Houston city election open to entry

HOUSTON -- The nomination period for Houston's city election is open. Four city council seats are up for election on Oct. 1, nominating petitions for candidates must be filed at city hall no later than noon on Friday, July 26. Current mayor Dale Adams said he expects the next council to address road construction codes and financing for more pavement on city streets.

"Our biggest problems are growth and roads," Adams said. "We don't need a lot of new laws, but we need to figure out how to enforce some of these things."

Houston has a seven member council with a mayor selected by the council after each year's election. Council seats have three-year terms. In a typical election year two seats will open, and every third year three seats are open.

This year there are four seats up for election. Two are on their regular election cycle and two more are open due to the resignation of one council member and the death of another.

Council member Cliff Moore resigned in mid-winter and has since moved away from the area. Joni Winder was appointed to fill Moore's seat. Council member Carl Burnett died last year on the day before he was to take office. Burnett's wife, Rosemary Burnett, was appointed to fill his seat. Vacated seats are filled by appointment up until the next election, according to city code.

Residents interested in filing for office must gather 10 signatures from registered voters who reside within city limits. Petitions are available at the Houston city clerk's office, which is open from 8 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday. The Houston City Council meets once a month.

Adams said the issues facing the city are mostly due to rapid growth in the Valley. Adams, the city council and a group of volunteers recently re-vamped Houston's animal control code and are implementing enforcement of the code. Adams expects the next council will want to attack road maintenance and construction codes in a similar fashion.

Driveways and subdivisions are often constructed in violation of both Houston and Mat-Su Borough codes, according to Adams, who said substandard construction causes problems if someone builds a road without culverts or fills in a drainage ditch when they construct their driveway.

"We all chip in to a fund to maintain our roads, and if one person builds it wrong then we all have to pay a lot more to repair it, "Adams said.

Adams also wants a council that will look to speed up Houston's paving projects.

"It could take more than 40 years at the rate we're paving right now," he said.