Fort Bend Independent 022019

VOL 12 No. 8

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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2019

P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623

Official newspaper of Fort Bend County & Missouri City

County bites the bullet; Ready to take over the graves

By SESHADRI KUMAR Fort Bend County Commissioners Court last week authorized the county attorney to enter into an agreement with Fort Bend ISD to acquire the abandoned and unmarked cemetery at the James Reese Career and Technology Center in Sugar Land for the county to “construct and maintain a memorial park and cemetery.”

An agenda item, adopting a resolution asking the school district to keep the current historic cemetery undisturbed, was pulled.

The resolution sought “to recognize the tragic reality and plight of those individuals buried at this location and pay respect to those unjustly captured into the convictleasing system;.

It added: “On February 6, 2019, the Fort Bend Historical Commission unanimously voted to oppose the removal of the cemetery dedication; and, that the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court hereby encourages the Fort Bend Independent School District to allow the 95 bodies currently buried at the cemetery to remain undisturbed. Additionally, it be encouraged that a memorial be constructed at the location to honor and recognize those negatively impacted by the Texas Convict-Leasing System.”

What was to be a statement of request and possibly, an intent to make the county intervene in the pending litigation over the future of the cemetery, turned into an unprecedented and voluntary offer from the county to accept the liability and relieve the school district of its problem.

Earlier, during public comments, Cheryl Stalinsky of Fulshear, urged the commissioners court not to interfere in the matter pertaining to another elected body, namely FBISD. Stalinksy also pointed out that County Judge KP George should abstain from voting on this issue because there was a conflict of interest as he approved all the aspects of the school construction and the subsequent discovery of the cemetery.

What happened in the closed session of the commissioners court?

There was already a proposal for the county to intervene on behalf of the

Fort Bend County Historical Commission and the county attorney was in favor of joining the litigation.

County Judge KP George and Commissioner Ken DeMerchant have already joined other elected officials in the Democratic Party urging the school district to bury the remains at the same site and preserve the cemetery.

Two other commissioners were concerned about the county’s intervention as setting a new precedent and a burden on county taxpayers.

Another commissioner, apparently averse to the continuing controversy and adverse publicity, hammered out a solution with the school officials, behind the scenes.

Presented with a bleak scenario of a stalemate in the court and an uncertain litigation, even those not in favor of the county’s intervention in the matter, fell in line to do what is “politically correct.”

FBISD president Jason Burdine said : “Fort Bend ISD applauds the action taken today by the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court authorizing the County Attorney to negotiate an Interlocal agreement with the District. We are optimistic that an agreement will lead to the preservation of the historic cemetery, while allowing Fort Bend ISD to provide our students with opportunities for career exploration and development at the James Reese Career and Technical Center. I would like to thank the Commissioners Court for recognizing that the perpetual care of a cemetery is beyond the district’s expertise and is not legally permissible.

This action will allow us to remain focused on our mission to educate children. Fort Bend ISD remains committed to educating future generations about this forgotten piece of history, and the oppressive and state-sanctioned convict leasing program.”

For Fort Bend ISD, the cost of not building wing E at the center and moving it is expected to be around $18 million.

The costs of rebuilding the cemetery and its operational costs remain to be determined.

The District has already incurred an estimated $5.5 million in construction delays and for archaeological observation, investigation, exhumation, and historical

analysis.

This does not include preserving the bodies and the future cost of reburying them.

It is anticipated that further delays will cause the District to spend an additional $7.5 to $8.5 million to ensure that other parts of the center can open as scheduled.

The district will lose a wing which would have lab space for Robotics and 6 classrooms.

It will affect several programs and the District is working through which ones can be accommodated in the parts of the building that will be finished and open.

The Court has not yet made any ruling on the District’s plea to re-bury the remains at the Imperial Park Cemetery in Sugar Land.

The school district has opposed the appointment of an attorney as Master of the court challenging that the attorney is functioning as an adversary, making impractical demands on the school district like identifying the heirs of those buried whose age may be 110 or 120 years.

District Judge Jim Shoemake compared the school district to “the fox guarding the henhouse.” He wanted to find someone to represent the unidentified bodies with a legal standing.

While archeologists have said that it is most likely the remains are from the convict leasing program based on the age of the remains and the known documented use of the land, they will issue a final report that will offer their determinations in the future.

They believe the majority, if not all of the remains, have African American skeletal traits, but no DNA testing has been conducted to confirm. They do not believe they were slaves.

The Texas Historical Commission has to grant authorization to do destructive analysis to conduct DNA testing and they have not done so.

Meanwhile, the judge wanted to issue citations to the Fort Bend Historical Commission and Texas Historical Commission to intervene in the matter.

Now, the county may have made the court’s job easier by accepting responsibility for the grave.

The school district may have to withdraw its petition and the court has to give its blessings to the county’s plan to bring the curtain down on this sordid tale.

It is a ‘grave’ issue. Texas has rules and regulations governing ‘abandoned cemeteries.’ As of last Monday, the county was only considering a resolution urging the school district to keep the remains at the same site. Even that resolution did not have the unanimous support of all commissioners court members.

Some miracle happened. That resolution was abandoned in the closed session of the commissioners court and the county offered to take ownership of the grave.

Is it a fortune or misfortune? It is in the eyes of the beholder.

See “Grave (mis)fortune” on Page 4.

The celebration of Indian American culture in Austin was kicked off by the Governor Greg Abbott, and members of a leading Hindu organization, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) at the Texas State Capital on Feb. 6, 2019. The BAPS delegation presented a picture of the traditional stone carved temple on Brand Road in Stafford, to the governor. See Story on Page 7.

Sugar Land couple found dead in murder-suicide

By SESHADRI KUMAR An Indian American couple, Sreenivas Nakirekanti, 51, and his wife Shanti, 46, residing in the Telfair subdivision of Sugar Land, were found dead of gunshot wounds on Feb. 18.

Sugar Land police are investigating the case as a murder-suicide.

The couple is survived by their son, 21, and daughter, 16.

The son is studying at U.T. Austin. The daughter goes to Clements High School.

Sreenivas, a director with

NRG (Reliant Energy), is currently president of the IndoAmerican Charity Foundation.

A disconnected 911 call led authorities to the 1200 block of Pendergrass in Telfair subdivision around 6 a.m.

Sugar Land city spokesman Doug Adolph said: “We responded to a 911 hang up around 6 am. When we arrived, we found an adult woman dead in the driveway. A 16-year-old girl exited the house and said her dad would not exit a bedroom.

We entered and located her

dad dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the bedroom.

We believe the dad called 911, provided the address and hung up.

“We are investigating this incident as a murder-suicide.

We believe the cause was related to marital issues. The 16 year old was asleep when the murder-suicide occurred and didn’t know what happened.”

Shanti’s sister living out of state is believed to be the closest relative of the family.

By BARBARA FULENWIDER Filings for the local city and school board elections closed on Friday.

A large number of candidates, especially representing the minority communities have filed for the May election.

In Fort Bend ISD, seven people have filed, including the incumbent, for the Position 7 trustee seat.

Position 7 hopefuls are Christine (Tina) Michie, Rudy Sutherland Jr., Ferrel Bonner, Nadine B. Skinner, Monica Riley, Holland Poulsen and Dave Rosenthal, incumbent.

Position 3 incumbent, Jim Rice elected in 2011, served two consecutive terms as board president and is up against hopefuls Sam Popuri, Ashish Agrawal and Deirdre S. Williams.

Cynthia Lenton Gary, Jason A. Dobrolecki, Pam D. Sutherland, Lily Q. Lam and Allison Drew have filed for Position 5. The district

announced the election for this seat vacated by County Judge KP George late and filing began Jan. 29 instead of Jan. 16. The last date for filing is March 4 for Position 5.

In the Stafford city council election on May 4, the mayoral candidates are incumbent Mayor Leonard Scarcella, Councilman A.J. Honore and Adam Alfonse Sanchez (Adam “Bob Sugar” Sanchez).

Esther Ava de Ipolyi (Esther de Ipolyi); Auturo Dwayne Jackson, who served on the Stafford Municipal School Board as president, and Chung-Ching Tan Chen (Alice Chen) have filed for City Council Position 1.

Incumbent councilmembers Wen Guerra and Virginia Rosas will keep their seats since they have no opponents.

Stafford Municipal School District has six people running for three positions on the board. They are Ashish Hamirani, Greg Holsapple, Alicia Lacy-Castille, Angela

La Cour, Mary Ann Smith and Lana Holsing.

Holsapple is a long-time member of the SMSD board and Lacy-Castille is also an incumbent who has been on the board since 2014.

Rosenberg also has an election for three council seats and each position has four people running. The mayor’s race has incumbent mayor William T. “Bill” Benton , Isaac Davila, Jimmie J. Pena and Cynthia McConathy, former mayor.

The At-Large Position 1 also has the incumbent Jacob Eli Balderas facing three opponents: Rodolfo “Rudy” Cuellar, Marcus A. Morales, and Alice S. Jozwiak.

The third Rosenberg city election is At-Large Position 2 an open seat and four people are running. They are Edmund Samora, Susan E. Euton, Eric L. Ramirez and Kevin W. Raines.

(Sugar Land City Council race, Page 3.)

Crowded races mark city and school board elections

Page 2 • INDEPENDENT • FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Accomplishments & Actions: Message from Councilmember Floyd Emery to Missouri City’s District D residents

By FLOYD EMERY As I prepare for the final year of my 2017-2019 term in office and my decision to run for re-election in the Nov. 2019 Election, allow me to share accomplishments achieved during my tenure in office and my plans for the future.

Accomplishments

ALLIANCES HOA/CITY I take great pride in being responsive to the Homeowners Associations and the many residents they represent. In addition to attending HOA Board and Annual meetings, I listen and respond to the concerns, suggestions and recommendations of the residents of Quail Valley, sections of Quail Valley East, Lake Olympia, Lakeshore Harbour, Creekmont South , Waterbrook(s), Silver Ridge(s) and other equally important neighborhoods in District D. With the outstanding support and solution based action of the Missouri City Staff we have made great strides in making Missouri City and District D the place we are proud to call home.

PUBLIC SAFETY Missouri City continues to be ranked as one of the safest cities in Texas. Our police and fire personnel complemented with the latest equipment, technology and training required to protect our citizens and safety personnel, has been one of my major priorities. Through the ongoing competitive assessment of our salary and benefit plans we continue to attract and retain quality personnel.

During the period of 2011 thru 2017 we have added 32 additional sworn and nonsworn officers to our police force including the formation of a 4 person motorcycle squad. Additionally, we have provided our officers with Body and Patrol Car Cameras providing an additional level of safety and transparency for our officers and the citizens they serve.

During this same period we have added 13 additional Firefighters and opened fire station #5 as we strived to maintain our response time standards. Our Fire Department achieved an ISO 1 insurance designation, 1 of only 100 Cities across the nation to receive this highest Insurance classification.

Through these initiatives and actions, Missouri City continues to maintain our ‘Safest Texas City’ designation.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Working with the former Mayor and fellow councilmembers we have overseen the commercial development of two major business parks in Missouri City.

Lakeview and Park 8/Ninety is home to Ben E Keith, Fed Ex, Best Buy, Niagara Water and over 30 additional well established and recognized businesses.

From these and other new businesses we have added over $500 million in new taxable property, provided an employment opportunity for over 1500 new jobs/positions for Missouri City residents and an increase in property tax revenue from our commercial base. With this emphasis on commercial growth we are experiencing a larger

share of our property tax revenue from the business sector thereby providing relief to our residential property tax base citizens.

