Candidate Q&A – Shea Scott

Celina City Council 2026

Opponent: Katie Dunn

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Growth & Infrastructure.

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Celina’s explosive growth requires costly roads, utilities, parks and drainage. How will you ensure these systems keep pace without sacrificing fiscal responsibility or small-town charm?

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Celina's growth is a blessing, but only if we manage it honestly. Right now, the city has accumulated over $1 billion in total debt obligations according to the Texas Bond Review Board. That is the highest per-capita debt ($9,232) among all peer cities, at 3.6 times the average. We have to stop financing growth with debt instruments that bypass voter approval and start demanding that developers pay their fair share upfront through properly structured impact fees.

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I will push for a capital improvement plan that prioritizes essential infrastructure (roads, water, sewer) before amenities. I'll advocate for regular public reporting on project timelines and costs, just like I've built into my transparency portal at https://bluelineiq.com/sheaforcouncil/. Growth should be phased, so we build the infrastructure before the rooftops, not years after. And we protect our small-town charm by enforcing our strategic plan's own language: Celina's agricultural heritage and character are non-negotiable.

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Property Taxes & Revenue.

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The council has lowered the property-tax rate for four straight years, yet higher valuations mean many homeowners still pay more. What is your philosophy on future tax rates, and how would you diversify revenue (e.g., sales tax) to fund services?

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Lowering the rate while valuations skyrocket is a shell game. Homeowners know their actual tax bill keeps going up. The FY2025-26 budget shows a median taxable homestead value of $572,562, up from $530,903 the prior year. The adopted tax rate of $0.576401 per $100 valuation exceeds the no￾new-revenue rate of $0.559151. That gap is real money coming out of families' pockets.

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My philosophy is simple: hold the line on actual tax burden, not just the rate. We do that by diversifying revenue through strategic commercial development, attracting sales-tax-generating businesses to our corridors along the DNT and Preston Road. But we must be smart about it. TIRZ zones have already captured $559 million in future tax revenue that the General Fund will never see, meaning current taxpayers subsidize those areas. I'll push to sunset TIRZ zones that have accomplished their purpose and resist creating new ones unless there's a compelling, transparent cost-benefit analysis shared with voters.

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Public Safety Funding.

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Nearly half of Celina’s general fund goes to public safety, and the city plans to add school resource officers, detectives, patrol officers and firefighters. How will you balance staffing needs with limited resources as the population spreads east and north?

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This issue is deeply personal to me. I served 27 years in law enforcement, most recently as Celina's own Assistant Chief of Police. I know firsthand what our officers and firefighters need, and I know what it costs.

The FY2026 budget allocates approximately $14.8 million to Police and $14.5 million to Fire & EMS from the General Fund, roughly 42% of the $69.1M general fund expenditures. That's appropriate for a city growing this fast, but we have to be strategic.

 

I support adding SROs, detectives, and patrol officers, but we must phase staffing with actual population growth, not political timelines. We should leverage the MVCPA grant program (we're already using it; $112,000 in Flock camera reimbursements) and other state and federal grants before dipping into the General Fund.

I'll also advocate for response-time benchmarks tied to growth zones. As we push east and north, we need fire stations and patrol districts planned in advance, not reactively. My law enforcement background means I won't rubber-stamp a wish list, but I'll never shortchange the men and women keeping our families safe.

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Water Conservation Policies.

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Officials say roughly half of peak-season water use is spent watering grass; staff proposed limiting turf or requiring xeriscaping, but builders worry about cost. What policies should the city adopt to reduce outdoor water consumption while respecting property rights and development economics?

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Water is the single biggest constraint on North Texas growth, and we have to get ahead of it. When officials say half of peak-season water use goes to outdoor irrigation, the answer isn't telling homeowners how to water their yards or threatening fines. The answer is smarter infrastructure and better technology.

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I believe the city should focus on three things. First, require builders to install smart irrigation technology (weather-based controllers, drip systems, rain sensors) as a standard feature in new developments, just like we require smoke detectors. The cost is minimal at the construction stage, and the water savings are automatic without anyone policing your lawn. Second, offer voluntary rebate programs for existing homeowners who want to upgrade to smart irrigation, install rainwater harvesting systems, or add drought-tolerant landscaping.

 

Give people the tools and the incentive, and they'll make the right choice on their own. Third, invest in our water infrastructure so that leaks, aging mains, and system losses aren't wasting water before it ever reaches a faucet. The recent $12 million cost overrun on the Doe Branch Water Reclamation Facility expansion tells me we need better project oversight, not more rules for residents.

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I will never support a policy that fines a homeowner for watering their own lawn. What I will support is giving residents access to the technology and information they need to reduce consumption voluntarily, and making sure the city does its part by maintaining a system that doesn't waste what we already have.

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Long-Term Water Supply.

