Citizen committee starts to take shape to help craft Denton’s next big bond package
People attend a candidate forum April 20 in the council chambers at City Hall. Denton’s leaders have discussed proposing a new city hall as part of an upcoming city bond package. City staff estimate that a new city hall would cost $70 million to $100 million.
With input from the Denton community, the new Special Citizen Bond Advisory Committee will be determining what the city bond should include when it appears on the November ballot. Several projects have been proposed, from improvements to Mingo Road and Ruddell Street to a new city hall with a price tag of $70 million to over $100 million, depending on whether it includes a parking garage.
When to appoint 28 of those 40 committee members unfolded in a contentious City Council meeting in early March. It ended with council members voting 4-2 to move forward with nominations despite the lack of representation in District 4 and the then-upcoming election.
“We can’t put this on our staff,” Mayor Gerard Hudspeth said in early March. “Look at the hiring and the staffing issues. … How can we as bosses ask our staff to spend additional time and do something that can’t be done?”
Last week, one nomination by council member Chris Watts was confirmed, as were 10 of the 12 nominations that the members of the Bond Oversight Committee received. Seat 4 and 11 remain vacant.
Twenty-six nominations by council members will be voted on at the Tuesday night City Council meeting. Each council member received four appointments to the new committee. The list of nominations released by the city shows nominations for District 4 were made by Watts and Hudspeth. Residents there have been without district representation since they recalled their council member in November.
The newly elected District 4 council member, Joe Holland, takes office Tuesday night.
“While I know the special citizens committee will be making recommendations to council, I hope that everyone in Denton will participate and be informed, whether by providing input to the committee or watching the meetings in person or on the stream,” Hudspeth said Friday, a few hours before the list of nominees was made available to the public. “A variety of viewpoints working together for Denton during this process will all come together for the best recommendation to council.”
District 1
District 1 council member Vicki Byrd nominated Marie Trevino, Aida Urquidez, Jill Eckhardt and former council member Kevin Roden. She said they are “committed to the love for the city, will be open-minded and will respect the process.”
Roden was chosen because of his history on the council and his understanding of the process, Byrd said. A longtime resident, he’s also small business owner.
“An economic development mindset is useful,” Byrd said.
Trevino works for Denton ISD in adult education. Byrd called her a “big-picture thinker,” which she said is needed in this space.
Urquidez has a background in education, a dedication to Denton and a familiarity with Denton ISD’s processes, which Byrd said would be useful.
An employee of Texas Woman’s University, Eckhardt lives in the northwestern sector of the district, which Byrd said historically hasn’t voiced nearly as many questions, comments or concerns as other sectors. Byrd is offering that sector a chance to do so with her selection of Eckhardt.
District 2
District 2’s Brian Beck was looking for three things in his nominees: familiarity with Denton, insight into the types of activities in the bond proposals, and a willingness to “get into the weeds” and not simply be constrained by what is presented at the outset but to also seek the smartest consensus alternative.
He wanted someone who was “bold in advocacy while listening to others who were similarly bold in advocacy.”
Since the bond includes mobility, public administration and sustainability proposals, Beck nominated city Sustainability Framework Advisory Committee member Brand Richter; Lauren Fisher, a University of North Texas professor in public administration; Traffic Safety Commission member Kristine Bray and Mendie White, the Neighborhood Services and Sustainability manager for the city of Lewisville.
District 3
District 3 member Jesse Davis picked nominees for their experience, advocacy and knowledge. They include Peggy Capps, Suzi Rumohr, former council member Linnie McAdams and David Shuck, the former mayor of Providence Village.
A strong advocate for seniors, McAdams is also president of the Denia Area Community Group. Davis nominated her for what he called her extensive experience in Denton and her advocacy to include a new senior center in the bond package.
Capps is known as the “grand dame of historical preservation in Denton,” Davis said. She’s also a veteran of bond committees and a passionate advocate for the arts. Davis nominated her because she is knowledgeable about Denton arts and history in connection to the City Hall projects proposed in the bond package.
Davis called Rumohr an advocate of roadway safety, bike and pedestrian issues, and sustainable development. He nominated her to make sure those issues are “front of mind as they consider the bond package.”
A former member of the parks board, Shuck is an advocate for recreation, health and fitness and a “measured and thoughtful public servant and will offer useful insights on all aspects of the package, especially the recreation aspects,” Davis said.
Council member-elect Paul Meltzer, who will be taking over the District 3 spot, reaffirmed two of Davis’ nominations: McAdams and Rumohr. He also nominated Randy Hunt from Historic Denton and Diana Leggett, founder and president of WildRescue/Rabbit Rescue, who ran against Davis for City Council District 3 in 2019 and for Denton County judge as a Democrat in 2018.
District 4
Holland, who was elected May 6, didn’t have any nominations listed, but should have the opportunity to submit them, said Stuart Birdseye, a city spokesperson.
According to the list of nominees provided by the city, Watts appointed Julie Remski, a veteran county poll volunteer and a former secretary of the Robson Ranch Republican Club, to serve on the committee for District 4.
Hudspeth submitted three names to be considered at Tuesday’s council meeting, two of whom Davis also selected for District 3: Capps and Shuck.
Hudspeth’s other nominee for District 4 was Groggy Dog’s Jeff Bowerman.
Place 5
At-large council member Brandon Chase McGee nominated Bertram Jennings, Eva Poole, Larry Lewis and Natalie Nichelson. Poole is the former head of the Denton Public Library. Lewis is the founder and CEO of The Impact Institute for Leadership, Transformation, Innovation and Student Achievement. A retired CPA, Natalie Nichelson is the director of operations at the Denton Black Film Festival.
McGee didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Place 6
Watts, the at-large Place 6 council member and a former mayor, also didn’t respond to requests for information. He submitted three nominations for the May 16 council meeting:
- Kimberly Thaggard, the western director for iTeachUS and former leader of the Denton Benefit League and the Denton Woman’s Club
- Davis, who will be stepping down as District 3 council member, and an assistant district attorney for Denton County
- Harry Eaddy, the executive director of the Denton Black Film Festival
Mayor
Hudspeth nominated people who he said have a “holistic view of the bond process and look at the needs of the whole community.”
Hudspeth’s nominations include Byron Woods, Verus Commercial business manager Keri McGovern and Brian Danhof, quality manager for Peterbilt. The mayor has one nomination still pending verification, so that person’s name wasn’t included on the nominee list.
CHRISTIAN McPHATE can be reached at 940-220-4299 and via Twitter at @writerontheedge.
