Gibson, Tunstall focus on sidewalks in Missouri City District C contest
Gibson, Tunstall focus on sidewalks in Missouri City District C contest
May 10, 2007, 7:13PM
By ZEN T. C. ZHENG
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
Candidates running for the District C council seat said their desire to
obligate the city to repair sidewalks in front of residents' homes propelled
them to run for office.
Incumbent Bob Burton did run for re-election.
Barbara Gibson, 61, president of the Lakes of Brightwater subdivision
homeowners association, and Kevin Tunstall, 42, a health-care administrator
who lives in Quail Valley, want to change municipal law to require the city
instead of homeowners to repair damaged sidewalks.
The issue, which began in the First Colony neighborhood, triggered residents'
protest against the law and prompted city officials to form a study group, which
has recommended that the city be responsible for repairs.
Barbara Gibson
Gibson has lived in the city for 27 years, including 14 years in Quail Valley
before moving to Lakes of Brightwater, where she had headed the homeowners
association for 10 years.
Gibson said her role with the association, which works with the city closely,
and her volunteer work on a citizens' support group for the city's police and
fire departments gave her insight into the issues faced by the city and helped
her develop personal close relationships with city leaders.
"I have a good understanding of how things work in the city and I know all
the officials and department heads. I have developed a very good working
relationship with the city," she said.
In addition to the sidewalk repair law, Gibson said the second "hot-button
issue" is the fate of the Quail Valley golf courses.
"These are the two issues that affect District C the most," she said. "I want
to do what I can to help."
Quail Valley residents' bid to push the city to buy the golf courses, which
are at risk of being sold for development, has generated interest among city
leaders, some of whom live in the subdivision.
"I firmly support the city's effort and I think the city should step in to
take care of Quail Valley," Gibson said.
On other issues, Gibson said she wants to push for city-contracted twice-a-week
trash pickup to continue. In addition, the revitalization of Texas Parkway and
Cartwright and the city's need for a hospital are concerns. She also wants to
see the city increase personnel for the police and fire departments.
Kevin Tunstall
Tunstall, who has openly criticized city government on a variety of issues,
calls himself an "independent voice.
"It's time for a change. Some of the people have been sitting in the office
for 10, 20 years and they become complacent, and complacency begets neglect."
Among the issues concerning Tunstall is proposed expansion by Allied Waste of
the landfill in east Fort Bend off FM 521. The proposal has triggered strong
protest by residents.
Missouri City has an agreement with the waste management company that endorses
the plan. Tunstall said if he were elected, he would initiate a review of the
agreement and reverse it.
Tunstall said the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone concept should be visited
as a possible avenue for the revitalization of Texas Parkway and Cartwright
corridors, an idea frowned at by some city officials, who said a TIRZ is not
set up for revamping shopping centers.
Tunstall criticized the city for creating a TIRZ on a commercial development
by NewQuest near the intersection of Fort Bend Parkway and Texas 6.
"That area is a prime commercial realty in my opinion and doesn't qualify for
a TIRZ," he said. "A TIRZ is better suited for Texas Parkway. Had a TIRZ existed
there, commercial activities would be there and Quail Valley Country Club would
not have had its problem."
On April 16, Tunstall told City Council that he found out from the Texas
Comptroller of Public Accounts that the city had never registered the two TIRZs
it created with the state office nor provided any financial reports on the TIRZs
to the office in violation of state law.
R.J. DeSilva, a spokesman for the Texas Comptroller, confirmed Tunstall's
report.
On Monday, City Manager Frank Simpson told City Council that the city failed
to file the appropriate reports with the state office and that steps are being
taken to correct the mistake.
Tunstall said the incident is an illustration of how such mistakes can give
the city a bad image.
He described as unnecessary Mayor Allen Owen's initiative to hire a company
to study ways to boost the city's image, including a controversial idea of a
possible name change.
"Why does the city have to pay a PR firm to revamp the image of the city? If
there is a bad perception of the city, whose fault is that? Mr. Owen needs to
take that responsibility," he said. "We must move away from the power plays and
pandering to special interests that now control our civic agenda and get back
to doing people's business."
In addition, Tunstall said he is concerned about the lack of a hospital in
the city and wants to study possible financial incentives to attract a health-care
provider.
