Alan Richel
Alan Richel
for Position 6 on the Township of the Woodlands Board
of Directors
A Choice-For a Change!
No Special Interests-Just Yours
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VOLUNTEER
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CAMPAIGN BUZZ
The Woodlands Township Board of Directors Election Post Mortem
First, I want to thank everyone who voted for me, my volunteers, donors and supporters, who thought it was time for a choice for a change. I did offer that choice. Unfortunately, the vast majority of those who voted, for the position I ran for, chose the incumbent, who outspent me by at least 14 to 1, is practically a Woodlands institution (in fact she has an institution, a Conroe elementary school, named after her), has nearly universal name recognition in our community, has a resume of volunteerism as long as your arm, and was endorsed by the Tea Party. So, I always knew it was an uphill battle, and based on the preliminary tallies, I finished in second place in a field of four with about 10% of the vote, with the incumbent getting nearly 80%.
There were some very fine candidates in the two other races for position 5 and 7, and the ones I voted for did not win. They both, I suspect, had different political views than me on issues that weren’t relevant to running The Township of The Woodlands, but I voted for them because I found them best qualified. I think what needs to be considered in a local election is competence and fit for the job, not political considerations, especially in an election that is non-partisan. Their election loss is a great loss to the community.
I called this election the most consequential election in The Woodlands in years, and I stand by that statement. We now have an entire Board of Directors that has been endorsed by the Tea Party. One of the consequences of this election, in my opinion, ensures that the entire Board will bring the idea of incorporating into a City to a vote before the community in 2020. I was and am not for this because there is no need to rush to incorporate to avoid annexation by Houston or Conroe anymore, there is no fiscally sound or other reason to incorporate, and you can count on our taxes increasing if we incorporate.
As there was an off-year election, we did not have the turnout that we would have had in a presidential election year, which is always disappointing. Only a small fraction of the registered voters showed. So, I would like to think that the majority of voters would not have voted for Tea Party-endorsed candidates, but I could be wrong. If indeed, the Tea Party does represent the vast majority of citizens in The Woodlands, then I am a little more than disappointed that politics in The Woodlands is controlled by a PAC, whether or not its learning is right or left.
So, in conclusion, I wish the office holders well and much success in keeping The Woodlands the community we love without increasing taxes. Many of the newly elected Directors say they will do the right thing. I hope that they know that the right thing is to keep our services and amenities high, while keeping our taxes low.
Again, Thank you for your support.
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Complete Response to Community Impact Newspaper-The Woodlands Questionnaire
Experience (past employment or positions held)
-Senior International Trade Specialist, US Department of Commerce, US & Foreign Commercial Service, Houston Export Assistance Center
-International Trade Specialist, US Department of Commerce, US & Foreign Commercial Service, Kansas City Export Assistance Center
-Transportation Consultant, Transportation Services, Inc, Overland Park, Kansas
Administrator, TAM-USA, Van Nuys, California
Director, Office of Transit Assistance, Urban Mass Transportation Administration, US Department of Transportation, Kansas City, Missouri
Senior Transportation Representative, Office of Transit Assistance, Urban Mass Transportation Administration, US Department of Transportation, Chicago, Illinois
Transportation Representative, Office of Transit Assistance, Urban Mass Transportation Administration, US Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Xerox Corporation, Kansas City Area
FedEx, Overland Park, Kansas
US General Services Administration, Federal Supply Service, Region III, Washington, DC
Top priorities (in several words)
Diversity, Transparency, Cost-effectiveness, Change
Campaign phone number for publication
936-267-0172
Website (if applicable), for publication.
https://alanrichelforthewo.wixsite.com/mysite
1. Why are you running for The Woodlands board of directors?
I am running for the Board of Directors at this time because I believe that we are at a critical juncture for the community. For too long I’ve seen The Woodlands controlled and run by a small elite who seem more concerned with their political careers and carrying out the will of the developer than looking out for the interests of the average Woodlander, who is neither wealthy nor connected. I will represent the interests of the average Woodlander
2. How do you feel your previous experience will help you to serve as a board member?
Both my education and my experience have prepared me for this position. I have an MBA in marketing and Management from Loyola University of Chicago ( and another MA), have served in management in both the public and private sectors, have served several terms on a condo Board of Directors, and after 34 years in the Federal government, understand budgets, environmental concerns, etc.
3. What are the greatest challenges the board will face in the next two years?
The greatest concerns will be: an upcoming budget deficit; how to deal with incorporation; flood mitigation, ensuring plentiful, cheap water in the coming years; and keeping taxes low while maintaining high levels of service, especially in light of possibly losing Anadarko.
4. Do you feel The Woodlands should call for a vote on incorporation in 2020? Why or why not?
I do not. There is no reason to rush towards incorporation. Before, we had to incorporate by 2057 to avoid annexation by Houston, but that is now a moot point, as it is now my understanding that in order to be annexed we would have to vote for it as a community. I am concerned that the Board in the past has acquired property and created a reserve fund that assumed we would incorporate. That is a premature assumption.
5. Will your current employment or activities present any conflict of interest if you serve on the board, and how would you address this?
I am retired and have no employment or activities that would pose a conflict of interest. I’m not certain that all current board members can honestly make that claim.