Incumbent mayor seeks another term

Mayor John Mondy has filed for re-election.

Mondy was first elected mayor in 1998. Before becoming mayor, he served five years as a member of Wylie City Council.

Mondy said there are still some things he would like to see the city accomplish “on his watch.”

For one thing, he said, he would like to see Wylie Fire-Rescue attain its national accreditation.

(This is the step above the ISO 1 rating the department has already received.)

Monday also said he wants to see ground broken for the new city hall, recreation center and library.

“I would at least like to see construction commence on the new facilitities,” he said, adding that construction of the new civic complex will probably be the biggest challenge on the horizon.

He said he would like to see Wylie continue to be one of the safest cities in Collin County and continue to offer the same excellent water delivery while continuing to work on developing a plan for water consumption and transportation needs.

“I would also like to work on trying to reduce the tax rate,” Mondy said. “The residents of Wylie have said they feel we have that need.”

He and his wife Sandy have two sons, Robert and James.

His family has lived in Wylie for 23 years.

He is self-employed and owns Servpro of Flower Mound.

He is chairman of the F.O. Birmingham Memorial Land Trust, an alumni of Texas Lyceum, and is a member of Collin County Community College Committee of 100.

Mondy has served on the Wylie ISD Education Foundation board and the Collin County Transportation Board Committee and is a member of the Wylie chapter of the Lions Club.

He received his bachelor’s degree in business and geology from Regis University in Colorado Springs and his associate degree from New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, N.M.

For more information, visit the Web site http://www.johnmondy.com/

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Former councilman hopes to return to civic government

FChris Trout has filed to run for City Council Place 5 against incumbent Rick White. Trout previously held a position on the Council; he served from 1998 until 2005 when he was defeated by Carter Porter.

Trout is the owner of CT’s C-Store, 1950 N. Hwy. 78 in Wylie. He and his wife have lived here since 1995; they have three children. He said his store “put Wylie on the map” when a winning Lottery ticket was purchased there in 1996.

Trout said he felt as if he was instrumental in laying the groundwork for some of the progress that has been made in the city, including such development as the SuperTarget-anchored Woodbridge Crossing. He said he feels the city needs to work on bringing more business to the area, thereby creating a more well-balanced community that will keep taxes lower for homeowners.

Trout also listed the opening up of the FM 544/Hwy. 78 corridor as some of the progress made during his time on the board. He said he would like to see more employment centers move to the area. Carlisle Coatings, he said, almost left the area. “Thanks to Sam Satterwhite and the Economic Development Corporation, working with the City Council, we were able to keep them here,” he said. He also said Extruders was “looking to move out” and a deal was reached so they could stay. The relocation of that company freed up real estate on which the Baylor Health facility, Subway, Starbucks and Texans Credit Union are now located, Trout said. “The EDC basically worked a deal with them to move off of Hensley, but not out of the city,” he said. “Luckily, we were able to come up with a plan to keep them here.”

He also said the moving of the railroad tracks was a huge economic boost to the area; it also happened during the time that he was a councilman. “The area opened up and allowed Walgreen’s to move in as well as Wylie Printing [to relocate],” he said, “and the [First Baptist] church was able to expand their parking lot. Old City Park’s frontage road was freed up; it all used to be railroad.”

He also said he was proud of and enjoyed the way the Council worked together at that time. “Whether or not we agreed or disagreed, once the issue was gone or the meeting was over, we just walked away,” he said.

Trout also served on the park board prior to his tenure on the Council, and he said through his business he supports local schools, the Chamber of Commerce, the Wylie Education Foundation, and the police department’s drug awareness program.

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Councilman running for second term

Civic buildings, street reconstruction, new business priorities for future, White says

Councilman Rick White has announced that he will seek re-election to his seat, Place 5, on the Wylie City Council. He is serving his first term; he was elected in 2005.

White said one of his top priorities if re-elected will be overseeing the completion of the 2005 bond projects.


