Episode 6: "He Said, She Said" with Mayor Jerry & Tammie Mouton ❤️

Welcome back to The Hangout Podcast! Pull up a chair, because Episode 6 is about to put Deer Park’s ultimate power couple right in the hot seat.

This week, we are throwing out the standard interview script and hosting Mayor Jerry Mouton and First Lady Tammie Mouton for a hilarious, high-stakes "He Said, She Said" battle! In this fun spin-off of the classic game show The Newlywed Game, our guests are armed with dry-erase boards to see just how well they actually know each other. 

Can Tammie guess Jerry’s exact local Friday night takeout order? Does Jerry know which city event Tammie secretly looks forward to the most?

But it’s not all competitive banter and whiteboard reveals. Between the laughs, Jerry and Tammie open up about what it’s really like to balance small business ownership and public life with family, kids, and grandkids. They also dive deep into why city beautification matters, what massive milestones like the Jimmy Burke Activity Center and Ella & Friends Dog Park rebuild mean for our residents, and their shared, heartfelt vision for the future of the Birthplace of Texas.

Will their answers match, or are we looking at a hilarious house divided? Tune in to find out!

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Thank you from the Visit Deer Park Division of the City of Deer Park

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:00

Hey everybody and welcome to the Hangout Podcast. I'm Caitlin Bluejacket.

SPEAKER_01 0:03

I'm Elliot Moore.

SPEAKER_04 0:04

And today we have uh Mayor Muton and Miss Tammy Muton.

SPEAKER_02 0:10

Hello. Hi.

SPEAKER_01 0:12

It's good to be here. Welcome.

SPEAKER_04 0:14

So today we're gonna start off the podcast by playing a little game that's similar to the newlywed game. Um I don't know if y'all are familiar with that game, but yeah, it was around when we were kids. And what year was that? Long time ago. Long time ago. So this is a game, show inspired round. So for these questions, one spouse guesses what the other would say. And then you check for a match. So we have two whiteboards, uh, one for Tammy and one for Mayer. And so we're just gonna go down, and this is just an icebreaker, right? Okay. So we're just gonna kind of set the tone for the podcast. If y'all love it, we'll keep doing it. If y'all hate it, then we'll just go on to the next question. Sounds good.

unknown 1:03

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 1:07

So, first ladies, often champion specific community efforts. Mayor, if you had to guess which local community project, nonprofit, or school district program is closest to Tammy's heart right now. And write it on your whiteboard. And you write your answer down on your whiteboard. Okay. And then we're gonna cross-compare and see if he gets it right.

SPEAKER_01 1:34

No pressure.

SPEAKER_00 1:39

We've been married a long time. I know what she's gonna do. Don't look.

SPEAKER_04 1:44

All right, Mayor, what did you put down?

SPEAKER_00 1:48

Beautification committee.

SPEAKER_04 1:49

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:50

Beautification projects.

SPEAKER_04 1:52

Oh yeah. One point for Mayor. There is no prize at the end of this, by the way. You get a high five or an extra water if you want to. So balancing a busy public life twit life with family, kids, grandkids, dogs, and a local small business takes a lot of coordination. Mayor, what would you say Tammy finds to be the most chaotic day of a typical week when balancing study duties and family time?

SPEAKER_00 2:24

We're supposed to write this down.

SPEAKER_04 2:25

Yes, you guess what her answer is, and then Tammy, write your answer. Nervous for both. I'm hoping too. I didn't think this through. What if one of them gets one wrong?

SPEAKER_01 2:42

Somebody's sleeping in the garage.

SPEAKER_04 2:44

Or with the dog.

SPEAKER_02 2:46

We sleep with the dog every night. It's more of a privilege. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 2:54

Okay. What did Mayor write down?

SPEAKER_00 2:56

I wrote the council meeting day and multiple event days on weekends.

SPEAKER_04 3:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 3:02

I put emergency situations when we have disasters. That kind of takes over our life when that happens, or city council days. Yeah. It's gotten easier because we're used to it, you know, at this point, but it's a little finagulant, especially when we had kids at home.

SPEAKER_04 3:20

But yeah. And y'all have been married how many years?

SPEAKER_00 3:23

42.

SPEAKER_04 3:24

42. That's not a trick question. 42. And you've been mayor for how many years?

SPEAKER_00 3:30

14. Or I'm in my 14th year.

SPEAKER_04 3:34

So y'all have been through this a lot. More than a lot of things.

SPEAKER_02 3:40

Yeah.

unknown 3:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:42

I mean, it's interesting because when you say emergency events like the tornado narrative. I was at home with her, and we actually had one of our grandsons. And we went in the closet. And I opened the door to see if the roof was still in the house because it came really close. And then at that point, I'm like, okay, I better go.

