#BrisbyforPlace6 talks to local media about platform and current issues in Bryan, Texas

I recently answered questions for the Bryan/College Station Eagle newspaper related to my campaign for the At-Large, Place 6 seat on the Bryan City Council. 

1) Why are you running for City Council?

At the core of my existence, I love Bryan, because Bryan as a whole is the village that raised me. Now, as I enter the next chapter of the brief time I have here on Earth, I want to give those years to Bryan in service, paying it forward. With this in mind, I went into deep prayer and meditation about the sacrifice it would take to become a successful elected official. I emerged with three rocks and a sling shot prepared to face the challenges before us. In that same breathe, I chose Place 6, because the entire city of Bryan must stand with me in order to accomplish this mission. I cannot think of any higher civic honor to pursue at this juncture of my life.

2) What experience or qualities do you have that you would bring to the position?

At 33, I’ve gone through a tedious pruning process, which God’s used to prepare me for moments such as this one. My work and service career spans 18 years, and began at a McDonald’s located in the Briarcrest Wal Mart Super Center in 1998. Each job I held from high school and throughout my 20s, I earned a promotion into a leadership position (McDonald’s, Briarcrest Pizza Hut, Finish Line in Post Oak Mall, Citibank in downtown Bryan). I believe this speaks to my relentless work ethic, communications skills, ability to relate to people from different walks of life, and the fact that I genuinely do care about the next man or woman’s well-being. Most recently, from August 2014 to July 2015, I served in the capacity of Vice President of Lending & Counseling Operations at the Brazos Valley Affordable Housing Corporation, a subsidiary of the Brazos Valley Council of Governments. In this role, I listened to people’s concerns about affordable housing, financial literacy, and community development, sometimes non-stop. Then I’d huddle with likeminded people to generate short-term and long term solutions; some yet to be realized. For example, I sat at the table with decision makers at the City of Bryan, City of Navasota, City of Somerville, Bryan ISD, Kent Moore Cabinets, Neutral Posture, Bryan Housing Authority, and Project Unity among others and brokered partnerships for the Affordable Small Dollar Loan Program, an alternative lending option to pay day and auto title lenders. Currently, I am an emerging real estate professional with Executive Real Estate Services working to build a pipeline of first-time homebuyers by hosting homebuyer education and do-it-yourself credit building workshops. As far as education; I studied Urban Planning at the undergraduate level at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. Morehouse is the same all-male small private liberal arts school that produced Martin Luther King. I went on to study Land & Property Development at the Master’s level at Texas A&M’s College of Architecture. I believe my education is something that sets me apart in this race. In the end though, like so many others, I’ve faced a variety of adversity and defeats. I know what it feels like to be face down on the mat, and have to pull yourself up. The intangible asset that qualifies me is having a definite purpose for my life, and that purpose closely relates to the work we must do here in Bryan deep into the 21^st century.  

3) What do you think are the two biggest issues or challenges facing Bryan?

I believe like so many others, our city needs to improve its infrastructure; better streets, improved building structures along Texas Avenue, a more efficient public transit system; these perpetual improvement areas must be addressed. We may not be able to do some of the things College Station does infrastructure wise, because our city is older, but there are models around the country we can follow, if not come up with our own ideas. I met Mayor Berry and a few other College Station residents after the Chamber forum the other night. Many of them applaud the ideas I put forth for Bryan at the forum. Notwithstanding, aside from our highest income earners, we have a somewhat different demographic of people in Bryan. Similarly, what’s near to my heart is new housing stock at the price point most suitable for our workforce. We have many families where dad makes $15 an hour and mom makes $12 an hour. That’s about $56K annual gross household income. That family can comfortably afford a home in the $120-$150 range. Or take a single mother who is a CNA making $15 an hour, and gets some sort of supplemental income for both her young children. The way mortgages are originated now, she too can afford to buy a home. Current council is scratching the surface on projects that will bring moderately priced housing in North Bryan at the price point I mentioned, and I do not mind one bit coming on board to champion that cause; making sure it happens. High net worth individuals as well as organizations like the Federal Home Loan Bank, community development financial institutions (CDFIs), and Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs are looking for cities ambitious to make homeownership real for more Texans.  

