The 02-01-23 Edition of the Fort Bend Star

FBISD gearing up for May bond election

Ken

Fort Bend ISD trustees are preparing to go to voters with a new bond referendum, the first since 2018 and coming off the failure last fall to pass a tax rate proposition aimed at stemming the district's budget deficit.

When that proposition to keep the then tax rate in place was rejected, Superintendent Christie Whitbeck's administration committed to making $23 million in budget cuts during the 2023-24 fiscal year. At its January 23 meeting, the FBISD board heard updates from Whitbeck and other district officials on how those reductions are proceeding.

But with the district's enrollment again growing coming out of the pandemic (in fact, the district recently passed the 80,000 mark for the first time in its history), the administration believes now is the time to ask voters to pass a bond referendum that would construct new buildings and address long-deferred maintenance issues at older ones.

At the meeting, emphasis was placed on the maintenance issues, including things like aging roofs and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Board members stressed the need to make the bond referendum proposal easily understood by the public, something many felt was lacking during last fall's tax rate election.

From the successful 2018 bond, there remains $99 million in uncommitted funds from the successful 2018 bond, including $66 million in anticipated commitments and $33 million unallocated, Carolina Fuzetti, the distric's executive director of design and construction, told the board.

Replacement bond items have been priorities through a facilities assessment based on how soon they are expected to fail, Fuzetti said.

Char House redevelopment drawing resident concern

By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

With rumors swirling over the proposed redevelopment of the Imperial Char House and the surrounding area, the Sugar Land City Council and the city's Planning and Zoning Commission held a joint meeting January 24 to try to allay the public's concerns.

Earlier in January, the council approved a $5 million package to assist Houston-based PUMA Development in the longsought redevelopment of the char house, perhaps the

most iconic building in the city, which took its name from the Imperial Sugar Company. That would be the first step in redeveloping the entire surround area into a mixed-use development, anchored by the conversion of the char house into an office and retail building.

Since the redevelopment plan was first announced in December, residents on social media have expressed concerns that the possibility of multi-family housing would violate already existing codes for the redevelopment of the long-

disused Imperial property. Black residents have also expressed concerns that the redevelopment would not properly acknowledge the contributions African-Americans made to the area's sugar industry, which was the economic backbone of Sugar Land for nearly a century. At the January 24 meeting, many residents spoke about their concerns, particularly over multi-family housing. Those concerns include an increase in population density, increased

Enhancing security

Stafford considering installing 'geo-fence' around city

By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

After initiating the project last year, Stafford officials are considering surrounding the city with special cameras that would read and capture images of the license plates of every vehicle that enters the city in order to prevent and solve crimes.

The idea, referred to as creating a "geo-fence" around the city, was one of the primary subjects on the agenda of the Janu -

ary 24 meeting of the city's Economic Development Corporation board, chaired by City Council member Wen Guerra.

Last year, the police department rolled out the initial phase of the project, placing 13 cameras at two undisclosed business centers in Stafford. Four of those cameras were later moved temporarily to The Grid, the retail district at the site of former Texas Instruments complex, as a way to induce the property's owners to participate, said Capt. Patrick

Herman, who oversees the program.

The cameras are already paying off in terms of cleared cases and arrests, Herman and Police Chief Richard Ramirez said. In particular, they cited the rescue of a 12-year-old girl who had been kidnapped in early January in Del Rio, on the Mexican border, at a house in Stafford as the car pulled into the driveway. Del Rio police had captured the license plate on camera and the car was tracked all the way to Stafford.

The cameras, which are owned and operated by a company called Flock Safety, transmit data to a web-based server and are retained by 30 days for use by the police department's detectives. All of the hardware and software is owned by the company, said Dale Anzalone, the company's Houston territory manager. Herman laid out three proposed new phases of the program, breaking them down by the number of cameras and their respective costs for instal -

lation and maintenance. The phases would encompass the northeast, northwest, and southern sides of the city But rather than a phased approach, Herman recommended that the board combine all the phases into one "project." The entire project would include 26 additional cameras with a one-time installation cost of $16,000 and a maintenance cost of $92,500 per year, he said. That would

Annual Stafford Town Hall hosts mayoral candidates

By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

The City of Stafford held its annual Town Hall meeting January 25, giving residents an opportunity to hear directly from officials on a host of issues. The event at

the Stafford Civil Center also served as an official kick-off of sorts for the upcoming municipal election campaign, with the two declared candidates for mayor laying out their respective philosophies.

In what is perhaps an entirely unique format, Stafford's annual report

includes the State of the City address from the mayor as well as brief commentary by each member of the City Council who wishes to speak. In most such events, it is only the top official who gives a presentation.

Earlier, the council had voted to change the for-

mat somewhat so that each member had only one five-minute opportunity to speak following Mayor Cecil Willis's presentation. Willis, who took office after winning a special election to fill the unex-

This is one of four license plate reader cameras temporarily placed at The Grid retail complex. Stafford officials are considering creating a "geo-fence" around the entire city.. (Photo by Ken Fountain)

The proposed redevelopment of the Imperial Char House and the surrounding area has drawn the concern of some residents. (Photo by Ken Fountain)

By

Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Aguirre leads Lady Blue Jays to district-opening wins

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

At times this season, Jayleen Aguirre has put the Needville Lady Blue Jays on her back – a formula which has worked so far as they pass the midway point of the season.

