Gerry Vander-Lyn, 74, didn’t really want to run for Precinct 1 Commissioner.

When it became clear nobody else was going to run against incumbent Commissioner Rodney Ellis, though, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

Ellis, a lifelong politician, is seeking reelection to his third term on Commissioners Court.

“I don’t want somebody staying in office decade after decade, simply because nobody’s running against them,” Vander-Lyn said. “Residents deserve a choice.”

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Harris County commissioners individually control hundreds of millions of dollars in road and park funds and, as part of Commissioners Court, vote on the county’s $2.7 billion budget and set the property tax rate, making them among the most powerful local elected officials.

Precinct 1 represents parts of central Harris County including downtown Houston, Montrose and the Fifth Ward, covering more than 360 square miles. 

Vander-Lyn, who lives in her hometown of Bellaire, first ran for office in 2018 for Houston City Council District K, losing to current Councilmember Martha Castex-Tatum.

When it comes to policy changes Vander-Lyn would like to see at the helm of Precinct 1, she struggled to articulate specifics. 

Listen to people

Vander-Lyn said the county could forge a stronger relationship with local school districts, but did not pinpoint specifically what that would accomplish beyond it “being better for the kids.”

Her top priority, Vander-Lyn said, would be to “listen to people and go from there.”

One idea she proposed was establishing a group of people who could go from neighborhood to neighborhood to assess the needs of the area.

“We are victors, not victims,” she said. “And I just want to work with people and help them do what they can to become a victor.”

EARLIER: Long meetings, drawn-out debates: Harris County claims to be more transparent. But is it?

On Vander-Lyn’s campaign website, she lists improving mental health services for residents as a priority. Cooperation and collaboration between the Harris County Psychiatric Center, the famed psychiatric research and treatment center Menninger Clinic and local churches could “significantly reduce the spike in mental health disorders we are seeing post-covid,” it states.

The site also highlights accessibility and transparency as a priority but provides a less-than-clear explanation of how it would improve the lives of Precinct 1 residents.

“Accessibility is a little harder because you have to show up somewhere. I hope to mitigate that by coming to you,” Vander-Lyn wrote. “I am not sure what that will look like, but I plan to show up wherever groups are gathering.”

Vander-Lyn graduated from the University of Houston in 1973, majoring in history, with a minor in English. She worked for the Texas Department of Public Welfare, which later was renamed and its duties absorbed by other departments, and the graphic department of an oil company. She later obtained her life and health insurance licenses, though she no longer sells either. She currently works as an accountant. 

Vander-Lyn said she is a devout Christian and serves on two committees of citizens concerned about local schools, and is the chair of the Architectural Committee of a local homeowner’s association.

Sunnyside to the Statehouse and back

Born and raised in the Sunnyside neighborhood, Ellis, 70, was elected to Houston City Council in 1983, where he represented District D for seven years. He won a seat in the Texas Senate in 1990, representing the 13th Senate District, which stretches from Missouri City to northeast Houston, for 26 years.

He was elected to his current post in 2016, following the death of longtime Precinct 1 Commissioner El Franco Lee earlier that year. There are no term limits for Commissioners Court and Ellis said he is running again to “continue to fight” to create a Harris County where every person, regardless of income, the color of their skin, who they love or where they were born, has an equal shot to thrive and provide for their family.

EARLIER: African art once stored at Harris County taxpayers’ expense to be auctioned next week

Ellis said he prioritizes economic growth that elevates low-income communities, criminal justice reform and investment in flood infrastructure. He championed the county’s proposed guaranteed income program known as Uplift Harris and continues to be a vocal advocate for it, despite Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton success in blocking it.

He also has played a pivotal role in securing misdemeanor bail reform in Harris County.

On Commissioners Court, Ellis is the most experienced politician and typically steps in to run the bi-weekly meetings when County Judge Lina Hidalgo is not present.

Often when other court members have spats, Ellis quietly looks on and avoids getting in the middle. If the quarrel continues for a prolonged period, he will gently jump in to try to get his colleagues to stop disagreeing.

Ellis graduated from Texas Southern University, holds a master’s degree from the University of Texas’ Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and a law degree from the UT School of Law. He is married to Licia Green-Ellis, has four children and is cycling enthusiast and an avid collector of African art.

In fact, his penchant for African art landed him in some legal hot water, after his office arranged to store more than 1,000 pieces in a county warehouse at taxpayer expense. Ellis originally had approval from Commissioners Court in 2018 to accept 14 pieces for display in public buildings, but his office later accepted the much larger collection without amending that agreement.

Precinct 1 spent more than $350,000 over four years to renovate the warehouse, transport the artworks and store them. A Harris County grand jury later investigated the commissioner over the arrangement, but cleared him of legal wrongdoing.

The post Vander-Lyn challenges Ellis for Precinct 1 commissioner, saying voters deserve a choice appeared first on Houston Landing.