A look behind the curtain at what was happening with the Montrose TIRZ as the original plan for redoing Montrose Blvd got significantly changed by Mayor Whitmire.
For over a year, Montrose residents have fiercely debated redesign plans for their namesake boulevard, a battle that played out in meetings, neighborhood flyers and sidewalk protests.
But while the controversy unfolded in plain view, a different kind of influence quietly shaped the outcome behind closed doors, stripping the project of attributes that would have made the boulevard more friendly for bikers and pedestrians.
Dozens of text messages obtained through a public records request, and shared with the Houston Chronicle, suggest that the Montrose Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, a city board reshaped by Mayor John Whitmire, has been closely guided by Sue Lovell, a former City Council member and registered lobbyist for the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association.
The messages reveal that Lovell appeared to exert significant influence over internal board decisions and public messaging, particularly through her connection to newly appointed board chair Matt Brollier. Community members and former board officials now allege that Lovell’s behind-the-scenes involvement helped consolidate power and suppress dissent over a scaled-back version of the original Montrose Boulevard redesign.
In a written statement, Lovell said she is a 50-year Montrose resident, and said she met Brollier during her time as a City Council member, calling him her “friend and neighbor.”
“When asked, I have been happy to share my 50 years of experience and leadership in the Montrose community and three elected terms as a Houston City Council member and vice mayor pro tem,” Lovell said. “Like many other people in the Montrose community, I have felt free to express my displeasure about the way a board member voted.”
Lovell noted that she has “nothing but respect” for local organizers and leaders.
In a written statement provided through a spokesperson, Brollier said neither he nor the board has been pressured by any individual, including Lovell.
“Discussion and engagement come from any number of sources, including those who have recommendations and those who have different opinions on items,” Brollier said. “As as a board we take all of that into account when making our decisions. We work diligently to meet the established goals of the TIRZ.”
[…]
To many Montrose residents, the release of dozens of text messages between Brollier and Lovell confirmed what they long suspected: that decisions about the future of their neighborhood have been guided less by community input and more by behind-the-scenes political influence.
Beth Shook, a Montrose resident and civic association board member, said the texts reinforce the sense that the board is not engaging with residents in good faith. While she has interacted with both current and former board members, including Brollier, she believes the board, reshaped by Whitmire, was appointed with an agenda in mind.
“They are expected to fall in line with the mayor’s vision,” Shook said. “It’s clear that there are backroom discussions with a person who is not on the board and is not an elected official. It feels as though board members are negotiating the way to vote on plans like Montrose Boulevard, and the pressure isn’t coming from the community.”
She also pointed to a tone of hostility in the texts, particularly toward Montrose community organizations. Despite doubts about whether public pressure could shift the board’s direction, she said transparency remains critical.
“If neighbors can’t have their opinions heard by something like a neighborhood development board, then we really need to examine that,” Shook said. “This kind of influence could happen in other neighborhoods, too.”
See here for the previous update, and read the story for the texts, some of which are spicy. From my outside perspective, I think Beth Shook has it right. Outside of getting the cops and firefighters paid, nothing has animated the Mayor more than meddling in street projects that had been planned and in some cases executed by Mayor Turner. This is right in his wheelhouse, and this is how he operates. I know it’s a niche issue and unlikely to move voters, but maybe the next Mayor should make a campaign promise on putting some controls on how TIRZ members are appointed, to ensure that actual representation is the basis of those appointments. (And as long as I’m wishing for things, I’d also like a pony. Thanks you.)