VOL 6 No. 19
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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, MAY 8 , 2013
P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623
Official newspaper of Fort Bend County, Missouri City & Sugar Land
Commissioners court in a bind over sheriff’s overtime request campaign promise and accordBy SESHADRI KUMAR Fort Bend County Commis- ingly slashed the overtime from sioners Court is facing a dilem- about $735,000 to $200,000, for ma— to approve the $450,000 the enforcement division. That requested by Sheriff Troy Nehls overtime amount was nearly exhausted by Wright himself from to pay overtime or not. If the court approves it, the Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2012. County commissioners by apcontingency reserve will be deproving the budget as presentpleted. County Auditor Ed Sturdivant ed by Wright, acquiesced into is concerned about the depletion Wright’s logic that his successor of the $734,000 in contingency had promised to slash overtime in because the county will have no the department. That campaign promise has money left to pay for the indigent attorney fees to various courts for now come to haunt everyone, those who believe Nehls said so the next six months. If the commissioners don’t ap- and those who believe otherwise. prove the overtime, the sheriff Nehls denies that he ever prommay be forced to cut patrol ser- ised to eliminate overtime, but vices and the onus for inadequate only said he would reduce it by law enforcement will fall on the efficient management of personnel. commissioners court. “We are finding ways to reThe request for the additional $450,000 in overtime being duce overtime as I said I would... sought by Nehls is not in the We will find ways to get enough 2013 budget, presented by the money to take us through the end of the year,” Nehls said. former Sheriff Milton Wright. In the 2014 budget, Nehls said Soon after Nehls took office, the court approved an additional he would be reducing overtime $160,000 to pay for the promo- by nearly 40 percent. The detions caused by the civil service partment’s entire overtime bill is about $1.1 million and Nehls commission. Nehls during his campaign last plans to cut it down to $650,000. year criticized the then sheriff’s “We have lot of built-in overtime office for spending excessively and I have changed that to effect on overtime and cutting the over- savings,” he said. As a proof of his control over time was one of his main camovertime expenditures, Nehls paign pledges. Wright took note of Nehls’ said in October 2012, the overIn early voting for the May 11 local elections in the first six days, 1,439 people have voted in the Fort Bend ISD elections. In Missouri City Dist. A, 166 people have voted and in Dist. B, 108 have voted early. In a report in this paper last week, the name of a candidate in the Missouri City Dist. A race was incorrectly printed as Rodney Smith. It should read Rodney Griffin. The other two candidates in the race are Bobby Marshall and Yolanda Ford. In Stafford MSD election, 152 have voted through Saturday.
time bill was $63,000, in November 2012, it was $54,000 and in December, the last month of Wright in office, the bill was $77,000. In January 2013, the first month under the new sheriff, the overtime bill was $31,000 and in February $34,000. Sturdivant is not comfortable with the idea of raiding the contingency fund for sheriff’s overtime bill. The $2 million allocated for indigent attorney fees would be exhausted by the end of the third quarter, leaving no funds for payments in the last quarter of the year, Sturdivant said. Sturdviant suggested that the sheriff could take money from the forfeiture funds, exceeding $1 million, and from the operations budget. But, Nehls is not inclined to do so. If the contingency fund is tapped, the county will have to scrape money from every other department to allow for future contingencies. The commissioners could minimize the impact by approving part of the overtime payment from the contingency funds and the rest from other departments or sheriff’s own department. The commissioners are scheduled to vote on the item on Tuesday, May 7.
Wong named chair of Texas Board of Professional Engineers
LONGEST SERVING DA’S SECRETARY RETIRES. Barbara Dobson, the first secretary to the District Attorney in Fort Bend County, after working under five different DAs since the office was established in 1977, retired on April 30. At a well-attended farewell party held at Gus George Police Academy, four of the five DAs paid rich tributes to Dobson’s personality, character and professionalism. Above, Dobson is flanked by current DA John Healey, to her right, and the first DA Charles Dickerson, to her left, with the second DA Bill Meitzon, far right, and Sam Dick, third DA, far left. The fourth DA and Healey’s predecessor Jack Stern is not in the picture. Dobson first began her job in the county attorney’s office in Fort Bend in 1971, then went to Houston for a few years and came back in 1981. She was secretary to the then County Attorney Dickerson, who was appointed the first DA of the county when the position was created in 1977. Healey described Dobson as the most valuable person of the DA’s office for 36 years. “She has been strong-willed, discerning, office coordinator for the last 21 years and she was the face of the DA’s office ( as mentioned by Meitzon). She would tell me if I was making a mistake. She had that much knowledge.” Dobson outlived courthouse buildings, Dick said. In the DA’s office, the staff was afraid of the secretary more than the boss, he said as a testimony to her insight into the office.