“Construction is about to start on several of the bond projects: fire station three, library, recreation center, city hall, Founders Park and the reconstruction of FM 1378 and Brown Street,” he said. “As work starts on these projects, they will each present their own unique challenges, and I will be proactive to keep them on time and on budget.”

White said he feels that Wylie needs to continue pursuing business development.

“With regard to retail and commercial growth, the addition of Woodbridge Crossing and Greenway developments are not enough. The city needs to be proactive with attracting additional retail along the FM 544 and Hwy. 78 corridors. I will work with and encourage developers to help develop those corridors.”

White also said city safety is one of his priorities.

“Public safety is another area in which I will continue to be involved. ISO certification will be upon us again in the very near future. It is important to maintain our ISO 1 rating, as well as seek National Fire Accreditation.

(The ISO rating is given to fire departments by the Insurance Services Office, Inc. based on the department’s ability to provide the best fire protection available to its community. An ISO 1 is the highest possible rating.)

“We have one of the lowest crime rates in Collin County; therefore, it is important to continue to provide the support and tools for the police department to continue this trend.”

White has an associate degree in computer science from Texas State Technical College, and he owns and operates 911 Interactive Media, Inc., a company which he said he built “from a simple idea nine years ago from the ground up.” The company provides property damage/disaster notifications throughout the U.S. and Canada in “real time.”

White and his wife Alicia have been married 11 years and have lived in Wylie for all 11 of those years. He said they are active with the fire and police departments, assisting in the archiving of incidents.

For more information, visit the Web site www.rickforwylie.com.

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Electronic technician challenges Porter for Council Place 6

Bennie Jones, a former chef who is currently employed as a senior electronic supervisor for the city of Dallas, has filed for Wylie City Council Place 6, the seat currently held by Carter Porter.

According to his Web site, Jones, a Wylie Park and Recreation Board member for three years, feels the need to address youth violence, which he feels is on the rise in Wylie.

“Recognizing youth violence as a public health concern is imperative,” he said. “I think our community leaders and public safety experts should meet with Wylie young people and consult with city experts. We need to create a youth violence prevention program and engage in a deep discussion about the complex issues facing young people in our community.”

Jones has posted what he calls a “comprehensive framework for school violence prevention” on his Web site.

It includes schoolwide education, student counseling, alternative education, community involvement, identifying problems, determining objectives and evaluating measures and identifying options.” He said he wants to work with WISD as a team.

“Wylie is growing, and economic development is important,” Jones said on his Web site. “However, public safety should be strongly supported as well so that people will be attracted to live in Wylie as well as do business here.”

Jones said he has been involved with youth in Wylie, “sponsoring Hoop It Up, gathering young men to attend the Wylie parks for a game of basketball with myself and my sons or attend the movies on the weekends.”

“We need to create more programs that woulds cater to our young people; not saying that it is the city’s job to raise our kids, but when you have over 10,000 students in your schools and community, it would be to our advantage to help with programs to keep them busy.

“Most kids get home before their hard-working parents, and what do you think they are doing? They are the target of gang members, MySpace predators and individuals not in their best interest.

“Gangs are high tech now; they use text messages and MySpace to recruit our young people. Growing up in the southern part of Dallas, I feel I can help the city combat growing gang problems. I feel we are losing touch with our community and our young people.

“I want to support a plan to keep Wylie safe and vibrant with a small-town feel. I love my family, my job and living in Wylie.”

He also said he emphasizes recreational facilities as being a draw to the community. “Good schools and recreational facilities are constantly listed among the most desired attributes of a neighborhood or town,” Jones said. “As a park board member, I know the needs and capabilities of our Parks and Recreation Department. As your Council member, I will work to bring new and upgraded facilities to Wylie.”

The candidate was born in Dallas and moved to Globe, Ariz., at the age of 6. He said it was a small town where “everybody knew each other and worked together.”

His parents moved the family back to Dallas after Jones had completed fifth grade; he returned to public school in the DISD. He graduated in 1987 and began a career as a chef, then completed the certification process to become a Master Technician and was technical supervisor for a cable company for 14 years. He is currently a senior electronic technician at Dallas City Hall and said he has “found his place as a civil servant.”