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North Texas is planning new water sources like LakeRalphHall to meet booming demand. What should Celina do to secure adequate water for decades, and how should the city engage residents in conservation efforts and drought planning?

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Celina must take a dual approach: secure long-term supply through regional partnerships and reduce per-capita demand through smart conservation.

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On supply, we're tied to the Upper Trinity Regional Water District (UTRWD), and projects like Lake Ralph Hall are critical. I support Celina's continued participation and investment in regional water planning. But we need transparency about the costs, like the $12 million cost overrun on the Doe Branch facility that was quietly approved. Residents deserve to know the real price tag and timeline for water security.

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On engagement, I'll push for an annual Water Security Report published openly, showing current supply vs. demand projections, reservoir capacity, and conservation program results. We should partner with Celina ISD to educate the next generation, host community workshops before drought restrictions hit, and create a citizen water advisory committee. The key is making residents partners in conservation, not surprised victims of emergency restrictions.

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Downtown Street Reconstruction.

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City officials want to convert all downtown streets to concrete within 10–15 years, which would require postponing other projects. Do you support the 10-15-year option (approx.$85million), a longer timetable, or an accelerated 6-10-year plan that could cost more than $200million? Explain your choice.

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I support the 10–15 year option at approximately $85 million, but only with clear conditions.

According to the Texas Bond Review Board, Celina is carrying $1.06 billion in total principal across all debt types, with $717 million in outstanding interest. An accelerated plan costing $200+ million would add massive debt for what is ultimately an aesthetic and maintenance improvement, not a public safety emergency. We can't justify that kind of spending when we're already the most leveraged small city in the state.

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However, I would insist on: (1) published annual progress reports so residents see where the money goes, (2) prioritization of streets with the worst condition ratings rather than political favorites, and (3) competitive bidding transparency on every contract. The current fiscal reality, $31.6 million in annual debt service alone, means we cannot afford to fast-track vanity projects while deferring essentials like Legacy Bridge and J. Fred Smith Parkway.

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Infrastructure Trade-Offs.

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Pursuing OptionB for downtown streets could delay projects such as Legacy Bridge and J.FredSmithParkway and stretch engineering resources. Which infrastructure projects, if any, would you defer, and how would you mitigate impacts on residents and businesses?

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I would not defer Legacy Bridge or J. Fred Smith Parkway. These are connectivity projects that directly affect the safety and quality of life for residents commuting through and around our growing city. Delaying them would create bottlenecks that compound traffic problems as new subdivisions come online.

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If there must be trade-offs, I'd defer non-essential cosmetic improvements, things like wayfinding signage ($150,000 in the Capital Acquisition Fund) or marketing-driven projects, before deferring roads people actually need.

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Engineering resources should be focused on projects ranked by an objective scoring matrix: safety impact, traffic volume, population served, and state of disrepair.

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I'd also push for the city to explore phased delivery and design-build contracts that let us start critical projects while spreading costs over multiple fiscal years. And I'd require quarterly public updates so residents and business owners along affected corridors get early notice about construction timelines.

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PIDs, TIRZ & Special Districts.

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Celina prefers Public Improvement Districts (PIDs) to finance infrastructure; they fund roads, utilities, parks and amenities through special assessments. A Tax-Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ #8) has a fund balance of $3.5million and a captured value of $719million. What role should PIDs, TIRZ or other districts play in funding growth? Under what conditions would you create or expand a special taxing district?

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This is the issue I've researched most deeply, and the data is alarming. Celina is a statistical outlier in its use of these districts:

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14 active TIRZ zones, nearly matching Dallas and Fort Worth, but for a city of roughly 60,000 people. That's one zone per 4,285 people vs. Frisco's one per 56,250.

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$559 million in captured revenue diverted from the General Fund over 40 years.

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An unfunded service liability of $1.2 billion because the General Fund must still pay for police, fire, and EMS in TIRZ areas while the tax revenue stays locked inside the zones.

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~11 active PIDs, nearly as many as Dallas and Fort Worth combined.

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What makes Celina's situation even more concerning is the type of TIRZ we're creating. In cities like Frisco, McKinney, and Prosper, TIRZ zones are typically used for commercial and mixed-use development, attracting sales tax generators and employers that bring new revenue into the city. Celina's TIRZ zones are overwhelmingly residential developer TIRZ, meaning tax revenue is being captured to subsidize housing subdivisions.

 

Residential developments generate demand for police, fire, roads, water, and schools, but they don't generate the sales tax revenue to offset those costs. We're using a tool designed to attract commercial investment to instead subsidize residential builders, and then asking the General Fund to cover the service gap.

PIDs and TIRZ are legitimate tools, but Celina has misused them.

 

I would support new districts only under these conditions: (1) a published fiscal impact analysis shared at a minimum of two public hearings, (2) a sunset clause of no more than 20 years, (3) demonstration that the General Fund will not bear a net cost during the payback period, and (4) annual public reporting of district revenues vs. service costs.

