| Two candidates - a Republican and a Democrat - are vying for the title of Justice of the Peace Precinct 3. Incumbent Judge Faye Dettling is retiring at the end of her current term.
Nominees are Republican Ken Cannata, 47, of Richmond, and Democrat Farhan Shamsi, 41, of Katy.
Ken Cannata said he is seeking the office because it would give him the most opportunity to deal with families.
Cannata's goals include being more creative in sentencing juvenile offenders, especially those with deferred adjudication. Cannata would like to see these juveniles attend seminars that focus on the possible consequences of their poor decision making skills, to help them avoid making the same mistake twice.
"This court has the largest impact on juveniles," he said. "By raising the awareness level in juvenile offenders that poor decisions can lead to tragic consequences, the justice court can be an important tool in decreasing anti-social behavior among our youth, making our schools a safer place and reducing the recidivism rate of youthful offenders."
Cannata would also like to eliminate delays in getting cases set for trial and make the court more user friendly. He would like to have firm deadlines for pre-trial procedures so cases can go to trial sooner.
"The county has recently improved the implementation of a new computer program for all courts, and I look forward to using that system," said Cannata. The current system, he believes, is cumbersome and not user friendly.
Cannata said there is a movement in the county that he supports to have the court relocated to a more physically convenient location.
"In the last bond issue, the people said they would like to have the court moved, and that's important as it allows people better access to the court," he said. Students in the Katy area, he indicated, must cover a long distance to come to court in Sugar Land, resulting in more lost time from school.
Cannata points to his experience in law when listing his qualifications. With 23 years of practical law experience, he has been board certified since 1993. He said he is well versed in the type of cases heard in the JP court, as he hears them on a regular basis.
As Fort Bend County is growing, Cannata thinks the JP court judges must be familiar with the laws pertaining to that court. He believes that the court must be independent, fair and competent, and interpret the laws faithfully and not be swayed by partisan issues.
A 1983 graduate of South Texas College of Law, with honors, Cannata is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He and his wife, Susan, reside in Pecan Grove and are the parents of three children, Michael, Christina and Matthew.
Farhan Shamsi is concerned about juvenile problems in the county, specifically truancy and substance abuse.
"I keep hearing over and over from school administrators and students that there is a large substance abuse problem," he said, one that crosses cultural and social lines. He hopes to work with the schools to find solutions to the problem.
He is also concerned about the location of the court, especially as the county encompasses a large geographic area. For residents who live in outlying areas, such as Simonton, it can take them up to an hour to get to the courthouse.
"I live in Katy, and it's 20 miles to the JP court and it takes me 45 minutes to get there," he said. In addition to the location, Shamsi is also concerned about the court's outdated computer systems.
"There are several different issues," he explained. "We need to work on our management and technology of the court."
He referenced the computer court system in Harris County, where residents can pay fines online, using their ticket identification number, saving them travel time and costs.
His third major issue is dealing with the other office holders, commissioners and constables, and he wants to be sure there is a "circle of community" in areas around the county.
"We need to come up with a friendlier atmosphere between homeowners, new developments and residents," he said, "and make sure we're reaching out to our neighborhoods with different programs to create a sense of community."
Shamsi is proud of the community atmosphere in Fort Bend County, stating that when neighbors know each other, there is a decrease in crime.
"We can watch out for our neighbor's kid," he said.
Born in England, Shamsi and his family moved to the United States in 1970 and relocated to the Houston area in 1976.
He holds a bachelor of science degree in hotel and restaurant management from the University of Houston. Shamsi and his wife, Diba, have an 8-year-old son, Samee.
As executive director of an accredited substance abuse treatment clinic, Shamsi coordinates efforts with various social services and legal agencies, including general health care, prenatal care, housing, and various jails and courthouses.
Farhan has held memberships in the local and national chapters of the Professional Association of Healthcare Managers, and currently serves as an advisor to the board of Texas Methadone Treatment Association.
He was recently appointed to the Katy ISD Special Education Advisory Council to evaluate the special education programs in the district. Shamsi has been involved in various community, social and school activities.
As a youth, Farhan was involved with Toastmasters International, Fiestas Patrias, Junior ROTC, Spanish Club, student council, choir and was a state finalist in football.
Since college, Shamsi has been involved in many community efforts such as the Parent Teacher Association, Junior Achievement and working on many health care issues including the Crohns and Colitis Foundation, stem cell research, substance abuse treatment, and Mental Health and Mental Retardation.
Shamsi has been an advisor and activist in non-partisan voter registration and get out the vote drives in the South Asian-American community. He has been on the executive committee for the Fort Bend County Democratic Party, and committee chair on the Fort Bend Democrats Club.
Shamsi served as credentials chair or committee member for various conventions, and has advised on numerous elections candidates for local, state and federal positions.
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