Opinion: The Woodlands Township Board of Directors Election Guide – Beware of County Tea Parties’ Agenda

Four seats for The Woodlands Board of Directors are on the ballot in the general election on Tuesday, November 5. Three are contested.

One of these races has been unscrupulously debased by the County Tea Parties, who are endorsing an inexperienced neophyte with no history or record over a proven and experienced public servant, decorated veteran, and solid conservative who has delivered high value as a Township director during the past two years. Please be wary of the County tea parties’ special interest agenda.

I support these candidates for The Woodlands Township Directors:

• Brad Bailey (Pos. 1)
• Linda Nelson (Pos. 2)
• Richard Franks (Pos. 3)
• Craig Eissler (Pos. 4)

and I support these candidates for Montgomery County Hospital District (MCHD) Board of Directors elections:

• Jerry Bittner (At Large Pos. 1)
• Georgette Whatley (At Large Pos. 3)

County tea parties meddle in The Woodlands elections

The perennially disgruntled County tea parties claim to wear the conservative mantle but have pushed for bigger government and higher taxes that would come with incorporation of The Woodlands. Now they recommend an inexperienced and unknown candidate for Township Board, Elvin Misut, who would be most likely to bend to their County-Over-The-Woodlands agenda. Notably, Misut is the only current candidate for Township Board, aside from progressive candidate Jaime Viteri, that has not publicly disavowed incorporation.

In recommending Misut, the tea parties cynically and shamefully dismiss an experienced public servant and true conservative, Richard Franks, a decorated veteran who has proven himself with his success and accomplishments for our community as Township Director since he was elected two years ago.

Richard Franks created the Village Presidents’ Council to increase resident inputs in local governing, increased public communication about Township news, approved the first homestead exemption for all homeowners in The Woodlands, worked with the Texas legislature to recapture mixed beverage tax revenues for The Woodlands, approved the lowest ever township property tax rate, increased police funding, and increased safety patrols for Town Center and parking structures.

Richard has extensive public service and administration experience. In addition to being a decorated veteran and conservative, Franks is a long-time resident of The Woodlands and represents our entire community fairly and honorably.

Richard Franks has earned our support.

But that’s not good enough for the County tea parties, whose backers presumably want someone they can influence and control. That’s why they recommend Elvin Misut, who recently moved here from Seattle. While Elvin may be a nice guy, there is very little background information about him available, aside from what he says about himself. Information is scant.

What we do know about Elvin Misut from public voter records is that he has not voted in prior elections since moving first to Harris County and then The Woodlands. Now, as a candidate, he votes (presumably for himself) in the current election. Misut is a neophyte and is subject to influence from the wrong group. Sounds like a County tea party candidate to me...

Shame on the Montgomery County tea parties

I respect everyone’s right and courage to participate in our civic process as a candidate for public office. And I respect everyone’s right to vote for whomever they think will best serve the community. However, I find it unconscionable that so-called conservatives in the County agenda-driven tea parties would disgrace themselves by selecting an unproven neophyte with no record instead of a proven leader and decorated veteran with a solid track record of achievements for our community and country.

That is why I am supporting Richard Franks for Township Board Director.

For additional analysis and selection criteria for the candidates, see my candidate analysis in Woodlands Online.

Election day voters in Montgomery County may vote at polling locations in their precinct where they are registered to vote.

Yours truly,

Bruce Tough
Former Chairman, The Woodlands Township Board
Principal Attorney, Tough Law Firm