fairness than the current model. The current tax model is not fair to all residents. I want to see an analysis by the government staff on the alternatives. Then we will go from there. My philosophy is to tax based on REAL requirements, not spend what is available from taxation and not over justify any proposal. Windfall revenue is not meant for the government.

How do you feel about additional sports fields?

I am for additional sports fields. We have a shortage of soccer and LaCross fields. For years, residents have complained about this shortage. Getting a field for our children's sports activities is very difficult. Isn't it time to do something about it?

How do you feel about the mounted police?

Residents should not have to pay for them.

Do you support having dog parks?

I own two small dogs and love dog parks. They are popular in many locations now. Dog parks are a perfect example of great amenities for families. Creekside will eventually have to have one. I can envision one more in the far west. The new one in Grogan's Mill is certain to be popular.

The May Eight Issues

My actions will be guided by the following strategies for key issues. (1) Budget Reality- I seek to right size our operating budget for acceptable service levels, financially governed by an affordable budget, accompanied by the execution of the right capital projects to promote commercial growth and reduction of our taxes. Excellent contract management and contractor selection processes will be keys to putting a lid on our operating costs. Proper project management will be the key to reducing our capital expenditures. Excellence is achievable within affordable budget constraints and is an appropriate goal for our community. I seek to keep our taxes under $0.32/$100 annually, possibly even lower. (2) Police Protection - I am for right sizing our law enforcement staff to address our own issues and situation. We should have proper staffing and processes to achieve a 5-minute or less emergency response service level and establish an average non-emergency response time goal as well. Establish additional metrics as well. We are The Woodlands; we need to make it affordably safe. We need to do whatever is required to protect our community. That includes communication efficiencies and effectiveness, through processes across operating departments. Let's give the new policing structure a chance to succeed, support it, monitor it, and tune it up before we jump into wasted spending. Supporting such a program is what you can expect of me in this position. Your safety is very important and will not be compromised. (3) Fire Protection - This is a costly service, but we need to have a 5-minute or less service level to all homes in The Woodlands. That requires us to build two more fire stations and replace another. Over the next two years, we need to look at what can be trimmed from the operational budget and programs to reduce fire risk in the community, but retain or improve current service levels. (4) Incorporation? - I was highly involved in the first decision process to determine our separation strategies from Houston. The end process was in my opinion not very good, but we did succeed to avoid annexation. There are good reasons to incorporate, but I do not yet endorse incorporation, primarily because of the anticipated very high cost. We will determine what we want to be and how much we are willing to pay for it in community forums. I am not in a hurry and believe we must give our future long-term governance model the advantage of being well thought out by developing doable alternatives first, selecting the right alternative for us, and getting it in place as soon as we can. 2014 is an acceptable time frame to study, assess our alternates and vote on this subject. I see a new government model in place by the end of 2015. I want to be on the Board of Directors to get this job done right. It is too important to put into incapable hands and too important to defer to later years. (5) Water - has the potential to affect our taxes more than anything else. The Township cannot effectively govern the community without the authority to control water and provide water solutions to the community. Over the next five years, the community will be faced with decisions on this matter. Right now, we don't have clear alternatives defined. Let's see some excellent project management that assesses the situation correctly, develops doable alternatives and leads to decisions based on financial risk. The Woodlands Township does not yet have control over this, but is an important stakeholder. (6) Roads - Our community is constantly faced with mobility issues, whether it be noise or congestion. The Township cannot continue indefinitely to defer to the county and the Woodlands Road Utility District for maintenance and control of our roads. We need a plan for our future, and then we need excellent project management that includes input from residents of The Woodlands. We are often presented with an answer to a problem, but not necessarily the alternatives. (7) Our tree population in the Western part of The Woodlands needs help. We have villages that appear more like The Lands rather than The Woodlands. I say develop a project plan to bring those areas to an acceptable population within the next 10 years. (8) Taxes are causing excessive burdens on our residents. This problem exists for the Township, school system and county. I believe we should start with the Township since we have control over it. For some residents, assessments continue to rise at alarming rates, but the actual sales values are increasing at a zero rate in middle class neighborhoods. We need a different taxation model to protect people from drastic assessment increases. Our tax rate is higher than predicted when we we voted to change governments. It is $0.328, but TCID predicted it would be $0.297. Our middle class is on fixed income in this economy; the government is not. We need to fix the problem with lower taxes and a governing tax model.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Welcome to Randy Scott's REAL Campaign

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