The formula was there again last week, and led the Lady Blue Jays to a pair of resounding wins to start District 11-4A competition. Needville took down Brazosport 4-1 on Jan. 23 before defeating Stafford 6-2 on Jan. 28 to win their fifth straight match.

Aguirre netted a hat trick in each match, scoring three times against Brazosport before netting three more goals plus an assist in the win over Stafford. Arianna Franco also scored twice against Stafford, and also scored while dishing out an assist against Brazosport.

The six goals last week give Aguirre 19 goals already for the season, which has surpassed her mark of 17 goals from all of last season. She has now scored multiple times in seven matches for the Lady Blue Jays (10-2, 2-0 district), including each of the last six outings.

In Class 5A action, the Kempner Lady Cougars won for the second time in their last three matches with an 11-0 victory over Terry on Jan. 25. Six different players found the back of the net for Kempner (3-5-2, 2-0) against Terry, paced by four goals and an assist from Ava Baley. Cera Moreno had a hat trick of her own and three assists, while Anna Miller had a goal and three helpers. Meanwhile, Taher Evers stopped all four

shots on goal to earn the clean sheet.

Foster also picked up a win in their only match of the week, an 8-0 district win over local foe Lamar Consolidated to move to 6-4 overall and 2-0 in District 20-5A. Kaitlyn Walsh netted a hat trick for the Lady Falcons in their fifth straight win, while Addie Zebold also scored twice in a match that saw five different players find the back of the net.

In Class 6A action, the Clements Lady Rangers picked up a pair of wins last week, taking down Austin 2-0 on Jan. 24

before defeating Travis 2-1 on Jan. 27. Chloe Le scored for the Lady Rangers (4-3-1, 3-1) against Travis, as did Jayna Patel.

Elkins’ Lady Knights picked up a 2-1 victory over Travis on Jan. 25 before losing 2-0 to Ridge Point on Jan. 28, moving to 6-3-2 overall and 2-2 in District 20-6A. Amelia Olawu scored both goals against Travis, with Ellie Pitts and Madison Innis each picking up an assist.

Boys

In their only match of the week, the Austin Bulldogs kept their early hold on District 20-6A’s top spotm

fighting back manage a 33 draw against Clements on Jan. 24 to move to 50-3 and 3-0-1 in district play on the strength of two goals from Dillon Trimble. Chris McMeans, Rahul Moriarty, and Gabriel Moacyr each scored against Austin for Clements (1-7-3, 0-2-2), which also dropped a 3-2 decision to Travis on Jan. 27. Ridge Point has also started find its groove, as they have won three of their last four matches following a split of last week’s action. Daniel Hopkins scored both goals as the Panthers (5-4-1, 3-2)

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took down George Ranch 2-1 on Jan. 24, though they did drop a Jan. 27 match against Elkins in penalty kicks.

George Ranch would bounce back with a 4-3 win over Bush on Jan. 27 thanks to two goals from Tobias Herrera, moving to 6-6 overall and 3-2 in District 20-6A competition.

Ethan White scored the lone regulation goal for Elkins (4-3-1, 3-2) against Ridge Point, while Omar Elsaadi stopped six of the seven shots against him in regulation.

On the Class 5A front, the Foster Falcons have

now won two straight matches following a win in penalty kicks over Lamar Consolidated on Jan. 25, moving to 3-4 overall and 2-0 in district play thanks to Brandon Vallone putting home the final penalty.

In Class 4A action, the Stafford Spartans split a pair of matches last week, beating Sweeny 2-0 on Jan. 23 before dropping a 2-0 loss to Needville on Jan. 27.

Needville's Lady Blue Jays, shown here stopping for a photo after a game, have raced out to a fast start in district play, thanks in large part to the play of star striker Jayleen Aguirre, who scored seven goals in two matches last week. (Photo from Twitter)

Marshall cementing status as 20-5A team to beat

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

The Marshall Buffalos’ boys’ basketball team has gotten back to their winning ways in recent weeks, and continued to run roughshod over District 20-5A with two more commanding victories last week to cement their status as the team to beat.

Marshall defeated Lamar Consolidated 77-40 on Jan. 25 before taking down Foster 78-44 on Jan. 27 to move their winning streak to nine games. The Buffalos (26-3, 9-0) have now won 26 straight district contests dating back to the 2020-2021 campaign.

Jaland Lowe scored a game-high 26 points to go along with seven rebounds and five steals in the win over Foster, while Eian Lowe had 11 points.

Chris Catchings paced the Buffalos with 21 points and eight rebounds, while Lowe added 21 points of his own.

Prior to losing to Marshall, Foster (11-14, 6-3) took down Willowridge 65-44 on Jan. 25 on the strength of 17 points from Jace Jones. Braden Smith had a game-high 12 points and five rebounds for the Falcons in the loss to Marshall.

Kempner kept its hold on the district’s final playoff spot by splitting two games last week, losing 52-48 to Randle on Jan. 24 before defeating Willowridge 54-52 on Jan. 27. Noel Ike paced the Cougars (16-12, 5-4) with 20 points against Willowridge, and Israel Akeye (12 points, 11 rebounds) was also strong.

