Feb 28, 2024 Board of Directors Regular Meeting Agenda

[1. Invocation / Pledge of Allegiance;]

[00:00:14]

HEISER WILL LEAD US IN OUR INVOCATION. DIRECTOR HEISER?

>> THANK YOU. IF YOU ALL WILL BOW YOUR HEADS WITH ME, PLEASE.

LORD, WE ASK YOU TO BLESS OUR MEETING TONIGHT, GRANT YOUR FAVOR, WISDOM, GUIDANCE, AND PROTECTION AS WE GATHER TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT EFFECT OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, LORD, FOR ALL OUWISE AND DISCERNING HEARTS TO SKILLFULLY GOVERN, SERVE, AND PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S IN THE PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS THAT WE PRAY, AMEN.

>> AMEN. >> THANK YOU, CINDY. AND NOW DIRECTOR FRANKS WILL LEAD US IN OUR PLEDGES.

>> PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE. >> PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE NATION AND THIS GREAT STATE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND

[2. Call meeting to order;]

INDIVISIBLE. >> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR FRANKS.

IT IS 6:02, AND I DECLARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW, NOTICE OF THIS MEETING WAS POSTED 72 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING. THIS POSTING OCCURRED INSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE TOWNSHIP AT THIS OFFICE BUILDING. STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT AT LEAST FOUR OF OUR BOARD MEMBERSHIP BE IN ATTENDANCE TO ESTABLISH A QUORUM. I ASK EACH BOARD MEMBER TO PLEASE INDICATE HIS OR HER PRESENCE BY RESPONDING WITH SOME AUDIBLE SOUND OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT AS I CALL ROLE. DIRECTOR BAILEY?

>> HERE. >> DIRECTOR FRANKS?

>> HERE. >> DIRECTOR HEISER?

>> HERE. >> DIRECTOR NELSON?

>> HERE. >> AND DIRECTOR SNYDER, HERE.

IT IS DETERMINED A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF MEMBERS ARE PRESENT

[3. Receive, consider and act upon adoption of the meeting agenda;]

ITEM NINE. ARE THERE ANY OTHER? >> I'D LIKE TO TAKE SOMETHING

OUT OF CONSENT. >> YES?

>> I'D LIKE TO TAKE OUT OF CONSENT AGENDA AND PUT INTO

REGULAR AGENDA, AGENDA ITEM F. >> ANYTHING ELSE?

>> THAT'S ALL. >> THANK YOU.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> I'D LIKE TO DEFER AKENYA ITEM, I'M TRYING TO FIND IT HERE, AGENDA ITEM 15.

>> 16? >> 15.

>> OKAY. IT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED BY THE BOARD MEMBERS TO DEFER AGENDA ITEM NINE AND AGENDA ITEM 15 AND PULL LETTER F OUT OF THE CONSENT AGENDA TO THE REGULAR

AGENDA. IS THERE A MOTION? >> MOVED.

>> SECOND. >> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

[4. Recognize public officials;]

>> AYE. >> OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES.

THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 4, RECOGNIZING OUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS. AND I THINK WE DO HAVE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, AARON HOFFSTER WHO IS VICE PRESIDENT OF MUD SIX. AARON, WE'RE ALWAYS

[5. Public comment;]

[00:05:04]

SPEAKERS MAY EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS OR VIEWPOINTS ON AN ISSUE BUT ARE NOT PERMITTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEBATE OF AN ISSUE. SPEAKERS WILL NOT USE PROFANITY. COMMENTS FROM SPEAKERS MAY BE MADE TO THE BOARD AS A WHOLE OR TO AN INDIVIDUAL DIRECTOR. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO PLEASE REMIND YOU TO PLACE YOUR CELL PHONES ON SILENT. AND THAT BRINGS US TO MR. LIVINGSTON. IF YOU WILL COME AND WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU, DIRECTORS. I HAVE 29 YEARS OF MEMORIES IN INDIAN SPRINGS. AMONG THE RESIDENTS OF THAT VILLAGE, THE MEMORIES AND FALCON WING PARK AMOUNT TO A MILLENIUM OF TIME. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO FALCON WING IS THAT WE ARE OVER SPREADING THREE ACRES OF BEAUTIFUL VILLAGE PARK WITH A PLASTIC TARP, GARNISHED WITH REMAINS OF CAR TIRES. THE CRUMB RUBBER COMPONENT TO FAKE GRASS IS BAD FOR LIVING THINGS. RAIN RUNOFF DRIVES CHEMICALS INTO OUR WATER TABLE THAT CAN'T BE ELIMINATED. THE EPA REFUSES TO CERTIFY THE SAFETY OF CRUMB RUBBER AND THAT DESERVES REPEAT. THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WILL NOT CERTIFY ITS SAFETY. THE TURF PROJECT IS CALLED AN UPGRADE. IT IS NOT. IT'S A RETROGRADE.

