Dear Friends and Neighbors, As you may have gathered from the signs popping up around our city, I am running for re-election to the West Lake Hills City Council. I am writing to ask for your support and your vote.
I was drawn to public service in West Lake Hills two decades ago because I am passionate about preserving our town’s rural character and its natural beauty. I am passionate about the city’s master plan with its foresightand long-term vision for the future of our community. My love of this community runs deep.
I am equally passionate about the residents of West Lake Hills. Many of you already know me because I have advocated on your behalf at a ZAPCO or city council meeting. You know me from my visits to your homes or building sites to understand your concerns and issues. You know that I amcommitted to representing the bestinterests of our residents; that I am committed to balancing the needs of neighbors with the needs of the community; that I bring informed, responsive decision-making to each issue that comes before the council; and that I encourage citizen involvement in all mattersrelated to living in West Lake Hills. That will never change.
The past two years on council have been full of challenges, and I’m proud of my role in key city council achievements:
Acquiring right-of-way and securing state funding for the Bee Cave Road expansionproject;
Advocating for and organizing the citywide dead brushpick-up;
Looking for new solutions to resolve our increasing traffic woes throughout our city, including hiring an additional police officer specifically for traffic control and enforcement;
Serving on the search committee to find our new policechief;
Studying the complex issue of outdoor lighting, listening to residents' concerns and working to make ourCity Code fair, reasonable andeffective;
Liaising with Wild Basin Nature Preserve to explore options for a shad- ed fuel break for wildfire protection;
Developing a professional, courteous and customer service-oriented staff at City Hall who treat people with dignity andrespect;
Securing funding for a city-wide drainage study to help reduce flooding and property damage in our city; and
Keeping city expenditures low while maintaining one of the lowest municipal property tax rate in Texas.
I am particularly proud of my role in addressing fire safety concerns asthey pertain to the tree ordinance. Ibrought together a diverse range of experts in fire safety, forestry, wildland/urban interface, biology and environmental consulting to speak at city council hearings. These experts brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to educate our community about the complexities related to living in an urban forest. I also organized a Town Hall meeting solely devoted to discussing this critical public safetyissue.
Residents were invited to attend these meetings to ask questions, ex- press concerns and perspectives, hear factual information from experts, and consider possible solutions regarding ways to increase our fire safety. By bringing together residents with differing points of view and facilitating an open discussion with experts, we were able to reach what I believe is a rational and reasonable compromise that respects residents’ needs for increased fire safety.
The new ordinance represents a significant improvement in reducing wildfire risk – and I am committed to continuing my efforts to further reduce the risk of wildfire in our community in my next term.
We’ve made a lot of progress, and as always is the case with city matters, much remains to be done. I am also committedto:
Continuing to advocate for fiscal responsibility and transparency in everything the city and City Council does;
Ensuring that city staff and elected officials alike treat everyone with respect and dignity; and
Improving city infrastructure and repairing damagedroadways.
The issues facing West LakeHills are important and complex. They deserve experienced leadership and due diligence both on the part of elected officials and the residents. As a nearly 30-year resident of West Lake Hills, I’ve served two terms on ZAPCO (from 1994-1996 and 2010-2013) and two years on our city council. My years of community service and my love for this unique community have given me the necessary knowledge and skills to serve your interests and effectively lead our city in these important issues.
I am asking you to join me in creating good solutions for our unique and special community. Our city council meetings are one of the most democratic forms of government available to citizens anywhere, and I encourage you to participate. Please let me know your thoughts about issues that concern you. I am here tohelp.
Warm regards,
I have called West Lake Hills home for nearly 30 years.
A graduate of Stanford University, I moved to Austin in 1976 after post-graduate study at Princeton University. I moved to West Lake Hills the first time in 1977 and for good in 1988. As a reporter and editor at the Austin American-Statesman, I covered government at almost every level for 14 years.
My public service for West Lake Hills began in the early 1990s when I served my first term on ZAPCO; I served again from 2010-2013. In 2013 I was elected to the City Council.
My broader community service includes fomer board memberships on the boards of Zach Theater, Mexic-Arte Museum, Sharir Dance Company and the Texas Capital Bridge Association.