In Class 6A action, the Hightower Hurricanes became the first team in District 20-6A to officially clinch a playoff spot, taking down George Ranch 57-44 on Jan. 28 to win their 12th straight contest and improve to 21-6 overall and 11-0 in district play.

Below the Hurricanes,

Travis, Bush, Clements, and Elkins continue to be in a dogfight for playoff positioning, with less than a full game separating the four teams.

Clements ran its winning streak to five games with wins over Travis (5444) on Jan. 25 and Ridge Point (51-40) on Jan. 28.

Divine Ugochukwu scored 18 points to go along with nine assists and six rebounds for Clements (15-7, 7-4) against Ridge Point, and Aziz Olajuwon had a game-high 17 points against Travis. Travis split a pair of games last week, losing to

Clements before bouncing back with a 75-59 win over Austin on Jan. 28. Nekabari Mii had a career-high 21 points to lead Travis (20-8, 8-4) against Austin, while Kameron Newsome had 15 point and Rayyan Isa added 12 of his own. Bush has won three straight following a pair of wins last week, eking out wins over George Ranch (46-43) on Jan. 25 and Elkins (57-56) on Jan. 28. Kai’ree Murray paced the Broncos (13-11, 8-4) with 17 points in the win over Elkins, while Ronyo Obou added 15 points and Harrison Oriakhi chipped in

with 12 points.

Prior to the loss against Bush, Elkins defeated Ridge Point 65-48 on Jan. 25. Jae’Coby Osborne scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Knights (15-7, 7-5) in the victory over Ridge Point.

Girls

In District 20-6A, Ridge Point has surged into the district’s fourth and final playoff spot with a four-game winning streak including wins over Elkins (59-56) on Jan. 25 and Clements (65-33) on Jan. 28. Inonda Peterson had 18 points for the Lady Panthers (13-14, 9-5) in the win over Elkins, while Sydney Thomas scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds.

Cecily Callegari scored 18 points in the loss to Ridge Point for Elkins (1812, 10-3), which bounced back with a 42-31 defeat of Bush on Jan. 28.

Austin maintained its current hold atop the 206A standings with a 46-23 win over Travis on Jan. 28.

Andrea Sturdivant had a solid all-around game for Austin (27-2, 12-1) with 13 points and five assists, also adding seven steals and six rebounds. Hightower kept pace with Austin with a pair of wins, beating Dulles 79-21 on Jan. 25 before toppling George Ranch 79-41 on Jan. 28. Five players scored in double figures for the Lady Hurricanes (27-3, 12-1) against George Ranch led by Madison

Bob’s 21 points, while Jaya Johnson had 15 points and Kailee Beaudion-Foliaki added 14 points of her own.

Crystal Schultz had 25 points to lead Bush in a 59-54 win over George Ranch on Jan. 25 prior to losing to Elkins.

In notable Class 5A action, the Willowridge Lady Eagles had their four-game winning streak snapped with a 47-42 loss to Foster on Jan. 25, but bounced back to beat Kempner 4742 on Jan. 27. Au’Rayona Seals had 15 points and six rebounds to lead the Lady Eagles (21-7, 8-3) against Kempner, while Madison Moten chipped in with 11 points.

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Marshall and point guard Jaland Lowe, shown here bringing the ball up the court during a game last season, have continued to show why they are the gold standard in District 20-5A and one of the best teams in the Greater Houston region. (Photo by Landan Kuhlmann)

Written by his wife, Alice Chappell Wells

I never expected to be writing this so soon. John Allen Wells, my beloved husband, died on Tuesday, January 24th, 2023 at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital from complications with sepsis. John was 75 years old and at the age of 19 married Alice Chappell Holmes who was born 3 days before him in the same hospital in Greenwood, Mississippi. We were married for 55 years before God called him home.

John and Chappell shared a wonderful life together raising a loving daughter, Chappell Alan, named after their middle names. Chappell Alan Wells married Paul Douglas Block and together they gave John and Chappell three beautiful grandchildren: Jonathan Douglas Block, Morgan Chappell Block Bomer, and Anderson Paul Block. Jonathan and Anderson live in Sugar Land, Texas and so do Paul and Chappell Block. John and Chappell built their home in the same neighborhood and have lived there together for 30 years.

Morgan and her husband, Daniel Wright Bomer, live in San Diego, California. John’s mother, Gladys Irene Williamson Wells, passed away on May 2nd, 1971. John’s 3 brothers are no longer with us. Phillip Whitman Wells died on July 25th, 1989, Paul Alexander Wells III on March 4th, 1997 and Michael Oliver Wells in 2006.

John and Chappell graduated from Greenwood High School in May of 1965 and married in 1966. Shortly after becoming married, he joined the United States Army Reserve. He was honorably discharged, specialist Four, USAR on August 28th, 1972. John earned his M.S. in physics with a math minor in December 1973 from Mississippi

State University. He earned his B.S. in mathematics and chemistry with a minor in physics in August 1971 from Delta State University. While attending graduate school, he was awarded a teaching assistantship in the physics department. Because of his academic record, he was on the Dean’s List, The President’s List and was elected a Faculty Scholar. In the Spring of 1973, he was honored by being invited to present a paper at the meeting of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences in Biloxi, the only undergraduate on the program. His research area was in microwave molecular spectroscopy.

John encouraged his family to attend Sunday school and church activities at Saint Thomas Episcopal Church in Meyerland. John served on the Vestry, was a church usher, and very active in Sunday School.

