Campaigning Planning

Running a successful campaign requires careful planning and a multi faceted approach.  People receive communications in various ways these days. If you want your message to reach a wide audience, you need to know your audience.  Having a plan is essential to get your message out to the masses.  Here is a list of things to do for any general campaign.

Easy Free or Almost Fee Things To Do Right Away

- Facebook Page
- Website
- Twitter
- Instagram

Funding

- Open Bank Account
- Register with Texas Ethics Commission (Need to disclose anything over $50/year in donations)
- PayPal and PayPal.Me Account
- Anedot Accounthttps://anedot.com/

Advertising Campaign - Cost Money

- Facebook ads
- Mailers
- Yard Signs
- Large Signs
- Tee-Shirts
- Radio ads
- Car Magnets
- Social Media Videos
- Billboard Sign
- TV ads
- Phone banking
- Phone Polling
- Internet Polling
- Local Meetings

Endorsement Activities:

- News Paper Editorials
- Opinion Editorials
- Social media likes
- Block walking
- Press Releases
- Standing at the Election booths
- Talk Point Memo

Research Your Voters

- Get Register Voter List from County
- Political Consultant Data
- Political Party Data

Hot Air Balloon Festival in Kyle

Went to a Hot Air Balloon Festival in Kyle Texas.  We arrived just before sunrise. It is still hot in Texas, so I recommend in the mornings. 

They also have an evening show.  From the pictures, the night time show looks amazing as you can see the fire thru the balloons! 

This was an amazing event!  Many hot air balloons were in attendance.  You are allowed to go right up to them and watch them setup and launch the balloons.  We will be sure to attend next year!

The video above was shot in one continuous shooting.  I sped parts of the video, so you are seeing about 45 minutes in just 5 minutes.

Summer Bash 2018

Went to our annual TCRP Summer Bash 2018.  This year we had it with Dinesh D'Souza at Texas Disposal Systems Exotic Game Ranch.  This is an amazing place.  The ranch is owned by these guys who own a dump.  The collect exotic animals and maintain them by the dump.  The place is nicked name "The Dump." While it is right next to a dump, this is no dumpy place.  They asked me to record a video and i made this quick video for the day!

Face To Face With Ted Cruz

I did some block walking today for Senator Ted Cruz.  It was very hot and sticky this morning, but they wanted us out there and promised that Ted Cruz would be visiting afterwards.  It was up close and personal.  I recorded his speech and got a picture.  It is great to meet our local leaders!

KEYE Story On Camera Database

Interview with Courtney Schoenemann on @CBSAustin about Williamson County's Community Camera database.  

The Williamson County Sheriff's Office is the latest agency asking its residents to register their surveillance cameras with them.

Sheriff Robert Chody launched the program Thursday. He said it will save deputies time when they're investigating a crime because they'll have a list of addresses with cameras.

The Williamson County Sheriff's Office is the latest agency asking its residents to register their surveillance cameras with them.

Sheriff Robert Chody launched the program Thursday. He said it will save deputies time when they're investigating a crime because they'll have a list of addresses with cameras.

"Because right now we have detectives and patrol officers who will literally drive the street looking at cameras, and they can be in lots of different places," Chody said.

To register, you go to the county website and fill out an online form with your name, address and where your cameras are located.

When a crime happens in a specific area, deputies will ask the county IT team for a list of homes with cameras in that area.

"We will then go to those residences or businesses and ask the owners if we can have video evidence and look at their video system and determine if anything was caught during the time of the crime," Chody said.

Pflugerville resident Anthony Nguyen registered his cameras with the Pflugerville Police Digital Neighborhood Watch Program. "I think it's a great way of using technology to solve crime to deter crime," Nguyen said.

PPD started its digital neighborhood watch program earlier this year. According to the department, 215 homeowners have registered their cameras with the city. "It just helps them have more eyes and ears in the neighborhood and makes the community a safe and better place to live in," Nguyen said.

Chody announced the launch of the Williamson County Sheriff's Office Video Surveillance Camera Registration Program on Twitter Thursday.

Tour of Pflugerville Public Works Water Treatment Plant

My city had an open house of our Pflugerville Public Works Water Treatment Plant.  I was mainly interested in how they clean our sewer water.  

