Brad Bailey: The Woodlands Township Candidate – Position 1

Please note that Hello Woodlands is an unbiased, nonpartisan news source that does not endorse or support only one party or candidate. We do not accept or receive advertising or funding from any candidate, party or group.

Hello Woodlands gave the opportunity to candidates running for The Woodlands Township Board of Directors to complete a written interview including the same seven (7) questions. View candidate’s responses to our questions, if provided.

Each position has a two-year term, is an unpaid volunteer position, and is elected at-large by voters in The Woodlands Township in both Montgomery County and Harris County. The election is scheduled for November 5, 2024. Voters must be registered to vote for The Woodlands election.

THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS – 2024 CANDIDATE

Brad Bailey is running for The Woodlands Township Board Position 1.

1. Share your background. What originally brought you to The Woodlands?

I grew up in the Clear Lake area and I am Vice President of Commercial and External Affairs for S&B Engineers and Constructors. As a teenager and young adult, I visited The Woodlands often by attending concerts at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. However, I never fully understood The Woodlands until I met my wife, Kim, who grew up in The Woodlands. We spent several years visiting her family here and fell in love with the live, work, play, pray community George Mitchell created. When it was time for us to start our family, there was no question that we would put roots down in The Woodlands. That was almost a decade ago, and it is still one of the best decisions we made for our family.

2. Why do you enjoy living (and working, if applicable) in The Woodlands?

I enjoy living in The Woodlands because the community provides so much for my family. Everything from the natural setting, to the parks and pathways, to our great restaurants and attractions, to our church, to our neighbors and friends, it’s just an incredible place to call home! I work in the Houston Energy Corridor, so I see firsthand how other communities compare to The Woodlands. When I come home and cross over the flyover on Woodlands Parkway, it’s like an “aha” moment. The billboards, power lines, and neon signs disappear, and nature takes their place. We are truly blessed to call The Woodlands Home!

3. How have you served and/or how do you currently serve and contribute to our community?

Serving our community is a responsibility and an honor. I am very busy serving on The Woodlands Township Board of Directors and as Chairman of Visit The Woodlands Board of Directors. Additionally, I serve on The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership Board of Directors and volunteer at the Montgomery County Food Bank. I recently graduated from Leadership Montgomery County where I had the opportunity to learn about the many aspects that make Montgomery County special. My wife Kim and I are active members of The Woodlands Methodist Church.

4. What motivates you to run for The Woodlands Township Board of Directors?

I believe in public service and giving back to the community that has given us so much. I also believe that we are responsible for keeping Mr. Mitchell’s vision for The Woodlands alive. My colleagues and I on the Board have accomplished so much in our first term. We did this by listening to our community and fostering relationships with local stakeholders. It’s important that we collaborate for innovative solutions to ensure that our Township remains among the best communities in America for many years to come.

5. What are 3 things that you want voters to know about you (personal, views, experience, etc.)?

The 3 things voters should know about me are the following…

First, I believe relationships matter. My approach has always been to bring people together and collaborate to solve problems and improve our community. We have many brilliant people here and we all benefit from tapping into The Woodlands brain trust and working together.

Secondly, I believe I have a unique skill set that qualifies me to be an effective Township Director. I grew up in the hospitality industry, running a chain of my family’s restaurants. I have generated sales taxes, mixed beverages taxes and operated a multi-million dollar business inside a community. Additionally, from 2008-2013, I was elected to 3 terms as a City Council Member with the City of Nassau Bay. I have firsthand experience in understanding how municipal government works and how to navigate the complex local government structure. Finally, I am an experienced marketer and communicator, which will help me work more collaboratively with our constituents and stakeholders to better our community.

Finally, I am passionate about getting things done. We have accomplished a great deal during our first term. Some examples of our success are…

• We lowered taxes by giving residents the first-ever Homestead Exemption tax credit of 3%
• We increased public safety funding and added 13 police officers patrolling our community
• We funded a new Fire Station in the Village of Sterling Ridge
• We passed a bill through the Texas Legislature that gave the Township access to our portion of the mixed beverage tax, which will bring in over $1.5 million in revenue to the Township in its first year
• We increased our hotel occupancy tax collections to a record high, which mitigates the Township’s reliance on residential property taxes
• We dedicated $1 million to the reforestation of The Woodlands, which will result in over 6,500 new trees being planted across our community
• We invested in our parks and pathways and funded and built 8 new pickleball courts

6. If elected, what would your top 3 priorities as a Township Board of Director be? How would you work to impact/shape the future of The Woodlands?

The Township Board of Directors has done a great job juggling growth and public safety in the last couple of years while ensuring the tax burden stays as low as possible. But there is still work to be done.

Public safety is my top priority. With the crime rate in Harris County increasing, we cannot allow these criminal elements to enter The Woodlands Township. It’s more important than ever that we work closely with our law enforcement agencies to keep our community safe. This includes investing in new technology and giving law enforcement the resources needed to keep our residents, businesses and visitors safe.

My second priority is ensuring the high-quality standards across The Woodlands are not only maintained, but improved on. The Woodlands is turning 50 years old this year, and some of our amenities and infrastructure are starting to show their age. We must ensure that we make the investments needed to align with the resident’s needs, desires and expectations. This includes everything from upkeeping our parks and pathways, revitalizing our village centers, and reforestation of our national forest preserves.

Thirdly, it is very important that we prioritize economic development by recruiting new businesses and corporate headquarters to The Woodlands. Mr. Mitchell created The Woodlands to have a vibrant business community that would not only bring commerce and jobs to our Township, but also bring families who live here. With the recent growth of corporate mergers/acquisitions, some of our major employers have left The Woodlands delivering a significant hit to our local economy. We must get creative and aggressive in recruiting new companies and corporate headquarters to our community. It is important that we micro-target companies across the U.S. and devise a detailed plan to recruit them to move to The Woodlands. This will require the Township Board to work closely with many local partners such as Montgomery County, Harris County, The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership, The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce, Howard Hughes Corporation, and other commercial property owners.

7. Would you like to share any other words or message to The Woodlands community?

I’m a successful corporate professional with strong experience working with government officials at all levels. In addition to having been a business owner and a current Vice President at a multibillion-dollar company, I have direct civic leadership background as a former City Council Member in Nassau Bay, TX. My record on the Township Board over my first term also speaks to my ability to secure innovative accomplishments for The Woodlands.

Learn more about Brad Bailey at:

• Campaign Website: bradbaileycampaign.com
• Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BradBaileyTW

Visit the Hello Woodlands 2024 Election Guide for The Woodlands Township Board of Directors Candidates to view all candidates, interviews, and voting information here.

Please visit the November 2024 Election section on The Woodlands Township’s website for additional information about the November 5, 2024 election at https://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/1600/November-2024-Election.

Please note that Hello Woodlands is an unbiased, nonpartisan news source that does not support only one party or candidate. We do not accept or receive advertising or funding from any candidate, party or group. We believe in providing the community with educational information, and credible facts, thoroughly researched topics and articles.

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