“What I am hoping to do for Wylie is what I see every day at the city of Dallas,” he said, explaining why he feels his current position will make him the best candidate for Place 6. “Economic development, transportation, public safety – everything that has to do with running the city of Dallas, I’m there.”

He has been “happily married,” he said, for 19 years to his wife Antoinette. They have two sons, Brian, who is a WHS graduate, and Bennie Jr., who is a sophomore. Jones said he has “been blessed to attend the same small church for over 25 years.”

“My dad always said, ‘Work hard for what you want, and if you don’t bring a solution for the problem, be quiet.’
“I’m excited about the opportunity to be a voice for our community.”

His Web site is www.vote4benniejones.com.

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Councilman hopes to secure second term

CCouncilman Carter Porter has filed for re-election to his Place 6 spot on Wylie City Council.

Porter is finishing up his first three-year term, and was mayor pro tem last year. He served for six years on the planning and zoning board, three of which he was vice chairman. He has also been a member of the Downtown Merchants Association of Wylie for six years.

Porter said he was motivated to seek a second term due to “the encouragement of so many wonderful citizens of Wylie, my understanding of the laws and regulations surrounding the governmental process and the operations of Wylie city government.”

In addition to city government, Porter has served the area in another capacity.

“My election to the North Central Council of Governments brings with it an intergovernmental relationship with the leaders of the region’s 16 counties and over 230 member governments. I am the first representative to that regional planning agency ever elected in Wylie.”

Porter also said his profession makes him more available to serve.

“I am independently employed and have the capacity and ability to meet the ever-increasing and expected scheduling pressures of an elected official in Wylie.”

Porter works as a realtor with Coldwell Banker Apex Realty. He had previously been employed by Keller Williams Realty; he was with that company for three years.

Prior to entering the real estate profession, he owned and operated the Wylie Gallery and Frame Shop in downtown Wylie for six years.

Porter said the city’s growth provides both challenges and opportunities.

“Because Wylie is considered one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas with a 134 percent increase since 2000, we are rapidly transitioning from a small country town to a city of note in the Metroplex. We are the gateway for Northeastern Collin County to the Metroplex because of our location between Lake Lavon and Lake Ray Hubbard, and for that reason we have great potential as a supply and service resource for the 35,000+ citizens living further out in the country. That is a sales tax boon for Wylie, but in order for us to capitalize on that potential we must provide the infrastructure and planning that enables business to easily locate in our town to provide all those products and services that both Wylie and the outlying communities require.

“Forward-thinking management will be the key to securing Wylie’s potential in the coming years as well as its entire future.”

Porter holds a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture biology with a major in entomology from New Mexico State University. He and his wife Christie have been married for 13 years; she is a senior quality manager with Raytheon in Garland where she has worked for 24 years. Porter said he met his wife while they were both employed at E-Systems, which was later purchased by Raytheon.

Regarding his qualifications for re-election, Porter said, “Think of elected officials as the board of directors for a corporation with a $71 million annual budget,” he said.

“The citizens of Wylie are all stockholders in the corporation, and they should elect city officials with the same qualities as an outstanding corporate board of directors. Those officials must have the ability to be there when you need them. That means any time a board meeting is called or any time representation is needed for any reason.

“They should have the knowledge, personality, skill and experience to make the best decisions for the ‘corporation’ as a whole. The ability of the ‘corporation’ to get good loan rates from Wall Street are partially based on a stable base of directors/elected officials. Additionally, some funding, purchases and contracts will be based on the relationship those officials have with the surrounding ‘corporations.’ Get the experience to run your ‘corporation/city’ … it will prove out in the returns on the investments Wylie makes in its future.”

For more information, visiti the Web site www.carterforwylie.com

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Two-term trustee seeks re-election

Ronni Fetzer, a Wylie ISD Board of Trustees member since May of 2002, has filed for re-election to Place 1.
Fetzer is a reserve analyst with J.W. Operating Company, a privately held gas producing company in Addison; she holds a bachelor’s degree in mineral land management from the University of Colorado. She said she decided to run again because of the challenges still facing the board regarding the decision to go to two four-year high schools.

