Fort Bend Independent 041719

Page 1

email: editor@ independent.com

VOL 12 No. 16

Phone: 281-980-6745 50 cents

www.fbindependent.com ww .fbindependent.com

FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019

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

Official newspaper of Fort Bend County & Missouri City

16 FBISD candidates for three seats make their case

Position 7 candidates Ferrell Bonner, left, Holland Poulsen, Tina Michie, rear right, and Position 5 candidate Pam Sutherland. Position 3 candidates Afshi Charani, left, Jim Rice, Sam Popuri rear right, and Ashish Agrawal. By SESHADRI KUMAR school board trustee for nine Sixteen candidates running years, is seeking re-election to for three school board trustee ensure quality education for all positions in Fort Bend ISD the students across the district participated in a candidates and meet the challenge posed by forum hosted by the Fort Bend a very diverse school district. Chamber of Commerce on April He was elected Board 10. Secretary in June 2011 and Board Position three incumbent President in 2012, serving two Trustee Jim Rice is seeking re- consecutive terms in that oďŹƒce. election. He currently chairs the Board’s In an attempt to unseat him, Audit Committee. Rice has Afshi Charania, Sam Popuri and represented FBISD on the Texas Ashish Agrawal have ďŹ led for Association of School Boards the same seat. (TASB) Board of Directors A Clements High School since 2012, and currently serves graduate, Afshi Charania wants as its 2nd Vice President, having to run for the school board served as Secretary/Treasurer to ensure that growth is well and Chair of the Legislative managed and the past planning Committee and the Budget & issues are not repeated. The Finance Committee. Rice is also district should be proactive and a graduate of TASB’s year-long zoning issues should be done LTASB (Leadership TASB) in a way that the students are Class of 2013. treated fairly and equitably, she Sam Popuri (Pos. 3) wants says. equity in education across the She served on the FBISD district. He is passionate about Facilities Steering Committee raising his kids in this county in 2018, and is a supporter due to its cultural diversity and of the Fort Bend Education passionate residents who care Foundation. Charania has over about education and the safety of 20 years of business experience. their kids. His goal is to ensure She is the President of a local equity across the district. Bring energy company. stability and transparency in Jim Rice, who has been a the process. Also, wants mental

Position 5 candidates Allison Drew, left, Christian Sommer, Lily Q. Lam, rear right, and Jason A. Dobrolecki. health awareness in schools and and Facts which will require availability of data that is the board. Popuri actively participates consistent and trustworthy; 2) in FBISD meetings, regularly Equity to ensure that everyone attending and sharing his has the opportunity to succeed; concerns of constant change in and 3) Excellence in everything school boundaries, safety of kids we do and for ALL schools. Position 5 candidate at school, inequality of programs district wide and the parent- Allison Drew with careers in student-school communication IT mathematics and patient system. These are some of the care, says she is married to reasons why he has decided FBISD’s Director of Fine Arts, to run for the FBISD Board of and has become familiar with the workings of the District’s Trustee position #3. Ashish Agrawal (Pos.3) stands administration. As a thought for FBISD_United and believes leader, she is able to combine that now is the time to refresh the her IT prowess with her nursing talent on the Board with someone skills to bring unique, innovative who is not set in their ways and solutions to the world of can think creatively to solve our Electronic Healthcare data. She challenges. He believes that he wants to increase her ability to is the best candidate to lead the serve the FBISD children and as change at FBISD and enable the board member seek tools to be residents to take back control of well-rounded and professional. Allison is seeking to ďŹ ll the Board. Over 20 years of experience Position 5 on the FBISD working in diverse cultures and Board of Trustees to give back companies across the globe to the community that has have given him the ability to so generously supported her see through and solve complex children’s educational growth, situations. He is a strong leader as well as the growth of all the yet a collaborative team player amazing students across Fort who accomplishes objectives Bend ISD. This is an open seat, vacated through empowerment, analytical acumen, and empathy. by County Judge KP George. Christian Sommer who has Ashish says he will apply three key tenets. 1) Transparency been in the district for 17 years

Position 7 candidates clockwise, rear left, Monica Riley, Nadine Skinner, Rudy Sutherland and Dave Rosenthal. wants to be a board member to serve the community. Sommer, running for Position 5, has worked 19 years in Houstonarea residential new home construction industry and gained tenure in Fort Bend County land acquisition & development. He is currently the President and CEO of Grand Dominion Homes oďŹƒcing out of their Sugar Land oďŹƒce. He is an active supporter of FBISD’s Gifted & Talented Program, Fred & Mabel R. Parks Youth Ranch in Richmond, and of the Child Advocates of Fort Bend County. He and his wife Jessie have three elementary school

EARLY VOTING: APRIL 22ND - 30TH

children. Lily Q. Lam (Pos. 5) is currently a 19-year old Vietnamese-American college student in the occupational therapy assistant program at HCC Coleman College of Health Sciences. She will graduate in May 2020 and hopes to continue advocating for special needs and mental health. Lam wants to be a representative of the students and help their growth academically, and socially. She believes schools should place more emphasis on mental health issues. See FBISD, Page 5

ELECTION DAY: MAY 4TH LIVES IN SUGAR LAND

WHY VOTE FOR JIM RICE? Jim is a business owner, a husband and a father who considers serving on the Board of Trustees of Fort Bend ISD both an honor and a privilege. He has served as Trustee, Position 3, since May of 2010. He was elected Board Secretary in June 2011 and Board President LQ VHUYLQJ WZR FRQVHFXWLYH WHUPV LQ WKDW RIILFH +H FXUUHQWO\ VHUYHV RQ WKH Board’s Audit Committee.

Jim is committed to his community and FBISD. He is actively involved in many ways: Fort Bend Cares, Co-Founder and Board Member Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce Board, Education Division Vice Chair Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council Member )RUPHU Literacy Council of Fort Bend County, Board of Directors Boy Scouts of America for over 20 years Texas Association of School Boards, Region 4 )LUVW 9LFH 3UHVLGHQW Christ Church Sugar Land, Member

With your vote, Jim will continue to serve to make a difference!

EARLY VOTING: APRIL 22- APRIL 30 ELECTION DAY: MAY 4, 2019

Resident of Sugar Land for over 20 years Married 23 years Three children born and raised in Sugar Land WORKS IN SUGAR LAND 1998 started as an ER Nurse at Methodist Hospital Sugar Land Currently an Executive VP at a wireless company in Sugar Land SERVES IN SUGAR LAND Child Advocates of Fort Bend - Board of Directors City of Sugar Land - Sugar Land 101 Graduate City of Sugar Land - Citizens Police Academy Graduate City of Sugar Land - Ethics Review Board City of Sugar Land - Zoning Board of Adjustments City of Sugar Land - Task Force for Parks Bond Fort Bend Chamber Leadership Program Graduate Former Neighborhood Delegate SUPPORTS SUGAR LAND Child Advocates of Fort Bend City of Sugar Land Police Department - Back the Blue Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce Fort Bend Education Foundation George Foundation Scholarship (YIP)

KermallyForSugarLand KermallyForSugarLand.com rm ma mallyForSu m Sug u ugarLand d co ccom Political Advertising paid for by the Naushad Kermally Campaign, Nimesh Patel, Treasurer

Sponsored by Serving Fort Bend County for 28 years!


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.