Candidates speak on issues

Voters in Hutto will go to the polls Saturday to select their mayor, city council members and school board representatives, and to consider the future growth of the Hutto Independent School District by deciding on two bond propositions totaling more than $138 million.

In the race for mayor, incumbent Kenneth Love faces a challenge from Steven “Bear” Salfelder.

On the Hutto City Council, three positions are up for election.

Incumbent Debbie Holland is running unopposed for Place 2. In the race for Place 3, incumbent Ronnie Quintanilla-Perez is challenged by Charles Fain and Daniel McDowell. In the race for Place 6, Felix Madrid is running against Kyle Sears.

In the race for Hutto ISD Board of Trustees, Shelli Aday, Phillip Boutwell and Mike Pickard are running for two open seats on the board.

To deal with a growth rate that puts it among the fastest growing school districts in the state, the Hutto ISD is asking voters to approve two propositions totaling $138.449 million.

Proposition 1 includes money to construct two more elementary schools and a second high school, as well as money for future land purchases, the construction of a warehouse, and expansion of seating and restrooms at Hutto High School stadium. Proposition 2 would assign nearly $10 million for the construction of a swimming facility.

The Hutto News has asked candidates for city council and school board to speak directly to the concerns that are most relevant to their respective positions.

Following are the questions and candidates’ responses.

Mayor

Q: What is the single most important issue facing the people of Hutto, and how will you deal with that issue?

Ken Love: Job creation. Have the (Hutto Economic Development Corporation), city manager/staff and Hutto chamber develop a viable marketing plan based on the attributes that Hutto has to offer to recruit job developing companies to our city. Further, to work to retain and expand our existing businesses in the Hutto area.

Steven Salfelder: Communication: We have no lines of contact within our community. In walking the area talking with people, one side of Hutto does not know what is affecting the other nor do they know what is affecting us as a whole. Transmission lines, landfill, city budget and other important issues we now face cannot be fully explained or understood if we do not find ways to inspire our community to come together and reason it out.

Q: What is your position on the proposed electricity transmission line project?

Salfelder: I have fought the power lines since August 2006. It was after a meeting at city hall on the transmission lines, that I gathered names of as many of the citizens that I could. I then called a meeting and we … started what is now the Hutto Citizens Group, of which I was elected and am still the president. Back then it was two people who took the lead … (and) started to research and document information. … We then submitted this information to the city council and the mayor, imploring them to take a part, which, after much debate and pressure from its citizens and the media, they only just recently took a stance I am sad to say. Still we are glad for the help.

Love: I am opposed to the project coming through Hutto. But, I understand that our community, county, state and country are growing and power to sustain and enhance needed services require more energy. Also, because of our aging power grids, new sub-stations and transmission lines are required. As citizens we do not have a choice about the project coming through our community, that decision was made for us whether we approve or not. Where we have impact and influence is where the route will be and the location of the substation and that is where we are concentrating out efforts.

Q: What is your position on the development of low-income and rental housing in Hutto?

Love: After a great (deal) of thought and soul searching I submitted a letter to the Texas Department of Housing opposing the project for Hutto. On May 1, I received official notification from the (department) that the application for the Hutto project had been withdrawn.

Salfelder: I am not sure I can give you a position. Just a simple answer; we are not ready as a community to supply the needs of low-income housing. Those who need low-income housing have needs our infrastructure cannot supply with no public transportation, no medical facilities or grocery store. … Soon enough we will have apartments, hopefully in a managed way, as not to bring more traffic to bear on an already burdened system.

Q: What do you think should be done about traffic congestion in Hutto, if anything at all?

Salfelder: As much as possible, as soon as possible. If this issue gets put on the back burner, like many other things have, we are going to have major problems. …

There have been many traffic accidents and near catastrophes at FM 1660 South at US 79. I live near there. I have heard and seen the sirens of emergency vehicles most evenings and weekends. Right now traffic control by police officers at certain peak hours is our only defense for our citizens. Permanent solutions must happen.

Love: Yes the city has a traffic issue. The city will update its traffic/transportation plan on establishing where and how many alternative roads are needed to move traffic through Hutto. This task will be accomplished with citizen input.

After this is completed, funding sources will be looked for, beginning with the city setting aside funding, looking for partners from the private sector and battling for county, state and federal funding.

Q: What is your position on the Williamson County Landfill near Hutto?

Love: The landfill is the county commissioners court’s project. Yes, the city has and will always have a major interest. The city will continue to have contact with the county on this issue and continue to give input so that the health, safety and welfare of Hutto residents and others in the surrounding areas are not forgotten.

Also, when the legal issues have been settled, representatives should be able to sit down and discuss the best practices for the operation of the landfill. Furthermore, with a joint task force made up of county and city representatives, a plan can be accomplished for the use of the areas surrounding the landfill (for recreation and economic development).

