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Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 47 • No. 60 • $1.00
New Missouri City manager starts Dec. 5 By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
November 11–17 FOR TICKETS OR MORE INFORMATION ON JINGLE TREE FESTIVITIES, VISIT HMNS.ORG/JINGLETREE OR CALL (281) 313-2277
JEANNE GREGORY REALTOR , CRS, GRI, ABR
Jones
Missouri City’s newest city manager will earn the same amount as her ousted predecessor when she takes over on Dec. 5, according to city documents. The city council, one day before the election, approved a contract with Angel Jones, the former Portsmouth, Virginia
city manager, that would pay her $210,000 per year, according to city documents. In addition, she will receive $600 per month in vehicle allowance and a $90 per month phone allowance, according to public documents. Jones will begin her tenure in Fort Bend County on Dec. 5, according to city documents. She will be the city’s
fourth full-time city manager in three years. She will replace former City Manager Charles “Tink” Jackson, who was fired in May after an investigation into allegations about his hiring and firing practices with the city. Jackson earned the same salary and benefits as Jones, according to city documents. Jones was one of two finalists named for the
open position. James Palenick, the former city manager of Middletown, Ohio, was the other. The city manager spot has been something of a revolving door in Missouri City over the last few years. The council in May opted to fire Jackson less than five months after his tenure began.
SEE MANAGER PAGE 3
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Members of the Ridge Point football team line up before a game against Hightower earlier this season. The Panthers won 35-33 las week to advance to the area round against Houston Lamar this weekend. (Photo by Bob Calbert)
EVENTS? Ridge Point, Hightower lead playoff advancers By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
The Ridge Point Panthers have run roughshod over many opponents, but have also proven adept at pulling out the tight ballgames in recent years. And they did so again last week, winning a slugfest to advance in the UIL playoffs.
On Thursday, the Panthers outlasted Katy Tompkins 35-33 in double overtime in a Class 6A bidistrict playoff at Mercer Stadium to advance to the area round of the playoffs. Ridge Point (9-2) is set to square off with District 18-6A champion Houston Lamar (9-2) in the second round. After the two teams
traded a pair of field goals apiece in the first half, both came to life in the second half. Austin Carlisle completed 20 of 33 passes for 300 yards for the Panthers, while also running for 73 yards and the game-tying touchdown in the second overtime. Running back Ezell Jolley struggled to gain traction for much of the game (52 yards), but
did punch in three short touchdown runs. Ashton Bethel-Roman paced the Panthers’ receiving corps with eight catches for 185 yards. Elsewhere in Class 6A, the Hightower Hurricanes are also on to the second round of the playoffs thanks to a 2914 victory over Morton Ranch last weekend. Jo-
seph Stewart threw for three touchdowns in the game for Hightower (9-2), while Zion Kearney had 156 yards receiving and two scores. Junior running back Jeremy Payne also ran for 102 yards and a touchdown in the win. The Hurricanes will tangle SEE PLAYOFF PAGE 3
Leaders look for cuts after rejection of FBISD tax rate election By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Christie Whitbeck asked residents and employees to remain optimistic as district leaders search for ways to cut $47 million from the budget after voters rejected a request to use extra tax revenues to stem a bud-
get deficit. “This is a time where we have to have action, but we must remain optimistic,” she said, days after voters rejected the district’s tax rate election. About 54 percent of voters, or about 66,000 voters, rejected a proposition that would have generated enough revenue to stem the district’s budget defi-
cit, compared to about 46 percent of voters, or about 56,200 residents, according to complete but unofficial election results. Whitbeck, in comments released after the vote, honed in on the fact that 56,000 people would have supported the measure. But she said everyone’s voice was heard. Proposition A, if ap-
proved, would have allowed the district to keep its maintenance and operations tax rate the same as it was last year, at $1.21 per $100,000 of valuation, according to the district. While the rate would remain the same, homeowners would still pay more in taxes SEE FBISD PAGE 3
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