Wylie Today

Rick and Alicia White are special citizens of Wylie, Texas. They are a unique couple that spend vast amounts of personal time and money helping and contributing to the world class Wylie Fire Department. They are always found on a fire scene early, documenting the events not just for themselves and Wylie citizens, but for the Wylie Fire Department itself.

Alicia said, “We are privileged to be allowed to get up close and personal on the scene of an incident. We capture scenes no one sees but a few. We see the intimate expressions on faces and the compassion these guys and gals give. But more importantly, we feel that we are part of a unique and loving family. The fire and police departments have let us become an integral part of them.”

Rick and Alicia post many of the photos they take on their website, http://www.wyliephotos.com. Here, one can see just what kind of quality photographs are taken and provided to the Fire Department. One can also get a feel for exactly how early and often they arrive on a scene.

So how does the Fire Department feel about Rick and Alicia? I was able to speak to Fire Chief Randy Corbin about them and not surprisingly, he had only good things to say. “I’ve been here for 18 months now and our arrangement is that Rick and Alicia are reserve members of our Fire Department. They arrive early on a scene, even in the middle of the night and their photographs are timely and professional. They help us with training, investigation and documentation photographs which really help us. ”

Cheif Corbin continued, “Rick is very technical in the communication business and we’ve really been able to tap into his knowledge bank. We’ve turned to him quite often as a technical consultant before and during our planning of an overhaul of our communications systems. Whether he is sharing his knowledge or pointing us to the right contacts to talk further, he has just been so extremely helpful and knowledgeable.”

Rick and Alicia White are special members of this great community and city in which we all live. They put a tremendous amount of time and effort to be of service to the community and the departments that make Wylie special. Wylie is lucky to have such fantastic and involved people living within it’s limits.

I hope Wylie Today can continue to bring readers some of the fantastic photographs or as some might say, “works of art”, that Rick and Alicia White produce.

Photos © 2008 Rick and Alicia White - click images for larger photos

Newly elected Mayor Eric Hogue was officially sworn in on Friday night, May 16th, 2008. His family stood by him as Judge Terry Douglas did the honors. Also sworn in for their second term each, Carter Porter and Rick White.

Photos courtesy and copyright 2008 Earl Newsom

Dear Editor,

First, I want to thank the Wylie News for hosting the Candidate forum on last Thursday night.  I think many such forums are needed.  It is in such public settings that candidates’ feelings show best.  Web sites, prepared literature and even newspaper interviews insulate the candidate from the voter.

I saw one particular viewpoint that I hope to spotlight, in order that others may see it more clearly.  There were two questions that dealt specifically with ethics.  One was about a proposed “Code of Ethics”, the other about a demonstration of ethics.  The answers were interesting.  The incumbents were unanimous in stating that they didn’t have a problem with a code being developed, that such a code had been debated and dropped.  Many candidates expressed a willingness to abide by such a code, but most stated that they were pretty confident that they were ethical.

One candidate stood out in contrast.  Eric Hogue spoke resoundingly in favor of a Code of Ethics.  He likened standards to rules of the game.  He said that a clear statement of Ethics is commonplace in “Corporate America” (I was trained repeatedly in ethical decision making at the last Fortune 500 company I worked for).  Playing without rules leaves room for indiscretion.

Another question was asked which was telling about the apparent regard that each candidate places on ethics.  As reported in the Wylie News, and acknowledged by the candidates, only two of the candidates did the ethical thing by reporting their expenditures on time. (Kudos to Rick White, he submitted his early).  Particularly egregious to me was the fact that Mayor John Mondy gave as an excuse that his campaign treasurer (“Red” Byboth) was out of town.  This means that two currently serving officials have a lax attitude towards ethical rules.  (A side note: I know that it is old news, but these two men were also two of the main players in Mayor Mondy writing a letter, as Mayor, not as a private citizen, attempting to influence the outcome of a trial of one of Mr. Byboth’s employees, an accused sex-offender, a few years back.  This should have been a warning, then.)