Salfelder: Since taking on this issue and making it public, the Hutto Citizens Group along with individuals in the group, have been spoken of rather unkindly, to say the least. After much maligning and name calling, as well as misrepresenting our carefully-researched information, Williamson County has continually misspoke with apparent impunity on this issue.

While our mayor and city council refuse to get involved again, with something that will adversely affect everyone in Hutto. With the traffic overflow of large trucks tearing up our roads that endanger our families, to becoming an environmental air and water hazard that our children will inherit.

City Council, Place 3

Q: What is the single most important issue facing the people of Hutto, and how will you deal with that issue?

Ronnie Quintanilla-Perez: Aside from the power line issue, I believe the most important issue facing the people of Hutto is the tax burden placed upon them. The city is working hard to minimize the tax burden on the citizens while also keeping up with the demand for additional city services.

We need to address this issue by continuing to attract economic development projects that increase the city’s tax base while also creating employment opportunities for Hutto citizens. The Crossing of Carmel Creek development and the Townwest Commons development are projects of the type that the city needs to continue to attract … in order to minimize the tax burden on Hutto citizens.

Daniel McDowell: The lack of basic community needs is the single most important issue facing Hutto. We have no grocery store, no sidewalks to our schools and many places downtown. We must drive to Round Rock, Taylor, Georgetown or Pflugerville to receive emergency and basic health care.

Our high impact fees and restrictive requirements are turning small business owners away …. I would actively push for improvements to our existing infrastructure and downtown enhancements to draw small businesses into our community, providing development incentives and a “what can we do to get you to open shop here” attitude instead of the current “you cannot open here because you cannot meet this or that requirement” attitude.

Charles Fain: The single most important issue facing the people of Hutto is developing a local government that truly understands the needs of a growing city. This government should listen and think of alternatives to achieve success for the future development instead of providing excuses for the lack of delivery.

Homeowners moved into this city believing that it was on the verge of positive growth, which would increase their property value instead of diminishing it. Since I moved here in 2004, many homeowners have had to battle with home construction problems, the strong possibility of power lines consuming the city, a battle to keep low cost housing out, inadequate local shopping, small businesses closing down, the fight to control the growth of the local landfill, increased taxes and a city council that does not look for alternatives.

Hutto needs a strong leadership team that can … use common sense creative approaches to foster economic growth and positive communication.

Q: What is your position on the proposed electricity transmission line project?

McDowell: The routes chosen for the transmission lines through Hutto, plainly talking, stink. … No consideration was made to incorporate this project with the SH 130 project. No citizens in the city were contacted about the routes … until the actual chosen proposed routes of these plans were out. Public hearings, letters and a downright “No, we do not want it through Hutto” letter should have happened immediately with our current council and followed with strenuous objections during all phases of the plan. It did not.

Fain: This is a huge problem, especially for the people that purchased homes in that area expecting to hold onto or increase their property value. The new homeowners never saw this coming. They were not informed that the grid had plans for expansion.

Expanding this grid will have only one effect; it will clutter the skies with much larger towers and reduce the property value of homes in the area. This is a battle that the city will have to fight.

Quintanilla-Perez: The routes that are currently proposed by the LCRA and Oncor will be a great detriment to the Hutto community. I, along with the council, have allocated funds to fight the proposed routes. The routes are ultimately approved or disapproved by the Public Utilities Commission.

Q: What is your position on the development of low-income and rental housing in Hutto?

Fain: This city already has a preponderance of low cost housing. There are rental houses in every neighborhood due to an increased amount of foreclosures and people leaving the community.

Before any Section 8 low cost housing should enter the city, we should have a public infrastructure to support it. We need local jobs, social services, a grocery store, public transportation and job training facilities. We cannot allow developers to decide for the city.

Quintanilla-Perez: Many communities need low-income housing in order to meet the needs of its citizens. I do not, however, feel that Hutto is at that point at the present time.

Recently, a developer proposed building a low-income housing development in Hutto. The developer, however, has decided not to proceed with the project. This project was not supported by the neighborhood near where the project would have been built nor was it supported by the Hutto City Council. …

I believe the council needs to be working on assessing the needs of the community (as it pertains to low-income housing) and establishing policies relating to developments of this sort.

McDowell: I would like to make it clear that it isn’t the low-income housing that I oppose, but that the plan to put it here has not been fully thought through.

There are major infrastructure needs — healthcare, transportation, grocery store, education, public safety, jobs — that must be considered before you just add to the population in bulk like that, especially if the population coming into Hutto has a higher need base than the rest of the community. Low-income housing will be coming to Hutto at some point. However, this current plan is not ready nor should it be accepted by the council.

Q: What do you think should be done about traffic congestion in Hutto, if anything at all?

Quintanilla-Perez: Our city needs additional roadways to navigate through and around Hutto in order to take traffic off of Highway 79.