SPEAKER_02 4:07

Well, he walked outside and got called away immediately. And then here I'm there with, you know, I have to scoop up everything or whatever it is and figure out how to do on my own. Yeah. Yeah. So, but I've kind of that was hard at first, but I've sort of adjusted and and found that family and friends step up, will step up to help me while he's helping everybody else. Yeah. Because that was a little tough. But yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:33

Yeah. Cause you know, you get what was that event? Probably a a good four, four or five-day event, probably on Monday through Friday. Things were getting kind of back to normal on the weekend. And I want to say on Tuesday or Wednesday, you know, when people started cleaning up their yards and recovering, I was still pretty busy. And I finally said to staff, I said, I think I need to go home and maybe start cleaning my own yard up. And then next thing I know, a bunch of people showed up, and what would have taken me days was done in just a few hours. So it was just a awesome blessing when friends and family just showed up and cleaned up the yard real quick. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 5:25

I know my my mom has always complained that anytime there's something going on, her whole family disperses. Like my brother's at Exxon, right? So if he's shut down at the plant, he can't go anywhere when we're dealing with an incident. You know, I have to be gone.

SPEAKER_00 5:42

And then you're stuck somewhere with somebody.

SPEAKER_04 5:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:45

I was me a lot of times.

SPEAKER_04 5:47

Yeah, yeah. And then my dad, you know, he was gone too. So my mom was like, what am I supposed to do with dogs? These kids, yeah, you know, neighbors coming by.

SPEAKER_00 5:57

Well now she's gonna be stuck with him at home too.

SPEAKER_04 6:02

Yes, she is and say a lot of prayers. Um, yeah. So if you were taking a trip and there was only one thing you could bet on being in Tammy's bag, what would it be?

SPEAKER_00 6:20

Supposed to write this down, yes.

SPEAKER_04 6:23

It can be candy, it could be hairspray, shoes, q-tips.

SPEAKER_01 6:38

I bet I know what it's gonna be.

SPEAKER_03 6:40

Is it the dog? Is it the dog?

SPEAKER_02 6:44

Well, not if I'm traveling on a plane.

SPEAKER_00 6:48

I put makeup and snacks. That's pretty close. I put hair products.

SPEAKER_02 6:53

If I'm going anywhere, they're coming with me.

SPEAKER_00 6:59

Yeah, I can always count on her having snacks when we get on a plane and makeup in her bag.

SPEAKER_04 7:06

Snacks are always good to have.

SPEAKER_01 7:08

Yeah, yeah. When we've been on conference trips and things like that, and we have to fly, I always make sure I have something in my carry on. Yeah, yeah. Because you just never know that little bag of pretzels. You do not know it doesn't do it.

SPEAKER_00 7:22

Yeah, no, so eat eat eat on the way to the airport so you don't have to worry about it.

SPEAKER_02 7:27

No, you can still get stuck.

SPEAKER_04 7:32

Okay. So this one is for Tammy. Okay. Where did you go on your first date? Oh.

SPEAKER_02 7:39

Write it down, yes, ma'am.

SPEAKER_00 7:41

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 7:42

This was such a long time ago.

SPEAKER_00 7:44

Yeah, that was a long time ago.

SPEAKER_03 7:46

You said 42 years.

SPEAKER_04 8:01

All right. You got it?

SPEAKER_05 8:04

I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 8:06

All right, Tammy, where did y'all go on your first date?

SPEAKER_02 8:08

I went to a Christmas banquet for our school.

SPEAKER_00 8:11

I was thinking of school event, but I couldn't remember what it was. That would you put a school. I put a school event.

SPEAKER_02 8:16

Oh, that was good.

SPEAKER_00 8:18

I knew it was something, but I couldn't remember. I I didn't think it was a prom or anything, but it was some kind of school event.

SPEAKER_02 8:24

Because he was 14 and I was 15.

SPEAKER_04 8:27

Oh, okay. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:31

It's a bigger deal when you're young.

SPEAKER_04 8:34

That it that is a big deal. It's a big deal to go anywhere anymore anymore.

SPEAKER_01 8:41

Yeah. And to remember it. Yes.

SPEAKER_04 8:47

Okay. What is one thing that the mayor loves most about you? So now you're guessing.

unknown 8:54

Oh my.

SPEAKER_04 8:55

And mayor, you wrote down what you love most about your wife. We're not marriage counselors, by the way. So yeah, we might have to have couple therapy after this. I'm not sure. We can put you in touch with somebody, but we are not the ones you want to conduct that. Y'all are killing it right now. I know. Y'all y'all gotten everything right. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 9:22

Mayor.