Mr. Porter stated that we as voters have the right to remove those that act unethically.  We have that opportunity now.  I ask all concerned citizens to vote now for ethics.  Support Eric Hogue and Rick White.  I also call for an appropriate Code of Ethics to be written and adopted, with clear language and appropriate, enforceable results.  We shouldn’t have to wait until an election to see the same consequences expected when unethical behavior occurs in industry.

Sincerely,David Dahl

Letters to the Editor are personal opinions of the author listed and do not necessarily represent the views of wylietoday.com.

My family has lived in Wylie for almost 5 years and have become well- acquainted with the Wylie Political arena. In the 2005 election, I set out on the mission to be an informed voter in our new town. I met with a couple of the candidates and saw first hand how Rick White handled himself in light of many untrue statements and accusations being made about him from the then-incumbent candidate.

Rick encouraged me to inquire and ask lots of questions and find out for myself what the truth was, and in the end, Rick got my vote…and my trust in the 2005 election season. That spoke volumes to me about Rick’s character, integrity, and openness as a person and as a future councilman. Rick White truly is a “what you see is what you get” guy and I can appreciate that in the political arena.

Regrettably during election season, voters get more smoke blown their way or too much rhetoric spoken with no real substance, promise or plan. I do not find that to be the case with Rick. His vision and track record while on council proves over and over he is for the future of Wylie with the best interest of the citizens in mind. I’m honored to call Rick White a personal friend that I would trust without question. He listens, he cares, and has always responded to my questions or concerns regarding our great City. I strongly encourage our citizens to ask questions of ALL the candidates in order to cast an informed vote. As an informed citizen, I will be casting my vote for incumbent Rick White and mayoral candidate Eric Hogue…for the Future of Wylie!

H. Glenn Bolton,
Wylie, TX

Letters to the Editor are personal opinions of the author listed and do not necessarily represent the views of wylietoday.com.

First of all, I want to apologize. I took video of this event, but have run into technical difficulties getting the video downloaded. Old software, new computer. :/ I’m going to be away from the “machines” for the weekend, but I will get it resolved and get it uploaded for your viewing enjoyment. That is, if you are into an hour and eighteen minutes worth of talking.

As a quick recap slash opinion, here is what I liked about each candidate’s performance or values.

Rick White

City Councilman Rick White did a fantastic job communicating with the audience about his passion, drive, motivation and proven experience with success. He was cordial and concise and seemed very comfortable speaking to the group. His direct involvement with the Fire and Police Departments let me know that he is in tune with everything happening in the community.

Chris Trout

I like the fact that Chris Trout is a community friend and a dedicated parent. His daily interaction with people in the community is a great asset. From personal conversations, I believe he is quite the intelligent man.

Carter Porter

City Councilman Carter Porter also did an excellent job speaking to the group. He is available to the community whenever the need is present and has been open and honest about his first three years on City Council. He is an elected member to the NCTCOG and while I don’t know exactly how that has benefited us to this point, I’m sure it couldn’t hurt going forward.

Bennie Jones

Bennie Jones has a definite message and goal. I believe that he believes in what he is saying. He seems frank and honest , speaking from the heart about his vision. He spends time interacting with the teenagers in the City of Wylie, providing a positive adult presence.

John Mondy

Mayor Mondy has a certain swagger about him that makes me feel confident he can get anything done. While he did leave the military long ago, I’m not sure if the military ever left him. He is proud of his accomplishments and is confident in a future vision of Wylie that is larger than anyone could expect. I think he has put a lot of time and effort into city affairs over the last decade. His knowledge and experience is certainly valuable.

Eric Hogue

As I mentioned before, Eric Hogue is a natural public speaker. I believe in his ability to make and secure contacts at any level. His desire and enthusiasm to serve the community is unrivaled. His past tenure on the City Council is valuable in terms of experience and knowledge of city affairs.