First, extending Carl Stern Boulevard further east and west will provide an important alternative to Hwy. 79 for drivers. The city is working with the county and the developers of the Crossing of Carmel Creek in order to complete these extensions.

Second, the construction of Limmer Loop has also helped with the traffic issue and the city will receive additional assistance when the county moves forward with the project to realign FM 1660. This project is being worked on and the county anticipates completion … in the next four to five years.

Finally, some of the traffic issues will be addressed by the placement of a stoplight at Hwy. 79 and FM 1660 South. This project has received TxDOT approval and is awaiting approval from the Union Pacific Railroad.

McDowell: The city must work with TxDOT, Union Pacific Railroad and Williamson County in establishing new safety guidelines in line with Hutto’s growth. Think you can go 45-55 miles per hour along Sixth Street in Austin or along (US) 79 in Round Rock or Taylor proper? Why allow it through Hutto?

The traffic needs to be slowed down so all our side streets and intersections are safe and allows traffic to get through without sitting through three light changes.

Fain: Traffic accidents have increased because the city allowed development without thinking of the consequences. On FM 1660, and other areas, I have seen an increased amount of accidents due to poor lighting and intersection control methods. Before any more development is continued, the city must collaborate to have traffic plans that align with the growth.

City Council, Place 6

Q: What is the single most important issue facing the people of Hutto, and how will you deal with that issue?

Felix Madrid: There is no single important issue; all the issues being discussed could potentially have negative affects on the quality of life and economic future of the Hutto community.

I won’t bury my head in the sand and pretend nothing’s wrong or think the threats to Hutto’s way of life will all go away by themselves. I will work with whoever wants to create solutions. Solutions are what the Hutto community wants and needs.

Kyle Sears: I think most people are concerned about their financial security and future. Small business owners are struggling to keep the doors open, and families are tired of paying more and more at the pump in order to get to work every day. The declining housing market is impacting many people’s only investment.

I think the solution is creating new opportunities for employment in Hutto. We need to actively pursue employers from the tech industry to create locations based in Hutto. This can increase our tax base both through new residents and business taxes.

I also think that clear and strategic direction concerning the transmission lines and landfills will create a stable residential and business climate.

Q: What is your position on the proposed electricity power line project?

Sears: The transmission lines are bad for Hutto. We need to be proactive in showing our state representatives that Hutto is a vibrant, growing community, and bringing in these lines would cripple our potential.

I would like to see a new substation developed beyond the realm of future growth, to create a safe distance from both an aesthetic and public health perspective.

Madrid: It’s not just my position; it’s the position of the Hutto community that the power lines should be located along SH 130. I have not talked to one person from the Hutto community who supports the current proposed route. I am convinced a solution is out there and I’ll do whatever it takes to do what is best for the ... community.

Q: What is your position on the development of low-income and rental housing in Hutto?

Madrid: My mother escaped an abusive marriage and raised eight children here in Hutto. We know hard times. We also benefited from this great community’s generosity.

I know the Hutto community can and wants to help their fellow neighbors. However, the community should not be forced in a situation in which we have no input and for this reason I do not support the low-income project. Again, I am about solutions and I support community efforts to seek alternate solutions to assist low-income families, seniors and single parents seeking to escape abusive relationships.

Sears: I am opposed to “affordable housing” in Hutto, primarily because we lack the infrastructure to support the needs of those requiring this housing.

Additionally, there are few families that would benefit from this type of housing in Hutto. The need just isn’t there.

Finally, Hutto has some of the most affordable homes in the area. We can still encourage first-time home buyers to locate their family in Hutto.

Affordable housing is beneficial in areas that need revitalization, but Hutto simply isn’t in that situation.

Q: What do you think should be done about traffic congestion in Hutto, if anything at all?

Sears: Again, a benefit to having large, local employers is that we don’t have the bottleneck that occurs when everyone is heading to Round Rock and Austin at the same time.

Madrid: I drive in and around Hutto all day long and yes, Hutto does have traffic congestion. I am not a traffic expert but there are plenty out there willing to assist our Community Development Department to find and implement solutions that would benefit the Hutto community.

I have seen the Hutto Pedestrian Mobility Plan and support the implementation of alternative transportation, such as hike and bike trails ... throughout the city. More people walking to the convenient store or riding their bike to school means less cars on the roads.

Hutto ISD Board of Trustees

Q: What is the single most important issue facing the school district, and how will you deal with that issue?

Shelli Aday: The obvious answer is growth, but actually the toughest issue ... is the same issue that all school districts face: how to meet the needs of each and every student.

Students come to school with varying degrees of ability, but all deserve the right to a good education. I believe that it’s critical to equip teachers with excellent curriculum and with the tools and support necessary to maintain discipline.

As I am currently an educator, I hope to bring a perspective to the board that will help HISD meet the needs of all the students in Hutto. ...

