Questionnaires were recently given to Mountain City Council candidates Elva Brown, Thomas Brown, Suzanne Hallam, Ralph McClendon and Lee Taylor. The questions were collected from Mt. City community members by the neighborhood orgnization Loving Mountain City. Only two of the questions with responses are printed here due to space limitations.
1. It is important that Mountain City maintains its rural character and atmosphere during this time of growth in Hays County.
Elva Brown – Support. I believe that maintaining the City’s rural atmosphere is what makes us desirable. However, just like we do upgrades to our homes we should consider doing the same for our city
Thomas Brown – I strongly support ensuring MC has a high quality of life for all its residences, the rural character is one aspect.
Suzanne Hallam – Strongly support
Ralph McClendon – Strongly Support.
Lee Taylor – Strongly support
2. It is important to develop the commercial property in our city limits (the strip across FM2770) to increase the tax revenue for future projects.
Elva Brown – Support. I believe in exploring commercial property development for the City. If there is an opportunity to influence what types of business surround our city we should be proactive. This is also opportunity to diversify the tax base.
Thomas Brown – I strongly support diversifying the city’s tax base and reducing the complete dependence of funding for the city only on property owners. The current method of having the property owners solely bare the tax load has been in place since the city incorporated, the result is insufficient funding to maintain our city’s infrastructure.
Suzanne Hallam – Disagree.
Ralph McClendon – Impartial.
Lee Taylor – Impartial.
3. It is important for the city to annex land or set ourselves up for it in the future.
Elva Brown – Support. We need to always be thinking and planning for the future. If we want to continue to be sustainable, annex land is a consideration.
Thomas Brown – I support looking into this as an option. The fact is there isn’t much room to annex. This is something to be brought in front of the citizens to weigh the pros and cons.
Suzanne Hallam – Strongly support.
Ralph McClendon – Disagree.
Lee Taylor – Impartial
4. When significant funding is necessary for street maintenance, what is your preferred payment plan for the work?
Elva Brown – I believe all 3 items are important when looking at funding. We should leave no stone uncovered before we decide increasing taxes to pay for city maintenance.
Thomas Brown – Diversifying our tax base by adding commercial business will ensure our property taxes remain low.
Suzanne Hallam – Negotiate with the county.
Ralph McClendon – Negotiate with the County.
Lee Taylor – Provide a road bond option
5. Mountain City should continue to allocate funds to protect and enhance current establishments such as Old City Hall, the New City Hall, preserve medians and entrances.
Elva Brown – Support. Priority is to keep our residents safe and continue to up keep our establishments.
Thomas Brown – I strongly support having maintenance performed on all city assets.
Suzanne Hallam – Strongly support.
Ralph McClendon – Support.
Lee Taylor – Support.
6. Mountain City should allocate funds for the installation of Christmas lights on the city hall and the city entrance (similar to 2014, paid with private funds).
Elva Brown – Support. This encourages a sense of Community.
Thomas Brown – I support the idea to fund such projects that enhance the community experience; however with the city’s critical budget issues we should be prudent in spending funds
Suzanne Hallam – Impartial.
Ralph McClendon – Disagree
Lee Taylor – Impartial
7. Select and rank the top 5 (or fewer) from the following initiatives for the longterm (20 years)
Elva Brown – When considering the long term city goal I rank the follow as priority to help the city maintain viability. 1. Encouragement of commercial development; 2. Improving of community roads; 3. Replace overhead utilities with underground utilities; 4. Ensure availability of resources, such as water; 5. Provide alternative wastewater options
Thomas Brown – If elected my first action would be to move forward with the development of a comprehensive city plan, this would include workshops with the citizens providing them with all the information on the impacts to the city. The workshops would include short term and long term impacts of city funding options, water availability, commercial businesses, maintaining city assets (i.e. streets), city staffing, public parks, etc. From these workshops we would draft a comprehensive plan that ranks the objectives and projects for the city by the citizens. This document would be the roadmap for city council. My ranking would include: 1. Securing a secondary water source; 2. Diversify the tax base; 3. Ensuring the city has resources (i.e.staffing, funding) to maintain assets
Suzanne Hallam – Encouragement of residential development; Maintenance of community roads; Maintenance/improvement of city hall (parking and improving rental availability); Ensure availability of resources, such as water; Create park space on city property.
Ralph McClendon – Ensure availability of resources, such as water; Maintenance of community roads; Encouragement of commercial development; Maintenance/improvement of city hall (parking and improving rental availability); I would also add that protecting the borders around our city to prevent any change from the rural character that we have should be in this list.