SPEAKER_04 9:22

Or Tamon, do you want to guess what he wrote down?

SPEAKER_02 9:25

I put kind that I'm kind. Kindness. I'm not sure what he put.

SPEAKER_00 9:29

I put that she loves me.

unknown 9:31

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 9:32

That was that she loves me. You gotta be pretty kind for that.

SPEAKER_04 9:39

And that goes with kindness too. You love me. I love you. Marriage takes a lot of works.

SPEAKER_02 9:44

A lot of kindness. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:49

Okay, so this one y'all both get to answer, and we'll just see if the the answers are correct. If you could pick one couple to compare your love to, which would it be? Han Solo and Princess Leia from Star Wars, Peter Parker and Mary Jane from Spider-Man, or Jack and Rose from The Titanic.

SPEAKER_02 10:14

I could go a couple different ways. Today. Today, I'm okay. Today we're gonna choose this.

SPEAKER_04 10:25

All right.

SPEAKER_02 10:27

You got it, Dan? Who you want to answer first?

SPEAKER_00 10:33

I'd put Peter Parker and Diane.

SPEAKER_02 10:35

I put Spider-Man. That's right. Oh man.

SPEAKER_01 10:40

Good news.

SPEAKER_02 10:42

Y'all are on it. We've been married a long time. I would I wanted to put Jack and Rose, but it's really more Spider-Man. It's a lot of Spider Man.

SPEAKER_04 10:53

Well, I've got two more questions and then I'll let Elliot kind of go through some of the joint questions too. If Mayor is picking up takeout for a casual Friday night at home from a local Deer Park restaurant, Tammy, what exact meal is he ordering?

SPEAKER_02 11:13

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 11:14

Or does he have a preference? Or you can pick a restaurant.

SPEAKER_02 11:16

That's my how about I just pick a restaurant.

SPEAKER_04 11:20

Let's do that. And write down what your answer is, sir.

SPEAKER_02 11:25

It's gonna be one of two. Yeah, it's gonna be, and I'm putting both of them because.

SPEAKER_04 11:33

All right. We got both of them down.

SPEAKER_02 11:35

I did. I put BB's and Antonio's. I put Antonio's and BB's.

SPEAKER_04 11:43

That's great. I expected this to go well, but I did not expect it to go.

SPEAKER_02 11:51

Remember, we're a small city with just a few restaurants.

SPEAKER_04 11:57

I mean, you got Taco Bell and McDonald's.

SPEAKER_02 12:03

We try really hard not to eat fast food anymore.

SPEAKER_00 12:06

Yeah, that don't work so well.

SPEAKER_02 12:08

Only when the grandkids want it, you know. There it is.

SPEAKER_04 12:11

Okay. You have a rare Saturday night completely free of city events and decide to go on a daytime date, Tammy. Where is Mayor's absolute favorite place to go or activity to do within city limits?

SPEAKER_00 12:30

Oh, within city limits.

SPEAKER_04 12:33

Are you going elsewhere to have fun?

SPEAKER_00 12:35

Yeah, we usually we'll have to expand the narrative. I'm gonna just put down. She knows what two I would like to go to, and they're not in the city limits.

SPEAKER_04 12:51

Did you the answer that you wrote down, is it in city limits?

SPEAKER_02 12:54

No, it's not. Mine's not either.

SPEAKER_04 12:56

Oh, okay. Well then we'll go with it.

SPEAKER_02 12:58

We're sorry. It's a fictional thing. I mean if we're thinking about just getting away and having time, this is what we do. So it's okay.

unknown 13:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 13:12

All right.

SPEAKER_00 13:12

Wonderful. Yeah, I put Pier 6 and Monument Inn.

SPEAKER_04 13:17

Oh, those are good. Yeah. Monument Inn's clothes.

SPEAKER_02 13:20

So I put go to the water, which to me means it's usually a restaurant on the water or going down to Galveston in the camper, you know. Yeah. Yeah. Just to the water seems to be where we like to go.

SPEAKER_00 13:34

Yeah.

unknown 13:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:36

Well, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:39

Agree.

SPEAKER_04 13:40

That's it for the game. I think y'all crushed it. Oh wow. That was fun. I mean, I can pull out more questions if you want them.

SPEAKER_01 13:49

We're on we're on your time.

SPEAKER_04 13:51

Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 13:53

All right. So about some joint questions here. So, you know, we have a lot of city events. One of our favorite, I think, is uh tree lighting. When it comes to City of Deer Park events, which events do you guys like to attend the most?