Mike Pickard: The single most important issue facing our district is the rapid growth over the past few years. As a board we need to put the focus back on the students and the teachers.

The board sets goals for the district. I feel it would benefit all involved to get feedback from the students, teachers and parents before setting these goals. What better people to help with that than the people on the front lines. They know the issues the schools are having.

The challenge for the board is going to be prioritizing the issues and coming up with a game plan to implement them.

Phillip Boutwell: I believe the single most important issue to HISD is keeping our kids in a stable environment while being one of the fastest growing districts in the State of Texas. I believe this can only be accomplished by hiring and retaining quality teachers, building facilities to keep up with our fast paced growth, and making sure that as we open new schools it has minimal impact on our kids’ safety and stability.

Q: Do you support the two bond propositions coming before the voters?

Pickard: No, simply because the way the bond is packaged together. According to the study that is posted on the district’s Web site, Hutto will need another elementary school by the year 2012. Veteran’s Hill Elementary was built based on speculation. As it turned out, we needed another elementary on the south side of the district to absorb the most growth. I am not willing to have the tax payers burdened with that issue again.

I would like to wait a year and see what impact the economic slowdown has on our area. The board can then re-evaluate after we get enrollment numbers in September.

Yes, Hutto is growing, but not at near the pace we were eight years ago. Let’s take a step back for a minute and put the focus back to the kids and teachers, not buildings.

As far as Proposition 2, I have not seen enough information to say it is a good thing or not. So I would have to say I am going to vote against it until I have more information presented to me for the need of this facility and how it would benefit all taxpayers in the district.

Boutwell: Yes, I support both propositions. Although we are in the middle of a slow down, the demographers’ projections still show we are going to need the new schools and I have seen first hand on the last two proposals that they were right.

I have friends that disagree with the future growth projections. I ask them if ... (they are) willing to risk our children’s future on your hunch?

The other great thing about the bonds is they don’t have to be sold until the schools are needed.

... I also support proposition two because it gives us a facility that we already have a need for with only a one time capital investment and defers the much more costly expense of operation to the YMCA.

Aday: Honestly, I haven’t decided how I will vote. I still have one more week to research that issue. I believe it’s wise to be prepared for future growth so that our schools are not overcrowded. The challenge, though, is in predicting growth in this current economy.

Q: What would you do to ensure that schools in Hutto are safe for students and teachers?

Boutwell: I think parental involvement is a key ingredient to keeping schools safe. The teachers can’t do it all themselves. I also think addressing problems early is key in prevention. We need to continue to have the River Horse Academy play a key part in this process.

Juvenile crime is an issue that I think can be addressed with additional outlets for kids. That is another area Proposition 2 of the bond election could address.

Aday: I believe that juvenile crime is a growing problem in Hutto. I would stay in close communication with the police department so that we have an accurate read on the safety of our schools and on the amount of juvenile crime that exists.

A large part of ensuring safety is in awareness and developing a climate of respect and responsibility. Again, this comes only when you equip teachers with the support required to keep discipline problems at a minimum.

Pickard: ... One priority is safety of students and staff. How that is going to look, I am not sure yet. I will work with other members of the board to come up with a plan that ensures the safety of all Hutto ISD staff and students.

Crime comes with growth. Yes, I think crime has increased in the area. We need to partner with the parents of the students and have firm, clear disciplinary guidelines. Without these rules in place we are setting our kids up to fail. Administration must step up and make sure the behaviors are not tolerated in the classroom.

Q: What can be done to increase parental participation in the Hutto schools?

Aday: Families are so busy these days that it can be very challenging to rally parent involve?ment, but I believe that with a few changes we could increase that involvement.

It’s important to create a welcoming environment, an open door policy, where parents feel important and wanted on campus. Offering a wide variety of opportunities and communicating those options through e-mail and newsletters is key to drawing in more parents.

A school in Round Rock puts their volunteers’ names in a drawing for free prizes, just a little incentive to put some time into your child’s education! It’s time for us to get more creative in Hutto.

Pickard: This is the most important thing. The parents need to understand that they are a very important part of the education process. Let’s ask them to be part of the process.

We need to be creative in ways we involve parents in the education of their children. Encourage parents to mentor students. Offer to take things home to assist with organization. Help out in the office. Assist with class projects. There are many ways for parents to be indirectly involved, even if they work long hours.

I realize with our busy lives we don’t think we have time to do those things. Our children must be a priority. I my opinion, if we are not participating in the process we do not have the right to complain about the results of the process.

Boutwell: Parental participation is an area that I feel we have room for improvement. It is imperative that parents get involved in their children’s education.

The PTC is an awesome organization but we have to find a way to get parents connected with them. I would like to see us bring in a program like the “Three for Me” program. It is basically a program where parents pledge to volunteer three hours of time during the school year.