Our sales tax revenue stream, which is the second largest source of revenue, has increased significantly. The expansion of retail businesses along Hwy. 6, FM 1092 and other prime locations is fueling this increase.

SOLID WASTE In 2016 the City contracted with a single waste management company and the cost of waste collection to our residents, MUD’s, HOA’s and businesses was lowered by $1.5 million annually. In addition this agreement allowed the City to initiate a recycling program which many citizens had urged us to implement.

This recycling program continues to grow as more and more of our citizens recognize the value of recycling.

FINANCIAL AWARENESS Our City Staff continues to search out opportunities to reduce the cost of doing the business of Missouri City.

As an example, in 2017 the cost of funding $72 million of our indebtedness, using lower interest rates available in the bond marketplace, resulted in a $7 million savings to the City.

Missouri City continues to receive high praise and awards for our budget process, the transparency of our financial records all made available to our citizens, regulatory officials and other stakeholders.

As a result of our fiscal policies our Bond rating was recently upgraded from AA- to AA thereby providing access to lower interest rates when borrowing is needed.

Our City Manager, Anthony Snipes has implemented programs that establish our short and long term budget and Capital needs. He has developed a management structure and process that brings all staff members into the budget process thereby promoting an ownership of this process. As a result, in the 2018 budget process the staff identified $2.4 million reduction in budget funding requests.

ANIMAL CONTROL In 2018 the Council called for the examination and inspection of our Animal Shelter’s charter and its associated policies, practices and funding needs. Through this review, new procedures for our dedicated volunteers were implemented, a policy for the compassionate handling and treatment of pets in City custody was developed, an effective program reuniting lost pets with their owners and a policy for finding new homes through the adoption of animals in our care was implemented. To these initiatives the Animal Shelter funding was increased significantly, a full time Shelter Manager was hired and we contracted with a licensed veterinarian. We are working with this business model and will be diligent to ensure that Missouri City has a humane and comprehensive policy for the care of animals.

DRAINAGE During Hurricane Harvey approximately 360 homes out of an approximate 27,000 homes located in Missouri City had some form of flooding.

While one is too many, this experience reflects that our drainage program(s) which includes the use of streets as emergency retention and the designed retention areas around the City was effective.

In spite of the enormous amount of rainfall experienced in Missouri City and the flood level on the Brazos River the City’s Emergency Management Operations

Center performed effectively and mitigated a number of potential flooding events in Missouri City.

MOBILITY This continued to be a major issue and priority over the last few years due to the business and residential growth experienced in Missouri City and the surrounding areas. To mitigate this issue the City has taken action including; the installation of additional turn lanes at major intersections; additional left turn on yellow signals; upgrading equipment needed to synchronize traffic flow at major roads/intersections; signage, restriping and additions of Stop, Yield and speed control signage on major roadways and neighborhood streets. Additionally, certain major mobility projects including the extension of Vicksburg Blvd. to Lake Olympia Parkway, Hurricane Lane roadway completion, traffic control improvements at intersections of Watts Plantation at Sienna Parkway and Ft. Bend Toll Road at Sienna Parkway were undertaken and completed.

INFRASTRUCTURE From our inventory of infrastructure needs covering streets, sidewalks and bridges the following projects were completed: safety mandated replacement of 2 bridges in Quail Valley with a third in design; replacement of Thunderbird street and adjoining sidewalks; section of Misty Hollow street and sidewalks; Ashmont street and sidewalks; major sections of pavement on Cypress Point, La Quinta, El Dorado, Lake Olympia, Crow Valley, Quail Valley East and other areas in need of major repair.

Sidewalks are being repaired or replaced based on a needs and priority assessment recently completed by our Public Works staff and to the extent where funding is available.

QUAIL VALLEY GOLF COURSE AND CITY CENTRE We continue to monitor the financial and operational health of this amenity. Over the last 4 years, operations and management performance reflects a range of 96% to 103% of revenue to operating cost.

In 2017 this amenity recorded over 60,000 rounds of golf, 161 corporate or charity events and 364 non golf events at the Golf Course and City Centre, thus making it the number one attraction site for visitors and residents (estimated at 130,000) to Missouri City.

Many of these events draw sales tax paying visitors to Missouri City as they utilize the Golf Course, the City Centre venue for special occasions and food and beverage.

Equally important is the visitors’ potential use and sales tax generation at other Missouri City retail businesses.

The golf facility caters to many local High School and College boys and girls golf teams, the First Tee at Quail Valley, golfers from all sections of Missouri City and numerous golfing visitors from surrounding Cities, Counties and out of State/Country. Golfers visiting and using our facility cut across all age groups, gender and demographic lines truly reflecting a balanced use of the Golf Course and City Centre at Missouri City.

When assessing the value of this amenity to Missouri City, the demonstrated fact that home values in Quail Valley and the immediate surrounding neighborhoods were stabilized and increased by the City’s purchase and rebuilding of this amenity. This action translates into an increase in residential property tax revenue thereby offsetting

the payment of the property acquisition Bonds that were approved overwhelmingly by the citizens of Missouri City.

Action items for 2019 & beyond PUBLIC SAFETY We must continue to maintain our status as one of the safest Cities in Texas. To that end I will be supporting the following actions: Maintain a competitive Salary structure and Benefit package for our Public Safety personnel.

Ensure adequate funding for equipment, services and training needed to perform their duties.

Support the building of Fire Station #6 and acquisition of the needed personnel and equipment Provide funding for the staffing of the police and fire operations needed to meet our public safety expectations.

HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION Currently we provide a homestead exemption of $15,000 to residents age 65 and over and who have designated their home as a homestead. This exemption provides approximately $500,000 annually in tax relief.

In the 2019 budget process I will be asking my Council colleagues to consider a separate $10,000 Homestead exemption for all residents who have designated their home as a homestead. To place this in perspective, a $10,000 exemption would give residents approximately $1.2 million in tax relief or $63/year for each homestead. This would require an increase in revenue from other sources, a reduction of our annual budgeted expenditures and for the City Council to establish a priority for this offering above other services/projects covered in our annual budget.

RETIREMENT BENEFIT REVIEW For those employees who have retired or will retire prior to January 1, 2020, certain health benefits and cost were promised to these retirees.

The City should continue to honor these commitments.

Health benefits and cost for future retirees should be reviewed for competitiveness and options available in the public/private sector and presented to Council for consideration.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT We will continue to evaluate those areas of developable land in our comprehensive land use plan. Areas along the Fort Bend Toll Road, Hwy 6 south and Hwy 90 at the Beltway will be of prime interest. Missouri City has a limited number of open tracts of land available for development. We must where possible push for best land use and be diligent in the application of tax abatements where the value to Missouri City must be the determining factor.

Small business initiatives will have a place in the economic development strategy.

Retail and commercial business along Hwy 6, Hwy 90, FM 1092 and the Texas Parkway/ Cartwright corridors will continue to be an important segment in the overall economic development strategy.

Redevelopment of Texas Parkway and Cartwright Rd. properties will continue to be a priority when developing our overall economic development plan. I will continue to support the build-out of Lakeview and Park8/Ninety business Parks.

MOBILITY To mitigate certain traffic issues we will implement recommendations from a recent traffic study of FM 1092 from 5th St. to Hwy 6. Complete the

replacement/construction of Knight Rd., Watts Plantation, Trammell Fresno Rd. to FM 521, extension of Ft. Bend Toll Road and for safety purposes the closing of Cravens Rd. at Hwy 90.

DRAINAGE We have requested and expect to receive approximately $950,000 to complete the drainage plan for the Cangelosi Watershed. As Board Chairman of H-GAC (Houston Galveston Area Council) I was able to bring to the attention of our staff the opportunity for funds from an H-GAC process for which they submitted a grant funding request.

We will be investigating major drainage flow issues to determine if there was an impact from Hurricane Harvey or other high water events. Any found will be considered as a potential candidate for remediation by the City or other governmental entities.

INFRASTRUCTURE We must continue to work on those known projects that are in most need of repairs or replacement. The City must decide on how best to address these needs and the funding of these projects. We will continue to utilize the approximately $3.9 million annual rebate from Metro, existing funds from prior transportation bonds and our interlocal arrangements with Ft. Bend County where they partner with the City on mutually beneficial projects. These revenue sources are important when examining the overall cost of a major infrastructure program. However, additional funding will be required if we are to make a serious impact on our overall infrastructure needs.

PARKS Missouri City is home to 20 parks covering over 400 acres. Our Parks are an important City amenity and a key factor when businesses and residents consider moving to our City. The City recently completed a Parks assessment where maintenance or replacement of key park elements was identified.

To address and fund these needs we will continue to use our available park funds and to reach out to our business and public partners for Grant opportunities. Our efforts to date have been encouraging. A grant from Lowes for $50,000 replaced playground equipment at QV North Park.

A $65,000 grant was received from Niagara Water to be used for Community Park projects.

The City provided land and a grounds maintenance commitment in Mac Naughton Park to QV Fund HOA who in return committed over $250,000 to install major playground equipment, a pavilion for family gatherings, outdoor exercise equipment and restroom facilities. BC/BS of Texas and Kaboom have donated time and dollars for improvements and additions at Rhone Park.

Freedom Tree Park I co-chair with Council Member Jeffrey Boney the Freedom Tree Park Committee comprised of public and educational officials, private citizens, and community stakeholders. Our charge is to transform the existing passive park in Lake Olympia to one that captures the history and cultural relevance of the Freedom Tree and to find the necessary private/public / grant funding needed to implement a reimagined design for the park.

First Tee at Quail Valley The City has allocated parkland to be used as an expansion of the First Tee of Houston at Quail Valley. For context this program uses the medium of golf to teach and instill their 9 core values in kids from age 7

to 14. Its roots in Quail Valley were planted 7 years ago with 15 kids and today has over 500 kids in the program with a waiting list. Most of the students are from Missouri City and Ft. Bend County and the demographics reflect diversity similar to that of Ft. Bend County and Missouri City. This program which uses the Quail Valley Golf Course and City Centre has outgrown its allocated space and now requires a separate and dedicated area for continued growth. This is not a City program rather it has been allowed to use QV facilities and the committed Park land for this growing program. I will be working with the QV LGA, MGA and other stakeholders to acquire private funding to build the facility needed to continue to allow this program to grow.

MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT (MUD) STRATEGIC PLAN I along with my fellow councilmembers will be reviewing the results of the current consolidation study to determine if there is value to our residents, the City and current stakeholders. Key to a decision to embark on this venture must be the stated value to our residents, investment requirements and operating demands placed on the City.

We currently have an established business model in place (MUD’s) that for over 30 years has adequately supplied our requirements for water, waste water, storm sewer capacity and maintenance at rates extremely competitive with surrounding cities and counties.

For me, any consideration to consolidate a MUD or MUD’s must provide compelling evidence of its value to the City and the Citizens of Missouri City.

ANIMAL CONTROL I will continue to monitor the results of the business model we put into place last year to ensure it is meeting the stated goals for our Shelter.

QUAIL VALLEY GOLF AND CITY CENTRE We will be reviewing the recommendations of the current ongoing Golf Course and City Centre evaluation study to ensure we are effectively managing this amenity. Any option that would degrade the value or scope of this amenity with its associated negative impact on home values in Quail Valley and the surrounding neighborhoods for me will not be acceptable.