Everyone did an excellent job last night and whenever you get a minute, you should let these guys know you appreciate what they are doing for us. Let them know you support them and what their families are enduring right now. Their email addresses can be found on the Wylie Today Voter Guide.

The Barbara Bush Republican Women’s League hosted a “Meet the Candidate” forum on Monday night, April 14th. All City Council candidates as well as 5 of the 6 School Board Trustee candidates were in attendance. School Board Trustee Baron Cook was not present due to a scheduling conflict. Also on hand to witness the event were approximately 45 citizens and supporters.

Mrs. Ruthie Wright did a fantastic job as moderator of the event. This forum was pretty typical with what I’ve seen or been a part of in the past, except the candidates knew the questions ahead of time. Frustrating though was the fact that some of the candidates didn’t seem prepared to answer and the ones that were prepared might have been a little too prepared, continually cut off by the “TIME” girl. It’s usually difficult for candidates to get their message across under such circumstances, but I don’t believe it harmed anyone as most of the 45 people in attendance were supporters of candidates. In fact, I think I was the only one who sat in the middle.

Mayor John Mondy had the right idea though after being cut off during one of his answers as he told the audience, “You can read these answers on Wylie Today”. Bravo, John, bravo.

City Council candidates went first and the questions were very basic. The questions were:

1. What makes you an ideal candidate?
2. What is your vision of Wylie in 3 years?
3. How do you propose to accomplish this vision?

Questions 2 and 3 are pretty difficult to answer because as Mr. Mondy stated, “the major planning for the next 5 years for Wylie has been completed, but there is always opportunity for refining”. So basically, all the candidates told the audience about the road construction and building construction and the bond packages. They stated what is already known by a lot of people and didn’t really delve into their unique “vision”, except for Place 6 candidate Bennie Jones.

Mr. Jones stated that his vision is to see a safer city for our youth and to be a regional leader providing “clean air, clean water, parks in all the communities, children receiving quality education without disruption from gangs and making sure everyone is taken care of.” He wants to implement progress reports for the citizens to view and to make sure they “always know what we’re working on.”

Mr. Jones continually stated that he is “approachable”, a “voice for the teenagers” and a “voice for the community”.

His opponent, incumbent Carter Porter, stated that he is past the learning curve that requires 1 or 2 years of being on City Council to understand. Mr. Porter focused on his ability to be available to the city whenever needed due to his flexible work schedule. He also discussed his election to the Executive Board of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG). NCTCOG brings an intergovernmental relationship with the leaders of the region’s 16 counties representing over 230 member governments and is represented by 13 locally elected officials.

City Council Place 5 candidate Chris Trout identified himself as a husband, a father, a local business owner and a friend to everyone who supports many organizations with his time and money. He stated that on his previous tenure on City Council, he always did what was best for the city.

City Council Place 5 incumbent Rick White mentioned his technical, detail-oriented nature as a strong asset when working on and learning about city issues. He says he is “always seeking information from people and sources” to make the best decisions possible. He stated that he always shoots from the hip and will get you answers to your questions.

Easily the best performance of the night was delivered by Mayoral candidate Eric Hogue. Mr. Hogue is just made to be a public speaker. He exudes confidence, gestures in a friendly manner, speaks clearly and shows no hesitation through any of his speaking opportunities.

Mr. Hogue said, “A lot of things have to happen to make sure we stay on path” in reference to completing the 2005 Bond packages and road construction. He mentioned his numerous contacts with county, state and federal officials as a key asset to making sure no stray trails develop. He is for a more open and pro-active government when working with the citizens.

Mr. Hogue wants to move to bring in another big box retail store and professional business corridors that could bring in higher numbers for lunch traffic. This in turn would make Wylie more attractive towards sit-down restaurants like Chili’s. Mr. Hogue also wants to change the image of Wylie. He calls Wylie “the forgotten city of Collin County” and thinks Wylie should start acting like a city of 40,000 people.