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Where existing TIRZ zones have accomplished their purpose, I'll push to sunset them early and return that captured revenue to the General Fund where it belongs.

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Support for Small Businesses.

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Celina’s strategic plan calls small businesses “the heartbeat of Celina” and commits to investing in infrastructure, streamlining permitting and maintaining a business-friendly atmosphere. How will you ensure that downtown shops and locally owned services thrive as big-box retailers open nearby?

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This issue is personal for me. My wife and I both own small businesses. We understand what it takes to make payroll, navigate permits, and compete in a growing market. Small business owners don't need more talk from city hall; they need action.

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Streamline permitting, for real. Small business owners shouldn't need a lawyer to open a shop on the Square. I'll push for a simplified, online permitting portal with guaranteed response times: 30 days for simple permits, 60 for complex ones. If the city can't meet those deadlines, the permit is auto-approved.

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Fix who gets EDC funding. Taxpayers fund the Economic Development Corporation's $4.16 million budget (per the FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget). That money should be helping small businesses that are struggling to get off the ground, not flowing to well-connected owners whose businesses are already thriving. I've seen entertainment establishments receive EDC support while other businesses can't get a return phone call. I will push for a transparent, competitive application process with published criteria, public scoring, and a priority on businesses that fill gaps in our local economy, not businesses that happen to have connections to the boards handing out the money.

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Grow the Downtown Fund. I'd push to grow that fund through a dedicated percentage of new commercial permit fees, so downtown businesses get real support without raiding other budgets.

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Protect against franchise encroachment. Our zoning and comprehensive plan should designate downtown and key corridors as local-business priority zones where national franchises face additional design review to maintain character. This isn't about keeping businesses out; it's about ensuring they fit in.

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Balancing Big-Box & Local Retail.

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The city hopes to boost sales-tax revenue with national retailers. What policies will you implement to attract major stores without eroding the community character or pushing out independent businesses?

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We need sales tax revenue. That's the healthy alternative to more property tax and more debt. But we can be smart about how we attract it.

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I support designating commercial corridors along the DNT, Preston Rd. and major thoroughfares for national retail, while keeping downtown and neighborhood centers reserved for local businesses. The zoning code should include architectural and design standards for big-box sites that prevent the "anywhere USA" strip mall look.

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I would oppose any TIRZ or tax abatement for national retailers who can afford their own buildout. Those tools should be reserved for local businesses and catalytic developments, not subsidizing corporations like Walmart and Target. When the Texas Bond Review Board reports we're carrying over $1 billion in total debt obligations, giving away future tax revenue to attract companies that would come here anyway due to our growth trajectory is poor negotiating.

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Every economic development incentive should include a clawback provision: if the retailer fails to deliver promised jobs and sales tax within five years, the city recovers its investment.

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Agricultural Heritage & Open Space.

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Celina’s strategic plan pledges to preserve the city’s “rich agricultural heritage” while encouraging high-tech businesses and agritourism. How will you protect farmland, natural spaces and the city’s rural character amid rapid development?

 

Once a farm becomes a subdivision, it never goes back. That's why we have to be intentional now.

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I support permanent conservation easements along key agricultural corridors, partnering with Collin County and land trusts to purchase development rights from willing landowners. We should also establish an Agricultural Heritage Overlay Zone in our comprehensive plan that requires larger lot sizes, limits density, and mandates rural-character design standards.

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I'd work with the EDC to create an agritourism incentive program, available through the same transparent, competitive process I'd require for all EDC funding. Helping farm families develop farm-to-table experiences, seasonal events, and educational tours is exactly the kind of strategic investment the EDC should be making, bringing visitors and sales tax revenue to Celina while preserving what makes us unique.

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This isn't about freezing time. It's about making sure Celina in 20 years still feels like Celina, not another faceless suburb. That's why our strategic plan says it, and that's what our zoning decisions should reflect.

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Housing Diversity & Affordability.

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With rapid growth and rising property values, how will you promote a range of housing options—starter homes, “missing middle” housing, senior living—while avoiding unchecked sprawl and preserving neighborhood quality?

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The question assumes the city needs to push for cheaper housing. I disagree. What Celina needs is higher quality homes on larger lots, not more density crammed into every available acre.

Developers come to council asking for smaller lot sizes because it maximizes their profit per acre. The result is subdivisions where you can reach out your window and touch your neighbor's house. That's not the Celina people moved here for. I will push back on rezoning requests that shrink lot sizes below what the comprehensive plan calls for. If a developer wants to build in Celina, they should build something worthy of Celina.

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I'd also push to re-examine PID assessments (if possible) that add $2,000-$5,000 annually on top of already high property taxes. With 11+ PIDs, every new homeowner in these communities pays a premium that's rarely explained clearly at the closing table. Homeowners deserve full transparency on what they're paying and what they're getting for it.