FBISD COORDINATION With the continued and forecasted growth in residential properties and its potential impact on FBISD educational facilities I will be asking the City staff to explore from a legal and development aspect a student loading consideration into our discussions with developers, home builders and the FBISD Board.

Currently we are experiencing another controversial zoning issue that impacts many of the middle and high schools in Missouri City. In fairness to our residents we need to explore what actions if any we can take to mitigate or lessen this impact in the future.

As a caveat to the ‘Action Items for 2019 and Beyond ’, our State Legislature is currently considering a 2.5% cap when calculating our Rollover Tax Rate. Should this be approved the reduction in property tax revenue to the City will have an impact on the viability of these new offerings and on current City Services.

Any comments or questions related to the above are welcomed and can be directed to femery@missouricitytx. gov.

(Political ad paid for by the Floyd Emery campaign, Fred Grates treasurer. )

INDEPENDENT • FEBRUARY 20, 2019 • Page 3

NEWS

Seven candidates file for three Sugar Land City Council seats

By BARBARA FULENWIDER Last year Sugar Land had to cancel its election for city council members because only incumbents applied for the positions. This year it is different.

By this past Friday, 8 candidates had applied to run for 3 of the 4 council member districts up for grabs.

Six hopefuls and 2 incumbents are in the running.

District 1 has incumbent Steve Porter running for his seat again against Mohammad “Jazz” Aijaz.

Three hopefuls are after the District 2 seat and they are David Gornet, Nabila Mansoor and Naushad Kermally.

Stewart Jacobson is the lone candidate running for the District 3 seat and District 4 Council Member Carol McCutcheon is running against hopeful William Ferguson.

Porter has served the residents of District 1 since 2013 and lived in that community for 39 years. He is a retired global information systems project manager for ExxonMobil Corp.

Aijaz is an accountant who has lived in Sugar Land for almost 15 years.

Gornet, one of three candidates running for the District 2 position, is a civil engineer who has lived in Sugar Land for 27 years. He has served on MUD and LID boards, the city’s charter review commission, Fort Bend ISD programs, the chamber and various other organizations.

Mansoor, who is also running for the District 2 position, is an attorney and community organizer who has lived in Sugar Land for 9 years. She is a former member of the Houston Organizing Movement for Equity, a representative in the Houston Against Hate Coalition and a co-lead of the Sisterhood of Salaam-Shalom. She has also created and implemented programs for high school and college students to become more civically engaged.

Kermally is married and he and his wife and three children have lived in Sugar Land for 8 years. He is currently a board member of child advocates and

the city’s ethics review board.

He started his career as a nurse at Ben Taub Hospital and went on to Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. After leaving the medical field he joined a mobile technology startup company and is now executive vice president.

The District 3’s candidate is Stewart Jacobson who has won that race since he has no opponents. He is a financial advisor, served on numerous boards and organizations and has been a Sugar Land resident for almost 9 years.

The District 4 incumbent is Carol McCutcheon, a retired engineer in the oil and gas business and Sugar Land resident for 25 years. She earned undergraduate and master’s degrees in chemical engineering and an MBA at the University of Houston. She has been a neighborhood representative and member of numerous leadership organizations.

Her opponent is William Ferguson who is in sales and has lived in Sugar Land for 1 year and 2 months.

Renowned international architects to design the Ismaili Center Houston Internationally acclaimed, London-based architect Farshid Moussavi, also Professor in Practice of Architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, has been selected to design the Ismaili Center in Houston, Texas. The Center will be the seventh in a series of iconic cultural buildings commissioned, over the past four decades, by His Highness the Aga Khan in the United Kingdom, Canada, Portugal, United Arab Emirates and Tajikistan.

The Center’s prestigious design team will include: Thomas L. Woltz, of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects; Hanif Kara, co-founder of structural engineering firm AKT II and Professor in practice, Harvard University, Graduate School of Design; and Paul Westlake of DLR Group, who leads the firm’s Global Cultural+Performing Arts Studio, as the architect of record.

Leading world architects who had presented designs for the Houston project included David Chipperfield, Jeanne Gang and Rem Koolhaas.

As with the other Ismaili centers that have emerged distinctive in conception,

structure and setting in London, Toronto, Vancouver, Lisbon, Dubai and Dushanbe, the Center in Houston will serve as a national hub for the social, cultural and intellectual activities of the Ismaili Muslim community.

These centers are recognized for their aesthetic sensitivity and the thoughtful symbolism of their architecture.

As the Aga Khan, himself, described the centers at the opening of the Ismaili Centre Lisbon: “the spaces within and around them, are rich in symbolism; drawing on the plurality of cultures which characterize Ismailis here, and around the world. The array of facilities included is a reflection of the core values of the Ismaili community, its organization, its discipline, its social conscience, the importance of its community organizations, and its attitude toward the society in which it exists.”

Noting the design team’s broad perspective and multidisciplinary experience, Farshid Moussavi, is confident that the Center, as conceived, “will bring Houston’s diverse communities together in a unique space for cultural, educational and social activities.”

Farshid Moussavi’s portfolio includes the Museum of Contemporary Art in Cleveland, Ohio, an installation at the 13th Architecture Biennale in Venice, a mixed tenure residential complex in the La Défense business district of Paris, La Folie Divine, a residential complex in Montpellier, France, a threestory flagship store for Victoria Beckham in London and an office tower in the City of London. At her previous practice, Foreign Office Architects, among the awardwinning projects she coauthored are the Yokohama International Cruise Terminal and the Spanish Pavilion at the Aichi International Expo, both in Japan, London’s Ravensbourne College of Media and Communication, and the Torrevieja Auditorium and the Madrid Carbanchel Social Housing in Spain.

Trained at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, she has taught at Columbia, Princeton and the University of California in Los Angeles and has held her professorship at Harvard since 2006 and at the Royal Academy Schools since 2017. Elected to the Royal Academy in 2015, she was appointed Officer of the

FBISD Trustee Dave Rosenthal seeks re-election Dave Rosenthal, FBISD Board of Trustees Secretary, now in his seventh year as a trustee, filed on Friday to seek re-election in 2019.

Rosenthal was first elected to the board in May 2012 for a one-year unexpired term.

He was re-elected in 2013 and 2016 for full three-year terms.

Rosenthal is a strong believer in the Board’s Profile of a Graduate, attributes that will provide our graduating students with skills to succeed in life.

Over the past several years, he has been heavily involved with policy writing that support this profile.

Most recently, Rosenthal helped craft a policy that directs the district toward a strategy of student ownership of learning.

This strategy is a game changer for FBISD students.

Once fully implemented and strengthened, it will put students far ahead of other Texas districts.

Rosenthal presented the board’s role in this strategy at the Texas Association of School Boards Summer Leadership Conference in San Antonio in June 2018.

Rosenthal has also been supportive of district initiatives like the EDGE

program that has successfully moved two campuses on the east side of the district out of “Improvement Required.”

Another initiative, The Early Literacy Center, has in less than one year, successfully closed the achievement gap for some of our most struggling students from east side elementary schools.

Recent data shows that in the “probable reader” category, the gap between Early Literacy participants and the district average is extremely narrow.

Throughout his tenure, Rosenthal has successfully fought to remove burdens from our teachers and counselors.

As a certified teacher who taught 8th grade science at Stafford Middle School, Rosenthal understands the difficult job of the teaching staff.

It is this unique perspective that allows him to understand, evaluate, and consider the effect of administrative initiatives in the classroom setting.

Rosenthal understands that the district will face challenges ahead.

These challenges include budget concerns, facility use in a growing district, new instructional needs and many

others.

He understands that as a growing district, change is sometimes necessary, and sometimes difficult decisions need to be made.

These decisions should make sense, cause as little disruption as possible, and always put the interest of students first.

Rosenthal says he is experienced and wellequipped to address District challenges and fulfill his role as a Trustee.

Rosenthal spent 29 years as a geophysicist in the oil industry.

In 2016 he earned a teaching certification and taught full time as an 8th grade science teacher, which he continues to do on a part time basis.

Rosenthal attributes his interest in education and teaching to his experience as a docent at the Houston Zoo, where he volunteered for five years. He is also a recruiter in the civil engineering field and a licensed real estate agent.

Dave and his wife Joan have been residents of Missouri City for 21 years. One child graduated from Elkins HS in 2016 and another is set to graduate soon.

Order of the British Empire in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours for Services to Architecture. Farshid was the Chair of the Master Jury of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2004, and a member of its Steering Committee between 2005 and 2015.

Thomas Woltz is the owner of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects with offices in New York, Charlottesville, VA, and Houston, TX. He was named the Design Innovator of the Year by the Wall Street Journal Magazine in 2013.

In 2011, he was invested into the American Society of Landscape Architects Council of Fellows. Educated at the University of Virginia in architecture, landscape architecture, fine art, and architectural history, his commissions include the design of major public parks across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

Notable amongst them are Hudson Yards (New York, NY), Memorial Park (Houston TX), Aga Khan Garden, (Edmonton, Canada), and Cornwall Park (Auckland, New Zealand).

Paul Westlake is a Lead Designer specializing in planning and design for the Cultural+Performing Arts studio at DLR Group, which was ranked #1 in the world

by BD World Architecture in January 2019. His awardwinning projects encompass theaters and performance venues as well as cultural facilities such as museums and fine arts buildings. He has been personally involved in the study, renovation, and design of approximately 200 cultural facilities nationally and internationally, including work in Shanghai, Beijing, Taiwan, and Gabon, Africa.

A Trustee of the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Orchestra and Museum of Contemporary Art, he is Trustee Emeritus of the Cleveland Arts Prize.

Hanif Kara is a practicing structural engineer and Professor in Practice of Architectural Technology at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and has taught at KTH Stockholm and the Architectural Association London. He is a design director and co-founder of the London-based structural engineering firm AKT II, a practice that has won over 350

design awards in collaboration with leading architects including the RIBA best UK building in 2018, 2012, and 2000. The projects include: MASDAR city Abu Dhabi; Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre Baku, Azerbaijan; Broad Art Museum, Michigan State University; Bloomberg headquarters in London; and the Vessel project Hudson Yard New York. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Institute of Civil Engineers, Institute of Structural Engineers, and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, a member of the UK National Infrastructure Commissions Design Task Force and a member of the Steering Committee for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (2016 and 2019 cycles). He has also served on the Award Master Jury in 2004 and serves as a trustee of the Architecture Foundation London.

Stafford MSD Dedicates Baseball Field to Coach Michael Mesa The Stafford Municipal School District dedicated its high school baseball field on Saturday to Coach Michael Mesa, a Class of 2008 Stafford MSD graduate who returned to teach and coach in the District.

Coach Mesa was the youngest Class 4A head baseball coach in the State of Texas when he unexpectedly passed away at age 26 just days after the end of the 2016 season.

The District retired Coach Mesa’s Number 11 jersey and presented a jersey to his 5-year-old son, Leandro.

The other Number 11 jersey will be proudly displayed inside the Stafford High School Competition Gym’s trophy case.

At the end of the ceremony, Leandro threw out the “First Pitch” to his grandfather (and Coach Mesa’s father), Raul Mesa.

Stafford MSD also unveiled a plaque in Coach Mesa’s honor.

Mission4Mike, a non-profit started in Coach Mesa’s memory, donated a windscreen to Stafford MSD. On the windscreen, the baseball program’s first retired number (11) is displayed.

Gracie Martinez, President and Co-Founder of Mission4Mike, was the Master of Ceremonies for the event.

