CITY OF KATY, Texas (Covering Katy News)—Chris Harris, Janet Corte and Rory Robertson have spent a combined 22 years on the Katy City Council. Wednesday is their last day.
As the three looked back on their tenures, they reflected not only on their accomplishments in office but what they learned, and what they have to look forward to. Harris and Corte are tied for the longest council tenure in city history, each serving eight years — a mark made possible by a 2020 charter amendment that allowed council members to serve two three-year terms rather than three two-year terms.
Lessons learned, goals met
Harris and Corte were first elected in 2018 to two-year terms. The change enabled them to seek a three-year term in 2020—Robertson's first election to council—and a second, final term in 2023. That year, Harris and Robertson drew new opponents and Corte won her re-election bid.
All admitted that they had a learning curve when they got to City Hall.
"Before I was elected on council, I thought I knew how everything worked and I was aware of how the city worked," Robertson said. "But once you get on council and you start seeing the processes and working together with everyone at the city, you learn there's a lot more to it than just getting up there and saying what you want to say."
Corte said the city's relatively slow movement on projects was a shock to her.
"Every step is so regulated," Corte said. "In the private sector, you can have a project that you can get done in a year-and-a-half. In the public sector, every little step has to be approved."
Harris said the city's budget process was a learning experience for him, with complexities of tax rates and balancing spending with the city's needs, especially public safety. The drainage projects undertaken by the city have been a proud achievement.
"I came in right the year after Hurricane Harvey, and it's something that I've thought about every single day," Harris said. "Everything that we have voted on or come forward has been about drainage. To me, that's not just a standard answer, this is something that I really wanted to look at and improve. I think we've done 16 major drainage projects in the eight years that I've been on, and I'm very proud of that."
Corte agreed, adding expanding the city's detention ponds was important also.
"We lowered First Street and 10th Street and raised the bridge," Corte said, adding that the work allowed for improved water flow after Harvey. She said the council members who served before her authorized that work and got the project going.
While Robertson also agreed about the drainage and water mitigation projects, he said he was proudest of the changes to the city's animal shelter and its practices.
"For decades, we weren't trying to adopt out the animals that were abandoned or picked up by animal control," Robertson said. "They did their best to reunite the animals with their families. But if the families didn't claim them, the best option we offered was euthanizing them."
Robertson cited former Police Chief Noe Diaz for his work in bringing about the changes. The city's animal control department is part of the Katy Police Department.
"Now, with the help of some great employees and volunteers, we work with fosters throughout the area," Robertson said. "We work with rescues, and now, the greatest thing is we adopt directly out of the animal control facility."
New council members take office Wednesday
Harris, a public safety consultant, will be succeeded by Paul Follis, a former interim Alief ISD police chief and Houston police captain. Corte, a former IT manager, will be succeeded by Johnston Dietz, an operations manager at JDR Cable Systems. Robertson, a teacher, will be succeeded by Michael Meihls, a business owner.
The turnover is the largest in Katy history. Four of the five city council seats will have new members as of Wednesday. Earlier this year, Ward A Council Member Dan Smith resigned to seek the GOP nomination for Waller County Pct. 4 commissioner, which he lost. Paula Taylor, a Katy High School teacher, was elected to serve the remainder of the term, which ends next year.
The remaining incumbent, Ward B Council Member Gina Hicks, is in her second and final term, which expires next year.
The swearing-in ceremony for Follis, Dietz and Meihls is set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Katy City Hall.
"I tell the new people that have been elected anytime they need to bounce ideas off of somebody, I'm happy to give them my input, but I'm not going to dog them to death," Corte said. "I'm excited about this council. I think they're going be a good, cohesive council and I expect some great things from them. They have very different backgrounds and each one is going to bring a different perspective."
Robertson said the incoming council would have to focus on Katy's growth.
"We're going to have to keep these road projects growing," Robertson said. "We're going to have to keep these flood mitigation projects growing as the north side of our town continues to grow."
Harris said that while Katy remains a growing city, its area of incorporation is fairly set.
"Our growth internally in the City of Katy is going to taper off in the next few years," Harris said. "Budget-wise, that is something that we're going to have address going forward. We're going to go from growth to maintenance and keep up with the older infrastructure that we have, and that includes water. It's going to be a big deal in the future."
Corte said dealing with Katy's traffic will be a challenge.
"We've got all this traffic coming in, and they're coming down Avenue D, and then they hit the railroad track and Highway 90," Corte said. "Well, we don't own Highway 90 or the railroad track, so our hands are tied as to what we can do at those intersections."
Looking forward: Civic involvement, grandchildren and teaching
Harris considered running for mayor in 2022, after then-Mayor Bill Hastings decided against seeking a second term. Dusty Thiele, an insurance executive and former council member, drew no opponents in his mayoral candidacy that year. Thiele was re-elected in 2025 for his second and final term, which expires in 2028.
Harris said he did not know if he would seek another political office but was going to remain active. He serves with the Costal Prairie Conservancy, the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce, Katy Athletic Booster Club and Katy First Methodist Church, where he is a lay delegate to that church's annual conference.
Corte and her husband, Frank, have both been undergoing cancer treatments, and just moved into a new home which sits in Ward B. The prognosis is good, in more ways than one.
"Right now, it's a transition and we're just going to focus on getting settled, meeting my new neighbors, and I'm still undergoing some treatments," Corte said. "I want to get that behind me and see what happens. I know one thing I'm [going] to do is enjoy the seven grandkids I have, and a lot more than what I did when I was on council."
Robertson said he thought he was going to retire from politics.
"I've loved every minute of it," Robertson said. "There's been a lot of challenges. There's been a lot of frustrations, but working with the residents has been the greatest joy ever. I've learned a lot of things about myself, and I've learned that there are people out there that are there for you and will support you when you need them. But I'm going to go back and focus on my teaching career and hopefully coach a little bit more and working with the kids in the community."