THE SITE OF TRACTORS NOW SCRAPING AWAY THE HEALTHY HUMAN AND ANIMAL DOMAIN OF THAT PARK IS A DISTURBING PANORAMA. THERE WAS A TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE WOODLAND WHEN THE DECK DIRECTORS NEEDED TO BALANCE A NATURAL SETTING WITH DEVELOPMENT. VILLAGES WERE PLANNED, HOMES WERE BUILT, POWER LINES WENT IN, BUSINESSES ESTABLISHED. TRACKS OF LAND WERE SET ASIDE FOR PATHWAYS AND PARKS. BUT THE DEVELOPMENT ERA HAS PASSED. THERE IS NO MORE LAND WAITING DEVELOPMENT. EVERY OFFICIAL I'VE SPOKEN TO ADMITS THERE IS NO MORE LAND TO WORK WITH IN THE WOODLANDS. WE'RE NOT DEVELOPERS ANYMORE. THE DIRECTORS ARE CONSERVATORS. WHEN THE PROPOSAL FIRST AROSE TO PILLAGE ONE OF OUR OWN PARKS TO ERECT A SPORTS COMPLEX, A BELL RANG. WE WERE CROSSING A LINE THAT CANNOT BE CROSSED.

THE FALCON WING ISSUE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALIZE THAT THE TIME HAD COME TO SHIFT FOCUS TO STEWARDSHIP BASED ON THE OUTLOOK OF A CONSERVATOR. THE TEARING UP OF A PARK TO PINCH MONEY FROM SPORTS COMPLEXIFIES IS A KIND OF SACRILEGE. VILLAGE PARKS MUST SURELY BE OFF THE TABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT INTO COMPLEXES. PHYSICAL SIGNAGE ANNOUNCING OPTIONS FOLLOWING A REFERENDUM AT FALCON WING WERE IN ORDER AT THE TIME, WELL OVER 500 SIGNATURES HAVE BEEN COLLECTED ON A PETITION TO STOP THIS RETROGRADE. THAT PETITION IS ONLY 12 DAYS OLD. IN THE END, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO POST SIGNS THERE SAYING PLAYING OR PICNICKING ON THIS FIELD MIGHT CAUSE CANCER. THERE'S A WAY TO MAKE THIS STORY A GOOD ONE. RETURN FALCON WING TO MEMORY.

LET NATURE HAVE ITS WAY. PLANT GRASS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MR. LIVINGSTON. SIMON, ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE YOU

BACK. >> GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT. MY NAME IS SIMON BODESON, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCCER OPERATIONS FOR YOUR HOMETOWN PROVIDER OF YOUTH SOCCER. IT'S BEEN A BUSY START TO THE SPRING SEASON. WE'VE GOT A FALL REC PROGRAM UP AND RUNNING. WE'VE

[00:10:01]

