City of Gunter Mayoral Candidates
Motivation: Why do you want to serve on the city council, and what qualities would you bring to this position?
I'm running for mayor because Gunter is my forever home and I truly care about how our future will look. In my short time here, I have fallen in love with my community, my neighbors and the small town charm I enjoyed growing up. We, Gunter residents, all deserve a prosperous future, where families are connected and feel safe, where neighbors know and serve each with a sense of community, and where local businesses thrive as they help grow the revenue necessary to properly provide for residents, city staff and all who serve us daily. As we grow, if we are going to become I have been part of the City for the past 36 years in many positions including several terms on a city such as that, it will be the result of residents participating in our processes and the City Council and 9 terms as Mayor. I have a deep love for this City and want to make it a capable, dedicated leaders all coming together to make good decisions that prioritize place where Citizens can live, work, and play without leaving the community. This is a lofty our well-being above everything else. I am a problem solver with a strong sense of goal, but one I believe is achievable. passion for we the people and a history of exceptional accomplishments. One of those accomplishments, through its process, created an amazing friendship with someone I consider like one of my daughters and my daughters feel the same way as well. As far as qualities that I would bring to the office of the mayor, I will leave you with her words posted on my Facebook campaign page, "Gunter will not only have the most ethical, loyal, dedicated, trustworthy, educated and friendly Mayor, they'll also gain a friend of the People, for the People".
In preparation for impending growth the Mayor and City Council have adopted a Strategic Plan to help guide us through the future. We have developed a City Vision, Mission, Core Values and Strategic Focus Areas.
Strategic: What actions should the city council take right away to ensure a thriving community in the long-term?
Services: What changes should be made, if any, to city services? What would it take to make these changes?
Infrastructure: What are the most urgent infrastructure projects in the city, and how would you work with the City to get them done?
Finance: What would you like to change, if anything, about the city budget and taxation?
When our leaders are making decisions and drafting legislation on our behalf, As with any growing City, it still faces many challenges which must be addressed to meet the residents should have prior access to the same information our leaders are using to do oncoming onslaught of development that is imminent. We must guide the private so in advance of council meetings. When budget recommendations are in process of developers to build a City with quality development that all Citizens will be proud of. prioritization, and final decisions are pending, residents should have a voice in those decisions as well. Representation is only representation when leaders have heard Some areas that require immediate attention are street and road repairs, mowing the City from informed residents, which demands transparency and access. Residents should property, and keeping up with the water and sewer requirements. The City has moved to a not have to submit public information requests for routine public information; we need model to use contractors to complete these tasks. We will be reaching out to a street to review and correct our records retention policies and make available what should be contractor for patching streets, we have hired the same company that mows the schools to easily accessible. mow the City property, and have sold the water and sewer to Mustang water supply. Hiring contractors gives the City flexibility to expand these services without adding staff, equipment, and debt.
Per Government Code Sec 552.203, I have requested an appointment to inspect the City of Gunter's public records, but have not received access yet. Without the information necessary to identify weaknesses, I can only answer based on my personal experience as a resident and generalities of what others have shared with me. I believe I can speak for most residents when I say that last summer's water issue was horrendous. Water is fundamental, and should have been planned for over a decade ago, at least. Gunter did not experience an unusual, unplanned growth that burdened the water system and while it was a perfect storm of water well failure that created a The City currently has a volunteer fire department and no ambulance service. A plan is being shortage, it also revealed the city's failure in previous years to adequately prepare. formulated to have the fire department start an ambulance service by the end of this year. Mustang SUD sourcing our water may or may not have been the best decision, but we This move will allow the fire department to hire 7 full time paramedics and will be the will never know because it was our only decision as a result. It is unacceptable for beginning of a full-time paid fire department. leaders, who are supposed to represent our interests, to put us in such a situation. I have also endured a very negative experience with our permits process, because of Our fire budget increased to over $350,000 last year and the police budget increased to over outsourcing and surrendering complete control to a third party. While few in customer $800,000. This is an increase of 136% on fire and 71% on police. We purchased new police service can outperform Angi Young, the city has no power over the process of which it vehicles and have moved the Police Department to a new location on SH289 for improved forces us to participate. As a result, my property was literally held hostage by an visibility and more room. incompetent contractor, preventing another from correcting a series of significant problems. I was eventually able to overcome the obstacles, but should not have had to study law to do so. Measures need to be put in place to ensure that approved contractors are submitting true and accurate information on permit applications and property owners should have as much, if not more, control over the process than the contractors. I'm looking forward to the implementation of recently announced emergency services that we have needed for a very long time and plan to be a useful partner in the process. I plan to meet with all of our city departments to find out what they need and identify ways I can help. 1. The City spent $1,400,000 in street repairs last year which was more than we spent in the last 10 years. We have earmarked in the budget $550,000 per year until 2025 for street repairs. The city has spent thousands and thousands of dollars on consultants for projects, such 2. The Bridges needs a new waste water treatment plant. The design work is almost as the downtown