Secret Gardens of Sugar Lakes
From Russia with love
FBSO violinist Anastasia Marshall, a native of Russia, prepares for the Fort Bend Symphony’s May 19 concert of Russian music while wearing the everyday attire for a married woman in Russia. (Photo by Coleman Locke) Two Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra violinists who were born in Russia and immigrated to the United States are looking forward to sharing the music of their homeland during the orchestra’s May 19 concert, From Russia with Love. The season-closer begins at 2 p.m. at the Stafford Centre,
10505 Cash Road in Stafford. “When I listen to Russian music, I want to clap and tell everyone I’m Russian because the music makes me proud of my Russian heritage,” said Anastasia Golenkova Marshall who joined FBSO in 2004. Tofik K. Khanmamedov, a 12-year member of FBSO, is pleased with the focus on Russian music that includes a mix of folk selections and masterworks. “It’s a good, balanced program.” During From Russia with Love, FBSO will perform Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture, Glire’s Russian Sailor’s Dance and Kabalevsky’s Colas Breugnon Overture, which features some jazzy syncopation. Also featured is Sabre Dance, an exciting Armenian dance where the dancers display their sabre skills. Reserved seats for From Russia with Love are $12 and $17 for adults and may be purchased at fbso.org or by calling 281-276-9642. Discounts are available for seniors 55 and over, students, military and groups of 10 or more. Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult, but need a reserved ticket.
10701 Corporate Drive, #282, Stafford, TX 77477 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, TX 77487 Seshadri Kumar Publisher & Editor
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Fort Bend Independent, (USPS 025-572) is published every Wednesday (for a subscription rate of $20 per year) by Fort Bend Independent, LLC., 10701 Corporate Dr., #282, Stafford, Texas 77477. Periodicals Postage Paid at Stafford, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Fort Bend Independent, P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, Tx 77487.
Wong Gov. Rick Perry has named Daniel Wong of Missouri City chair of the Texas Board of Professional Engineers. The board licenses qualified engineers, enforces the Texas Engineering Practice Act and regulates the practice of professional engineering in Texas. Wong is CEO of TolunayWong Engineers. He is a member of American Society of Civil Engineers, Texas Society of Professional Engineers and University of Houston Civil Engineering Advisory Board, past president of the Asian American Architects and Engineers Association, and a past board member of the Houston Council of Engineering Companies. He is also a trustee of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council, past member of the Sugar Land City Council, and past board member of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, Houston-Galveston Area Council, and University of Houston Alumni Association. Wong received a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree in civil engineering and a doctorate of civil engineering from the University of Houston. He will serve as chair of the board for a term to expire at the pleasure of the governor.
“The Secret Gardens of Sugar Lakes” is the theme for this year’s Sugar Land Garden Club’s 14th annual Spring Garden Tour. On Saturday, May 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the public is invited to tour nine unique private gardens in the Sugar Lakes subdivision. Tickets can be purchased on the day of the tour at any garden. Tickets are $15 for all nine gardens making this a perfect Mother’s Day gift. Pictured are Andre and Robin Leeder, along with their proud dog Baxter, who are eagerly waiting to welcome visitors into their “secret garden.” Rain date is Saturday, May 18. Visit sugarlandgardenclub.org and click on Tour and Map. — 534 Kingfisher Dr., 206 Brook Forest Trail, 403 Kingfisher Dr., 407 Baybridge Dr., 814 Kittiwake Ct., 871 Harbour Place, 234 Kingfisher Dr., 1122 Heron Way and 819 Oyster Creek @ Teal.