“I’m running again to support the ongoing transition into multiple high schools for both students and teachers,” she said. “I’m excited by the progress WISD has made during this time of rapid growth and am committed to providing the highest educational opportunities for the students in our community.”

Fetzer said she is committed to employing top-notch teachers and compensating them competitively as well as continuing to stay on top of the needs for more and improved facilities.

“As WISD’s student population grows and diversifies, our biggest challenges will be providing enriching learning experiences while continuing to retain and attract the best educators in the area.

“Our financial challenges are also growing. Today, a critical financial challenge is providing competitive salaries in a market where we share borders with some of the wealthiest districts in the state. WISD’s salaries comprise approximately 80 percent of our current budget.

Maintaining and improving older facilities while providing just-in-time new facilities and staying on top of technology advances are also critical components of our current operations and future planning.”

Fetzer said she feels she has several key attributes that she continues to bring to the trustee table.

“I’m a strong supporter of the districtwide implementation of the Schlecty Foundation’s ‘Working on the Work’ framework. This framework provides strategies to develop and share engaging lessons that achieve more sustained learning.”

She also said she is staying up to date with regard to Wylie’s performance compared to other districts. “I continue to challenge the administration to look at success stories both inside and out of our district to achieve higher academic performance.”

Fetzer said she continues to listen to what the community wants the board to hear.

“I’m open to the points of view of teachers, students, administrators, parents and community members,” she said. “They have changed my position on some important school issues.”

Fetzer also said she is a proponent of the trustees’ partnership with Wylie City Council. “I promote joint efforts to share facilities and property to stretch the use of taxpayer dollars,” she said.

Fetzer and her husband Bill have been married for 27 years and have four children. Their daughter Karen is married with two daughters; her husband is stationed at McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Wash. Sons Danny and Andy are both WHS graduates; Danny will graduate in May from Texas A&M, and Andy is currently working in Plano. Allie is a senior at Wylie High School and plans to attend Texas A&M in the fall. Allie is a member of That Wylie Band, for which Fetzer has chaperoned.

Fetzer said she would like voters to know that she has been involved with Wylie and the school district for many years and in a variety of roles. “I’ve been involved with Wylie schools since my kiddos have been in school on PTAs, campus and district improvement committees and two terms on the school board,” she said.

She also said she’s been involved with helping children be successful by serving as a Sunday school teacher at St. Anthony Catholic Church and as a soccer coach with the Wylie Soccer Association, and she’s been an “active parent” with WISD Band Boosters, Scouting, teen ministry and foster care.

“I was a City Council member and mayor pro tem for the city of St. Paul prior to being elected to the WISD school board. I’m currently the secretary on the [Wylie school] board and have recently been endorsed as a candidate to the executive board of the North Texas Area Association of School Boards, she said.

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Trustee hopeful feels human resource background would be useful during transition

Barbara Ann Goss has announced her candidacy for Place 1 on the Wylie ISD Board of Trustees; Place 1 is currently held by Ronni Fetzer.

Goss is the wife of Wylie Councilman Dave Goss. She is an account manager for a software company, Hrsmart. The company develops human resource-related software.

Goss said she has spent over four years working in the human resources field; she was employed, she said, by two companies that merged with other companies. “A large portion of my responsibility included working with the employees through the change and transition process.”

She said she was instrumental in communicating to all personnel regarding the “overall corporate strategy,” and she believes this experience would be beneficial to the community regarding the new high school transition plan.

“People handle change in different ways,” Goss said. “I have found that the more communication is given through that process the more receptive people are to it.”

She said she thinks more communication is needed between the school board and the community. “As we start to put ‘concrete’ plans in place there need to be regular updates going out to the public. We don’t want to be in the position where the parents and the kids do not understand what schools they will be attending and how those choices were made.”

Goss said she has attended the majority of trustee meetings for the past several years; she recalled the meeting attended by parents of students in the Creekside housing development.