SPEAKER_00 14:10

You mentioned it. I I think we both enjoy because we make it a family event. So usually we make sure our all of our kids and our grandkids are are with us and then we do the tree thing and then we walk around till they can't take it anymore. So I it's it's perfect for us. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:27

It's it's it's a perfect little family.

SPEAKER_00 14:30

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 14:31

You know, makes you feel like you're in a Hallmark movie, kind of, you know, very nice, everybody coming together. We always enjoy that.

SPEAKER_00 14:38

Last year we we beelined it straight to the train because it took forever to get up your before last one.

SPEAKER_01 14:43

Yeah. Well, yeah, I think it's gonna look a lot different this year. So you think? Yeah, we're thinking why would you think that? Well, I have no idea. Yeah, maybe this new building we're sitting in. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 14:57

This fabulous space. I'm looking forward to having some events in in this area for sure. With our new facilities coming online. I think it's gonna be awesome.

SPEAKER_01 15:07

Yeah, I think uh Caitlin and I were talking about this the other day, and we have meetings coming up about tree lighting, and it's like we're about to be in the summer and we're gonna start talking about Christmas. Yeah, but you know, it brings a lot of anxiety, but also, you know, a good feeling knowing that we have all these great facilities that we're gonna be utilizing during that time. So the landscape of what we do is gonna be completely different. Yes. So I think we're kind of excited for that.

SPEAKER_00 15:37

Yeah, well, for the last number of years, it fell on the same evening as Harris County Mayor and Council Association evening. And for a year or two, we tried to come do the tree lining and then go to that event, and it was like we like, no, we want to stay here and have a chat. Grandkids come, and I mean, because it's really as you can see, the growth of that thing has been families and kids, and it's just fantastic.

SPEAKER_01 16:03

Yeah, yeah. It really is great. You know, we like I said, there's a lot of stress for us involved, and I can imagine, you know, giving the speech and getting everybody around the tree. That's in itself a big task. But I just do whatever Susan tells me. I think that's a lot of us. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 16:22

I think that's the smartest course in the world.

SPEAKER_01 16:24

Yeah, it definitely is. It definitely is. But it's it's stressful, but it's also rewarding to see, you know, how packed it is and everybody that shows up to our booth specifically just to you know do some giveaways and you know, just talk to them about how their time is. You know, we get to engage with them and yeah, you know, tag us in a picture. Let's see what you guys are doing. And yeah, we kind of reward the public with you know, Instagram.

SPEAKER_00 16:50

It's grown so much just in the last two or three years. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 16:53

I think the the year that we really got involved with it, we we doubled our numbers, and then the third year we tripled. Um that was a tremendous, I mean, we took a lot of pride in that. Um it's a team, you know, effort. I mean, we have all different departments talking about events, right? And you know, having y'all be a part of that as well, you know. It's always great. The kids love seeing the mayor speak and hear him sing. Did I hear you sing last year? He does sing over the PAs.

SPEAKER_00 17:28

So I just went with the flow. Because as you know, nobody could say no to Susan.

SPEAKER_04 17:33

Yes, yes. It was very angelic.

SPEAKER_00 17:36

Even though sometimes she says I ghost her and don't take her calls. It's not true, but she says that about sometimes.

SPEAKER_04 17:45

Deer Park is probably the birthplace of Texas. If you were both sent back in time to 1836, who do you think would adapt better to pioneer life?

SPEAKER_02 17:57

Would have to be him. I don't like to be hot. I like to have electricity. I like to have the finer things of life. I'm sure I would adapt somewhere, somehow, but it wouldn't be easy.

SPEAKER_04 18:11

I saw your eyes light up whenever you heard the AC just a bit. I was like, I don't know if it's the air conditioner. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:18

Yeah, I don't think that's complicated. I would probably adapt more and do better. Of course, I I like outdoors, so it's it's it's uh be a little bit easier, I think, for most guys in the big scheme of things.

SPEAKER_01 18:33

I think naturally, too, you know, growing up, we spent most of our time outside and on bicycles and in the woods. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So what is the number one reason public art and landscaping are so vital to keeping residents proud in Dear Park?

SPEAKER_00 18:53

Well, I I am reminded when you said that, how many times uh where I've I've talked with staff or Mr. Stokes in a narrative, and it's it's interesting how many times we're spending a significant amount of money on infrastructure, but it's either underground or it's vitally important, but it's not something you can see or touch or feel. And and I remember saying to him early in my tenure, we have to balance that equation because it's it's just amazing how if you just put new sidewalks in some areas, just something as simple as that, or fix a broken one that's been on unlevel, how many people appreciate something as simple as that, even though I think most would argue that having water and sewer and all them things working, but no one really appreciates it until it's not working, and then it becomes a major issue. But I think there is something to that narrative of being able to see it and touch it and enjoy it, it really impacts people on a personal level.