His wife and daughter taught Sunday School for many years.

In 1974, upon graduation, he began working for Texaco, Inc. at the Bellaire Research Laboratory in Houston, Texas. He worked there from 1974-1979 in the area of enhanced oil recovery processes and was awarded two United States patents with which were assigned to Texaco, Inc. In 1976, he began working with Texaco’s Houston Division Log Analysis Section in Developing a computerized log analysis system, “TEXLAS.” This program was designed to perform shaley sand and carbonate analysis with the added feature of a color coded, interpreted, foot by foot print out. Contributed subroutines in the areas of permeability and porosity determinations and plot formatting.

He became the technical coordinator for the CO2 - Thermal Field Implementation Group, which included: describing the reservoir geology through Log interpretation and development of

contours on structures, porosity, and sand thickness; and performing calculations to determine optimal pilot pattern parameters, such as pattern geometry, injection rate and quality, duration of pilot, and predictions of incremental recovery efficiency.

In 1979, he became employed by Intercomp Resource Development and Engineering, Inc. He was the manager of Reservoir Engineering.

In 1983, Intercomp merged with Scientific Software Corp. to form the Scientific Software-Intercomp (SSI). John was Manager of the Houston Reservoir Engineering Department of the Exploration and Production Consulting Services Division. After leaving Scientific Software-Intercomp (SSI), John worked independently for a while before joining Dowdle, Fairchild and Ancell. He later became a partner in

Fairchild and Wells, Inc.

In 2002, John formed Wells Chappell and Company, Inc., a successful petroleum engineering company in Sugar Land, Texas. Wells Chappell offers consulting services in problem solving and decision making in oil, gas, and field operations. He led the company with the help of his son-in-law, Paul Douglas Block, for 20 years and continued to enjoy his work up until his passing. John was very personable with all his clients. Sharing many current events in his family life and enjoying hearing about theirs. Some of John’s professional memberships include: the Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME and the American Gas Association.

John was a member of two country clubs: BraeBurn Country Club, where he earned the 1994

Golf Runner-up Club Championship with a 77 and 86, and Sweetwater Country Club. John enjoyed every activity that his daughter, Chappell Alan, participated in and especially enjoyed teaching her how to water ski, snow ski, pitch a tent, etc. After Chappell Alan graduated from the University of Texas, Austin with her B.S. in nursing, John was incredibly proud of her accomplishment. But what he really got excited about is when we found out Paul Douglas Block, who also graduated from UT asked her to marry him. John said, “this is going to be good! A blessing!

I am going to have a son-in-law with sense and then grandchildren someday to enjoy all kinds of fun and to love.”

John certainly loved his grandchildren. He had child sized golf clubs in Jonathan’s hands when he was 9 months old. As Jonathan grew older, John took him to soccer, baseball, basketball, etc. practices and games - sometimes changing him into different uniforms 3 times in one day.

Cub Scouts and church activities were fun times. Morgan was in dance, girl scouts (brownies), and gymnastics, and John especially loved seeing Morgan doing so well in all her activities.

Helping his grandchildren with school science projects was one of his favorite things to do with them. When Anderson was born, John couldn’t believe he now had 3 grandchildren to take snow skiing and go on cruises, and more baseball games, soccer games, and now tennis matches. John encouraged his grandchildren to do well in school because he knows this would be an excellent foundation for the future. He was incredibly proud of Jonathan when he graduated from Texas Tech in Lubbock with a Bachelor of Business Administration

in Management Information Systems in December 2017. Morgan, his only granddaughter, gave him great pleasure and pride seeing her achieve academic success at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas with a BA in Geosciences and English. He was thrilled when Morgan decided to continue her education by earning her Master’s degree in Climate Science and Policy from the renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego. John loved having another grandchild to watch and help take on the world. John said, “Anderson is very smart and is going to do whatever it takes to reach his goals. After watching Jonathan and Morgan become successful in their fields of study, John said, “I’m not worried about Anderson, he will be happy and able to take on all his visions for the future.” After a year of attending the University of Houston, Anderson decided that he would attend Texas State Technical College to pursue his associate degree in electrical power and controls. His grandchildren made him so happy and proud to be their grandfather.

He loved every minute he spent with his family and he gave all of us many, many minutes - all his time in the world. His family meant everything to him and we all feel the same way about him. He was so thoughtful, kind, caring, and very smart in giving us advice. He was the head of our family. Gave the blessing and believed that Jesus Christ is our savior. Rest in Peace, John.

The funeral service and viewing for John Wells was held on Monday, January 30, 2023 at Leal Funeral Home in Houston, Texas. His burial and graveside service was held on Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at Glenwood Cemetery in Yazoo City, Mississippi.

Notice is hereby given that the City of Stafford Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, February 7th, 2023 at 6:30 p.m., in the City Council Chambers, Stafford City Hall, 2610 South Main, Stafford, Texas.

Notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Stafford, Texas will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, February 15th, 2023 at 6:30 p.m., in the City Council Chambers, Stafford City Hall, 2610 South Main, Stafford, Texas.

Zoning Amendments Proposed

A proposal to adopt an ordinance amending Chapter 102 of the Code of Ordinances, the same being the City’s Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, to grant a Specific Use Permit for the operation of a convenience store with fuel sales and an office warehouse facility, located at 12303 Murphy Rd.