Several dignitaries spoke at the Dedication, including Stafford MSD Superintendent Dr. Robert Bostic, Stafford MSD Trustees Christopher Caldwell, Xavier Herrera, Alicia Lacy-Castille, Manuel Hinojosa, Greg Holsapple and Auturo Jackson.

All six were on the Board when Mesa passed away.

Longtime Stafford Mayor Leonard Scarcella spoke, as did Council Member A.J.

Honore. Council Members Wen Guerra, Don Jones and Ken Mathew were in attendance.

SMSD Deputy Superintendent Marva Rasberry spoke at the event. Rasberry was Stafford Middle School’s Principal when Mesa was a student there between 2002-04.

Angel Maldonado, who graduated from Stafford with Mesa in 2008 and worked alongside him at the District, spoke about the Coach.

The current group of Stafford High senior baseball players were freshmen when Coach Mesa passed away in 2016. They spoke about what Coach Mesa meant to them.

The Stafford Elementary Choir performed an A cappella version of “Take Me Out To The Ballgame.”

Prior to the dedication ceremony, the current Stafford High Baseball Team played the Stafford Alumni in an

Alumni Game.

The current players won, 5-0. The Alumni Team included current Trustee Manuel Hinojosa, a proud Stafford High graduate who played alongside his sons, Manny and Raul Hinojosa -- both of whom graduated from Stafford last spring.

Stafford second-year head baseball coach Donald Allen invited those in attendance to the first game at Michael Mesa Field -- which is scheduled to be played -- weather-permitting -- at 6:30 p.m on Tuesday vs. Fort Bend Marshall.

CITATION BY PUBLICATION STATE OF TEXAS TO: FREDDIE LEE BANKS 875 N ELDRIDGE HOUSTON TX 77079 and to all whom it may concern, Respondent(s), You have been sued. You may employ an attorney. If you or your attorney do (does) not file a written answer with the clerk who issued this citation by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday next following the expiration of 20 days after you were served this citation and petition, a default judgment may be taken against you.

The petition of TYANTA CLARK AND JOHN CLARK, Petitioner, was filed in the 387TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT of Fort Bend County, Texas on this the 4th day of April, 2018, against FREDDIE LEE BANKS, Respondent(s), numbered 18-DCV-250223, and entitled IN THE INTEREST OF TYLA LAlLIE BANKS, A CHILD. The Suit requests INVOLUNTARY TERMINATIN AND ADOPTION OF STEPCHILD as is more fully shown by Petition on file in this suit.

The date and place of birth of the child(ren) who is/are the subject of the suit: SEPTEMBER 04, 2010 The Court has authority in this suit to render an order in the child(ren)’s interest which will be binding on you, including the termination of the parentchild relationship, the determination of paternity and the appointment of a conservator with authority to consent to the child(ren)’s adoption.

Issued and given under my hand and seal of said Court at Richmond, Texas, on this the 13th day of February, 2019.

ATTORNEY FOR PETITIONER OR RESPONDENT: VERONICA B. DORSEY 5100 WESTHEIMER SUITE #200 HOUSTON TEXAS 77056 713-588-4414 BEVERLEY MCGREW WALKER, DISTRICT CLERK FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS 1422 Eugene Heimann Circle, Room 31004 Richmond, Texas 77469 Mailing Address: 301 Jackson Street Richmond, Texas 77469

By Deputy District Clerk Danielle omez 281-633-7649

Page 4 • INDEPENDENT • FEBRUARY 20, 2019

OPINION

Grave (mis)fortune It is a ‘grave’ issue. Texas has rules and regulations governing ‘abandoned cemeteries.’

When the Fort Bend ISD found an unmarked grave on a school construction site, the district did not abandon the already abandoned burial site, but took all steps necessary to preserve and protect the skeletal remains.

Services of the Texas Historical Commission, environmental specialists and archeologists were acquired.

As required by law, the school district approached the district court to dig up the remains, analyze them to find out their history and re-bury them appropriately, again with the court’s permission.

There was no attempt to whitewash the black history.

There was no attempt to silently dump the skeletal remains somewhere and forget them.

The school district continues to spend millions of dollars in dealing with the grave site.

By virtue of its ownership of the land, the school district is responsible for the grave at this time, but the school district cannot keep the grave in perpetuity and maintain it. That is the reality and legality.

Meanwhile, black activists and politicians found an ‘adversary’ in the school district and the city of Sugar Land.

What is their fault?

The city and the school district did not accept the recommendation of the so-called advisory committee that the remains should be re-buried at the same site.

The city agreed to allow the remains to be buried at a nearby “historical cemetery” where some of the bodies of sugar mill workers who were among the convict leasing program, are already buried and that site has a shared history with the new unmarked grave.

But, activists with an agenda from around the country joined the movement dubbed “#Sugar Land 95” demanding “justice.”

Area politicians joined the bandwagon fighting for justice for the dead because “those 95 people, don’t have a voice.

They need somebody to speak on their behalf.”

These elected officials wanted to be “on the right side of history; most importantly, we have the ability to show future generations that we are committed to doing the right thing, even when it may be the more difficult path to take.”

The insinuation is that by reburying the remains at another historical cemetery, the school district and the city are ignoring the history.

The argument that the future generation would have no knowledge of Sugar Land’s dark racist history of slaves and convict leasing program is ill-founded.

New York Times Take the New York Times for example, which ran an article “A Fate Worse Than Slavery, Unearthed in Sugar Land.”

Excerpts from the article read: Bodies of sugar cane workers recently discovered in Texas reveal gruesome details about the convict leasing system. The blood-drenched history that gave the city of Sugar Land, Tex., its name showed

Inside Track By Seshadri Kumar its face earlier this year, when a school construction crew discovered the remains of 95 African-Americans whose unmarked graves date back more than a century. The dead — some of whom may have been born in slavery — are victims of the infamous convict leasing system that arose after Emancipation.

Southerners sought to replace slave labor by jailing AfricanAmericans on trumped up charges and turning them over to, among others, sugar cane plantations in the region once known as the Sugar Bowl of Texas....archaeologists, who are constructing an increasingly detailed portrait of the injuries and illnesses suffered by these inmates, have opened a window onto the murderous nature of sugar cultivation, an industry that earned its reputation as the slaughterhouse of the trans-Atlantic slave trade by killing more people more rapidly than any other kind of agriculture....When the forensic report is finished, Texans will have a clearer vantage point on how the sugar barons enriched themselves by systematically working people to death. The city of Sugar Land, which keeps a deliberate distance from this history, needs to make room for it in the upbeat narrative it uses to promote itself.”

Russell Jones, a former Sugar Land City Councilmember sent a rejoinder to the New York Times.

“Yes, it is regrettable that history is what it is. However, as history, it is permanent and immutable.

We can wallow in that history and shame ourselves, just as some unknown reporter from New York has done.

Are these not the same people who are the philosophical descendants of Andrew Jackson, who created the Democrat Party, who lived and thrived upon the labor of slaves, and who forced the Indians down the Trail of Tears?

Let’s not forget that John C. Calhoun, the foremost proponent of slavery in Congress, was a Democrat. Are these not the same people who live and breathe upon the strength of their identity politics, which, of course, puts them into the role of master of the inner-city plantations of today?

Finally, let’s not forget that the Republican Party has been the target of these people and their predecessors for the last 155 years, nor that there is not a single recorded incident of an elected Republican in the United States Congress that owned a slave.

Let it be known that I was born in 1949, and I have never contributed anything to history which occurred before that date.

Should Sugar Land be abandoned and left vacant simply because of events, which can only be reviewed retroactively as regrettable or shameful?

Am I supposed to forever bear the historical burden of those who happened to reside in the same area 100 years ago?

As a factual matter, the people in the area were not even my ancestors.

How is it that I am expected to be ashamed of the history of the area?

I moved to Sugar Land in 1996 in large part because it was the most exciting growth area around Houston. It has continued to be, and nothing about ancient history can change that.

To the extent that I may have contributed to its history, I am proud of what I have done.”

White guilt The agitators simply want the entire community to pay a price for “the white guilt.” Those who suggest re-burying the remains at the Old Imperial Farm Cemetery are somehow exercising their “white privilege.”

“Distinguished professors of history” framed the issue before the Fort Bend County Historical Commission in such a way that the community will miss a “historic opportunity not only to redress a historical injustice but to provide moral leadership,” by not burying the remains at the same site where they were found.

Recently, even as the Fort Bend County Historical Commission was being bombarded with the cruelty of the convict leasing program, inmates of Fort Bend County jail were cleaning the doors and windows and the premises of the meeting room.

What an irony! Not that these inmates are treated like those under the convict leasing program, but the concept is the same.

Sheriff’s jail inmates are often seen doing landscaping work around the county properties.

State jail inmates do productive labor and earn for their work even today.

Those who attempt to shame and discredit the city of Sugar Land as it exists today solely because of long ago historical events which occurred at a time when absolutely no one here now was even alive, are now exploiting this issue by expressing their “moral outrage” to gain votes.

The activists and those who support them by fighting for ‘racial justice,’ instead of continuing the confrontational blame game, could have contributed to a genuine resolution of the issue. They did not.

County commissioners, after a closed session, on Feb. 12 authorized the county attorney to negotiate an inter-local agreement with the FBISD to donate the grave site to the county for ownership and maintenance.

The elected officials who were demanding “justice” for #sugar land 95 did not play any direct role in reaching this agreement. They simply found it expedient when offered and took credit for the same.

County Judge KP George was formerly a Fort Bend ISD Trustee who voted on every aspect of the school site, including the unmarked grave.

Obviously, there has been a conflict of interest, though not in legal terms. Earlier, he favored reburying the remains at the city cemetery, now, he is against it.

That is all.

Some elected officials are an exception to this. They worked behind the scene primarily to

put an end to the controversy over the grave and were not looking for any political gain.

They did not side with any group or bash the school district and the city.

They would remain anonymous and they do not want the agreement between the county and FBISD in any way to fail.

There are still many sticky points to be ironed out for a successful agreement.

Unanswered questions There were many questions concerning the grave that were not based on the racial factor.

They are redundant now, bu they could have been taken into account in any genuine attempt to find a solution.

The school district bought the land from a developer and the developer bought the prison farm land from the state of Texas. So the buck stops with the state and the state should pick up the tab. That is one line of argument.

Now, the entire county taxpayers will have to bear the cost of the cemetery. Fort Bend ISD taxpayers already are paying $23 million and more.

Sugar Land taxpayers would have been paying the cost, if the remains were re-buried at the Imperial Farm Cemetery. That is not to be and they will not pay for it as city residents, but will still pay bear the burden as county taxpayers.

Some asked why the city dropped the ball.

The city did not drop the ball though the stalemate was used as a reason for the county to step in.

The request for re-burial is still pending in the court.

One could have waited for the district court to give its ruling.

But, the controversy would have prolonged for more time.

Are the people buried in the marked grave slaves?

Literally, they were not slaves as their period was after slavery was abolished in the country.

However, the convict leasing program was considered a variation of slavery.

Are DNA tests going to be performed?

The Texas Historical Commission which has the statutory authority over the historical cemetery does not know if it can unilaterally order destructive DNA testing.

The Texas Historical Commission has asked the AttorneyGeneral to give his opinion if the commission can order DNA tests. The AG’s opinion has not yet been received.

If the county and FBISD reach an agreement, the county will be establishing a precedent in intervening an issue concerning two other elected bodies, namely the FBISD board and the Sugar Land City Council.

