Crowley Star (Crowley, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 1, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 10, 2012 Page: 4 of 12
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Page 4 ★ Crowley Star ★ Thursday May 10, 2012 WWW.CrOwleystar.net
MEET THE CANDIDATES
PLACE 1 | PLACE 4
Name: Johnny W. Shotwell
Office sought: City Council Place 1
Profession: Sr. Business Analyst for Infor Global
Services
Years in Crowley: 10
1. Why are you running for Crowley City Coun-
cil?
I am a nine-year veteran of Crowley City
Council. We have many projects going on
that I want to see completed such as: Down-
town improvement; new public works facil-
ity; remodel of Fire Station No. 1 and a vet-
eran's memorial in Crowley.
With the addition of Walmart, we expect an
increase in economic growth for the city and
I want to be a part of this.
2. As the city, as well as the surrounding
area, continues to grow, what is your plan
to help manage the growth?
We have many ordinances in place to control
what types of businesses that come to Crow-
ley and their appearance. We need to contin-
ue to modify to become as business friendly
as possible while still improving our appear-
ance. We have committees in place, such as
our downtown improvement committee, to
help grow and improve our downtown area.
3. How big of a role do you think the City
Council should play in the day-to-day op-
erations of city government?
By charter, the daily operation of the city is
done by the city manager. It is our job as City
Council to ensure that the right person is in
place to do this. It is not the city council's job
to oversee day-to-day operations.
4. As the city continues to face economic
challenges, what is your plan to help lo-
cal business and residents weather the
storm?
We need to continue to be very conscien-
tious of our spending to try and keep taxes
as low as possible.
5. What expertise and qualifications do
you bring to the table to make you a vi-
able candidate for City Council?
■ A 38-year resident of Crowley area
■ Management and budget experience with
companies such as Rubbermaid, Internation-
al Truck and Engine
■ Nine years experience on City Council
■ Currently serving as Council Liaison for
Veteran's Memorial Committee and Parks
and Recreation Board
■ Have served as Mayor Pro Tern and Council
Liaison for Health and Safety Committee
■ Have been a part of many improvements
to city: new library; new police facility; new
fire station; new animal control shelter; re-
model of city hall, and many parks improve-
ments.
■ Put together a Veteran's Memorial Com-
mittee and have the groundwork for a great
Memorial to recognize our Crowley-area vet-
erans
6. Please list the top five issues facing the
City of Crowley at this moment?
1. Economic Development: Become more
"business friendly" to attract businesses to
Crowley.
2. Continue to provide the excellent police
and fire services to our citizens
3. Work with other local governments to
help come up with ways to fund commuter
rail through Crowley. This will have to have
assistance from the state before it can be-
come a reality
4. Some of our infrastructure is becoming
old and will need replacing soon. We need
to plan for this
5. Review zoning to insure that land use is
best-suited for Crowley.
i
Name: Gary C. Norton Jr.
Office sought: City Council Place 1
Profession: Retired, Automobile industry; police
officer.
Years in Crowley: 3
1. Why are you running for Crowley City Council?
The first thing I would want to tell anyone that would
read about me is "I am a Christian man with great
moral values." Those values play the No. 1 role in my
home and would affect any solutions or problems I
would face as a City Councilperson. I have found by
asking questions in the community I live that I have
been insulted by our local government to ask ques-
tions. I have gone to the extreme to point out laws
that are currently being broken and was basically
told they didn't care. I had a choice to sit at home
and complain or do something about it, and that is
the reason I am seeking a City Council position.
2. As the city, as well as the surrounding
area, continues to grow, what is your plan
to help manage the growth?
First and foremost, we need to have adequate
amount of police officers and firemen to handle
the need of the city. As a citizen, I have not been
given this information but it seems common
sense for this to happen. If Crowley continues on
its current path, businesses are leaving and the
potential of new business owners are not coming.
Potential business owners do not give us a chance
as they drive by and see nothing but empty store
fronts. I would not want to open a business when
it looks like a lot businesses have left. In order to
manage growth, there has to be more growth.
3. How big of a role do you think the City
Council should play in the day-to-day opera-
tions of city government?
I have gotten the opportunity to meet Mr. (Alan)
Grindstaff. He is the new city manager and I feel he
will do his job with perfection and has great expecta-
tions towards his department heads. I feel that after
he establishes himself with his personnel he will be
capable of handling all issues within the operations
of the city. If he would need assistance in some way,
he knows that he can always seek advice from the city
council or approval of an issue that might need to be
handled by the City Council.To specifically answer the
question, the city manager runs the day-to-day busi-
ness of the city, so small town politics is avoided.
4. As the city continues to face economic chal-
lenges, what is your plan to help local busi-
ness and residents weather the storm?
Since I have been out talking to residents, I have
heard a lot of complaints and also a lot of good sug-
gestions that we as a community can make the town
of Crowley thrive. As part of my election campaign, I
have given out my phone number to the public (817-
709-5676). I have chosen to give my number out for
one reason: City Council members are elected. I feel
that it is not only our duty but obligation to support
the people that have elected us. One suggestion that
came to me was to build something (old railroad sta-
tion within close proximity to the railroad) or have
some type of trolley sanctioned with the city to have
people come visit our nice community.
5. What expertise and qualifications do you
bring to the table to make you a viable candi-
date for City Council?
I have been the general manager of car dealer-
ships for over 18 years. I handled millions of dol-
lars and have had a staff in excess of 160 people.
