Election Day is May 6 and the Fort Worth Report is committed to keeping you informed through our Election Central.
To help voters make informed decisions at the ballot box, we asked every candidate to respond to a candidate questionnaire intended to touch on the most pressing issues candidates may face while serving in elected office.
The candidate’s responses may be edited for grammar.
District 5 includes areas of east Fort Worth. To find out what district you live in, input your address here.
Municipal elections are coming up. Here are some key dates:
April 24: Early voting begins
May 2: Early voting ends
May 6: Election Day
Candidate survey
Name: Gyna Michelle Bivens
Age: 68
Occupation: Non-Profit Executive
What are your qualifications to serve on Fort Worth’s City Council?
I have nearly 10 years of service as a Councilmember. I have years of experience as a City Hall beat reporter in Dallas, Fort Worth, Lubbock and San Antonio
What are your top two priorities if elected to City Council? Describe briefly how you would approach these priorities.
I want to deliver a table service restaurant in District 5. Using tools from the US Department of Agriculture, I want to deliver a signature grocery store.
How would you characterize the performance of city management over the past five years?
Fort Worth continues to attract corporations which is an indication of respect our city management has. With COVID-19 less unpredictable, I expect to see more innovative ideas that benefit all citizens of Fort Worth
What is the single biggest issue your particular district faces?
Having only one master planned development in the district makes us vulnerable to developer plans that chip away at the ‘spirit of neighborhood.’
How will you balance the concerns of your district vs. the city as a whole?
I am never confused about the fact I was elected to represent the… (incomplete answer)
How can city leadership work to ensure all Fort Worth residents have equal access to city services regardless of race, ethnicity, gender and income?
Effective communications is essential to ensuring people are AT LEAST aware of the services available to them. Too often we don’t hear from underserved citizens because they are not on social media. We must do better to communicate with the elderly, disabled, financially challenged.
Fort Worth’s annual general budget is currently around $915 million; do you feel this budget is appropriate, too large, or too small? If too large or too small, briefly describe how you would propose amending the budget.
City Hall could improve service delivery by sticking to the adopted budget. We need a staff assessment study to determine the skillset we have to ensure we have the workforce needed to deliver city services.
In 2023 the city will levy a tax rate of $0.7125 per $100 of assessed evaluation. If you would advocate for decreasing/increasing the tax rate what would you cut/add?
We should continue decreasing the tax rate and eliminate fluff from the budget.
As Fort Worth grows, how can the city ensure it keeps up with the pace of development?
Design guidelines must be adhered to. Staff would benefit if it looked at all plans from the cumulative aspect.
In the last year, the city council has limited opportunities for public comment and changed meeting schedules. How would you approach community engagement as a council member?
The present system works.
What role does the City Council have in policing? Please describe how city council members should work to ensure the safety of their constituents.
Council members should engage in big thought when suggesting policies and/or changing… (incomplete anwser)
Have you ever filed for bankruptcy? If so, when.
No.
Have you ever been convicted of a crime, in Texas or another state? If so, what crime and when.
No.
You can find other candidates’ responses by reading our voter guide here. The candidate’s responses may be edited for grammar.
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