It looks like a classic system.  It was designed and built in 1986.  It has a inorganic, trash separation station.  An aeration phase that pumps air into the water to activate the bacteria to eat the organic compounds. A clarifier phase to separate the heavy matter.  

A chlorine phase to disinfect the water, before send to the creek.  The slug that is removed in the clarifier is mixed with wood chips to create compost and is free to any city resident for pickup.

Pflugerville Neighbors Help Identify Package Thief

Pflugerville neighbors band together to help track down a suspected package thief.

Security video taken on March 30 from a doorbell camera shows a man in the Greenridge subdivision of Pflugerville standing on the porch, then taking a small package.

The homeowner spoke to us by phone and said the package contained expensive mascara, and the suspected thief also took a package of tomatoes from another neighbor.

A still frame of the man was posted to the Nextdoor app. HOA board member Anthony Nguyen asked the poster if he had video and that’s when Nguyen said it “kind of exploded.”

Nguyen edited good quality video from two different security cameras together and posted it on multiple Facebook groups and YouTube. The post was shared over 2,600 times.

“This is probably seen as a minor crime to the police department,” said Nguyen. “I care about what happens in my community, I want everyone to feel safe in this area.”

A few leads started to come to Nguyen’s inbox. One anonymous tip helped Pflugerville Police identify the man as Tyler Chase Rudolph. He’s now wanted for two counts of theft.

Detective Michael De LaRosa said the neighborhood community “played a huge role” in helping identify the suspect. He hasn’t been arrested, but authorities are one step closer.

De Larosa encourages residents to not only get a doorbell camera of any kind for their home but also register with their Digital Neighborhood Watch Program. Pflugerville Police make a list of all those who have cameras -- that way if something were to happen, and they need video evidence, they can see if any security cameras are in the area.

Statesmans Story - https://www.statesman.com/NEWS/20180424/Pflugerville-police-identify-suspect-in-package-thefts

Recognition to TCAD Board of Director

Last year, in December, I was nominated by the city of Pflugerville to our County Appraisal District Board of Directors.  This Board oversees the function of determining appraisals for in our County.  

My city of Pflugerville is part of 13 other taxing districts making up East Travis County.  Each city and ISD was able to make nominations.  We had 4 total nominations for East Travis County.  

I decided to do a mini campaign to reached out to each city council and school Board for its vote.  I emailed them all and went to the council meeting to ask for there support.  The other nominees, did not reach out, so because I showed up, I got the nod.  

On March 13th, the city of Pflugerville decided to recognize myself as a member of the Travis County Appraisal District Board of Directors representing eastern Travis County.

Fox 7 Interview on Pflugerville Sharing Camera Program

Pflugerville Police Department is partnering with residents who own a home surveillance camera system to help solve crimes and keep their community safe.

The public is invited to register online for Pflugerville’s Digital Neighborhood Watch program (www.pflugervilletx.gov/watch)  to notify police that they have an exterior-facing surveillance camera. Participation in the voluntary program does not grant the Police Department direct remote access to any cameras on private property, but instead residents may voluntarily add their name to a list to be kept on file so the department knows who to contact if a crime does take place in an area to see if footage is available.

“By having a database of homeowners that have surveillance cameras readily accessible to detectives and patrol, we can save hours by not needing to canvass neighborhoods looking for residents with security cameras that may have useful footage,” said Sgt. Jared Bruno. “Residents are not always aware that their system may have captured information that could help solve a crime that occurred nearby,  but having a list of contacts who have potentially vital footage can help us close a case or identify a suspect.”

PPD has used surveillance footage recently to make several identifications and arrests, especially with the additional help of social media. The footage can aid in the investigation of package thefts, burglaries of vehicles and homes, criminal mischief, evading suspects and more.

After registering their camera, residents will only be contacted by the department if there is a criminal incident in the vicinity of their security camera. At that time, police may request to view the camera footage in order to assist in the investigation. Officers will not have any direct access to participant surveillance systems or private home cameras.

 “As individuals continue to realize how difficult it is to get away with criminal activity, it can only make our community safer,” said Chief Jessica Robledo. “Having the capability to work directly with our residents to solve crime is something we greatly value as a police agency serving Pflugerville. I hope residents with surveillance systems will sign up and help us fight crime.”

To register your address in the Digital Neighborhood Watch Program, please visit www.pflugervilletx.gov/watch