Lee Taylor – Maintenance of community roads; Maintenance/improvement of city hall (parking and improving rental availability); Ensure availability of resources, such as water.
8. Select and rank the top 5 (or fewer) initiatives in order of what you feel should be most important in the short term (next 5 years).
Elva Brown – Encouragement of commercial development; Maintenance of community roads; Maintenance/improvement of city hall (parking and improving rental availability); Replace overhead utilities with underground utilities; Ensure availability of resources, such as water; Provide alternative wastewater options
Thomas Brown – The response above would be applicable here too. Mountain City’s most critical issues are city funding sources (lack of diversified tax base), single water source, deteriorating city streets, insufficient city staff (only part workers), and no planning.
Suzanne Hallam – Encouragement of residential development; Maintenance of community roads; Maintenance/improvement of city hall (parking and improving rental availability); Ensure availability of resources, such as water; Create park space on city property.
Ralph McClendon – Ensure availability of resources, such as water; Maintenance of community roads; Encouragement of commercial development; Maintenance/improvement of city hall (parking and improving rental availability); I would also add that protecting the borders around our city to prevent any change from the rural character that we have should be in this list.
Lee Taylor – Maintenance of community roads; Maintenance/improvement of city hall (parking and improving rental availability); Ensure availability of resources, such as water.
9. Mountain City should consider replacing overhead utilities with underground utilities.
Elva Brown – Support
Suzanne Hallam – Strongly disagree.
Ralph McClendon – Strongly disagree.
Lee Taylor – Disagree.
10. Mountain City should add sidewalks.
Elva Brown – Impartial
Thomas Brown – This is something for the citizens to decide, if they believe it will enhance their quality of life in MC.
Suzanne Hallam – Strongly disagree.
Ralph McClendon – Strongly disagree.
Lee Taylor – Disagree.
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Why do you feel you are the best candidate for this position?
Elva Brown – “I feel I bring new and innovative ideas. As a new resident and can see things that maybe a long term resident does not. I can bring my experience of having grown up in a small rural community and having lived in a large city.”
Thomas Brown – “In the short amount of time that I’ve been City Administrator my major projects have included the street sign inventory and replacement project; which reduced the liability risk to the city by replacing non-reflective street signs. My second major project has been to rewrite the city ordinances in a standardized format that will make them enforceable. In this same period of time no other candidate can point to more impactful projects for the city.”
Suzanne Hallam – “In my opinion, I am one of three of the best candidates for this position. I am a longtime resident of Mountain City and I really do care about it and what goes on here. I have not served in this capacity before and I believe that it is simply my time to serve. I have lived here 22 years, raised my children here, been through a lot of transitions here and I just hope to give back to this beautiful place we call home. As we all know the past couple of years, Mountain City has seen a lot of change go on all around it. I have learned as much as I could about the water issues and our ETJ issues. I hope to be a voice for my neighbors.”
Ralph McClendon – “In my opinion, I believe that Lee Taylor is the best candidate for this position because of his experience on the council and his long time residency in the city. The good news is there are three available positions and I do believe that my past experiences and my desire to protect what made this city great makes me one of the top candidates. I do not enter this race with any preset agendas just willingness to serve the city that I have lived in for over 28+ years. We raised both of our boys in this community. I am a good listener who is able to engage in discussions with an open mind. During my career at the State Auditor’s Office I was known in management as a consensus builder. I am an ethical, honest man that now has time to serve, no hidden agendas, resident of Mountain City for 28+ years, and recently retired from the State of Texas which will enable me time to serve. I also understand that there are some times when there may be a vocal minority that does not represent what the majority of residents wish to have happen. I hope to bring a fresh perspective to the city council.”
Lee Taylor – “Have been on Council since 1998 and a resident since 1984. Have worked thru many issues for the past years.”
How many city council meetings have you attended in the last 3 years?
Elva Brown – “In my two years as a resident I have attended a handful.”
Thomas Brown – “As City Administrator I’ve attended the majority of the city council meetings over the past year. “
Suzanne Hallam – “I didn’t keep track of each and every one, but I did go quite often.”
Ralph McClendon – “None.”
Lee Taylor – “All but 3.”
Have many of the city council or community meetings have you attended on the ILA?
Elva Brown – “I believe I have attend most all of the ILA meetings and voiced my concerns. “
Thomas Brown – “All public meetings. “
Suzanne Hallam – “To my knowledge, I have attended all the meetings on the ILA. If there is one that got by me, I apologize.”