“When the district lines were originally drawn last year for the elementary schools, the children at Creekside would have changed elementary schools for the fourth time in four years. Several of the parents came to the board, and it was changed.

“It is the job of the board to realize how the changes will affect these children. I do not believe it is a good idea to transition any one set of kids that many times in four years. I think the board should have had the forethought to recognize such an issue prior to the parents requesting a review of the school district line.

“I believe we can and should do better. There are a lot of things our current trustees do well. However, these are some issues I see where we can improve, and I believe I can assist in this.”

Goss is concerned, she said, with “going into the transition period without plans in place.” She said she would like to see a strong health and science program at Wylie East and that she would like to meet with principals Mike Williams and Gary Brown about upcoming changes.

She attended Texas Tech University, working toward a business administration degree. She and her husband have two children, Austin, a fifth-grader at Harrison Intermediate, and Ashley, 4, who will soon attend kindergarten at Akin Elementary.

“If I am elected I will look at the big picture. I will plan for the issues ahead when making changes for issues of today,” Goss said.

Filing for school board continues until 5 p.m. March 10.

Candidate packets are available at the WISD Education Center, 951 S. Ballard Ave.
The election will be May 10.

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James files for re-election

Ralph James has filed for re-election to his Wylie ISD school board seat.

The retired pilot for American Airlines has served on the board of trustees for nine years and said it has been exciting to see the district go through so many changes in that time.

“When I was first elected to the school board nine years ago Wylie had seven schools,” James said. “Beginning next year Wylie will have 17 schools plus the Special Programs Center. It has been exciting to be a part of this growth. In addition to the new schools, we have seen a new transportation center, a football stadium, a food service center/storage facility and several other smaller projects. My desire is to continue to be a part of this district and the challenges it possesses.”

James said the new high school configuration is the key challenge facing the board.

“There will always be projects, policy developments and changes in the district. Currently the major development is the opening of a second four-year high school. Wylie East High School will soon be a four-year high school, and decisions are currently being made as to when and how we arrive at that point.”

He said there is always room for improvement.

“Improving education for the students is ongoing in any school district. In my opinion the staff of the WISD is the finest you will find anywhere. It is our job to see that we reward all employees whenever we can for the great job they do for the entire district.”

Ronni Fetzer’s seat is up for re-election, and a special election is being held regarding the seat that Baron Cook filled when Eric Lindsey moved from the area. The regular school board positions are for three years; there is one more year left in Cook’s term of service.

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Griffin files against Place 2 trustee incumbent

James R. Griffin has filed to run against incumbent Ralph James for Place 2 on the Wylie ISD Board of Trustees.

Griffin has a Bachelor of Science in secondary education from Indiana University (’91) and a bachelor’s degree in urban/regional planning from Murray State University (’85). He is currently employed as a customer service associate for Lowe’s Home Improvement in Allen.

He said he wants to serve as a WISD trustee for many reasons.

“I desire to see that the Wylie ISD continues to provide our students with quality programs and instruction and to build and grow additional programs that will properly equip students to meet the challenges of the future.

“Of great importance to me is the proper planning and management that will be required as the district goes to multiple high schools,” he said. “I also want to make sure that district resources are appropriately managed while still providing a quality education and to assure district patrons that their school dollars are spent wisely.”

Griffin said he brings some talents and experience to the table that would be of benefit to the district in the coming years. He moved to Wylie in 2005, but had lived here for a brief time between 1986-’88; at this time, he worked for the lead engineering firm that was planning the DART project in Dallas.

He also said his background in urban planning will be a plus, in addition to his years of experience in customer service, both with Lowe’s where he has been employed for eight years and at other companies. He worked for three years as a travel agent and two as a customer service / inside sales representative for a sportswear marketing company.