I have also been a police officer.
6. Please list the top five issues facing the City
of Crowley at this moment?
1. Our police department needs a lot of work,
without going into detail.
2. Bringing in new business
3. Giving a new business a break on initial fee/
taxes to open their doors. Look at the big picture
4. Finding ways for the city to save more money
and spend less
5. Finding ways for our employees to do some of
the jobs we are hiring out for
Name: James Edward Hirth
Office sought: City Council Place 4
Profession: Lockheed Martin; Metal-fitter, tool
maker
Years in Crowley: 29
1. Why are you running for Crowley City
Council?
I have had the privilege of serving the citizens
of Crowley for the past 12 years, and in that
time we have accomplished a lot. I would like
to serve another three-year term to finish the
projects we have started and begin the ones we
have planned for the future.
As the city, as well as the surrounding
area, continues to grow, what is your plan
to help manage the growth?
We've had zoning ordinances in place for a long
time. That is why we were able to establishe
nine housing developments and bring new
businesses on CR 731 and the new bypass. We
have a new committee that will be doing a land
use map to plan for the 800 acres that will be
developed in the future.
3. How big of a role do you think the City
Council should play in the day-to-day opera-
tions of city government?
Section 3.03 of the home rule charter of the City
of Crowley states that the city manager shall
oversee and be responsible for the day-to-day
operations. It is our job to give him directions
and to ensure that they are following the guide-
lines that were established by the charter.
4. As the city continues to face economic chal-
lenges, what is your plan to help local busi-
ness and residents weather the storm?
We are encouraging businesses to use the tools
that are in place to help them, such as the area
chamber of commerce, where there is network-
ing and quarterly luncheons so they can also
learn to maximize their business growth. We are
encouraging the citizens to shop local whenev-
er possible so that the sales tax stays in the city
which will help us not to raise their taxes.
5. What expertise and qualifications do you
bring to the table to make you a viable candi-
date for City Council?
I have lived in and around Crowley most of my
life. I have served as your City Councilman for the
past 12 years. I am president of the Economic De-
velopment Board 4B, vice president of the Crime
Prevention Board, council liaison for the Zoning
Board of Adjustments for the City of Crowley,
and I also serve on the Downtown Beautification
Committee. In the past, I have served as Mayor
Pro-Tern for two separate one-year terms and
council liaison for the parks board as well as the
Health and Safety board.
6. Please list the top five issues facing the City
of Crowley at this moment?
1. Continuing the upgrading of the water and
sewer infrastructure.
2. To ensure that the first responders — fire and
police — have the equipment and man power to
keep up with the future growth of the city.
3. To put new businesses in the vacant buildings
through a strong economic development pro-
gram.
4. To be able to continue the steps we have
taken to insure that the wages for the em-
ployees are compatible to other cities of our
size.
5. Working on securing the funding for the large
downtown beautification project and future
commuter rail stop.
Name: Lezo Foley
Office sought: City Council Place 4
Profession: Retired; USDA, Grain Inspection
and Packers and Stockyard Administration;
Federal Grain Inspection.
Years in Crowley: 2
1. Why are you running for Crowley City
Council?
I am running for City Council to be an in-
dividual who wants all citizens to be part
of the due process in the decisions placed
on the council agenda; improve the qual-
ity of life to all citizens; participate in of-
fering the City of Crowley as a place to live
comfortably and family oriented; business
friendly for our old and new businesses;
and visibility and accountability of the of-
fice for a better city government.
As the city, as well as the surrounding
area, continues to grow, what is your
plan to help manage the growth?
First, I would be looking at our current
budget and our finances to operate a
functional city in providing good ser-
vice to our citizens and businesses, make
choices where there is a need to keep
valuable service running, propose meth-
ods or ideas to reduce over-spending and
prioritize the essential services needed to
operate city government, balance all de-
partments budget and keep services from
declining.
3. How big of a role do you think the
City Council should play in the day-to-
day operations of city government?
The city council should play a very big role
in the day-to-day operations of the city
because it is the heart of running a func-
tional city, as well as the central control
of operations. The mayor and City Council,
by law, have the responsibility for keeping
services running in the city for our taxpay-
ers. The role that city government plays is
seeing that our citizens enjoy a good qual-
ity of life for family and visitors to the city.
4. As the city continues to face econom-
ic challenges, what is your plan to help
local business and residents weather
the storm?
I would suggest that our citizens and busi-
nesses allow the mayor and city council to
enforce and make changes to accommo-
date the economy short fall and increase/
decrease when necessary for the survival
of the community. Also, I encourage their
input on changes, realignment and recon-
struction of business practices and attend
meetings for suggestions at the appropri-
ate time.
5. What expertise and qualifications do
you bring to the table to make you a vi-
able candidate for City Council?
As a college graduate and former federal
supervisor employee for 36 years, I shared
many managerial positions and skills to
get the job done. I bring good working
skills and good ideas to the city council
to keep the city growing. I have had the
training in policies and procedures in my
agency and I have helped other agencies
through tough times.
6. Please list the top five issues facing
the City of Crowley at this moment?
1. Zoning of the city
2. Investors, old and new
3. Citizen involvement
4. Education
5. Police and fire protection
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Hinton, Jay. Crowley Star (Crowley, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 1, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 10, 2012, newspaper, May 10, 2012; Burleson, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth807414/m1/4/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Burleson Public Library.