The Fort Bend Historical Commission offered its recommendation asking the county’s permission to intervene, though Texas Historical Commission was already apprised of the matter.

As of last Monday, the county was only considering a resolution urging the school district to keep the remains at the same site. Even that resolution did not have the unanimous support of all commissioners court members.

Some miracle happened. That resolution was abandoned in the closed session of the commissioners court and the county offered to take ownership of the grave.

Is it a fortune or misfortune?

It is in the eyes of the beholder.

FORT BEND

Reginald Moore, the crusader

Between 1906 and 1908 the plantation and its sugar-processing operations were bought up by Isaac H. Kempner, of Galveston, and William T. Eldridge, of Eagle Lake, who formally incorporated as the Imperial Sugar Company.

Although Eldridge had used convict labor on another farm, Kempner was opposed to the practice and began planning to transition to free labor. To attract a new labor force, the two men established a company town, Sugar Land, with worker housing, stores, and a modern hospital.

The Old Imperial Farm Cemetery has been preserved thanks largely to the efforts of one person, Reginald Moore.

Now living in an unincorporated area of Harris County just outside Sugar Land, Moore has spent much of the past two decades on a one-man guerrilla campaign to force city officials to commemorate the convict-leasing system that flourished here in the latenineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. “They’re trying to hide it. They’ve done everything they could to run me off, to keep me out of the cemetery.

And they’re still fighting me,” Moore said.

In 2006 he founded the Texas Slave Descendants Society, which advocates for greater recognition of the state’s history of exploiting black labor.

He’s focused his activism on Sugar Land because of Cunningham and Ellis’s role in pioneering the convict-lease system.

One of his first goals as an activist was to preserve the Old Imperial Farm Cemetery, and ten years ago he succeeded in having the small plot officially designated a Historic Texas Cemetery by the Texas Historical Commission.

The commission also made him the guardian of the cemetery and gave him permission to conduct archaeological research there. In December a state historical marker was installed at the site.

Moore lobbied city and state officials to build a memorial to convict laborers next to the cemetery. “They honor Stephen F. Austin and Cunningham and Ellis; “Why can’t they honor the black people who built this town?” Moore asked.

Then he increased his de-

mands, arguing that the city needed an entire museum dedicated to slavery and convict leasing. He also began requesting official apologies for the state’s involvement in the convict-lease system. He was ignored or received polite refusals.

Sugar Land officials have grown tired of Moore’s relentless activism. “He has come to the city council and expressed his interest in the city creating a museum for the convict-lease program,” said city manager Allen Bogard. “He’s also asked for reparations from the city, slave reparations.”

The city has declined to build a memorial or museum, although it did include a display devoted to the subject at the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land, which is housed in a former prison barracks.

The way Bogard sees it, the Sugar Land of 2017 has no connection to what happened in 1910 or the 1850s. “There’s not a single facility, road, nor improvement that exists today in the city of Sugar Land that can be traced back to either the convict-lease program or slavery,” he said.

In October, 2018, Moore stepped to the microphone in a conference room at the Hilton Garden Inn West in Katy. Wearing a Martin Luther King Jr. T-shirt, he glared at the members of the Texas Historical Commission, who had gathered for their quarterly meeting. He began by reading an excerpt from a history of the Imperial State Prison Farm that describes convict laborers “dying like flies in the periodic epidemics of fever.”

“A lot of people would like to turn their heads [from] this— but you can’t turn your heads!”

Moore told the committee, rapping the lectern loudly with his knuckles to emphasize his point.

“I need your support. I need legislation. I need activism. We need to put this in Texas history books. We need a monument put up in the state capitol to those workers who brought our state out of recession when it was devastated by war. Be advocates! Because I’m tired.

I’ve been doing this seventeen years.”

(Excerpts from Texas Monthly.)

Mission West earns state distinction

Mission West Elementary earned a CREST (Counselors Reinforcing Excellence for Students in Texas) from the Texas School Counselor Association, thanks to the dedication of MWE’s counselor Karen Powell. Mission West Elementary is one of 101 campuses from across the state to earn the distinction. This is a first for Fort Bend ISD. CREST assesses seven areas: principal support; school counseling advisory counseling; school climate and safety; student results; major achievements; community partnerships and resources; and parent collaboration. The program was established in 2005 and recognizes Texas campuses that show a commitment to using counseling programs to improve the quality of life for students.

FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE.

12551 Emily Court, Sugar Land, TX 77478 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, TX 77478 Seshadri Kumar Publisher & Editor

www.fbindependent.com 281-980-6745

Fort Bend Independent, (USPS 025-572) is published every Wednesday (for a subscription rate of $20 per year) by Fort Bend Independent, LLC., 12551, Emily Court, Texas 77478.

Periodicals Postage Paid at Stafford, Texas.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Fort Bend Independent, P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, Tx 77487.

City of Missouri City

City of Missouri City

ORDINANCE NO. O-19-03

ORDINANCE NO. O-19-04

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS, AMENDING THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN MANUAL; PROVIDING A PENALTY; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. I, Maria Jackson, City Secretary of the City of Missouri City, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the caption of said Ordinance No. O-19-03 approved on second and final reading by the City Council at its regular meeting held on February 4, 2019, as the same appears in the records of my office. /s/ Maria Jackson City Secretary

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS, AMENDING CHAPTER 2, ADMINISTRATION; CHAPTER 34, FINANCE AND TAXATION; AND CHAPTER 82, SUBDIVISIONS, OF THE MISSOURI CITY CODE; CHANGING THE NAME OF THE CITY FINANCE DEPARTMENT; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL; PROVIDING A PENALTY; AND PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY. I, Maria Jackson, City Secretary of the City of Missouri City, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the caption of said Ordinance No. O-19-04 approved on second and final reading by the City Council at its regular meeting held on February 4, 2019, as the same appears in the records of my office. /s/ Maria Jackson City Secretary

INDEPENDENT • FEBRUARY 20, 2019• Page 5

MIKE’S MONOLOGUE

AUTOMOBILE: Beetle Convertible SE

Kaffeeklatch, the flow

By MICHAEL GRANTO There’s a certain comforting, reassuring regularity to the group. Certain folks can be counted on to espouse certain points of view, and to fulfill certain roles in the group’s ecosystem.

There soon emerge dozens of fascinating, interesting, facts about the lives of the group members.

For instance, one morning some of the group reminisced about being in Scouts. After a few people had their say, Penny mentioned that she was not in Scouts, she was in the Bluebirds. Some had never heard of that organization. Suffice it to say it was similar to Scouts.

Then she mentioned that she got kicked out of Bluebirds.

When we asked why, she said, “For smoking.” If memory serves correctly, she was twelve years old at the time.

The group got a good laugh out of that.

Today Penny can be counted on to be the resident iconoclast in the group. Beware sounding pompous in Penny’s presence. She’s also sort of the group fact-checker. If an item comes up in conversation, and some sort of verification is needed, Penny’s cell phone is the first one out, and her expertise can get us an answer in less than fifteen seconds.

Lenny and Jack are sort of the two elder statesmen of the group. Both of them have corporate backgrounds, Lenny in sales, and Jack in human resources. The tales they relate from their work lives speak of a time when America led the world in just about everything, and didn’t have to apologize for it.

Lenny has an engineering education, but worked in equipment sales, where his engineering education came

Granto in very handy, and he did very well in sales.

Jack had the kind of job where he might fly to Philadelphia on Monday morning, and get a phonecall that afternoon telling him some emergency required his presence in Los Angeles the next day.

Corporate jobs are not all scotch and glamour. Out there where the rubber meets the road you’d best be tough and smart.

One of the other sales guys is Ted. He doesn’t contribute every day, but when he does, we notice two things: his contribution is short, and it is very humorous.

As you might expect, the topic of shopping comes up occasionally. Many of the group have discovered that the local supermarkets deliver groceries. Yup, you sit at your computer, mouse your way through, and, voila! Some nice young person brings your groceries right to your door.

Ralph, though disdains such modern trappings. He’s a regular Kroger shopper, making almost daily trips to the store, where all the employees know him by name. He likes the personal touch.

On Tuesdays, they hold a Catholic communion in the lunchroom, starting at ten a.m. Two of the group, Lenny and Ted, leave the group to attend the service. At two p.m., there’s a bible study class held in the same lunchroom. Sev-

eral members of the group also attend that class. You’d expect that folks of our generation, and our work lives, would hold such things to be important.

There’s a fair percentage of veterans in the class, too.

Guys who answered their country’s call, as guys of our generations were wont to do.

It was what you did.

Lenny and Jack were in the Army, Jerry was a sailor in a destroyer, Matt was in the Navy, too, but on an aircraft carrier. Ralph was in both the Army and the Air Force; I believe his last duty station was Thule, Greenland, where, I’ve heard, you can find a woman behind every tree. If you could just find a tree.

There’s a Marine, too, who receives a fair amount of good-natured ribbing, but he realizes that the other services are just jealous that his dress blues are sharper than their uniforms. Matter of fact, though it’s not widely known, Saint Michael, The Archangel, God’s Field Marshal, was really disappointed when he found that the Marines got that uniform before he did. (Marines are rumored to be pretty sneaky about getting supplies. Why, I’ve heard that some of the other services actually think Marines appropriate their property. Imagine that!)

(Granto is a United States Marine Corps veteran of Vietnam, awarded the Purple Heart.

For over 24 years, he worked for the University of Miami Medical Campus Security Department, and retired in 2014.

He moved to Missouri City, with his wife to be closer to her daughter. He can be reached at mikegranto@hotmail.com.)

By BARBARA FULENWIDER If you want to buy a Beetle better get cracking because Volkswagen won’t be building any more as of July 2019.

The iconic Beetle, which has been on the market for 80 years, was first built in 1938 as the people’s car of Germany. The Bug came to America in the 1960s and in1968 we bought 423,000 of them thanks to the movie “The Love Bug.” Why Volkswagen plans to stop building the icon is because only 15,000 sold in the U.S. in 2017. People have mostly stopped buying them because they prefer SUVs and crossover vehicles. Also, Volkswagen has chosen to begin making all electronic vehicles that they believe will appeal to the children and grandchildren of the baby boomers who drove the first Bugs in America.

So, I feel lucky to be able to drive one of the last Volkswagen Beetles and especially when it is a convertible and a really good looking one at that.

It comfortably seats four adults, rides nicely and has spunk thanks to the 2.0-liter turbo engine 16-valve, 4 cyl-

inder engine with direct fuel injection. It makes 174 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. torque.

Gas mileage is 26 in town and 33 on the highway. The final Beetles are front-wheel drive with four wheel independent suspension and electro mechanical power steering.

Inside the Bug it has a vintage designed heritage inspired glovebox and retro modern gauges, ambient lighting and a leather wrapped multifunction sport steering wheel. It also has a power folding soft top that lowers with the push and hold of a button.

“Final Edition” features are Rhombus cloth seating surfaces with leatherette inserts, “Beetle” badge on the steering and tailgate, stainless steel pedal cluster and metal door sill scuff plates. The motor is paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission and if you want more fun shift manually into the Tiptronic “sport” mode.

The front and rear bumpers add a sporty, modern touch and it has Bi-Xenon headlights. The Beetle rides on 17-inch wheels and all season tires, has heated, foldable, power adjustable side mirrors with turn signals, rain-sensing, variable intermittent front

wipers and heated washer nozzles, a rear spoiler and a convertible roof with insulated glass rear window.

