Sports fuels mayoral contest
Residents of one of the Houston area's wealthiest cities elected a former mayor in a race that became heated by a debate over support for youth sports.
In the West University Place mayoral contest, former West U Mayor Susan Sample won narrowly over Mayor Pro Tem Kevin Trautner, with all centers reporting results yet to be certified. Sample won 52 percent of votes, to Trautner’s 48 percent, according to unofficial tallies from the county
The election was influenced by a conservative political action committee and another PAC that backed Sample and other city candidates who favored reinstating a $125,000 annual cash subsidy to the West U TriSports Association, a nonprofit that maintains the city’s publicly owned sports fields. The City Council discontinued the annual subsidy in 2019, sparking concerns from the community about field access for young athletes.
Field access for youth sports affects a huge swath of the city, Sample said, and it’s one that contributed to her decision to return to the mayor’s office.
“It turns out that it’s very important to a lot of people,” she said Sunday after clinching her win.
Council candidates backed by the West U Resi
dents for Youth Sports PAC also won seats on the council, according to Sunday tallies. The top four vote-getters were John Montgomery, Melanie Bell, Shannon Carroll, and John P. Barnes.
Sunday evening also brought closure to other local races, including one for Pasadena mayor. Incumbent Mayor Jeff Wagner won 80 percent of votes, compared to business owner David Flores’ 20 percent, according to the county’s unofficial results.
South Houston Mayor Joe Soto fended off a challenge from Claudia Meléndez, who took 35 percent of the vote, according to the county’s results, which were yet to be certified. Soto took 64 percent and a second challenger earned two percent of the vote.
In the Humble mayoral contest, former councilman and engineering executive Norman Funderburk took 61 percent of the vote over retired Humble ISD teacher Arliss Ann Bentley, who earned 39 percent, according to results. Funderburk is now slated to succeed incumbent Mayor Merle Aaron, who is retiring.
Humble council members Charles “Andy” Curry and Charles Cunningham fended off challengers, earning 62 percent and 75 percent of the votes, respectively.
Missouri City residents voted 70-30 to limit interim mayor pro positions to one year, and 61 to 49 to extend mayoral and council terms from two to three years. Missouri City also approved a measure that limits a city councilor to 12 consecutive years of service.