Mr. Hogue believes the WEDC and the city staff has done a great job and they will need to continue to do so to fulfill the future of Wylie. In closing, Mr. Hogue mentioned that he realizes not everyone agrees with him on all the issues, but they support him because they believe he is the right man for the job.

City of Wylie Mayor John Mondy could have gone on talking about city issues all night if he was able. That “TIME” girl does show up quicker than one would think. Despite not being able to finish any questions, Mayor Mondy still made his points very effectively.

“Wylie is the 8th fastest growing city and I’m the Mayor of that city. I have been for 10 years. We created this vision and we delivered.” He stated that our Fire ISO top Rating, our low crime rate and our superior water system didn’t happen by themselves. “The people wanted this and they demand a high level of service. We’ve delivered.”

Mayor Mondy also said the key to success has been in hiring the right staff to get the job done. He hopes to provide better communication between the city and officials, though he does feel they have been pro-active in the past few years. He also stated they were re-engineering their already useful and valuable city website.

In closing, Mr. Mondy said “We have to work together to accomplish our goals because at the end of the day, we all go home here. We all live in this city. Sometimes we agree to disagree, but we still have to work together.”

In the next installment, I will recap the School Board Trustee candidates.

As of the April 10th deadline to file the “30 Days Before Election Day Campaign Finance Report”, only two of the 6 City Council/Mayoral candidates had turned in a report.

City Council Place 5 incumbent Rick White received $620 in campaign contributions and spent $620, with the bulk of the expenses going towards political signs.

Mayoral Candidate Eric Hogue reported $950 in campaign contributions. Expenses are reported at $963 with the majority of the expense going towards political signs.

As soon as the other candidates turn in the reports, the details will be summarized right here, on wylietoday.com.

1) How long have you lived in Wylie?

My wife Alicia and I moved to Wylie 11 years ago. We bought our first home here and we intend for it to be our last. We love what Wylie offers and are excited about Wylie’s future.

2) What is your vision of Wylie in 5 years?

Growth is inevitable but Wylie will still have that small town feel, charm and character. We will still have one of the lowest Crime Rates in the region and an ISO 1 Fire department. All the things that attracted all of us to Wylie will still be here. What will change is the 2005 bond projects the citizens voted for will be done. Transportation will be improved. The Library, Recreation Center, City Hall and Fire Station 3 will be completed. The Wells property will be on its way of becoming the premier park for the City of Wylie. The tax rate will be lowered as Wylie attracts more Retail to town so that our Tax dollars are spent right here in Wylie.

3) What is your vision of the Wells Property in 10 years?

One of the great things about the Wells property is it is basically in the center of Wylie. With the new Library, City Hall and Recreation Center being built there in the next few years I see the city municipal complex surrounded by a huge city park. Even with the size of the property and access to major roads, I would not support the selling off or giving away pieces of the property. We should maintain the land to benefit all citizens because it will be the largest green belt in the center of Wylie; a huge city park with something for everybody is what I envision.

4) What are you most proud of during your city government tenure?

I am very proud to have played a major part in the balanced growth stance on new housing being built in Wylie. Because of my efforts regarding the updated comprehensive land use plan and updated building requirements, we now have something to offer everybody. I am also proud of how my way of thinking with regard to new housing requirements has been accepted among my council peers. Working as a team on this endeavor is important and only benefits Wylie.

5) How can our tax rate, one of the highest in Collin County, see a decrease over the next 5 years?

One of the fastest and easiest ways to decrease tax burden is to attract more retail. The Public/Private partnerships with Direct Development (Super Target) and Greenway development are great examples of how the city can encourage development and put timelines on the incentives for the developers. These retail developments not only increase the property tax rolls (for both the city and school district) but they also collect sales tax dollars for the city. After careful consideration I will ensure that these endeavors do in fact benefit Wylie.

6) What experience do you have that qualifies you to lead the direction of a rapidly growing city with a population approaching 40,000?