All residents of the City of Stafford and other interested parties are invited to attend and will be given the opportunity to be heard.

Thomas Coon - City Planner

be $60,000 more than what the city is paying for the first phase, he said.

Throughout the presenta -

pired term of longtime Mayor Leonard Scarcella, who died in 2020, reiterated his previously stated vision to keep Stafford running as it has for decades, particularly concerning its budgeting and finances.

After emerging from the pandemic and dealing with supply chain issues, inflation, extreme weather events and what he called "an uncontrolled Southern

traffic congestion and a perceived potential for higher crime rates.

Mark Toon, PUMA's executive director, spoke extensively on the firm's ideas for the redevelopment Toon said that The Canon, a co-working space

H

The biggest potential item on the capital plan is rebuilding Clements High School, whose foundation has become unstable, she said.

tion, the board members lauded the safety and crime-prevention aspects of the program, with Guerra mentioning that he was particularly impressed with the rescue of the kidnapped girl and the arrest

border," Willis said that the state of Stafford is on a much stronger footing than last year. Willis gave a detailed rundown of each of the city's departments and praised their leadership and the work of city staffers. He also laid out a series of goals for the city in the coming year, ranging from the celebration of its diversity to increasing the city's fund balance and continuing to promote the development and redevelopment the city's real

and start-up incubator that would be the anchor tenant of the Imperial Char House, would attract young professionals who don't want to work in downtown Houston, much like central business districts across the country.

"A lot of these people that we've interviewed want to be in Sugar Land," Toon said. As those start-up businesses grow, they will

Deputy Superintendent Steven Bassett told the board that the administration is recommended $1 million in safety and security items, including electronic "smart tags" that students would wear that would allow district personnel and parents to

of the suspect. However, Art Pertile, the city's retained attorney, continually cautioned the board members that they should steer clear of discussing that aspect of the cameras program Since

estate. He also said that the city and the Fort Bend region must work together to offer more mass transit opportunities to the public. Willis was forceful in his support for the city's longstanding policy of having no property taxes but instead relying on sales taxes for most of its revenue. The lack of a property tax is instrumental in attracting both new residents and new businesses to Stafford, he said. Most importantly, Wil -

hire new employees who want to live close to where they work, he said.

Lauren Fehr and Ruth Lohmer, both assistant directors of planning development services for the city, and Deon Rodriguez, deputy director for economic development, gave a detailed presentation on the proposed redevelopment for what is called the Imperial Historic District

track where they are. Based on results from the survey, the district could ask voters to approve an additional one-cent or a half-cent increase on the current ad valorum tax rate of $1.13 per $100 in valuation.

The district has hired

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the Economic Development Board, which derives its funding from the city's hotel occupancy tax, is obliged by statute to approve projects mainly on the basis of their potential to attract and benefit busi -

lis said, city officials, the leadership of the Stafford Municipal School District, and the public must act in united fashion to keep the city on course into the future he said. Following Willis's lengthy presentation, a few members of the public spoke, including SMSD board president Manuel Hinojosa and Superintendent Robert Bostic, who both expressed their accordance with Willis's comments about being united.

Mayor Pro Tem Don

and the amendments to the city's land use plan that would be required.

Lohmer pointed out that the entire historic district is much larger than the proposed PUMA redevelopment plan for the Imperial property. Amendments to the city's land use plan that would be required for the project would include additional single-family and multi-

an election consultant, eAdvantage, which has advised the district to conduct a survey of potential voters on the general interest for a bond and test the public tolerance for the bond's size. Potential bond items to be surveyed are a new natatorium, and new

nesses. Board members took some umbrage to Pertile's recommendation, as did Ramirez, the police chief. The city and the police force work together and depend on each other to

Jones led off the remarks from Council members. Jones is the only other declared candidate for mayor. Jones led off by saying neither he nor anyone else on Council has said they are in favor of scrapping the cit's no-property-tax policy. But, he said, he has long felt that the council should take a new look at how it develops its annual budget, which is why he has voted against the previous two budgets.

family residential units, but those would be for the entire district, not just the area around the char house, she said. The total number of multi-family units for the district would be 1,200, Lohmer said. The residential market has changed markedly since the pandemic, making the land use plan outdated, she said.

The city council has com -

transportation facility, and new safety and security measures. The survey's results are due by February 6.

There could be up to three separate items on the ballot, depending on approval by the board, Bassett said. The board will discuss

serve residents. After some prolonged discussion, the board voted to seek a formal proposal from Flock Safety to be voted on at the board's next meeting, scheduled for February 28.

He said the "economic theory" of relying on continued economic growth to maintain and grow the city's fund balance is untenable, and that it is preventing the city from making the kinds of improvements and enhancements that will help the city grow in the future. The other council members also made comments reflecting their own priorities, with some expressing support for either Willis's or Jones's respective views.

mitted to extending up to $5 million to PUMA, over several phases, for the Imperial Char House redevelopment. Each phase would require PUMA, which does yet own the property, to meet certain deliverables, and all of the work product generated during the development process will be owned by the city.

the potential bond referendum at its February 6 agenda review meeting and could officially call the referendum at its February 13 regular board meeting. The election would be held on May 6.

