The five candidates vying for two positions on the Tomball City Council had the opportunity April 14 to give their stances on important issues at an open forum sponsored by the Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce.

The forum was held in an auditorium at Lone Star College-Tomball and was moderated by Jed Young, TITLE. After brief opening statements by each of the candidates, questions written by audience members were posed to the five, with each having two minutes to respond.

Taking part in the forum were Position 2 candidates Roy Lazenby, Mark Stoll and Barbara Tague. Lazenby is the current incumbent. Position 4 candidates are Derek Townsend and incumbent Mary Harvey.

The prevailing discussion topic throughout the evening was how to properly address the city’s future, including how to manage growth and infrastructure.

Lazenby focused his comments around his idea of “controlling and managing the inevitable growth.” He said he would like to see Tomball reach its goal of becoming a “destination city” and to continue the “progress and stability” he believes the city has achieved.

Stoll said he would like to work to “keep Tomball the way it is today.”

“We need to manage the growth while maintaining a small town atmosphere,” he said.

He added that he would like to see business growth in the area, but more in the lines of light manufacturing and trade. Stoll, who sits on the board of the Tomball Economic Development Corporation, said businesses such as Devasco and Eagle Gasket are the types of businesses he would like to see come to the city.

“You can have Tomball remain like it is, the lifestyle, but you can also bring in additional business,” he said. “Not so much retail business, but others to bring in a more stable tax base.”

Recent efforts by the city have been towards making Tomball what planners are calling a “destination city.”

However, some candidates were unclear as to what the term exactly meant in regards to growth.

“It’s a very confusing term,” Tague said. “Without people coming to Tomball, we’re not going to have the money to do the things we need to do. But we need to ask our residents what they want (for the city).”

Townsend said he does not want Tomball to turn into “1960, Spring Cypress or Orlando, Florida” and that he was in favor of beautifying downtown Tomball and upgrading the historical district.

“But is there a need for huge businesses and corporations and box stores? Absolutely not,” he added.

Harvey said that with the businesses that the EDC brings in, they also bring in new residents to Tomball, which leads to faster growth and more homes.

She also said that creating retail development is important in attracting the city’s youth to move back into Tomball in the future.

“I think making Tomball a destination city means creating retail development that attracts younger shoppers,” she said. “That type of thing is attractive to them.”

Another hot topic of discussion was the taxing issues. In October, the City of Tomball proposed a 4-cent tax increase, which the council subsequently voted down after Tomball residents decried the hike.

Townsend said that in the instance of another proposed tax raise, that better information should be made available to the citizens.

“We should know why taxes are being increased,” he said.

Any vote on a tax raise, Townsend added, should be left to the voters in a referendum, rather than voted on by the council.

Harvey said she was disappointed about the low turnout for the budget meetings prior to the council vote, which she voted no on.

“There were four budget meetings, and there was only one person there,” she said. “I think everyone should have attended those meetings.”

Lazenby voted against the recent tax increase, saying that “the timing was terrible” for the hike, but admitted that “there may be a need for a tax increase in the future.”

Stoll opposed the proposed increase and said the city, rather than raise taxes, should consider cutting expenses.

“We need to see where we can cut our expenses, what we can do without,” he said.

Tague, like Townsend, also believes any tax proposal should be sent to city voters and that they “have all the information.”

The two-hour forum was subdued and civil, with little friction visible between the candidates.

However, during the closing statements, Townsend recited Harvey’s Oct. 20 vote on the tax increase.

“I’d like to clarify my opponent’s vote (on the tax increase). She stated ‘Well, I guess no,’” Townsend said. “Do you really want your council person guessing?”

Harvey, however, later said Townsend was mistaken. Harvey said she simply said “nay.”

The audio recording of the vote replayed Harvey’s statement only as “nay.”

The Tomball City Council election is scheduled for May 9, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early voting will be conducted from 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 7:45 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday, and from 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays from April 27 to May 5.

Applications for ballot by mail should be mailed to: Doris Speer, 401 Market Street, Tomball, TX 77375. Applications for a ballot by mail presented in person must be received no later than the close of business at City Hall on April 24.

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