Ralph McClendon – “None.”
Lee Taylor – “All.”
What is your position on the ILA (and an explanation of why)?
Elva Brown – “I am sure that the original proposal is being negotiated, so I would need the current updates to give my position. However, I do feel that we are between a rock and hard place. Change is surrounding the City and happening rapidly. Unfortunately, previous city leaders became complacent and did not put the city in a stronger position.”
Thomas Brown – “MC has near zero population growth, zero commercial growth, and insufficient city funding sources to maintain city assets (i.e. streets), a single water source and no plan to correct these shortcomings. The ILA represents an opportunity to work collaboratively with our neighboring cities and with businesses. This is a huge opportunity for MC. If negotiated correctly this could be just the type of agreement that the city needs to ensure funding of road maintenance and a secondary water source.”
Suzanne Hallam – “I am opposed to the ILA as I currently know it. I know the Council has received a new revision of the ILA and currently are reviewing it. The whole agreement was written to benefit everyone except the City of Mountain City. I am not in favor of surrendering our ETJ. I feel that it helps create a buffer for us from the ever encroaching City of Kyle. Anything that we can develop on our own that keeps us independent, I feel we should work towards.”
Ralph McClendon – “I am not in support of giving away Mountain City Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). There are reasons and agreements that took place in the past that helped to develop and establish the city’s ETJ. I am not in support of the current Interlocal Agreement (ILA), as it appears to be written to benefit the Anthem subdivision and the City of Kyle. Some of my biggest concerns are protecting Mountain City’s water supply, the borders of our city from infringement of another city and their building codes that may not be up to Mountain City’s standards, and to prevent the connection of through traffic from the Anthem subdivision that would increase traffic through our city similar to the issues of Shady Hollow in Austin. If an agreement is done it might be wise to not only have a buffer between Mountain City and the new subdivision, but to also keep a street or two in the new subdivision as part of Mountain City’s ETJ. This will help to maintain a strong buffer and prevent any building of a sewer or water treatment plant near our city. It is still unclear that if an agreement is made with the City of Kyle whether the current development agreements that Mountain City has with Anthem will stand if we give away the ETJ. Also the agreement talks about getting water from Kyle as a backup plan. As I recall we had an agreement to tie into a water main at the high school as a backup if our Mountain City Water System ever failed.”
Lee Taylor – “I am currently on the council and have no position at this time.”
What is your position on enforcement of city ordinances?
Elva Brown – “Strongly agree, these ensure the safety of our residents and keep the community from degenerating. “
Thomas Brown – “My current project is to rewrite the city ordinances, putting them into a standardized format and making them enforceable. Our city is beginning to see degradation in the quality of life without these enforcements, from junked vehicles to unrepaired broken windows to unrestrained dogs. We need enforceable ordinances to ensure every citizen has a high quality of life in MC. “
Suzanne Hallam – “The ordinances were developed to protect the neighborhood and our home values. The only way it can work is if they are enforced.”
Ralph McClendon – “The city ordinances should be enforced and any variances should be evaluated carefully. Most of the current ordinances are from the original deed restrictions that were present when we purchased our home. The ordinances are in place to help protect the value of our properties and to help keep the city safe.”
Lee Taylor – “We need new ordinances and we need to enforce them.”
In the last three years have you spoken before the city council on any issue and if so, which one/ones?
Elva Brown – “ILA community meetings”
Thomas Brown – “Yes, from the ILA to request for Hays Band fund raisers. “
Suzanne Hallam – “There have been a couple of issues that I am very passionate about. The Inter Local Agreement was one and Anthem Development was the other. I made statements before the council or the town hall meetings with our council present.”
Ralph McClendon – “I have not spoken before the city council.”
Lee Taylor – “N/A”
7. In terms of politics and government, do you have more affinity with liberal or conservative values?
Elva Brown – “Conservative”
Thomas Brown – “Conservative”
Suzanne Hallam – “Overall, my values tend to be conservative. But it is my respect and admiration for people judged on their knowledge and character and their ability to do the job. Locally, it has always been Judge Smith, Constable Kohler and back in the day Commissioner Barton. I try to be open minded and listen and learn about the facts before making any voting decision. It is always about who will do the best job.”
Ralph McClendon – “I am conservative in my values. Overall I vote Republican, but for local elections I cross-over some so that I can vote for Beth Smith and Constable Kohler.”