Missouri City library to host local artist, sculptor, author

The Missouri City Branch Library will present renowned local artist, sculptor, and author C. Anthony “Tony” Sherman on Saturday, February 4, from 1-2 p.m., in the Meeting Room of the library, 1530 Texas Parkway.

Sherman will talk about his artwork, sculptures, and books, as well his inspiration behind them and how he fulfilled his creative purpose in life through the arts. Examples of his visual art will be on display, and his books will be available for sale and signing.

Born in Crockett, Texas, Sherman grew up in Houston and now resides in Missouri City. In 1994, he was chosen as one of 24 students from around the world to study portrait sculpture in Passavant, France, at the famous Vaugel Sculpture Studio. He has created many portraits, statues, and busts of prominent Americans, including Martin Luther King, Jr., Phillis Wheatley, Lauren Anderson, Rev. William Lawson, and Rev. James Dixon.

The library system said Sherman’s dedication to preserving the historical culture of African Americans has led him to conduct extensive research on

and write about the black American cowboy. He has written and published six novels, with two more in the works. His novel, The Promise at Koonville: A Fictional Tale of a Promise That Could Not Be Broken, is in the process of being made into a movie.

Sherman was named a Houston Point of Light for distinguishing himself as a nationally known artist, writer, lecturer, and sculptor. Appointed by former Texas Governor George

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W. Bush to the Texas Commission on the Arts in 1997, Sherman was one of the first African-American artists to be named to that position, which he served for six years.

The program is free and open to the public. For more information, see the Fort Bend County Libraries website (www.fortbend.lib. tx.us) or call the Missouri City Branch Library (281238-2100) or the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

OF RECEIPT OF APPLICATION AND INTENT TO OBTAIN WATER QUALITY PERMIT RENEWAL PERMIT NO. WQ0015582001

APPLICATION. Niranjan Shantilal Patel, 6804 Bintliff Drive, Houston Texas 77074, has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to renew Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) Permit No. WQ0015582001 (EPA I.D. No. TX137804) to authorize the discharge of treated wastewater at a volume not to exceed a daily average flow of 75,000 gallons per day. The domestic wastewater treatment facility is located approximately 600 feet north of the intersection of Ladonia Street and State Highway 6, in Fort Bend County, Texas 77583. The discharge route is from the plant site to a series of ditches; thence to West Fork Chocolate Bayou; thence to Chocolate Bayou Above Tidal. TCEQ received this application on June 2, 2022. The permit application is available for viewing and copying at Sienna Branch Library, 8411 Sienna Springs Road, Missouri City, Texas. This link to an electronic map of the site or facility’s general location is provided as a public courtesy and not part of the application or notice. For the exact location, refer to the application. https://tceq.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=db5bac44afbc468bbddd360f8168250f&marker=-95.453888%2C29.505&level=12

ALTERNATIVE LANGUAGE NOTICE. Alternative language notice in Spanish is available at https://www.tceq.texas.gov/permitting/wastewater/plain-language-summaries-and-public-notices El aviso de idioma alternativo en español está disponible en https://www.tceq.texas.gov/permitting/wastewater/plain-language-summaries-and-public-notices

ADDITIONAL NOTICE. TCEQ’s Executive Director has determined the application is administratively complete and will conduct a technical review of the application. After technical review of the application is complete, the Executive Director may prepare a draft permit and will issue a preliminary decision on the application. Notice of the Application and Preliminary Decision will be published and mailed to those who are on the county-wide mailing list and to those who are on the mailing list for this application. That notice will contain the deadline for submitting public comments.

PUBLIC COMMENT / PUBLIC MEETING. You may submit public comments or request a public meeting on this application. The purpose of a public meeting is to provide the opportunity to submit comments or to ask questions about the application. TCEQ will hold a public meeting if the Executive Director determines that there is a significant degree of public interest in the application or if requested by a local legislator. A public meeting is not a contested case hearing.

OPPORTUNITY FOR A CONTESTED CASE HEARING. After the deadline for submitting public comments, the Executive Director will consider all timely comments and prepare a response to all relevant and material, or significant public comments. Unless the application is directly referred for a contested case hearing, the response to comments, and the Executive Director’s decision on the application, will be mailed to everyone who submitted public comments and to those persons who are on the mailing list for this application. If comments are received, the mailing will also provide instructions for requesting reconsideration of the Executive Director’s decision and for requesting a contested case hearing. A contested case hearing is a legal proceeding similar to a civil trial in state district court.

TO REQUEST A CONTESTED CASE HEARING, YOU MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS IN YOUR REQUEST: your name, address, phone number; applicant’s name and proposed permit number; the location and distance of your property/activities relative to the proposed facility; a specific description of how you would be adversely affected by the facility in a way not common to the general public; a list of all disputed issues of fact that you submit during the comment period and, the statement “[I/we] request a contested case hearing.” If the request for contested case hearing is filed on behalf of a group or association, the request must designate the group’s representative for receiving future correspondence; identify by name and physical address an individual member of the group who would be adversely affected by the proposed facility or activity; provide the information discussed above regarding the affected member’s location and distance from the facility or activity; explain how and why the member would be affected; and explain how the interests the group seeks to protect are relevant to the group’s purpose.

Following the close of all applicable comment and request periods, the Executive Director will forward the application and any requests for reconsideration or for a contested case hearing to the TCEQ Commissioners for their consideration at a scheduled Commission meeting.