SPEAKER_01 20:00

Yeah. I think one of the biggest things, you know, when we go to other cities, and we won't mention which neighboring cities we go to that have a lot of potholes, but you know, in Deer Park, our infrastructure is pretty well, you know, man maintained, and yeah, we don't have to worry about those kinds of problems. And you know, you go from that to, like you said, a new sidewalk, a new hike and bike trail. Right. It just changes everything about the community, and you know, then you start to see more people out in the community. Yeah, you know, so I think it's a big deal.

SPEAKER_02 20:32

It's amazing how many people use the hike and bike trail.

SPEAKER_00 20:36

Absolutely. And you it was always something that was a big deal, but it it if you just take that uh few years during the early days of COVID, it became a critical deal for many people because of the narrative. Most people were stuck at home, and just being able to go to the park or get outside and walk uh provided a tremendous rape for a lot of people. And and so and I see it continue. Of course, you you know our our facilities, our parks are heavy, heavy, heavy utilized. And that was one of the first initiatives that we took in the early years was investing in upgrading all of our equipment or playground equipment in all the parks. And and even at the time, I didn't realize how many parks we had, city parks, and it's like 26, maybe more.

unknown 21:25

Amazing.

SPEAKER_00 21:25

Forgive me if I am not quoting the right number, but a lot of parks, and you start going around and you see how much they're utilized and kids playing, and that's what it's all about, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_01 21:37

Good quality of life.

unknown 21:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:39

Absolutely. Well, you know, now that we're on the second phase of uh helping raise our grandkids, it's even vitally important. And of course, you know, they love to go to the park uh and play, so it's it's so nice to be able to take that and uh see your own grandkids enjoy the fruits of all the efforts that's been put into it by everybody.

SPEAKER_01 22:00

Definitely.

SPEAKER_04 22:01

Um, so as the owner of Texas Lawn and Sprinkler Co. Company, yeah. How does your shared experience as a small business owner shape how you view economic development and support for local commerce here in Deer Park?

SPEAKER_00 22:15

Well, there's no question my viewpoint is is clearly defined as a small business owner. And it's definitely it's a it's a two-part component of having to wear many different hats as a small business owner, to know a little bit about everything or every component of a business. And I think some of the biggest narratives that it's equipped me in is to be able to go into many different committee meetings, staff meetings, and and actually know exactly what they're talking about no matter what the subject is. And and I think it's played a huge role in just understanding that that city's services are not much different than services you provide in a small business setting. And it's about providing a quality service that people appreciate and therefore in a small business setting, willing to pay for, where in this narrative the revenue that comes in from the ad valorum taxes, I I hopefully believe and feel that most in the community appreciate the services that are being delivered. And and I many times I bring that narrative to to meetings where we're talking about this is clear, we're here for one reason. That's to provide services to the community. Of course, I see it across the the whole spectrum, whether it be upper management or all the way down to, you know, there's one topic I've often said that everybody appreciates in Deer Park, and that's the trash services. And there's, you know, even the the connection that our sanitation department has with the constituents and how much that's valued and appreciate, just says it's really all about services and and the consistency that people expect and hope for. Because we're known for that.

SPEAKER_01 24:00

Yeah, for sure. And, you know, talking about services and and going back to quality of life and things like that. We've got now Jimmy Burke Activity Center, you know, the new one, the visitor center, you have DAC, you have Ellen Friends Dog Park. Kind of talk about what it means for the quality of life for the residents and even those that come from out of town to visit these things, like what does that mean to them and the overall quality of life?