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The real affordability problem isn't home prices; it's the hidden costs the city layers on top of them. Fix the debt, control the spending, hold the line on PID assessments, and you protect homeowners far more than any government housing mandate ever will.

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It's controlled by sticking to our comprehensive plan and resisting the temptation to approve every rezoning request. When I look at our voting data, I see a Council that has never met a development it didn't approve. That changes with me.

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Downtown Vision & Character.

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As downtown streets are rebuilt, how should building heights, density, parking and land uses evolve? What is your vision for Celina’s downtown 20 years from now, and how will you balance modern amenities with historic preservation?

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Twenty years from now, I want Celina's downtown to be the place visitors talk about, not as a replica of Legacy West, but as something genuinely Celina.

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My vision: 3-story maximum heights downtown to preserve the skyline and intimacy of the Square. Mixed use that puts housing above shops, creating foot traffic that keeps businesses alive after 5 PM. Shared parking structures that eliminate surface lots without turning every block into a garage. And design standards that honor our heritage: brick, limestone, and traditional Texas architecture, not glass-and-steel anonymity.

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TIRZ #5 (Old Celina LTD), which covers downtown, has captured roughly $247 million in future revenue. That's a staggering sum for a downtown district. I want to ensure those dollars actually improve downtown, not just flow to consultants and developers. Every TIRZ #5 expenditure should be approved at a public hearing with clear before/after deliverables.

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Community Engagement & Transparency.

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The strategic plan emphasizes open communication and telling Celina’s story. How will you keep residents informed about zoning changes, budgets and development plans? What tools will you use to gather feedback from both long-time residents and newcomers?

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As a council member, I will push for:

A public-facing financial dashboard: real-time budget tracking, not just an annual PDF buried on the city website. Show residents where every dollar goes, updated quarterly.

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Automated zoning change notifications: when a rezoning application is filed within 1,000 feet of your home, you should get an email and a text, not learn about it from a yard sign.

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"Town Hall Tuesday" sessions: monthly informal gatherings (rotating between east, west, and downtown locations) where residents can ask questions and get answers in person.

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A constituent feedback portal: not a suggestion box that goes nowhere, but a tracked system where every submission gets a response within 14 business days.

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An end to open records gamesmanship. Too many cities, Celina included, use a well-known trick: when a resident files a public information request, the city forwards it to the Attorney General for a ruling, knowing full well the record is releasable. The AG review can take weeks or months, and the city counts on residents giving up. I will push for a policy that requires the city to release clearly public records immediately and reserves AG referrals only for genuinely ambiguous cases. Transparency means you don't make people fight for information that already belongs to them.

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Transparency isn't a buzzword for me. It's the foundation of my entire campaign, and I've already proven I deliver on it.

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Personal Priorities.

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Beyond the issues above, what are your top three priorities for Celina over the next four years? How does your background uniquely prepare you to represent a rapidly growing city, and what legacy do you hope to leave?

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My top three priorities:

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Fiscal Accountability. Per the Texas Bond Review Board, Celina's total debt has grown from $17 million in 2005 to over $1 billion in 2025, a 6,000% increase across all debt categories. We pay $16.3 million in professional fees to bond counsel and financial advisors in just five years. 95.5% of our tax-supported debt is Certificates of Obligation, the kind that don't require your vote. My first priority is demanding voter approval for major debt issuances and publishing every financial obligation in plain language.

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Public Safety Excellence. As a 27-year law enforcement veteran and Celina's former Assistant Chief of Police, I know what it takes to keep a rapidly growing community safe. I will ensure that police, fire, and EMS staffing keeps pace with population growth, not by throwing money at the problem, but by strategic, data-driven staffing tied to response-time benchmarks.

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Genuine Transparency. Not the kind where you rename a utility rate increase as a "one-time service adjustment." Real transparency means usable, searchable public data; mandatory conflict-of-interest disclosures; and a government that treats residents as stakeholders, not inconveniences.

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Closing

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Do you have anything you'd like to say to the voters in Celina that hasn't been covered here already? Also, why do you believe you are the better choice for this council position than your opponent(s)?

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What uniquely prepares me: I'm not a developer, a lobbyist, or a political insider. I spent 27 years in public service, investigating, leading, and solving problems. I've managed multi-million-dollar budgets, led some of the best leaders in the Celina Police Department today, and built the very transparency tools I'm campaigning on.

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My family heritage is Celina. My great-grandmother, Marie Cleo Moore, lived on the Moore Farm, now known as he Crossing at Moore Farms. My family settled here with government land grants over 150 years ago. I didn't move here two years ago and start preaching heritage; my family is 150-plus years of Celina heritage.

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I know Celina because I served Celina.