The Commission may only grant a request for a contested case hearing on issues the requestor submitted in their timely comments that were not subsequently withdrawn. If a hearing is granted, the subject of a hearing will be limited to disputed issues of fact or mixed questions of fact and law relating to relevant and material water quality concerns submitted during the comment period. TCEQ may act on an application to renew a permit for discharge of wastewater without providing an opportunity for a contested case hearing if certain criteria are met.

MAILING LIST. If you submit public comments, a request for a contested case hearing or a reconsideration of the Executive Director’s decision, you will be added to the mailing list for this specific application to receive future public notices mailed by the Office of the Chief Clerk. In addition, you may request to be placed on: (1) the permanent mailing list for a specific applicant name and permit number; and/or (2) the mailing list for a specific county. If you wish to be placed on the permanent and/or the county mailing list, clearly specify which list(s) and send your request to TCEQ Office of the Chief Clerk at the address below.

INFORMATION AVAILABLE ONLINE. For details about the status of the application, visit the Commissioners’ Integrated Database at www.tceq.texas.gov/goto/cid. Search the database using the permit number for this application, which is provided at the top of this notice.

AGENCY CONTACTS AND INFORMATION. Public comments and requests must be submitted either electronically at https:// www14.tceq.texas.gov/epic/eComment/, or in writing to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Office of the Chief Clerk, MC-105, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087. Please be aware that any contact information you provide, including your name, phone number, email address, and physical address will become part of the agency’s public record. For more information about this permit application or the permitting process, please call the TCEQ Public Education Program, Toll Free, at 1-800-6874040 or visit their website at www.tceq.texas.gov/goto/pep. Si desea información en Español, puede llamar al 1-800-687-4040. Further information may also be obtained from Niranjan Shantilal Patel at the address stated above or by calling Niranjan Shantilal Patel at 281-630-3875.

Notice Issuance Date: December 13, 2022

Tony Sherman (Photo courtesy Fort Bend County Libraries)

Review: Mama's Cafe offers modern twist on comfort food

By Ken Fountain

Here's a piece of biographical detail about myself that I don't often discuss. Shortly after returning to Texas from California in the mid-1990s, I took a job as a waiter at the former Black-Eyed Pea restaurant on FM 1092 in Missouri City while going to college.

I'll just lay it out there: I was not a particularly great server. I wasn't terrible, but I found the pace of working in food service often unrelenting (unlike, of course, the leisurely pace of working for a newspaper), and eventually I moved on to other things.

But I always liked the restaurant itself, and was saddened when the chain declared bankruptcy a few years and closed most of its locations. (I understand that some still are going in north Texas and Colorado.)

The large space in Township Square sat empty for some time before a pizza restaurant opened there (which, I admit, I never frequented.) That establishment also closed and again the space was vacant.

That changed recently with the much-anticipated opening of Mama's Café & Brews, which it turns out is a new twist on the old Southern and Creole comfort food niche of the old Black-Eyed Pea.

Let's start with the decor. The big, open dining room remains, but the tables and chairs are bit sleeker and modern than the ones in the old restaurant.

Gone are the old bay windows, replaced by single-panel windows that stretch nearly from floor to ceiling. Some rather funky, colorful artwork lines is seen throughout, as well as some shelves of decorative art pieces.

In a nod to the restaurant's name, there are two walls with photos of matronly looking women, in what I suppose is some sort of Mamas Wall of Fame. Back in my day, the kitchen

could be clearly seen and heard by patrons. Now the kitchen is ensconced by a large wall with chalkboards laying out the daily specials.

As for the fare, well there's plenty on the menu. As I said, most of the offerings are of a traditional Southern bent, with a few other things to round out the selections. Main dishes include meat loaf, pork shops, chicken-fried steak and chicken, as well as many seafood offerings.

Lunch entrées include rib-eye steak, pork chops, shrimp and fried chicken. There are different specials for each weekday, as well as appetizers, soups and salads. There is also a full beer and wine menu. For my first foray, I went with the chicken-fried steak sandwich. It had been some time since I'd had one, and nothing says Southern comfort food like chicken-fried steak.

Once I'd received it, however, I decided I probably should have gone with the full meal

and not just a sandwich. The gravy quickly overwhelmed the Texas toast, forcing me to resort to using a fork and knife. The steak was good, not the best I've ever had, but good enough to try again. My dining companion was quite pleased by Creole gumbo.

I topped off my meal with peach cobbler, which was excellent. The service also was quite fine.

Mama's will likely establish itself as a go-to restaurant for Fort Bend residents seeking

out comfort food.

Mama's Cafe and Brews

Address: 3434 FM 1092

Road, Sugar Land

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Entrée prices: $14-$22

Kid-friendly: Yes

Alcohol: Yes

Senior discount: Yes

Healthy options: Soups and salads

Star of the show: Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

LIBRARIES PRESENT AFRICANDRUM PERFORMANCES FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH

In recognition of Black History Month, Fort Bend County Libraries will present special musical performances of “African HandDrumming” in February. he first performance will take place on

Saturday, February 11, beginning at 11:00 am, in the Meeting Room of the First Colony Branch Library, located at 2121 Austin Parkway in Sugar Land. The performance will be repeated on

Saturday, February 18, beginning at 10:15 am, in the Meeting Room of the Missouri City Branch Library, located at 1530 Texas Parkway.