4) Why should voters choose you over your opponents?

This is my life’s work: For those who have followed my trajectory the past decade, you know my preparation for this moment is substantial and high level. For others, you’ll get to see it now. I do not have the signs, financial or political backing of my two opponents. As a matter of fact, to this point, I have not raised a single dollar, and all of that is strategic and by choice. From becoming a first-generation college graduate to my extensive research and practical professional applications in the fields of community and economic development; mine’s is an American success story Bryan will be proud to have produced, and further its growth. Chiefly, adding value to the people, places, and things I interact with is an innate part of my DNA, it’s who I am. I could not stop if I wanted to, and I have the track record to prove it. I’ve been around the table waiting and preparing for my time, sharping my axe. Many of the power brokers of the city either know my work or know of my work. While some may feel a certain type of way about me having council level influence, that does not take away from the fact I am the best candidate. Look at the tale of the tap. Much of the work I continue to do is stealth by design, but this is the moment where I step in the ring wearing blue and silver like the true Bryan Viking I am. I believe our city will vote quality over quantity.

5) Are you satisfied with the city's efforts to attract businesses here, and, if not, what would you do differently or suggest? Under what circumstances – if any- should a business be offered a tax abatement or other incentive?

As it relates to business attraction, when the Axis Piping Company decided to break ground here in 2013, it became one of the largest wins in the entire state of Texas. More than 300 jobs at 40K+ per year with plenty room to grow, all things remaining constant. We can’t overlook that. Likewise, attracting businesses is like courting a woman, it’s always give and take, so yes, I believe offering mutually beneficial tax abatements or incentives is necessary in that process. Especially if it means people are earning a living and money is circulating in our city; fair trade was never robbery. Likewise, the Bryan Business Council along with, the Research Valley Partnership do good work for our region. Contrarily, I look at their decisions makers, and I am worried, because we have to be more inclusive by allowing 30 somethings and more socioeconomic diversity on these boards. We all experience a different America, and what’s good for one is not always what’s good for all; collaboration that crosses barriers is what thriving cities of the future will use to get to where they want to be. Let’s talk for a minute about business creation right here in Bryan. The millennial generation (those born 1980-2000) by the numbers is even larger than the Baby Boom Generation, and filled with a dynamically diverse set of innovators. I say we target more of the many growth industries of this global economy (information systems, shared spaces, education, mental health counseling, sustainable development) and push for more business incubators, more ‘Shark Tank’ like opportunities, more city backed or approved programming ending in local job creation. This type of programming generates export services and tax dollars. What I am suggesting is we can help guide more of the next generation towards targeted career and business paths while creating opportunities to thrive within them here in Bryan. In short, we must retain our best young minds or we’ll leave for the big city, and we don’t have to, because an abundance of land, labor, and capital is right here.

6) What do you think of the current council's emphasis on making improvements to Bryan's parks system? Do you think that's a worthy use of hotel occupancy tax funds and city dollars?

I believe improved parks is a vital part of what’s on the horizon for our city. I do not think it is as important as affordable housing, financial literacy programming, youth development, or business creation. If you do not already know about it, look up Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. In the most immediate future, our city needs to address its elephant in the room which is poverty. Look at the communities within one mile of our beautiful downtown. At the bottom (the foundation of Maslow’s Hierarchy) are things like employment, resources, health, and food. We need to work on infrastructure and put systems in place that help meet these needs, because a convoy of ships can only go as fast as its slowest vessel. That MLK Corridor, North of there, and West of there near Jane Long, we need to mobilize these vital human resources. When people achieve economic mobility, they become self-sufficient and have more buying power, they become homeowners, and they ultimately help increase our city’s tax revenue. As it directly relates to hotel occupancy and tax funds, I’d like to look at using some of those dollars to help create some sort of destination, a place that attracts out of towners into our city overnight for recreational purposes. Kyle Field is a destination, Veteran’s Park is a destination, and places like Water World are destinations. If Bryan can build something within the same train of thought that people will drive from out of town to visit, I’d like to take a closer look at it. First, I want to make sure the 80,000 residents living here have a high quality of life; remember Maslow. That’s where I stand on that issue.