Audio entertainment comes via Bluetooth technology with audio streaming for compatible devices. Volkswagen Beetle SEs have a 400-watt Fender Premium audio system and Sirius XM is also available. VW Car-Net provides navigation with traffic, sports, scores, weather, information and more.

Safety features include antilock brakes, electronic stability control, crash response system, rear view camera and tire monitoring. There is also blind spot monitoring with rear traffic alert, keyless access with push button start, 8-speaker sound system, cruise control, and automatic rollover support system.

The test drive Beetle convertible SE came in stonewashed blue on the exterior and beige and black cloth/ leatherette interior and retails for $27,295. The Beetle may or may not be missed but it has certainly had a long life.

They are definitely a fun, memorable drive and still one of a kind.

Fort Bend Daughters of the American Revolution

Literacy Council of Fort Bend and Wells Fargo Advisors host Private Screening

Left to right; Leticia Lowe; Literacy Council for Fort Bend County Board Chair; John McCauley; Wells Fargo Advisors and Movie Screening Underwriter; Helen Bow; Event Co-Chair and Board Member; Veronica Triplett; Event Committee Member Lone Survivor. The screening was held at Regal Grand Parkway 22. The committee gathered with sponsors, Wells Fargo Advisor clients, and friends of the Literacy Council to kick off the event.

Sponsorship opportunities are available and range from $500 to $4,000. Naming rights on various items, reserved seating, the opportunity to meet Marcus Luttrell and other local authors and more! Individual reservations are $125 and include live music, wine, a “restaurant stroll” featuring Dorothy Nall and Kelly Orth tastes from local chefs and restaurants including; Avenida The 7th annual Reading Camille Brewer and Dr. ReBrazil Churrascaria SteakBetween the Wines, present- becca Deurlein. This year’s house, Blockhouse Coffee & ed by The Fred & Mabel R. featured author is Marcus LuKitchen, Brandani’s RestauParks Foundation, supporting ttrell. Mr. Luttrell is a former rant and Wine Bar, Dream The Literacy Council for Fort Navy SEAL who wrote the Dinners Missouri City, Off the Bend County, will be Friday, book, Lone Survivor.

Vine Bistro , Pier 36 Seafood The Literacy Council of March 29, 2019 beginning Raising Cane’s - Sugar at 6:320pm at Safari Texas Fort Bend County and Wells Land, The Rouxpour RestauRanch. This year’s event is Fargo Advisors partnered to rant and Bar, The Swinging co-chaired by Helen Bow, host a private screening of

The Fort Bend Daughters of the American Revolution is proud to announce the winner of the Maybelle Armstrong Educational Scholarship is Lauren Gonzalez. Her application was chosen to receive the $400 scholarship for students majoring in education who attend Wharton Junior College and its satellite campus. Lauren was a guest at the meeting held at the George Memorial Library on February 13, 2019. She was introduced to the members and spoke about goals for herself and why paying her own way through college is so important. She wants to graduate and hopefully teach first grade. The Fort Bend Chapter supports the further education of young women especially in the field of education, promoting literacy and leadership skills for them to use in the future. Members pictured from l-r: Treasurer Molly Smith, Chaplain Georganna Triplett, Secretary Karen Robertson, Lauren Gonzalez, Vice Regent Betty Von-Maszewski and Regent Paula Burns. The Fort Bend Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution meets at the George Memorial Library in Richmond, TX on the second Wednesday of the month at 10:00. To find out more information about the Fort Bend DAR, visit texasdar.org.

Door, Carmengio’s Cucina Italiana, Black Walnut Cafe, the opportunity to bid on exciting auction items, and dancing! Book Clubs have the opportunity to attend at a Special Book Club rate of $1000 for a table of ten guests.

If you would like information about Reading Between the Wines or The Literacy Council of Fort Bend County contact Events Coordinator Alexandra Sanchez at asanchez@ftbendliteracy.org or 281-240-8181.

Since 1987, the Literacy Council of Fort Bend County has been Changing Lives through Literacy. The mission of the Literacy Council is to end intergenerational cycles of illiteracy by improving adult literacy skills and generate community-wide literacy

Carol and Steve Tralie

awareness. The Literacy Council provides several programs for its students: Basic Literacy, English as a Second Language, GED Preparation, U.S. Citizenship Preparation, Computer Skills and Job Readiness Skills.

INDEPENDENT • FEBRUARY 20, 2019 • Page 6

CAREGIVER NEEDED Job is for 5 Days a Week – 5 Hours per Day – Salary is $20 per Hour.

For more details email jholtty147@gmail.com CONSTABLE’S SALE Notice is hereby Given, that by virtue of a certain ORDER OF SALE Issued by the Clerk of the 400TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court of FORT BEND County, on the 17th day of JANUARY, 2019, in a certain cause number 16-DCV-232990 wherein CINCO RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY ASSOCIATION, INC. plaintiff , and PETE M. BEAUSOLEIL AND CHERYL N. BEAUSOLEIL, JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY defendant, in which cause a judgment was rendered on the 18TH day of JUNE, 2018, in favor of the said plaintiff CINCO RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY ASSOCIATION, INC against said defendant PETE M. BEAUSOLEIL AND CHERYL N. BEAUSOLEIL, JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY, for the sum of $5,130.37; AS PAST DUE ASSESSMENTS, INTEREST AND COST OF COLLECTION AND FEES; $4,830.69 FOR REASONABLE AND NECESSARY ATTORNEY’S FEES INCURRED IN THIS CAUSE OF ACTION; ALL COST OF COURT HEREIN EXPENDED; PLAINTIFF CINCO RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY ASSOCIATION, INC., SHALL HAVE AND RECOVER POSTJUDGMENT INTEREST AT THE RATE OF 5% PER ANNUM ON THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE ORIGINAL JUDGMENT AWARDED HEREIN FROM THE DATE HEREOF UNTIL PAID; together with the interest that may be due thereon, and the further sum of $341, together with all costs of suit, I levied upon, and will, on the 5TH day of MARCH, 2019 within legal hours, proceed to sell for cash to the highest bidder, all the right, title and interest of PETE M. BEAUSOLEIL AND CHERYL N. BEAUSOLEIL, JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY in and to the following described REAL property, levied upon as the property of PETE M. BEAUSOLEIL AND CHERYL N. BEAUSOLEIL, JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY to wit: PROPERTY DESCRIPTION: LOT 19, IN BLOCK 2, OF CINCO RANCH SOUTHPARK, SECTION ONE (1), A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF, RECORDED IN SLIDE NOS. 1317/A AND 1317/B, BOTH OF THE PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS (THE “PROPERTY”) DATE OF SALE: MARCH 5, 2019 TIME OF SALE: APPROXIMATELY 10:00 AM PLACE OF SALE: 301 Jackson Street, William Travis Building, 1ST Floor Meeting Room in the City of Richmond, Tx 77469 TERMS OF SALE: CASH CREDIT- $0.00 The above sale to be made by me to satisfy the above described judgment for $5,130.37; AS PAST DUE ASSESSMENTS, INTEREST AND COST OF COLLECTION AND FEES; $4,830.69 FOR REASONABLE AND NECESSARY ATTORNEY’S FEES INCURRED IN THIS CAUSE OF ACTION; ALL COST OF COURT HEREIN EXPENDED; PLAINTIFF CINCO RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY ASSOCIATION, INC., SHALL HAVE AND RECOVER POSTJUDGMENT INTEREST AT THE RATE OF 5% PER ANNUM ON THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE ORIGINAL JUDGMENT AWARDED HEREIN FROM THE DATE HEREOF UNTIL PAID; together with the interest that may be due thereon, and the further sum of $341, in favor of CINCO RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY ASSOCIATION, INC. together with the costs of said suit, and the proceeds applied to the satisfaction thereof.

WAYNE K. THOMPSON Constable Pct. 3 KATY, Texas

By DAVID RIVERA #1332 DEPUTY FEBRUARY 6, 2019

CONSTABLE’S NOTICE OF SALE Notice is hereby given, that by virtue of a certain Order of Sale issued by the clerk of the 434TH District Court of Fort Bend County, Texas on December 18th, 2018 in cause numbered 16-DCV-236644 styled Park Pointe Homeowners Assoc. Inc. vs.

Sharonda Mbagwu, in which a judgment was rendered on March 6th, 2017 in favor of Park Pointe Homeowners Assoc. Inc. for the sum of Four Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty Four Dollars and Ninety Seven Cents ($4,854.97); plus fees for posting notice of sale, publishing, costs of suit rendered by the court, legal fees, and all costs of executing this Writ.

I have levied upon the below listed property on January 8th, 2019 and will on March 5th, 2019 Tuesday, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. proceed to sell for cash to the highest bidder, all the Right, Title, and Interest of Sharonda Mbagwu to and in the following described Real Property LOT THREE (3), IN BLOCK ONE (1) of Park Pointe, SECTION SIX (6) A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN SLIDE 1851/B, OF THE MAP RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY TEXAS, MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS 11818 HUECO TANKS DRIVE, SUGAR LAND, TEXAS 77478 The above sale to be made by me to satisfy the above described judgment in favor of Park Pointe Homeowners Assoc. Inc. Plaintiff, and the proceeds applied to the satisfaction thereof.

LOCATION: FORT BEND COUNTY TRAVIS BLDG 1ST FLOOR MEETING ROOM 301 JACKSON , RICHMOND, TX 77469 DATE: MARCH 5TH, 2019 TIME: APPROX. 11:00 am BY: Deputy Steele TREVER J. NEHLS Constable Pct. 4 Fort Bend County, Texas

City of Missouri City LEGAL NOTICE THIS IS A MANDATED PUBLICATION OF THE LEGAL NOTICE ******* BID DUE DATE OF March 14, 2019 AT 2:00 pm. ******* Invitation for Bid for the provision of Ammunition NIGP Code: 680-04 Responses must be sealed, marked on the outside of the delivery envelope with the RFP name and number as listed above, and the date of opening. Responses must be delivered to the attention of City of Missouri City Attn: Purchasing Office - IFB No. 19-046, Ammunition 1522 Texas Parkway Missouri City, Texas 77489 prior to the acceptance deadline.

Responses marked improperly and therefore misdirected may be disqualified. Until final award of the contract, the City reserves the right to reject any or all responses, to waive irregularities or technicalities, to readvertise, or proceed to do the work otherwise when in the best interests of the City.

No bid may be withdrawn during the 60 days following the bid opening date.

City of Missouri City LEGAL NOTICE THIS IS A MANDATED PUBLICATION OF THE LEGAL NOTICE ******* OPENING DATE OF March 5, 2019 AT 2:00 pm. *******

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Trails of Katy, Section 4, Precinct 3.

Submitted by,

Submitted by,

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk

The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Scanlan Trace north of Tahoe Basin in Sienna Village of Waters Lake Scanlan Trace West Reserves (Scanlan Oaks Elem.

School), Precinct 1.

The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas.

You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Harvest Green, Section 23 and Section 26, Precinct 3.

The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

Submitted by,

Submitted by,

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk

NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed Bids, in duplicate, addressed to Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 2, Attention: Mr. Andre McDonald, President, Board of Directors, will be received at the office of LJA Engineering, 2929 Briar Park Drive, Suite 150, Houston, TX 77042, until 2:00 p.m. Local Time, March 6, 2019, and then publicly opened and read for “Pump Station F Pump Replacement Project for Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 2, Fort Bend County, Texas.” Bids received after the closing time will be returned unopened. A pre-bid conference will be held on February 27, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. Local Time, at Pump Station A location 4435 Greystone Way, Sugar Land, TX 77479. Copies of the bidding documents may be obtained from www.CivcastUSA.com: search Pump Station F Pump Replacement. Bidders must register on this website in order to view and/or download specifications and plans for this project. There is NO charge to view or download documents. Reproduction charges will apply according to CivCastUSA rates.