Lee Taylor – “Conservative.”
8. What past experiences do you bring that would benefit this position?
Elva Brown – “I feel my experience as a new residents is a benefit as I can bring a new sense of vision with rapid changes surrounding our community. “
Thomas Brown – “With a degree in Urban/Regional Planning I understand the elements needed to build a sustainable city. As a former manager at the Texas Water Development Board, I understand the importance of securing a secondary water source for the city. Working with cities throughout the US on a daily basis I understand the best practices for sustaining a healthy, vibrate and livable city. “
Suzanne Hallam – “In nearly all of my past jobs, being a good listener and gathering information has been a key role. In the past I have worked for attorneys, lobbyists, the State, the Hays CISD and for the last 7 or 8 years, the Hays Free Press. All of these jobs had one thing in common and that was a huge human component to them. Working with people and being a part of team is something that I do well.”
Ralph McClendon – “I worked 27+ years with the State Auditor’s Office and was an audit manager for the last 10 years of my career. I am able to evaluate information and facts effectively. In my role as audit manager I worked with executive level management and legislators which enabled me to present multiple times during legislative sessions. It also prepared me to listen carefully to help determine the facts and to handle conflicts well. I was involved in the Hays Band Booster program for 7 years and served as band booster president for 3 years. Serving as president allowed me opportunities to organize and coordinate a team of volunteers to benefit the community and organization. I have also been a deacon at First Baptist Church in Kyle for over 20 yrs. I have served as the Chairman of the Deacons multiple times which has provided me opportunities to lead in service.”
Lee Taylor – “My experiences on the council and in the business arena.”
9. What is your vision for Mountain City, 1 yr ? 2 yrs? 5 yrs? 10 yrs?
Elva Brown – “The rapid growth which the City is surrounded by, I want to secure the viability of the City. I want to be influential in how our City deals with the upcoming issues such as the ILA and possible ETJ possibilities. Ensure we have another water resource available for the future and continue to seek ways to keep our taxes low.“
Thomas Brown – “That we are the premier city in Hays County, with a quality of life that exceeds all others. “
Suzanne Hallam – “I want to protect Mountain City and keep it peaceful and unique. We are so blessed to have Mountain City as our home. What makes Mountain City so special is the country feel that we still possess. Our little slice of heaven. I want to keep Mountain City affordable. Whether you are just starting a family or heading into retirement, it is important that we manage our City in such a way that we can all still afford to live here. When it comes time to do something with our property across FM 2770, lets make it work for us and develop the commercial property for us. I would like to strive to keep us independent as possible going into the future.”
Ralph McClendon – “My overall vision is to help maintain the integrity and current environment of the city. This vision for the city is to maintain its community feeling and protect the borders around the city so that we can keep the rural feeling around us even though the surrounding area is changing. An item that needs to be addressed is better cell phone service in the city. I would work with the cellular phone companies to see about getting better service in the city. I believe that a focus of keeping the expenses of the city low so that we can keep our city taxes at a reasonable rate. Long term we will need to develop and manage the commercial presence that will be coming in the properties across 2770. We will also need to budget and plan for road maintenance over the years.”
Lee Taylor – “Make sure the city maintains its small town atmosphere.”
10. Why should we vote for you?
Elva Brown – “You should vote for me as I feel I bring new ideas to city and ensure we position ourselves for the future. “
Thomas Brown – “For over 20 years Mountain City has had the ‘do nothing’ leadership, which has put the city at risk in terms of water resources, sufficient funding to maintain city infrastructure and no planning efforts. A vote for me will ensure that we go to work on day one to understand the gaps in funding, work with the citizens to develop a comprehensive plan that will direct future city leaders, enforce city ordinances, diversity our tax base to ensure lower property taxes for all citizens. “
Suzanne Hallam – “I’ve lived in Mountain City for 22 years plus. I truly want to serve all my neighbors. We have a couple of other councilmen who have been serving for a long time and have done a great job. I am grateful for them. I will try hard to listen and represent your concerns for our future. We are all in this together!”
Ralph McClendon – “I am a long time resident of Mountain City who now has time to serve this community and wishes to help preserve what has made this city great. Change is happening all around this city and we need a council that can help to protect the reasons that lead all of us to move to this city. We need a council that will continue to listen to the residents. I believe that my leadership, consensus building, and listening skills along with my various experiences can be of benefit to you and the council.”
Lee Taylor – “I am a long time resident of Mountain City and have the conservative attitude to move forward with the best interest of the citizens.”
