I have to start by saying how humbling it is to be elected to serve here. Katy is a historic city, so it’s not lost on me whose shoulders I stand on, nor the voters who placed their trust and confidence in me to serve here. I am forever grateful, and I will endeavor to make you proud.
I want to thank everyone who supported my campaign with their time, energy, money, and prayers – no one gets here alone, and I can never thank you enough. I want to thank my entire family, especially my wife and son – both of whom sacrificed so much.
I also want to thank my opponent, Mrs. Walker. She worked long and hard in the campaign, and did so with class and a servant’s heart. We spent about 14 hours together on election day, and I hope that in this world where politics seems to keep getting uglier, future candidates can look at our race as an example of the mutual respect voters wants.
To our amazing city staff and employees, thank you for everything you do every day. My goal over the next 3 years is simple. I want the city to empower you with everything you need to serve our residents, and you have my commitment to work with the team here to that end.
Without question, the best part of running for this office was meeting hundreds of residents from all over Katy. I had never gone door to door before, and If I can share a story with you all… I remember vividly how that began. I pulled up to the house, and I sat in my car for at least 10 minutes trying to psych myself up for it. I had no idea what to expect.
On the other side of that very first door was Mrs. Prosser, one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. She was so kind and encouraging to me. My whole mindset started to shift, and I became more aware of who Katy really is. This city is filled with the most wonderful people – people who love their family and are proud of their town. People who care deeply for their neighbors and show up in good times and bad.
Toward the end of the campaign, I went back to visit with Mrs. Prosser again. I wanted to tell her how honestly nervous I was and that her kindness made such a difference for me and probably saved my campaign from the very beginning. I’ll never forget her reaction – she looked me in the eye and said “well – that’s what I do”.
I think that exemplifies so much of what and who Katy Texas is, and there are so many examples of it:
When rain falls and flood waters rise, or when temperatures drop and pipes burst, Katy rolls up its sleeves and gets to work because, well – that’s what we do.
When our stadium lights burn bright, and championships are on the line, Katy comes together and cheers with one voice because, well – that’s what we do.
And sometimes political tensions rise; folks get passionate about their positions and their candidates. But Katy still comes together in the end and moves forward in unity because, well – that’s what we do.
Together there’s no challenge we can’t overcome. We won’t always agree, and certainly government is incapable of solving every problem. But we can commit to caring. We can engage each other in a way that makes all of Katy proud call this place home.
To my fellow council members, I am excited to serve with you. While each of us brings something unique to the table, I know we share a common love for our city. When Ronald Reagan was in the White House, he kept a little plaque on his desk that read: “There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he does not mind who gets the credit.” That’s my challenge for each of us, to imagine what good we can do in the city of Katy if none of us cares who gets the credit. Let Katy benefit from each of our best efforts, and history will sort out the rest.
I’ll close by saying that I am very optimistic about the future, and equally determined to work together to bring about positive changes and new opportunities. Katy is a great city, and together we can ensure that remains true for generations to come.
Thank you so much, and God bless our city.