Fort Bend County Public Transportation Department NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT These Programs of Projects will be funded with grant support from the United States Department of Transportation Section 5307, and Section 5339 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act). Fort Bend County has submitted its request for FY2018 funding to the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (“METRO”).

The below tables briefly describes our FY2018 Urbanized Area Formula funds project list: Fort Bend County Public Transportation FY2018 Section 5307 Program of Projects AMOUNT 1,506,138 294,413 401,166 397,446 886,166 1,000,863 4,486,192 4,486,192 0 1,197,497

Capital and Planning projects are reimbursed at 100% and Operating Assistance at 50% using Transportation Development Credits (TDCs) as the local match. Should TDCs be unavailable, the match will be made with local funds.

Fort Bend County Public Transportation FY2018 Section 5339 Program of Projects PROJECT Rolling Stock Total FTA Federal Share Local Share TDC Share

AMOUNT 892,470 892,470 892,470 0 133,871

The Vehicle Replacements project is reimbursed at 100% using Transportation Development Credits (TDCs) as local match.

Should TDCs be unavailable, the match will be made with local funds.

The public comment period is your opportunity to provide comment on the above Program of Projects. Throughout the comment period, written comments and/or requests for public meeting/hearing may be submitted to Yvette Maldonado, Finance & Administration Manager, 12550 Emily Court, Suite 400, Sugar Land, TX 77478 or via email to Transit@fortbendcountytx.gov. Comments/requests will be accepted until Monday, March 6, 2019, at 5 pm. If no changes are made as a result of public comments received, this plan will be considered final. This project list is subject to further approval by the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court.

The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

Submitted by,

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Sienna Parkway Section 4 Street Dedication, Precinct 1.

The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

Submitted by, Invitation for Bid (IFB No. 19-321) Chemicals for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants Commodity Code: 885-00 Responses must be sealed, marked on the outside of the delivery envelope with the IFB name and number as listed above, and the date of opening. Responses must be delivered to the attention of City of Missouri City Attn: Purchasing Office IFB No. 19-321 1522 Texas Parkway Missouri City, Texas 77489 Prior to the acceptance deadline. Responses marked improperly and therefore misdirected may be disqualified. Until final award of the contract, the City reserves the right to reject any or all responses, to waive irregularities or technicalities, to re-advertise, or proceed to do the work otherwise when in the best interests of the City. No bid may be withdrawn during the 60 days following the bid opening date.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Grand Mission Estates, Section 23, Precinct 3.

The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

PROJECT Capital Cost of Contracting Rolling Stock and Bus Wraps Construct Admin/Ops Facility ITS/Software Maintenance & Hardware Planning and Development Operating Assistance Total FTA Federal Share Local Share TDC Share

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Anserra, Section 6, Precinct 3.

CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and/or Order of Sale issued on December 10, 2018 by the 434th JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT of Fort Bend County, Texas in Cause# 18-DCV-250335 in favor of the plaintiff- MISSION OAKS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. Plaintiff, recovered judgment amount for the sum of$5,240.27++++ costs as taxed on said execution and/or order of sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on December 10, 2018 and will offer for sale on the day of March 5, 2019 at the County Court house steps of Fort Bend County, Texas in the city of Richmond, Texas between the hours of Ten O’clock A.M. and Four O’clock P.M., and all rights, title, interests, and claims which the said Defendant (s)- Michael Meeks Jr. had of in or to the following described Real Property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; Legal Description: LOT 4, BLOCK 3, OF MISSION OAKS SECTION ONE, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN PLAT NO. 20040021, OFFICIAL RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS (THE PROPERTY) TERMS: CASH TIME: SALE TO BE HELD AT OR ABOUT 10:00 A.M. PLACE: 301 JACKSON ST., WILLIAM TRAVIS BUILDING, 1ST FLOOR MEETING ROOM, RICHMOND TEXAS 77469.

Daryl Smith, Sr., Constable Fort Bend County Precinct Two By: Sergeant C. McRae #132 Deputy Constable

CONSTABLE’S SALE Notice is hereby Given, that by virtue of a certain ORDER OF SALE Issued by the Clerk of the 434TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court of FORT BEND County, on the 28th day of JANUARY, 2019, in a certain cause number 16-DCV-232539 wherein PARKWAY KATY HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. plaintiff , and JOSIE GARCIA AND OSCAR CHAVEZ GARCIA JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY defendant, in which cause a judgment was rendered on the 13TH day of MARCH, 2018, in favor of the said plaintiff PARKWAY KATY HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. against said defendant JOSIE GARCIA AND OSCAR CHAVEZ GARCIA JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY, for the sum of $7,032.50 ; AS PAST-DUE UNPAID ASSESSMENTS, INTEREST, LATE CHARGES, AND COSTS; JOSIE GARCIA AND OSCAR CHAVEZ GARCIA, JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY THE SUM OF $4,554.96 AS ATTORNEY’S FEES; ALL COST OF COURT; POST-JUDGMENT INTEREST AT THE RATE OF 5% PER ANNUM ON THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE JUDGMENT AWARDED HEREIN FROM THE DATE HEREOF UNTIL PAID., and the further sum of $357.00., together with all costs of suit, I levied upon, and will, on the 5TH day of MARCH, 2019 within legal hours, proceed to sell for cash to the highest bidder, all the right, title and interest of JOSIE GARCIA AND OSCAR CHAVEZ GARCIA JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY in and to the following described REAL property, levied upon as the property of JOSIE GARCIA AND OSCAR CHAVEZ GARCIA JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY to wit: PROPERTY DESCRIPTION: LOT 14, IN BLOCK 3, OF PARKWAY OAKS, SECTION THREE (3), A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN SLIDE NO. 20070066 OF THE PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS (THE “PROPERTY”) DATE OF SALE: MARCH 5, 2019 TIME OF SALE: APPROXIMATELY 10:00 AM PLACE OF SALE: 301 Jackson Street, William Travis Building, 1ST Floor Meeting Room in the City of Richmond, Tx 77469 TERMS OF SALE: CASH CREDIT- $0.00 The above sale to be made by me to satisfy the above described judgment for $7,032.50; AS PAST-DUE UNPAID ASSESSMENTS, INTEREST, LATE CHARGES, AND COSTS; JOSIE GARCIA AND OSCAR CHAVEZ GARCIA, JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY THE SUM OF $4,554.96 AS ATTORNEY’S FEES; ALL COST OF COURT; POSTJUDGMENT INTEREST AT THE RATE OF 5% PER ANNUM ON THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE JUDGMENT AWARDED HEREIN FROM THE DATE HEREOF UNTIL PAID., and the further sum of $357.00., in favor of PARKWAY KATY HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. together with the costs of said suit, and the proceeds applied to the satisfaction thereof.

WAYNE K. THOMPSON Constable Pct. 3 KATY, Texas

By DAVID RIVERA #1332 DEPUTY FEBRUARY 6, 2019

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Aliana, Section 46, Precinct 4.

The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

Submitted by,

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Rustic Meadow Court in Grand Lakes Section 3, Precinct 3.

The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

WANT TO ADVERTISE IN FORT BEND INDENDENT? Call 281-7999459 Or email editor@ fbindependent.com CONSTABLE’S SALE Notice is hereby Given, that by virtue of a certain ORDER OF SALE Issued by the Clerk of the 240TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court of FORT BEND County, on the 23RD day of JANUARY, 2019, in a certain cause number 17-DCV-243899 wherein WESTON LAKES PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. plaintiff , and CRAIG L. MARTIN defendant, in which cause a judgment was rendered on the 27TH day of JULY, 2018, in favor of the said plaintiff WESTON LAKES PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC against said defendant CRAIG L. MARTIN, for the sum of $15,182.02 ; TOGETHER WITH INTEREST THEREON AT THE RATE OF 5% PER ANNUM FROM THE DATE HEREOF UNTIL PAID, together with the interest that may be due thereon, and the further sum of $0.00, together with all costs of suit, I levied upon, and will, on the 5TH day of MARCH, 2019 within legal hours, proceed to sell for cash to the highest bidder, all the right, title and interest of CRAIG L. MARTIN in and to the following described REAL property, levied upon as the property of CRAIG L. MARTIN to wit: PROPERTY DESCRIPTION: LOT THIRTEEN (13), IN BLOCK ONE (1), OF WESTON LAKES VILLAGE, SECTION ONE (1), AN ADDITION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN SLIDE NO. 791/B AND 792/A OF THE PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS 4743 LAKE VILLAGE DRIVE, FULSHEAR, TEXAS 77441 DATE OF SALE: MARCH 5, 2019 TIME OF SALE: APPROXIMATELY 10:00 AM PLACE OF SALE: 301 Jackson Street, William Travis Building, 1ST Floor Meeting Room in the City of Richmond, Tx 77469 TERMS OF SALE: CASH CREDIT- $0.00 The above sale to be made by me to satisfy the above described judg ment for $15,182.02 ; TOGETHER WITH INTEREST THEREON AT THE RATE OF 5% PER ANNUM FROM THE DATE HEREOF UNTIL PAID, together with the interest that may be due thereon, and the further sum of $0.00, in favor of WESTON LAKES PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. together with the costs of said suit, and the proceeds applied to the satisfaction thereof.

WAYNE K. THOMPSON Constable Pct. 3 KATY, Texas

By DAVID RIVERA #1332 DEPUTY FEBRUARY 6, 2019

Submitted by,

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk

FORT BEND COUNTY LEVEE IMPROVEMENT DIST. NO. 2 Third Pump Station Bid Package No.1 INVITATION TO BIDDERS Sealed Bids, in duplicate, addressed to Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 2, Attention Mr. Andre McDonald, President, Board of Directors, will be received at the office of LJA Engineering, 2929 Briarpark Drive, Suite 150, Houston, Texas 77042, until 2 p.m. Local Time, March 20, 2019, and then publicly opened and read for “Third Pump Station Bid Package No. 1 for Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 2, Fort Bend County, Texas” Scope of Work of the Contract includes the fabrication, supply and testing of seven (7) vertical storm water pumps and motors and associated related efforts defined within contract documents and technical specifications.

Bids received after the closing time will be returned unopened. A NONMANDATORY pre-bid conference will be held on February 28, 2019, at 10 a.m.

Local Time, at the office of AECOM, 19219 Katy Freeway, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77094. Arrangements will be made for telephone conference access for remote parties. Attendance by each prospective bidder or its representative at the pre-bid conference is NOT MANDATORY. Each Bid must be accompanied by a Bid Bond or a certified or cashier’s check, acceptable to the Owner, in an amount not less than five percent (5%) of the total amount Bid, as a guarantee that the successful bidder will enter into the Contract and execute the Bonds on the forms provided, and provide the required insurance certificates within seven (7) days after the date Contract Documents are received by the Contractor.

Copies of the bidding documents may be obtained from www.CivcastUSA.com: search “Third Pump Station”. Bidders must register on this website in order to view and/or download contract documents and technical specifications for this Project. There is NO charge to view or download documents.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all Bids and to waive all defects and irregularities in bidding or bidding process except time of submitting a Bid. The Successful Bidder, if any, will be the responsible Bidder which in the Board’s judgment will be most advantageous to the District and result in the best and most economical completion of the Project.

