Houston continues to grow and prosper

To the residents of Houston, friends and neighbors:

Another election year has come and gone, and I would like to thank the council for the opportunity to continue the work we began last year. At times it hasn’t been easy for any of us, but today we are moving in the right direction. So I thank the council and congratulate Deputy Mayor Wilson and Council Member Schachle for winning their re-elections.

Many exciting things have happened in each city department this last year. Public works has been out clearing roads during winter storms so our school buses and commuters can get safely to their destinations. City roads, which have been neglected for years, saw drastic improvements this construction season with grading and rebuilding.

Significant improvements in the fire department have made it safer in Houston and will ultimately save us money by lowering property insurance premiums. The police department’s increased presence and activity have reduced crime and the availability of illicit drugs, and there have been many upgrades to animal control. Doing all of this under the budget with a surplus of $83,000 from last year’s revenue is even more exciting.

The city has accomplished this without asking to raise property taxes, but instead found additional revenue from other sources. In fact, overall property taxes remain 2 mills less in Houston than in the adjacent unincorporated borough communities. It is our goal to seek additional funding resources without having to rely on increased property taxes.

Still, hard choices have to be made as there is much to do and not enough time or money. We strive to make the best use of the limited public funds available to get the most accomplished.

I propose a mission of change; a mission of overcoming the challenges to do more with less. Splitting our current budget four ways reveals the funding priorities of 47.34 percent for police and fire, 24.45 percent for roads and maintenance, 22.11 percent for administration and the remaining 6.1 percent for the council and various committees.

This coming year several projects are still our main priority of providing additional services and passing cost saving measures to our residents.

First, we will increase our efforts working with Enstar to extend its main natural gas line along the Parks Highway.

Second, we will continue efforts to construct a new public safety building, not only for present and future fire protection, but ultimately to achieve cost savings in insurance premiums due to a lower ISO fire suppression rating.

Third, we will continue efforts to prevent government from stifling economic growth so businesses and jobs will be more readily available.

Finally, we need to work with the borough so Hawk Lane links to borough roads and provides residents with better access to Houston businesses, school and services.

I would like to thank all the volunteers for their contributions to our city. Whether you volunteer at your church, the senior center, Rotary, Lions, chamber of commerce or in the classroom at one of the schools, your enthusiasm and drive has created a better community in Houston.

There is still more room for you to help, a place for your energy and commitment, and we welcome you.

The job as mayor isn’t easy. You are always worried about what the critics might say, is it getting the job done, and what can we accomplish with the resources at hand. It is about not taking “no” for an answer, being willing to overcome and adapt to changes, and remaining positive even when those around you say a task is impossible. It’s about working hard and being able to hand over the city in a better condition than when you found it. It is always about thinking of the future, optimistically.

Looking back, I have made mistakes and there have been situations that could have been handled differently. I can only promise to learn from them and work on not repeating the same old mistakes. Like the traffic stop last year that brought negative attention to our good city. I can only apologize. I realize I should not have done it and hope the residents of Houston can accept my sincere apology.

I am proud of our city and the progress we have made together. I believe we have a strong community, and with that comes strong critics. What we need are residents to be thinking about our city, evaluating its progress, treasuring what is good and improving what needs work.

Thank you, members of the council, for working with me and city employees for the betterment of Houston. We are at a better place for taking care of the basics and tackling the possibilities. With a dedicated team of council members and strong leadership, I believe we can take the city of Houston to the next level and really show that Houston is a place its residents are proud to call home.

Roger O. Purcell is the mayor of Houston.