CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR

Phil Johnson 

Married  - Wife Cathy

Lived in Nassau Bay 27 years

 Proudly serves on City Council

Phil has served as Mayor and on Council in 1997 to 2004, and worked to mitigate flooding, repair streets and sewers, improve playgrounds, and reinvigorate commercial areas, while saving taxpayers’ money.

After devoting time to raise four children with his wife, Catherine, Phil returned to service in 2020. Phil was motivated after seeing the City face challenges regarding the affordability to invest in infrastructure. Phil identified that the City’s administrative costs grew by almost 60% over inflation during the last 10-12 years and led the effort to tackle structural cost issues allowing the City to:

• Achieve a AA++ bond rating allowing us to raise the largest infrastructure effort in the City’s history without raising tax rates;
• Purchase a new Police/Fire boat to better manage security and emergency response; and
• Accelerate the purchase of needed playground equipment to prepare for the largest influx of young families in 30 years.

Priorities

• Manage finances to improve infrastructure, mitigate flooding, and keep our community beautiful
• Reinvest into our Police, Fire, and Emergency Response
• Preserve our incomparable Nassau Bay
• Provide full transparency for our city government

Service History

• Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and City Council (1997-2004)
• City Council (since 2020)
• Economic Development Corporation (Founding member; President 2000-2004, Director)
• NASA Area Management District (Founding President; served 2006 - 2020)
• Funded and established NASA Road 1 palm tree lighting, “Street Eatz” and redevelopment tax credits
• Developed Community Masterplan
• Infrastructure Committee (1997 to current)
• Flood reduction and significant storm water removal upgrades
• Flood berm creation
• Sanitary sewer system/drinking water system upgrade and replacement
• Street repair and replacement
• Landscaping and beautification of NASA Road 1
• Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ Board
• Planning, Parks and Recreation, Special Events, Street Repair, and Dredging Committee

• City Council- 2002 to 2011, Mayor Pro Tem 2010, 2011
• Mayor- 2013 to 2020
• EDC (Economic Development Corporation)         
• TIRZ (Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone)
• RDA (Regional Development Authority)
• Planning Commission
• Special Events Committee

City Service- Current

• President of the NASA Area Management District
• Annual Peninsula Cleanup- 26 years and running
• Greater Harris County 911 Board of Managers (appointed 2018 by Harris County Mayors and Council Association)

Career
Formerly Chief Operating Officer (retired 2019) of RiceSelect, a rice “farm to market” company headquartered in Alvin, TX

Career highlights-

1. Successfully built a business that developed and introduced a specialty rice line, mostly known for Texmati Rice, to North America. Grew the business from zero to a multi-million dollar brand, distributed in over 80% of all North American grocery stores. RiceSelect was acquired by Riviana Foods, the largest rice company in North America, in 2014. I remained as COO of RiceSelect retirement.
2. Elected Chairman of USA Rice Federation, our industry association, representing several hundred farmers, millers, seed companies and marketers. Served 3 years- 2010 to 2013.

City Accomplishments

• Actively participated and opened, during term as Mayor, new city hall/police department, fire station and public works  headquarter buildings
• Supported, and actively involved from day one, the total rebuild of our commercial district
• Initiated, and saw to success, the first dredging of our waterfront areas
• Actively sought and supported the city’s first dog park
• Initiated the first peninsula clean-up and granted public access
• Established the first recycling program with Ameriwaste
• Secured funds (over $2 million) from Harris County for re-paving large sections of San Sebastian, Basilan, and Harbour along with Braun Park walking path and parking lot. Also received $50k towards our new Police/Fire boat.