Two file for Rowlett's Place 6 election

Community members can access specific voting information including times, dates and locations through their respective county websites.

Rebecca J. Day did not answer the Q&A by the print deadline.

What is the most important issue in your city and how would you solve it? (Please limit your answer to this question to 100 words) 

Debra Shinder

Managing growth as we approach buildout and finding the funding to sustain that growth is our biggest long-term challenge. Rowlett has very limited remaining large parcels of developable land and the city’s future hinges on strategically transitioning from a bedroom community to a destination city. My goal in regard to that is to help guide the implementation of the plans for Sapphire Bay and eventually the North Shore district and to help shift the tax burden off the residents and bring in more revenues from different sources such as sales taxes, hotel/motel taxes, alcoholic beverage taxes, and so forth.

How do you think the city should be addressing public safety? 

Debra Shinder

Public safety services are foundational essential services of government and should be given priority in budgeting and strategic planning. We must proactively grow those departments to handle the coming growth – not simply wait and react when forced to. We need to add more police officers and firefighters, and we need to ensure that our public safety personnel continue to have exemplary leadership and that those leaders have the full support of city management and city officials in enforcing our existing laws. We also need to stay on top of the potential need for new ordinances to address specific emerging crime problems.

What are your ideas in addressing traffic in the city and the region? 

Debra Shinder

Traffic is a complicated matter because so many factors and entities are involved. Rapid growth and particularly the boom in multifamily development over the past few years without having that infrastructure in place has contributed heavily to the current problem.

 A key component in solving it is the expansion of major roadways and we already have such projects underway and/or about to begin soon. Unfortunately, that means it will get worse during that construction period before it gets better. In the meantime, we need to ensure that completing those projects as quickly as possible (within the parameters of safety and reliability requirements, of course) is a top priority.

Where do you feel the city should focus development efforts?

Debra Shinder

As mentioned above, I believe the city should shift development away from the recent focus on large multifamily housing complexes, and guide and encourage future development to attract more commercial, retail, restaurant and similar businesses to bring in new sources of tax and other revenues, to attract visitors from outside Rowlett to enjoy new destination amenities, and to provide our own residents with more options for shopping, dining, and entertainment. We can

Is the city spending money in the right places? Is there anything you would change?  

Debra Shinder

I believe the city’s investments in upgrading major streets and the assessment of all the streets and alleys to prioritize repairs is definitely a good spending decision. I’m also very much in favor of the money spent to add new personnel and equipment for the police and fire departments, and I believe we need even more.

I question the need for a full time internal auditor; the position was originally proposed to be a part-time (which I did and do support). I’d like to see more money put into animal services, which I consider to be an essential function/health and safety service along with police, fire, public works, and water/sewer.

What's your history of community involvement in the city/area? 

Debra Shinder

I’ve lived in the DFW area all but four years of my life and have always been involved in the community where I reside. Prior to moving to Rowlett, I served as a city secretary, as a police officer, and as a city councilmember in the city of Seagoville at different points in time. I was also an executive officer on the Chamber of Commerce board of Directors and I served on the Eastfield College Criminal Justice Training advisory board for nearly ten years.

After moving to Rowlett, I was elected as a board member and then president of the Harborside HOA, served as the chair of the facilities subcommittee on the Rowlett bond committee and served on an ad hoc charter commission twice. I also served on the Board of Adjustment and am currently serving on the Planning and Zoning Commission. I’m an active member of the Rowlett Chamber of Commerce and of the Rowlett Professional Women’s Group. I’ve participated in neighborhood and city cleanups and our neighborhood’s crimewatch program. I have attended almost every council meeting since last June (when they reopened to the public) and have attended meetings of the animal shelter advisory board, senior advisory board, library board, parks board, and diversity, equity and inclusion committee.

Why are you the best candidate for this position? 

Debra Shinder

I believe my unusual background that includes experience as a paid city employee, appointed city official, elected official, and volunteer gives me a unique perspective and broad base of knowledge to help me see and understand different sides of issues that come before the council. I’ve lived in Rowlett long enough (almost two decades) to have a good grasp of the historical context for some of the past decisions that have contributed to current problems or have benefitted the city and shaped it in positive ways. Finally, my time and loyalties won’t be divided between city business and a paying job, as I officially retired from my 20 years of working as a contract technology analyst and writer for Microsoft and other big tech companies. I can devote my full-time efforts to the position of city councilmember.

I’ve been at the council meetings and board meetings; I’ve been present and engaged on social media; I’ve been out and about at community events. I’ve made myself available to the citizens via in-person or online meetings, email, phone calls, etc. and am committed to listening to their concerns and taking them seriously. I can’t promise to solve all the city’s problems or those of every individual, but I can promise that I will do everything I can to fairly and effectively represent the people of Rowlett.