I am the co-owner of a business that went nationwide in its first year of business with profits that continue to grow each year. In fact, even with the threat of a nationwide recession, my company is continuing to grow in excess of 10% a year. I believe my attention to detail and proactive project management allows me that success and I carry that over when I consider the fate of Wylie. I don’t assume, I ask questions and get informed to make informed decisions for our city.

7) Wylie is one of the safest cities in which to live. Our crime rate is low and has decreased 10% over the past 10 years. Wylie has an ISO 1 rating and working towards a National Rating for the Fire Department. What steps were taken to accomplish this during a time of rapid population expansion? What efforts need to be taken to ensure we continue to live in one of the safest cities around?

Wylie has done a great job investing in the people we hire and the equipment needed to perform the jobs of both the Fire and Police departments. Add to that, our Fire & Police Chiefs have set the bar very high for perspective employees. Most who apply do not meet the cut. This investment in our people shows as our Police and Fire Departments interact with the public. In addition council has been proactive in providing the tools needed for them to do the job at hand and I will continue to support the efforts of public safety to keep our city safe.

8 ) The streets and infrastructure in some parts of town are severely lacking for the traffic that passes through them daily. What has been done that might not be currently visible to the citizens to address this need? How can the roads not earmarked with funds for repair or new construction realize some improvement in the near future?

The one thing most people do not realize is that all items in the 2005 Bond are moving forward. Council accepted a very aggressive schedule with all bond projects scheduled to be completed by the 2010. Due to planning, design and land acquisitions for various projects it may appear that little is happening, however, very soon road construction will be taking place all over town. For roads not covered by the bond, it is imperative the mayor and/or council members meet with county and state representatives to ensure our needs are meet with county and state owned roads. We are, after all, the eight fastest growing city in the nation and our needs should be in the forefront of these representatives.

9) From what sources do you gather information before making a decision or vote?

Personally I gather information from both staff and citizens. I feel that it is very important to listen and learn from citizens, after all, the decisions we make on council affect their lives.

10) How long have you been on your current career path?

I’ve been in my current position for nine Years. I left corporate America to start my own consulting firm in the spring of 1999 and in December 1999, I started 911 Interactive Media, a nationwide company that grew from a simple idea I had. By the spring of 2002, I stopped consulting to focus all of my energy on 911 Interactive. Today I have a company that continues to grow double digits each year and currently employ five employees and 40 contractors.

11) What can be / has been done to achieve the most “bang for the buck” in regards to the new City Hall, Recreation Center and Library, considering the fluctuations in building materials since the bond was passed?

This may sound strange but the idea to build them all at once and not in phases is saving the city money. Because of increased construction cost due to Katrina, the more we delay construction the more it is going to cost to build. Once the Bonds were sold we were legally committed to building the projects. Building shells instead of complete buildings showed very little savings and would have cost more to complete later than sooner.

12) What are the biggest issues facing the city in the next 1 to 5 years? What plans or ideas do you have to solve these issues?

One of the biggest issues is keeping infrastructure current with our rapid growth and gain the attention of county and state representatives to help address these challenges. In addition we need to attract additional retail to help keep the rising property taxes in check and so that we are spending our sales tax dollars here in Wylie.

13) What’s your view on DART?

I am opposed to relinquishing a portion of our taxes to support DART. Personally I don’t see the local benefit of giving up our local 4A & 4B taxes (respectively Parks/Recreation and Wylie Economic Development Corporation) in order to fund DART. We need those tax dollars to benefit our Wylie. However, at the end of the day it will be the decision of the citizens of Wylie on whether or not Wylie should join DART. Should the citizens decide to vote DART in, I will do my best to ensure it’s done right and with minimal financial impact on the taxpayers.

14) We have seen positive growth in retail and industry business lately, but why can’t Wylie attract more sit down style restaurants like Chili’s?

The new retail that is coming to Wylie will help attract more restaurants. For instance the Woodbridge Crossing development plans show several pad sites in the front designed to attract restaurants. The retail in our city will become a shopping destination for those who live outside of Wylie. This makes Wylie more attractive to restaurant chains.