SPEAKER_00 24:29

Well, it's it's it's interesting because you know, my wife's been here her whole life. And so if you just take the the origin of the Jimmy Burke of what we've known it for many years, you know, she she still has vivid memories of it being just a pavilion with a dirt floor and and how it got expanded and evolved as as as the need arrived arose for more events or capacities. And and I hope with many aspects of the projects that we've done, it's it's that projecting out over the next 25 to 50 years of what is the the needs and what what or services do we need to be preparing for. And I think the DAC's been well received in and it's whether it be people that live in Deer Park, and it's astounding to me how many people that don't even live in Deer Park that's joined it because they appreciate the amenities and whether it is something we've got friends that live in Crockett, and and when they're here regionally, you know, he loves to come and swim in the pool. So he's got a membership, and he lives in Crockett, you know, and so it just goes to show, of course, we've got some other friends that live in Deer Park, but they're moving to Friendswood, and he's gotten into playing pickleball, and he's talking about how he's moving down there to be close to his grandkids, but he's gonna drive back here several times a week just to play pickleball, you know, and so it's just it's rewarding when you see that kind of narrative. And then there again, you know, being able to stay active as the older we all get, it's important to stay active, and and I think it extends the quality of life as you have more amenities and uh to go up to to the DAC and and try to use it myself and to see the age range, whether it be young kids coming in for different classes or or seniors that are walking up there or working out in the area, it's very rewarding for me to see every age demographic being using these facilities. And of course, you know, we've only had just a handful of events here at the new JVAC, but um yeah, I I I've been impressed myself. And as I tell people, I have high expectations, and so when they exceed my expectations, that's it's it's pretty good to me. But for sure, yeah, I'm looking forward to the the new memories. And I know recently you just having your dad's retirement party here was such a tremendous space for him to come in and and and it be so nicely utilized. And yeah, I thought it was a wonderful setting for for that type of event. So yeah, I'm I'm very pleased and look forward to the next hopefully 50 plus years before the whoever replaces us in management or as mayor, that's one less thing they'll have to worry about.

SPEAKER_04 27:22

Okay, so we know family and education are incredibly important to you both. What values about the Deer Park community are you most passionate about? And which ones are you most passionate about to pass down to your grandkids?

SPEAKER_02 27:35

Well, being that I've been here my whole life, and I think it's the sense of community and that we're still small enough to know somebody. It's like everybody knows somebody and we're all connected still because we're we're still kind of in this bubble. Deer Park can only be so big. And I think that I appreciate that for us, and I appreciated it when my kids were going to school too. And now that they have kids going to school, you know, one of them might have a friend who who is their friend is now their teacher because they stuck around. And I like that we're all connected and then we're kind of family and the community. And what was the other part of the question?

SPEAKER_04 28:18

What are you most passionate about to pass down to your grandkids about pass down to my okay identity?

SPEAKER_02 28:24

Well, you know, there was a time when the when I kind of wanted to move away because I'd been here. I just wanted to go somewhere different. And then when we got involved, we got into the chamber, and I think we both took that leadership class and our eyes were open to how the city works and the functions, and we we toured everything. And that was really our first introduction to city government at any level. Never thought about the roles that we play now in any way ever. And and so now that we're so invested, you know, in everything here, it would be so hard to leave because our hearts are here. You know, we've given the the last 14-15 years to caring. And, you know, so I want them to feel that too and be proud of what their dad or their grandpa helped to do. And so I just hope they appreciate that, you know.

SPEAKER_04 29:20

I have absolutely no doubt that they will not be proud of everything that both of you have contributed. You know, I I went to Deer Park High School, I graduated, I won't say what year, because it's I'm getting older. But yeah, not as old as this guy. But I went to Deer Park and I could not wait to get out. I was like, oh my gosh, like, and especially having my dad be who he was and is for will forever be. But he, you know, I I could not wait to get out. I felt like Deer Park was a black hole. There was nothing here for me. It just, you know, you would get just outside of the realm of the galaxy of Deer Park, and then you get sucked right back in. Yeah. And then here I am working for the city now. Right, right, right. So, and I as an employee of the city, it has opened so many doors, not just for me as an employee, but also as a person and as a community member, even though I live in Baytown right now, but I'm trying to get back as quickly as well. I know you, I know you are. But it's I think people take for granted the city services that they have here. And I can confidently say that because I I have lived in other cities and I currently live in another city. And and so the it the city services that the that we provide and the hospitality and the customer service that we provide, it's unmatched. And that comes from the leadership that we have here from both of you, from council, from directors, from everybody who has any kind of administrative authority. And so I I resonate with what you said too, because it's yeah, it really is impactful. Just go move somewhere for a little bit, yeah, and you'll find yourself coming right.

SPEAKER_02 31:11

Super blessed to be in this little community. And then we have access in 30 minutes to be across town anywhere or to the bay or whatever. So it's a good place, it's a good little hub.

SPEAKER_01 31:22

Yeah, it's been fun, you know, my son growing up in Deer Park and going to the elementary school, and now he's in Duke Deer Park Junior High. And a lot of my son's teachers in elementary school graduated with Caitlin.

SPEAKER_05 31:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:35

So it's it's kind of funny like hearing the stories. Oh, yeah, I went to high school with her, or I know that guy from you know, wherever. It's it's just funny, you know, hearing all this, all the all the stuff that you see and and you hear in the community. And, you know, a lot of my son's friends, their parents grew up in Deer Park. And so now their kids are growing up here. And it's like it's something that you hope continues, you know, for for generation after generation. So it really is a great place to be.