LEARN ABOUT AFRICAN-AMERICAN FAMILY-HISTORY RESEARCH AT LIBRARY PROGRAM

Researching African-American family histories may present special challenges for the genealogical researcher. Fort Bend County Libraries’ Genealogy and Local History Department will present a special program, “Family-History Research: Beginning AfricanAmerican Genealogy,” on Saturday, February 11, from 10:30 to 11:30 am, in the Computer Lab at George Memorial Library, 1001 Golfview in Richmond.

FEBRUARY’S SPEAKER INFORMATION IS BELOW:

Sugar Land Garden Club, Making Gardening Easier by Dr. Joseph Novak. February 21, 2023, 10 A.M. at St. Basil’s Hall, 702 Burney Road, Sugar Land. Free

FORT BEND-HARRIS RETIRED EDUCATORS TO MEET

Meeting Thursday, February 9th, from 1-3 p.m. at Sugar Land Methodist Church, 431 Eldridge Rd. in the Venue Room. Speaker: Missouri City Animal Shelter. You may bring clean, old blankets and towels to donate. Arrive earlier to socialize, sign in and pay dues if you haven’t already. Pick up your directory. All Fort Bend and Harris County I.S.D. retired public educators are invited. For more information, call 713-206-2733.

FOCUSES ON SETTING NEW

YEAR GOALS IN JANUARY

Each month features a different theme, along with a short list of podcast episodes to be discussed that can be found on the University Branch Library’s online calendar on the Fort Bend County Libraries website. Visit www.fortbend.lib.tx.us or call the University Branch Library 281-633-5100.

SUGAR LAND ROTARY CLUB

Sugar Land Rotary Club, the nation’s oldest community service organization, wants you to be its guest at a meeting that could turn out to be the best fit for getting involved with a local, nonpolitical, humanitarian service organization with a global presence to satisfy your passion. We’re on a quest for new members! Call or email Dean Clark, 469-850-2424, dean7351@gmail.com. We’re a friendly group that meets once a week for lunch.

FT. BEND ACCORDION CLUB

Meets on the 4th Sunday of every month from 2:pm - 4:pm at: CHRIST CHURCH SUGAR LAND (in the Chapel) 3300 Austin Parkway, Sugar Land, TX 77479 FREE and Open to the Public! We welcome everybody! If you play accordion, beginners to professional and would like to play Call, Text or email: Vince Ramos Cell: 281-204-7716 vincer.music@gmail.com

FORT BEND JUNIOR SERVICE

LEAGUE RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS FOR 2022-2023 YEAR

To join, the membership application can be accessed at https:// www.fbjsl.org/join/how-to-become-a-member/. FBJSL will also be hosting multiple virtual and in-person recruitment events over the summer where potential new members can learn more about the League. Information regarding attending these events is available at www.fbjsl.org or on the FBJSL Facebook page at www.facebook. com/FortBendJuniorServiceLeague/.

LITERACY COUNCIL OF FORT BEND COUNTY

We enhance lives and strengthen communities by teaching adults to read. We need your help. Literacy Council is actively recruiting Volunteer Tutors to provide instruction for English as a Second Language (ESL) Levels 0-5, three hours a week. For more information, call 281-240-8181 or visit our website www. ftbendliteracy.org

JAM WITH SAM

Join Sam Grice Tuesday evenings at 6:30 for a casual evening of music. We play a variety of music including bluegrass, country, gospel and some western. We request acoustic instruments only please. We welcome both participants and music lovers who enjoy listening to good live music. There’s no charge and we welcome beginners and gladly offer gentle assistance. We meet at First Presbyterian Church, 502 Eldridge Rd, Sugar Land. Please call Sam at 832-428-3165 for further information.

THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY FOR MEN

Sugar Land First United Methodist Church, 431 Eldridge Road offers a Thursday Morning Bible Study For Men. This group is ongoing and uses a variety of studies throughout the year. The breakfast, coffee and donuts are free. Join us any time! Thursdays, 6:30-7:30 am in Wesley Hall. Call the church office at 281-491-6041 or Mike Schofield at 281-217-5799 for more information.

GIVE A GIFT OF HOPE

Give a Gift of Hope one-time or monthly. Your help provides access to therapies and services children with autism might otherwise go without. Please consider Hope For Three in your Estate, Planned, or Year-End Giving. Register now, or learn more about exciting events: www.hopeforthree.org/events

DVD-BASED ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL

CLASS WITH NO HOMEWORK REQUIRED

Weekly class designed to help you understand and appreciate the Bible by giving you a better sense of the land and culture from which it sprang. The class meets at 9:30 am every Sunday at First Presbyterian of Sugar Land (502 Eldridge Rd.). For more information call 281-240-3195

EXCHANGE

EXCHANGE, America’s Service Club, always welcomes guests and is in search of new members! Various Fort Bend clubs exist and can accommodate early morning (7 a.m.), noon and evening meeting time desires. For more info, contact Mike Reichek, Regional Vice President, 281-575-1145 or mike@reichekfinancial. com We would

“Classes & Events,” select “Virtual Programs,” find the program on the date indicated. Participants may also register by calling George Memorial Library (281-3424455).

LIBRARY’S PODCAST CLUB