Mostly, he said, his interest is in taking care of the students of Wylie schools and the years of transition to come. Griffin’s list of “campaign focal points” include:

• Ensuring smooth transition to two nine-12 high schools, culminating with the first graduating class of Wylie East in 2012;

• Requiring all future bond elections to include requests by line item (no more blank check) as was done for recent City of Wylie Bond (2005);

• Developing better means of communication between WISD and district patrons which include students, parents, teachers and the community;

• Implementing AVID program (Achievement Via Individual Determination) to include intermediate, junior high and high school grade levels;

• Continuing development of dual language program;

• Working to implement magnet-style programs that are unique to each high school campus;

• Developing build-out plan for district facilities to avoid having to catch up with growth in the district, build facilities only when needed and start the process for determining what the district student population will be at build-out;

• Working to build good working relationship with the municipalities that make up the district: Wylie, Sachse, Murphy, St. Paul, Lucas and possibly Rockwall should they annex into Collin County. Each of these communities has an impact on student population. There is potential development that could occur outside the city of Wylie that may affect future enrollment;

• Exploring opportunities to partner with Collin College (or other area colleges) to offer college-level courses at each high school.

Griffin said he feels the district has “great teachers and staff,” but the district could be even better if it would take certain steps, such as implementing “better and more open lines of communication.”

“This is most likely the greatest concern I have heard in the community regarding WISD,” he said. “It is critical that the stakeholders of our district (parents, students, teachers and community) not feel that their voice is ignored or lost in the shuffle. Now that the district student enrollment is over 11,000, it is imperative that the district be mindful of parental and community concerns as they arise and not let situations turn into serious issues like has occurred with the dress code modifications.”

He also said he is in favor of better pay and incentives for teachers.

“Our teachers in WISD work hard for our kids but are paid less than teachers in neighboring districts. What is amazing, though, is many choose to stay with the district despite receiving lower pay as compared to other districts.

Griffin also said the district should “recognize and understand the importance of diversity within the community.” He said this is an aspect that will continue to have a major impact in the district and he feels the district must be “proactive rather than reactive.”

“I strongly believe that WISD needs to ensure that no student, parent or staff feels uncomfortable or unwelcome in our schools.”

Griffin is a member of the Wylie Chamber of Commerce, the Wylie Lions Club – Evening Branch and St. Anthony Catholic Church. He has served on the Wylie Board of Zoning Adjustments (’87), Citizens Bond Advisory Board (’05) and currently serves on the Library Advisory Board. He is a graduate of Leadership Wylie (’06). He has volunteered for the WHS wrestling team for the past three years, has been a member of the Wylie Athletic Booster Club and is a Wylie Pirate Football season ticket holder. He said he was briefly employed as a substitute teacher in WISD and has attended many school board meetings as well as all three public forums about the high school configuration.

“I am deeply concerned that we as a school community provide our kids with the best opportunities for academic success and the skills necessary to have productive lives as adults. If given the opportunity to be a WISD trustee, I will work diligently to see that the district provides the best education possible for our students.”

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Cook to seek re-election to school board

In 2007 when Eric Lindsey resigned from Place 4 on the Wylie ISD Board of Trustees due to relocation, the board asked D. Baron Cook to fill his unexpired term.

Though Lindsey’s elected term actually would have continued until 2009, Cook’s temporary appointment was only through May of 2008. He must now run in a special election to continue to serve the last year of the term.

Cook said he was honored that the trustees asked him to take Lindsey’s place. He said the board expressed the concern to him that, with so many issues vital to the success of Wylie schools upcoming, it was important to have a person with experience on the board. Cook had served as a trustee from 1999 to 2000.

“We’ve got some real, real major issues in front of us,” he said, speaking mainly of the transition to multiple four-year high schools. “Decisions include how to pay for it, the direction of the district, boundaries … there appears to be a bond in front of us. Having gone through some of these things, having been involved in some of these decisions, I think I bring some experience to the board that is important at this time.”

He said although some of the newer members have almost served a year on the board, there is still the need for experienced trustees to assist in some of the important and difficult decisions ahead.

“I believe I can continue to bring a little stability to the board and can assist in the upcoming transition period,” he said.

Cook is one of the owners of Commonwealth Land Title in town. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics from Baylor University.

He and his wife Lisa live in Wylie with two daughters, Catherine, a sophomore at Baylor, and Caroline, a sophomore at Wylie High School.

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Goff files for school board