SPEAKER_00 32:03

Probably one of the most profound statements on this very specific topic that was said to me one time was somebody said that all the reasons that when they were growing up here in Deer Park that they wanted to leave ended up becoming all the very reasons why they wanted to come back here and raise their family. And that's always stuck with me because if if Deer Park is really known for anything, it falls in that category because y'all y'all keep mentioning it's even if you take the school district in education, how effective they have been where graduates from Deer Park go off to college and then ultimately come back and get jobs back in the school district and end up either working with teachers that they had or mentors, and then you know, knowing different kids that are now being raised that was, you know, friends of theirs, kids, and and just seeing some of the people that we know when you go back to the elementary school with our grandkids for and how many teachers that you know. Obviously, we don't know them all, but it's funny to know any percentage of them, even though our kids have been out of school now many, many years. It's so rewarding to see that. And I think it really separates us from a lot of other communities.

SPEAKER_01 33:17

Yeah. So switching gears a little bit, we're gonna imagine a scenario where you have some of your friends from out of town, right? They come in into to Deer Park and you want to show them around and they say, Hey, we want to go to a good restaurant. Like nothing that they've ever had, or on a culinary aspect, something that they would never try. Where would you guys take them in Deer Park? Doesn't necessarily have to be something exotic, but you know, what what would be your you guys' idea of like top-tier cuisine in Deer Park?

SPEAKER_00 33:57

Well, when you say Deer Park again, it was just interesting the way you laid that question out. We was it last weekend or the week before we went to Monument Inn. Just we were by ourselves, we went out to Monument Inn, and somebody tapped me on the shoulder, and it was a pastor that had left the area and taken a church in in up east Texas, and I guess they come back, and his first comments was, We just had to come back to Monument Inn. You know, just it's it's intriguing how many people that live here, and of course we we get to enjoy it whenever we want, but it's it's it's always refreshing or interesting when people move off, and that that's a common denominator. People come back and they want to go to Monument Inn. Or if you take the Harris County Mayor Council, one of the more popular uh meetings is usually when it's at Monument Inn and how different elected officials across the region will absolutely drive across town just to go to that. So I I think that's probably one.

SPEAKER_02 34:56

Yeah, and it's a little nostalgic for me, too, to go there, take people there because this is good. Along with, you know, my family's been here forever. So my great-grandmother had a house just down there at the channel by Monument Inn. It didn't used to be as the channel didn't used to be as wide as it is now. They dredged it out for bigger ships, but for play, her and her siblings would swim across the channel. And so that house, if I understand correctly, got picked up and it's moved somewhere here. I can't remember where. So I like to go there too, because it's like so many generations of my family kind of saw that. Right.

SPEAKER_00 35:35

And of course, just to add to that, you know, when she mentioned earlier about going through that leadership class through the chamber, I thought it was intriguing. She went to the front portion or part of the one of the exercises one day was going through the school district, and they ended up at the Walters building, which in the front part used to be a museum. I'm not sure. I don't know if it still is or not. And there was some stuff from her grandmother who was in the first graduation.

SPEAKER_02 36:02

She graduated like from the first class that kind of went all the way through. First plant, which is what I understand.

SPEAKER_00 36:08

No, the plant family. There's still a lot of them that go to First Baptist, and they were long, long-term members of First Baptist. And so it it it's it's kind of intriguing when when that happens.

SPEAKER_02 36:19

For me to kind of look at that and think, wow, yeah, that's where they settled somehow, you know, from somewhere.

SPEAKER_04 36:26

Do you know what year that was?

SPEAKER_02 36:28

I do not.

SPEAKER_00 36:29

I could ask, yeah, you know, but I don't think it was the first year it was in existence, but I think it was the first graduation.

SPEAKER_02 36:35

Yeah, like from whatever, like from whatever grade she started to go through is what I understood however however that was.

SPEAKER_00 36:43

But there was memorabilia in there with her name on it from from way back in the day.

SPEAKER_05 36:47

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:48

Which she's passed on now, but uh yeah.

SPEAKER_04 36:54

Yeah. Football trophy up there was my grandpa's. That's why I was wow. He graduated in that building, and so did my grandmother. Um so yeah, that's the only reason why I was there.

SPEAKER_00 37:05

Yeah, just curious.

SPEAKER_02 37:06

Yeah. But it's very interesting.

SPEAKER_00 37:10

You know, and it's funny going back to some of that when I first became mayor and and the historical committee became it was a viable activity. And I remember having discussions or meetings of we still had people alive at the time that goes back to some of the first actual years of of the ISD and the school district, and and it was important to try to preserve as much of that history directly and indirectly, and and unfortunately a lot of them are dying off. There's not too many people left from that era, if you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_02 37:48

Yeah. But now we're gonna have this great museum here in the front of this wonderful building.

