NAVASOTA, Texas (KRHD) — Navasota’s future direction will be impacted by this decision. Residents are talking about the new task ahead of Navasota City Council members, replacing one of their own.
“Ideally it's someone that is concerned about local workforce development so we want to bring in jobs we want to bring in growth. This person would be concerned about the residential development so we want things that people can afford housing that is not too big but not too small that works with our families." Those are the thoughts of Navasota resident, Lucy Ybarra, when asked what she would like to see in whoever is appointed to the Place 2 city council seat.
The new member is needed after the resignation of Place 2 council member Kenneth Stevens. 15 ABC spoke with current Place 5 council member James Harris, who shares his perspective serving our community. “Being on a council is totally different. from being on the P&Z board because you're more like held accountable on the council more than on the P&Z board because there's so many people that you have to answer to that, make the job a little bit tougher.”
Former Navasota council member Pattie Pederson says that council members must invest time to be effective. “You know, it's as much time as you can spare. It’s a volunteer position so giving your time is giving it away but um you can be as involved or not involved as you'd like.”
As for what they would like to see with the new appointee, vision for growth was a common theme. Council member Harris tells 15 ABC. “Someone who loved the community, and someone who's not coming on with the agenda or something. That's what i'm gonna be looking at, someone who's gonna just continue to keep Navasota moving forward.”
And resident Lucy Ybarra shares, “Support local businesses whether it be downtown or the outskirts of town or on highway 6 as long as they are supporting local businesses and giving them incentives to come here and build here.”
Council is set to discuss the vacancy at their next meeting this coming Monday. That's also when the council will provide details on how to apply to finish the remainder of the unexpired term for Place 2, which runs through May 2026.
