Voters to pick 3 for Houston council

HOUSTON — Six people are vying for three seats on the Houston City Council, to be filled in the Oct. 5 election.

James Johansen and Alma Hartley are both seeking Seat E; Rosemary Burnett and Paul Stout are opponents for Seat F; and Lee Himes and Kathleen Barney will square off for Seat G.

Houston’s council seats are all at large and the three seats up for election all carry terms through October 2013.

Houston Council Candidate Forum is 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 1 at Houston Senior Center.

SEAT E

Alma Hartley

Hartley, 26, has lived in Houston for two years and served as an EMT for six years in the area. She has particular interests in the city’s emergency services and its parks.

Without park power, Hartley said the city can do little to improve the parks in its own area.

She said the fire department, for which she serves on the auxiliary and her husband is the lieutenant chief, is “awesome.” But she said there could be improved EMS if Houston were to start its own system.

“We might be able to do a little better,” Hartley said. “Everything out here is very personal.”

It’s that sense of a tight-knit, welcoming community that the stay-at-home mom particularly likes. But she would like to see it grow.

“I’d like to see more business coming into it and help out industry here,” Hartley said. “If we grow a little bit, it would be a better place.”

Hartley, the mother of three young sons, also volunteers at Houston Animal Control. She said more trails and grants are also on her to-do list.

James Johansen

Johansen, 40, has lived in Houston two years after retiring from the U.S. Navy where he was a hospital corpsman. He works for Providence as a clinical lab assistant.

Johansen said he’s been attending Houston city meetings since he moved to the community, and wants his chance to help.

“I’ve never had my opportunity to do my civic duty,” Johansen said. “Now I can offer my service.”

He said his No. 1 priority is emergency services.

“We have a fantastic fire department,” he said, adding they are more dedicated than many paid firefighters. “You need to give those people what they need.”

He said he is concerned the city will cede power to the borough, and he wants the chance to help from a seat around the table with issues like using the city’s financial and human resources wisely.

Growth is one issue he’d like to address.

“We need to bring in some business to the city … to bring in some revenue to the city,” Johansen said. A gas station would be a great start, he said.

SEAT F

Rosemary Burnett

Burnett, in her 60s, has lived in Houston for 17 years. She is the seated mayor and has served nine years on the council.

“I’ve seen the good side and the bad side,” Burnett said of her years of service.

The former owner of Houston Lodge said she has work yet to do on the council, including ramping up business and jobs in the town.

“I would like to see the city of Houston grow because the businesses suffer here a great deal,” Burnett said.

She said some people don’t want to see growth but she wants kids who grow up in Houston to have opportunities there.

“I would like to see it change, but not for the worse,” Burnett said. She is looking forward to the railroad spur helping growth.

She said she is particularly proud of the city’s efforts, including her own, to get the 911 dispatch crisis solved earlier this month.

“We worked very hard to get that through,” Burnett said.

As for criticism she’s taken for voting with former mayor Roger Purcell on issues, she said she was never voting with Purcell.

“I will always vote for what’s good for Houston,” she said.

Paul Stout

Stout, 54, who served as deputy mayor in 2008 during a 10-month appointment to the board, said he wants back on the board after mounting a lukewarm attempt last election to win a seat.

“The last two years convinced me we really need to pay more attention to our municipal government,” Stout said.

He also wants to bring a different voice to the table.

“There’s not much diversity on the council right now,” Stout said.

The software developer said he has a strong background in accounting and budgeting and wants to bring those skills to the council.

“We need to gro through the budget with a fine-tooth comb,” he said. He said the city’s small budget means prioritizing for what’s important, including its essential services of police, fire and animal control.

“A lot of that has fallen by the wayside or at least not what they used to be,” he said.

He’s interested in bringing business to Houston, but with an eye to sensible growth.

“I really like the rural atmosphere and character,” Stout said.

SEAT G

Kathleen Barney

Barney, 46, has lived in Houston for 22 years. She is a special education assistant at Houston High School.

She said she felt she needed to roll up her sleeves and get something done in city government.

“I really care about the city and I’ve seen the direction it’s been going the last couple of years,” Barney said.

Public safety is her top concern.

“You need a good fire department and a good police department,” she said. “People need to feel safe.”

As for growth, she said it is inevitable. She said some larger shopping facilities and gas stations would improve the town.

“It should be done very carefully,” Barney said. “We want to make it a welcoming place for people to come.”

Barney, who has served as an EMT in the Big Lake/Houston area, vice president of the PTA and president of the fire department auxiliary, said she felt she need to volunteer her services after putting forward the petition that chased Purcell out of the mayor’s seat.

“I should be willing to jump in there and give a hand,” Barney said.

Lee Himes

Himes, 66, has lived in Houston since 2005. He is a seated council member but missed the filing deadline when he had a medical emergency, so he is a write-in candidate.

Himes said he is eager to continue to serve with Burnett as mayor.

“She’s moved it so much forward,” Himes said. “We have a lot of stuff going on that benefits the citizens and community.”

Himes serves as the council’s public safety liaision; he is a retired police officer from East Texas who came here on vacation and decided to stay after he landed a 50-pound king salmon.

“I’ve done a lot for the fire department and police department,” he said.

He said he’d like to see more parks for the community and its residents and to upgrade the campgrounds by city hall.

He’d also like to keep taxes under control.

“We’re trying our best to keep taxes as low as possible and our mills as low as possible,” Himes said.