SPEAKER_00 37:53

It's gonna be fantastic to case that. Um be a day when elementary kids can come here and look at the history and have a nice central location to tour that. And yeah. It's been a definite passion in in my tenure of seeing that committee be very effective at preserving our history.

SPEAKER_04 38:14

So when visitors come to Deer Park for the first time, what is the one thing you hope they take away about our town's culture and community spirit?

SPEAKER_00 38:26

Well, you know, I've got so many different thoughts that come to my mind, but one that sticks out the most was actually during the ITC event, and you know, we had a lot of different people that were here helping. And one of the men that was serving, uh he was working through the state in emergency management, and he had never been to Deer Park, and so he was working this event through the through Tetham, and he had some time where he took off and he went to Dow Park and just kind of drove through the city a little bit. Of course they were working on it, and he really just complimented me because most people are kind of caught off guard when they come out here because they got certain perceptions of narrative, but he talked about how how many people were using the park even during that event and the community narrative. And I and I think that would be one of the narrative that just hopefully when visitors come in, they can see that essence of what makes Deer Park so special, which is our community, right? Family engagement. And I was just talking to somebody here recently about, you know, Deer Park football games, and it still is a common known narrative where Deer Park goes to all the events and tremendous turnouts for the Friday night games, whether it's here or on the road. And I think that's just a testament to what I would hope most people would take away when they come to Deer Park.

SPEAKER_04 39:54

I think that pretty much wraps up everything that's on our list. Oh my god. I thank y'all both for being troopers. I know y'all didn't know what to expect during any of this, but we uh we've really enjoyed doing this podcast and we've really enjoyed getting to know people more personably because it not it it helps the community see what we do, yeah, um, but it also helps us get more in tune for how we can better market what we're doing. Absolutely, not just on a tourism front, but also just like as a as a city as a whole, and so we appreciate everything that y'all do and everything that y'all stand for, and we just wanted to relay that to y'all too.

SPEAKER_00 40:38

Well, yeah, thank you.

SPEAKER_04 40:39

We wanted to have some fun with it too.

SPEAKER_00 40:41

Well, I think we did. It was good, enjoyed it, and for some reason she got them all right, yes, pretty close.

SPEAKER_05 40:47

Yeah, you did too. You did too.

SPEAKER_02 40:52

Love you long.

SPEAKER_04 40:54

Love you long too.

SPEAKER_02 40:55

That's fine.

SPEAKER_04 40:56

That's from a movie, isn't it? Love you long. I don't know. I know where I heard it from.

SPEAKER_02 41:02

It wasn't a movie.

SPEAKER_00 41:04

I've got a dear friend of mine that says that to me. And actually, it's Steve Cody. You know, his parents used to own Bows of Donuts for many years.

SPEAKER_03 41:11

And I didn't know that.

SPEAKER_00 41:12

And I called in the other day. I said, you know, it's kind of creepy when my wife is telling me love you long time, and all I can hear is you telling me that's hilarious.

SPEAKER_05 41:24

It is good, but it is funny. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 41:28

Well, all right. So that pretty much wraps it up. Do you have any more questions?

SPEAKER_01 41:35

I don't have any questions. I just want to thank you both for coming on, taking time out of your day. And, you know, like Caitlin said, we we do this to kind of enlighten the community about what's going on outside of just what they see. You know, sometimes you can see the mayor or you hear about the mayor, but sometimes a little one-on-one podcast like this, it kind of gives you a little bit more, you know, and just more personable. And especially with the directors and things like that, we have all these new projects. People got questions, people have their own things that they want to learn about. So it's it's been a great platform, and just to have you guys on, uh, you know, we really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00 42:11

Well, in in in like turn, you know, I remember the vision of this facility and all this being possible and how many years it's taken us to be here. So to be here and sit in in this setting is just a thrill for us. Um just to walk in the door, just just to pull up and walk into y'all's offices, and and to be, I can't begin to express how proud I am to see where we're at and and know how many years we've talked about this and now we're seeing it to fruition. And hopefully the community enjoys it. But I think they do, and I think these podcasts are gonna be tremendous benefit for the future. Thank you. Thank you guys for that.

SPEAKER_01 42:50

Well, I think that's all that we have. And uh hey guys out there watching, don't forget to like and subscribe. Check us out on all the platforms that we have, Instagram. I'm sure we'll have a link to that. Uh, we'll put our link to the link tree somewhere down at the bottom or the side. You'll find it. Until next time, we'll see you around campus.