master plan, simultaneously telling residents we lack funds for completed by Mustang and I anticipate construction to begin this summer. necessary and fundamental issues. Once I am granted access to inspect records and 3. The extension of FM121 from Block Road to SH289 will be a priority in the near future. learn more, I will be able to speak to more issues, but I would like to see an updated This is a joint project with the City and Texas Department of Transportation. I anticipate a capital improvement plan and review how we are using impact fees, if we are 2025 start. collecting them at all (and we should be). The development contractors that come 4. Flooding in The Woods has been a major concern. The City Engineer is working on plans into and through our city, damaging our roads and using our services, should be to help alleviate this problem helping to pay for it just like we do. The developers who are excavating neighborhoods 5. The City bought 2 new scoreboards for the ball fields at the park and a new back stop for outside of our control that impact what is within our control should be forced to smaller kids. correct those damages. Residents should not have to wait months or years for the city 6. The parks need to be expanded and improved. The City hired Adam Adams as the Director to respond with a plan to address a flooding issue. of Parks and Public Services. He is currently working with the park board to develop a comprehensive plan for the parks.. I'm very much looking forward to working on our budget. I rallied the residents of my last community to join me in claiming ownership and taking control of our own MUD (municipal utility district) so that we could control our taxes. For two years prior to being elected as Board of Director, I worked hard, looking for ways to reduce our spending and better utilize our funds. I was told by every director, attorney and financial advisor in our district that it would take years before we would be able to reduce our tax rate, even a penny or two, because our community was only a few The City hired Lorie Lankford as the Director of Finance. She retired from Round Rock which years old, and not even half constructed. I was also discouraged from running for a completed 23 years in government accounting experience. Lorie completely revamped the seat because they said I was inexperienced and I could better serve the district as an City budget to make it easy to read (see the City web page). Last years budget resulted in a advisor between the board and residents. Translation = you are dangerous with a 21% decrease in the tax rate. The City has purchased clearGOV budgeting system which will vote. For the sake of keeping this shorter, when we bought our home, contracting into make budgeting easier and more transparent. the district, our tax rate was 1.39 per $100 assessed valuation. (That rate, combined with the other 9 tax jurisdictions rendered a total property tax rate of 3.96%! Can you imagine?) It was then reduced to $1.31 after I was elected, and today it is certified at $1.18 and every director is an elected resident of the district. Currently the district has better, more consistent services and the home I sold has appreciated 21%. When budgets make sense and funds are properly used, our equity is protected even when our tax rates are lower. I hope to work with the city manager to help do the same for Gunter.
Under the City's emergency management plan, the City is linked to the County's emergency management system. One phone call to the County EOC will triger help from the County and Once I am granted access to inspect records, I will be able to identify areas where we our Surrounding Cities. need training and available resources. Texas law states that the mayor holds the office of emergency management for the city and that a plan should exist. I haven't What, if anything, should the city do to better The City has purchased two tornado warning sirens, one of which will be placed in the seen a plan, but I am looking forward to viewing and/or creating one. We should also have NIMS implementation (National Incident Management System), otherwise we prepare for emergencies, natural disasters, like Bridges. These will be installed this summer. are missing out on access to federal grants and increasing our residents' risk in a more tornadoes, fires, and freezing? The City has purchased a standby generator to run the fire department and City hall. It is in generalized emergency. and we are scheduling installation.
Emergency Preparedness:
Other issues:
Great cities are intentional, they create a plan and execute it. Improvements need to be made in the Thoroughfare Master Plan, Enhance Landscape requirements, finish the Parks
What other important issues are facing the city Master Plan, and the Downtown Master Plan. council, and how would you address them?
I want to remind residents that in 2017, a special election was held, and the voters agreed to change our city structure from a mayor-council to a council-manager form of government. The Mayor's role includes facilitating communication, advocating policy, proposing and prioritizing programs and projects etc but it no longer has the power it did before. It will be even more important to elect strong council members who will prioritize residents' needs and choose what's best for Gunter, as opposed to what's best for developers, big business and individual connections. Integrity is everything; the ordinances our leaders legislate should apply to them as they do for us. Additionally, we should each have the same access to information and resources as they have for themselves.
I moved to Gunter in 1966 as a Freshman in high school. I graduated in 1970, married Beverly in 1974, graduated University of North Texas in 1977 with a Bachelors in Business
Biographical Information and Contacts: (brief Administration with a degree in accounting and economics. I have two wonderful grown children and 4 grand children. I teach Sunday school at the First Baptist Church in Gunter intro about you, your education, experience, where I have been a member since 1967. I have been financial manager for several private community service as well as your campaign companies in my career and am still working, not because I have to but because I am contact email/phone/website and/or Facebook enjoying working every day. page link) I can be reached by phone or text (903) 328-7501 and email mmillar@cebridge.net. I do not have a face book page or a website.
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I am easy to find on Facebook and my introduction with this information is public. My campaign page is Karen Souther for Gunter Mayor 2023 and can be found at this link https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089533400847. I am an open book, you are welcome to ask more questions there and I can't wait to meet more of you. I have enjoyed my time with so many of you and it has only confirmed to me that Gunter is an amazing place.