15) The previous two City Managers were released from duty with a large severance and no explanation to the citizens. Do you think the people of Wylie have a right to know what causes dismissals of such a high profile city employee? What reasons might prohibit the explanation from being released?

Severance packages were paid based on the employment contracts that the city and employee negotiated, agreed to and signed. Details of the reasoning for the City Managers leaving are protected by confidentially agreements. Think of it this way, if you were to leave your place of employment would you like for your employer to be discussing publicly the details of why you are no longer employed? Would you want those details public as you were looking for new employment? In all fairness to the employees, I think it is imperative that all the details are not public and trust be placed in the people we elect to serve on City Council. I know that my decision was weighed carefully and was in the best interest of Wylie.

16) Certain events over the past few years caused the proposal of a Code of Ethics. After several reviews of drafts, nothing was done one way or the other. Do you believe that a Code of Ethics is necessary? Why or why not?

One would think that a Code of Ethics would not be necessary but in today’s world perhaps it is. A Code of Ethics should be a guideline for how the council interacts with the public. I’ll be happy to support a Code of Ethics that ensures integrity is maintained at the Council level. We are the voice for the people; we must be professional, dignified and respectful in all that we do.

17) What steps have we taken to attract job producing business to Wylie? What additional steps can be taken to bring more revenue and job producing businesses to Wylie?

The Wylie Economic Development Corporation has been doing a great job over the last year to attract much needed retail and industrial businesses. And to help the WEDC, we must make Wylie attractive to these business owners. I believe the new hotel being built will assist with that as well as the new restaurants opening when Woodbridge Crossing is built.

18) In what ways have you made yourself a part of the community?

I have been an avid supporter of the Wylie Fire and Police departments for almost 10 years. My wife and I photograph police and fire incidents in Wylie whether it’s 4 in the afternoon or 2 a.m. in the morning and provide those photos to the local media to help promote our public servants. As a council member I have work with others as the Chair of the City Council and WISD Board, a member of the 4B Parks Board, and Chair of Ambulance Coalition board, in which I work with surrounding cities detailing involvement for medical assistance.

19) How do you feel about Wylie’s recreation programs for kids? What about the adults? If you feel it’s needed, how can this area see improvement over the next few years?

One the biggest problems we have with organized recreation is the lack of a space to hold such activities. The 2005 bond included a recreation center that was approved by the voters. Ground breaking for the recreation center will take place this summer and it should be complete in about two years. This should help alleviate some of the challenges with what we currently offer as well the expansion of Founders Park which now includes an additional 17 acres off Hensley and upgrades as voted in the bond. And in the future we will grow our recreational once Wells Property is on line.

20) You have a weekend all to yourself. No family, business, volunteer or charity events require your attention. What do you do?

I think I would be lost. I can not remember the last time I have had a weekend with out some kind of family, business or volunteer activity scheduled. The good thing is I enjoy spending time with and helping my family. I would not volunteer my time if I did not enjoy helping others and I love my job. So I have no problem with the sacrifices I have chosen even if it means I will never have a weekend to myself ever again.

Last week, I sent 20 questions to each of the 6 candidates for the May 10th election. The following is the schedule in which each candidate’s answers will be released on Wylie Today. Be sure to check in each day to read each candidate’s thoughts on issues like DART, economic development, road construction, ethics, the Wells property and much more.

City Council Place 5
4/8 - Rick White
4/9 - Chris Trout

City Council Place 6
4/10 - Ben Jones
4/11 - Carter Porter

City of Wylie Mayor
4/14 - Eric Hogue
4/15 - John Mondy

Chris Trout filed to run against Rick White in the 2008 City Council election today. Mr. Trout is a former City Council member, last serving in 2005 when he was defeated by Carter Porter. Mr. Trout lists his occupation as self-employed and as far as I know, he owns CT’s on 78 across from City Hall. He does not have a contact number listed.