Local News: Madison Files for City Council After Losing County Commissioner Primary

Sphere: Related Content Berry, Madison File for City Seats
By Cassie Smith

From the Bryan-College Station Eagle

Bryan City Councilman Paul Madison on Wednesday filed to run for re-election in the May municipal election, one day after losing his Democratic primary bid for a Brazos County commissioner seat.

Irma Cauley won the Precinct 4 commissioner race with nearly 63 percent of votes.

Madison, 62, will seek his fourth term in the Single Member District 2 seat and said he hopes his experience and track record speak for themselves.

"It's exciting that I'll be able to work with the individuals on the City Council to try and move the projects and the budget to where it should be," he said.

Madison, who has lived in the community his whole life, said he'd like to follow through on projects and ensure that cost-cutting measures are made to help the city keep a balanced budget.

"I believe I've done what the citizens have asked of me, otherwise I don't think they would have elected me back to back," he said.

No one else has filed to run for the seat. Candidates have until Monday to file; the last day for someone to withdraw is March 16.

Three other seats are open in Bryan. Mayor Mark Conlee is in a runoff for Brazos County judge with Duane Peters.

Mayor Pro Tem Jason Bienski, a real estate agent, and Mitch Morehead, the owner of Acme Glass and a former council member, are running for mayor.

Bettye Pool and Chuck Konderla are running for the Single Member District 3 seat, which is Bienski's current position, and Councilman Al Saenz is running for re-election to the Single Member District 1 seat.

In College Station, former City Councilwoman Nancy Berry filed paperwork this week to run against Mayor Ben White.

Berry served on the City Council from 2004 to 2006 and she said she offers more than 25 years of leadership in local, regional and state organizations.

Berry said she likes White, but doesn't think he is taking the city in the right direction.

Under his leadership, voters' voices aren't being heard, she said. Residents told the council on numerous occasions they are not interested in a convention center, a new City Hall and a senior center, yet the council continues to move forward with plans on all three, she said.

She said the city is spending too much on litigation and isn't cooperating effectively with Bryan and Brazos County officials. Last year, the city spent $1.1 million on outside legal fees -- which is the same amount of the current budget shortfall, she said, adding that the city also spent $300,000 on consultants for the convention center.

"I think the city needs to be great. We're really good and we're a well-educated community and the community has high expectations, as they should. ... What I think we need to do, and we have not been doing under Ben White, is that we're getting into businesses that are not the city business," she said.

Berry said she also thought the Wellborn community needed to be given a voice and the city needs to be more environmentally friendly.

Also in College Station, Jess Fields, owner of Texas Avenue Cigars, and Tony Jones, who has lived in the community 42 years, filed to run for the Place 2 seat on the council, a position held by James Massey, who said he will not run again.

Both city councils consist of seven members and are elected for alternating three-year terms. The Bryan council has one at-large seat and five single-member districts. The College Station City Council does not have single-member districts.

Published on Thursday, March 04, 2010