February 17, 2003

Friendswood City Council 

Friendswood City Council Member Kim Brizendine announced at Monday night's meeting of the city council that he will resign his council position to run for mayor. 

The announcement came after the city council voted to call the May 3 election to elect a new mayor, and fill two city council seats.

Brizendine, who was elected to Position 4 on the city council in 1998, still has one year on his term, that will be filled in the May 3 election. 

“I’m not afraid at all to become mayor," Brizendine said.  "It’s the right time for me."

Mayor Harold Whitaker, who has served two terms, will not seek re-election. “I plan to take some time off and travel with my wife.” 

Whitaker previously served 12 years as a board member on the Clear Creek Independent School District and six years as a Friendswood city council member. “It’s time to turn over the reins and bring a new vision and a new excitement to the mayor’s office.”

Kim Brizendine's sister-in-law, Kitten Brizendine, who has served in Position 1 on the city council for four terms, will not seek reelection due to term limits. 

Position 3 Council Member Tracy Goza announced that he will run for reelection.

Also at Monday's meeting, Laura Ewing, a former high school government and economics teacher,  announced she would seek the Position 1 council seat; and David Smith, a Friendswood real estate agent, announced at the meeting that he will seek the Position 4 council seat. 

The city council also unanimously approved two contracts with SCL Engineering: for Link Road lift station modifications and Whittier Oaks force main realignments in the Wedgewood Village subdivision; and for water and sewer services in the Longwood Park subdivision. 

City Manager Ronald Cox reported to the city council that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has cut any flood control work on Clear Creek from its 2003-04 budget due to budget constraints requested at the federal level. 

“There will be no Clear Creek project," Cox said.  "No relief is in sight for Friendswood and Pearland upstream from Clear Creek.” 

Cox recommended that the city council write letters to its U.S. senators and congressional officials, pass a resolution requesting an adjustment to the local Corps’ office budget, and hold a council workshop to address the situation.

Cox presented the city employee’s quarterly Five-Star Award to reference librarian Donald LeBlanc; and announced that Roger Roecke, a city administrative services employee, received a financial reporting award from the Government Finance Officers Association.

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