City of Missouri City LEGAL NOTICE THIS IS A MANDATED PUBLICATION OF THE LEGAL NOTICE ******* CLOSING DATE OF March 5, 2019 AT 2:00 pm. ******* Sealed Proposal for the provision of Municipal Court and Alarm Collection Services to the City of Missouri City, RFP # 19-012 MUNICIPAL COURT AND ALARM COLLECTION SERVICES Responses must be sealed, marked on the outside of the delivery envelope with the RFP name and number as listed above, and the date of opening. Responses must be delivered to the attention of the Sealed Bid Box, City of Missouri City Purchasing Office, 1522 Texas Parkway, Missouri City, Texas 77489, prior to the acceptance deadline. Responses marked improperly and therefore mis-directed may be disqualified.

Until final award of the Contract, the OWNER reserves the right to reject any or all Responses, to waive irregularities or technicalities, to re-advertise, or proceed to do the Work otherwise when in the best interests of the OWNER. No bid may be withdrawn during the 60 days following the bid opening date.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Notice is hereby given that original Letters Testamentary for the Estate of Charlotte T. Magelssen, Deceased, were issued on February 4, 2019, in Cause No. 18-CPR-032448, pending in the County Court at Law No. Four (4) of Fort Bend County, Texas, to: Lawrence Scott Magelssen.

All persons having claims against this Estate, which is currently being administered, are required to present them to the undersigned within the time and in the manner prescribed by law. c/o: Lawrence Scott Magelssen 3414 Brookbend Lane Sugar Land, TX 77479 DATED the 13th day of February, 2019.

Michael V. Brophy State Bar I.D. No.: 03082630 12946 Dairy Ashford Rd., Ste. 370 Sugar Land, TX 77478 (281) 277- 4141 (281) 277-4111 FAX E-mail: Mike@Brophylawfirm.com ATTORNEY OF RECORD FOR LAWRENCE SCOTT MAGELSSE/

INDEPENDENT • FEBRUARY 20, 2019 • Page 7

NEWS

Texas State Capitol celebrates Indian American Culture organized by BAPS

The celebration of Indian American culture in Austin, TX was kicked off by the governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, and members of a leading Hindu organization, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) at the Texas State Capital on February 6, 2019. Governor Abbott spent time meeting with members of BAPS, recognizing the community service and contributions of the Indian American community. In his remarks, Governor Abbott thanked BAPS and its volunteers for supporting their communities throughout Texas, and for participating in efforts that enrich communities throughout the state.

A resolution was read recognizing BAPS and its Hindu places of worship in Texas along with the many contributions by Indian Americans in local communities across the state during the 86th Legislative Regular Session. Thereafter, BAPS members also had the opportunity to meet with David Whitley, Texas Secretary of State, as well as Glenn Hegar, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts to discuss the importance of communication between all members of society.

Throughout the day, BAPS members from across Texas met with State Representatives, Senators, and respective staff members to share background on the Hindu faith and on the Indian American

community’s history and growth. The meetings also gave an opportunity for BAPS volunteers to learn from their government representatives. “It is always so great to have people from the district to come and talk about wonderful charitable and humanitarian work that BAPS is doing. I am inspired and honored to be a part of this community,” said Julie Johnson, Texas State Representative, District 115.

In the evening, BAPS volunteers hosted an event centered on the theme of Samp or unity, a message inspired by the current spiritual leader of BAPS, His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj. The event highlighted how the diversity of Texan and Indian American culture work in harmony to further enrich the diversity of Texas.

The evening showcased a myriad of spiritual, economic and cultural contributions that Indian Americans have made to the Lone Star State. Glenn Hegar remarked, BAPS’s contributions to the community range from local service to educating each generation living in America about Hindu culture and tradition.

Matt Shaheen, Texas House of Representatives, District 66, recognized the community work and events that BAPS carries out annually. “BAPS has a great history of community service dedicated to peace and harmony. BAPS strives to care for the world

by caring for society, families, and individuals, and is making a positive impact in Texas.”

The program also touched on the unique role of BAPS mandirs, which provide a platform for India’s rich culture and heritage.

Meghal Bhatt from Pearland stated, “A traditional stone carved mandir like the one in Stafford, Texas enables me to share the traditions, festivals, and diverse culture of India with my friends and colleagues.” These places of worship not only provide a base for spirituality but also a place to become better citizens of tomorrow.

The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a worldwide sociospiritual organization in Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, is dedicated to community service, peace, and harmony. Motivated by Hindu principles, BAPS strives to care for the world by caring for societies, families, and individuals. Through a number of social and spiritual activities, BAPS endeavors to produce better citizens of tomorrow who have a high esteem for their roots - their rich Hindu culture. Its 3,300 international centers support these activities of character-building.

BAPS aspires to build a community that is morally, ethically and spiritually pure, and free of addictions.

Fort Bend Master Gardeners’ Spring Vegetable-Herb Plant Sale is March 9

The 11th annual Fort Bend County Master Gardeners’ Spring Vegetable-Herb Plant Sale will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2019. The sale will feature spring vegetables: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, Swiss chard, and tomatillos. Herbs offered will include basil, cilantro, chives, oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and more. All plants are grown by the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners and are varieties recommended for Fort Bend County. Our popular Seeds 4 Sale packets will be available again this year; each packet includes seeds of six vegetables to be started in the garden. Seeds 4 Sale packets help residents with small planting areas grow some of the vegetables that should be planted directly into the ground. The packets include seeds for green beans, cucumbers, okra and squash. Several of the varieties are bush type and can be grown in containers as well as in a small garden. The sale is open from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon in front of the Master Gardeners’ greenhouse which is located behind the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office for https://fbmg.org/events/annual-sales/vegetable-herb-sale/ or call the FBMG Hotline (281) 341-7068.

Fort Bend County Republican Chair, Jacey Jetton | Lincoln Reagan Dinner Chair, Linda Howell and the 2019 Lincoln Reagan Dinner Committee: Jason Walker, Elizabeth Hanson, Carlos Jimenez, Helen Jimenez, Mary Joyce, Don McCall , Mary Favre, and Fanny Jetton

Invite you to the Fort Bend County Republican Party 2019 Lincoln Reagan Dinner

PLANTATION at Quail Valley Active Senior Living; Embracing the lives of Seniors 55 and Better

Featuring Keynote Speaker

Special Guest Speaker

Honorable Ben Carson

Congressman Dan Crenshaw

More guest Announcements coming...

Friday, March 1, 2019 6 p.m. VIP Reception & General Reception | 7 p.m. Dinner and Program

Safari Texas Ballroom 11627 Farm to Market 1464 Richmond, Texas,77407

2815 Cypress Point Dr, Missouri City, TX 77459 www. plantationqv.com

Phone: (281) 208-4470

Pol. Ad Paid for by the Republican Party of Fort Bend County, TX. Manish Seth, Treasurer, PO Box 461, Sugar Land, TX 77487.

Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Page 8 • INDEPENDENT • FEBRUARY 20, 2019

NEWS Fort Bend ISD announces finalists in the 2019 District Teacher of the Year Program

Shown from left are FBISD 2019 TOY Elementary Finalists Rebecca Blevins, Shannon Bandish Nash, Heather Lowrie, Laci Tonnesen and Lisa Vogel.

Fort Bend ISD is proud to announce the finalists for the 2019 District Teacher of the Year (TOY) Program. The FBISD Elementary and Secondary Teacher of the Year Judging Committees reviewed all campus entries and select-

ed 11 finalists.

FBISD’s finalists for Elementary and Secondary Teacher of the Year include: Elementary Finalists •Rebecca Blevins, Quail Valley Elementary

•Shannon Bandish Nash, Ridgemont Elementary •Heather Lowrie, Neill Elementary •Laci Tonnesen, Sienna Crossing Elementary •Lisa Vogel, Sugar Mill Elementary

Secondary Finalists •Dionna Budd, McAuliffe Middle School •Ricardo Garcia, Clements High School •Brittany Lindsey, First Colony Middle School •Baijayanti Sarkar, Missouri

City Middle School •Lorelei Thorp, Kempner High School •Ashley Thompson, Hodges Bend Middle School Each finalist will complete a classroom observation and interview phase. The finalists

will be honored on April 18 at the District’s annual TOY Banquet, along with all FBISD Campus TOYs and District Rookies of the Year, where the 2019 District Teachers of the Year for elementary and secondary will be announced.

FBISD 2019 TOY Secondary finalists pictured from left are: Dionna Budd, Ricardo Garcia, Brittany Lindsey, Baijayanti Sarkar, Lorelei Thorp and Ashley Thompson.

FRIENDS of Child Advocates of Fort Bend to Host Mission and Martini Night FRIENDS of Child Advocates of Fort Bend, an auxiliary volunteer group supporting Child Advocates of Fort Bend, will host its annual Mission and Martinis social in a lovely home in Harvest Green on Thursday, March 28th at 6pm. Gather your spouse and your friends and join us! In addition to socializing, martinis and hors d-oeuvres, guests will learn more about the mission of FRIENDS. For further information on FRIENDS, the location and to RSVP for the event, please email Kristin Stiles-Janossy at kristin.janossy@gmail.com. FRIENDS of Child Advocates of Fort Bend is an auxiliary league which helps support a variety of activities benefiting the children served by Child Advocates of Fort Bend and the volunteers who help them. Their Special Needs Fund underwrites the needs of children in the foster care system that other providers are unable to offer – items that most people take for granted. The fund has underwritten backpacks filled with school supplies, summer camp tuition, tutoring, caps and gowns for graduating seniors and computers for college students.

Shown (L to R) are: Kristin Stiles-Janossy, Sue Lockwood, Mindy Benefield, Laura Leatherwood, DeAnna Eklund, Lisa Moore and Judy Maddison. Photo courtesy of Sue Lockwood

Katy Rotary Club’s tree planting project

From left to right, with shovels: David Frishman, Brian McDonough, Rey Venselka, and Ken Burton.

Katy Rotary purchased some $3,000 in trees for planting at Katy City Park at Town Park Subdivision.

The Katy Rotary Club was chartered as part of Rotary International by those same veterans that volunteered to fight in WWII, came home, chartered the Club in 1946, incorporated the City in 1945 and bought the 100 acres where Katy High School is today.

I joined in 1974, and they were all there. Today, only Ward Stanberry of that brave crew, is alive. Rotary International is the oldest and original Service Organization, founded Feb 25, 1905, in Evanston Ill. by Paul Harris and 3 friends. Today, some 33,000 clubs, in over 200 countries, some 1.8 million strong of women and men. Our Motto is “Service Above Self”. The international program includes our campaign for the eradication of polio Worldwide, ongoing since the 1980s.

Polio was a scourge, 3 retroviruses, some 1,000 babies a day came down with it, decade in, century out there is no cure, and we are this close to completing this mission: 2 cases this year to date, in 3 endemic countries. Also, we have our international and local scholarship awards, the Katy Club also has its Paint USA -painting the Continental USA on the Katy ISD school campuses, and annual Toy Drive (children selected by the school counselors- we are those Katy ISD kids Christmas), our Triathlon in September, raising money for our student Scholarships, we buy livestock sold by the Katy ISD FFA Students at the annual FFA Rodeo program and then donate the processed meat to Katy Christian Ministry and our annual Brewfest- in late April this year, some of the many programs and projects we support or donate money to. — David Frishman