FINALLY, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW SPACE, NEW FIELDS, NEW FACILITIES. SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO IN TERMS OF A YOUTH SOCCER GROUP TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY IN BUILDING FIELDS, EXPANSION, PLEASE WE'RE HERE TO HELP. WE UNDERSTAND IT'S A LOCAL COMMUNITY SUPPORTING OUR RESIDENTS. SO IF THERE ARE ANY PLANS, PLEASE INCLUDE US, AND WE'LL BE FULLY IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, SIMON. NEXT ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT ROSTER IS MR. EVERETT. WENDY? NICE TO HAVE YOU BACK.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ACTUALLY HAVING US HERE FROM THE INDIAN SPRINGS VILLAGE ASSOCIATION AREA. OUR GOAL HERE IS REALLY AND TRULY TO NOT PREVENT PROGRESS, NOT TO PREVENT RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, NOT TO PREVENT OUR CHILDREN FROM DOING WHAT THEY LOVE TO DO MOST. IT IS MORE IMPORTANT THE FACT THAT WE TRULY WANT TO PRESERVE WHAT GEORGE MITCHELL HAD IN MIND FOR HIS PARKS HERE. AND FALCON WING, I MOVED HERE IN 2011. AT THAT POINT IN TIME, I DIDN'T KNOW A SINGLE SOUL. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED IS I MET THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WALKING MY DOGS, TAKING MY KIDS OVER TO THE KIDS' PARK OVER IN FALCON WING. THEY WOULD PLAY ON THE SWINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND I WOULD MEET PEOPLE WALKING FROM THE KIDSPARK THIS DIRECTION OR THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON INDIGO SKY. I MET SO MANY RESIDENTS FROM THAT AREA AND WE WOULD LITERALLY, THERE WERE TIMES AT THE END OF THE DAY ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS OR WHATEVER, THE DADS WOULD BE LETTING THE MOMS TAKE A BREAK, AND THEY WOULD BE ROLLING THEIR KIDS UP IN THE WAGON WITH THEIR DOG, AND IT WOULD BE ALMOST LIKE A LITTLE FAMILY NEIGHBORLY PICNIC KIND OF THING THERE. THE ONE THING I LOVED ABOUT FALCON WING WAS THE FACT THAT OUT OF ALL THE PARKS AROUND HERE, I'VE BEEN TO, MY SON PLAYED LACROSSE, FOOTBALL, THAT TYPE OF THING FOR THE SCHOOLS AND INDEPENDENT AS WELL. FALCON WING WAS ALWAYS A FAMILY PARK. IT'S A VILLAGE PARK. THAT'S WHAT IT WAS MEANT TO TO BE. IT WAS NOT TO BE A BIG SPORTS COMPLEX. IT'S A VERY SMALL PARK. IT'S HUGELY WIDE OPEN.

SO YOU KNOW, I WOULD GO THROUGH THERE ON THE WEEKENDS. SATURDAY MORNINGS I MISS SO MUCH, IT WAS SO DISAPPOINTING THIS PAST SATURDAY TO NOT SEE THAT WHOLE FIELD COVERED WITH FIVE-YEAR-OLDS AND BELOW OUT THERE RUNNING AROUND. I ALWAYS CALLED IT LIKE CHASING PUPPIES BECAUSE YOU WATCH THE DADS OVER THERE CHASING ALL THESE LITTLE KIDS AROUND IN CIRCLES AND

[00:15:03]

SUNDAY MORNINGS, I WOULD SEE THE GUYS FROM CRICKET OUT THERE CASUALLY PLAYING AS I WAS WALKING MY DOG THROUGH THE FIELD. THEY ALWAYS SAID HEY, CAN WE STOP AND PET YOUR DOG? THAT KIND OF THING. THEY ACTUALLY ENJOYING IT JUST AS MUCH, JUST THE WAY THAT IT WAS. THERE WAS NEVER ANY MENTION TO ME ABOUT THE FACT DO YOU KNOW OF A FORMAL CRICKET FIELD AROUND HERE, WHATEVER? IF THAT'S THE CASE, I CAN POINT YOU TO THE PRESIDENT DOWN IN HOUSTON WHO ACTUALLY HANDLES 600 YOUTH AND 30 FIELDS THAT HAVE CRICKET FIELDS. I HAVE TWO GOALS HERE. ONE IS, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT FALCON WING TO BE RESTORED THE WAY THAT IT WAS, AS A FAMILY-ORIENTED PARK, A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK. WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF SPORTS COMPLEXES. THE OTHER PART IS THAT, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT A CASUAL INTRAMURAL THING. THERE'S FAMILIES THAT PLAY CASUAL SOFTBALL ON THE HOLIDAYS. I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE HEALTH. HEALTH AND SAFETY.

I WORKED IN THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY. UNTIL YOU'VE EVER BEEN IN A HOSPITAL AND WORKED AND HAD TO DEBRIDE A BURN OFF SOMEBODY REPEATEDLY BECAUSE THEY SLIPPED AND FELL OVER A RASH OR RASH BURN OR WHATEVER IT IS, NO ONE CAN EXPERIENCE THAT. THOSE TEMPERATURES IN THAT FIELD CAN GET HOT. LOOK AT OUR TEMPERATURES WITH WE HAD OVER THIS PAST SUMMER. THAT WOULD BE THE FACT OF GOING, THAT WOULD LITERALLY BE YOU BASICALLY STICKING YOUR HAND INTO A POT OF BOILING WATER.

THAT IS HOW HOT IT GETS. YOU CAN'T CONTROL LITTLE KIDS NOT TAKING THEIR SHOES OFF OR STICKING THEIR FINGERS IN THEIR MOUTH OR WANDERING OFF OR SLIPPING AND SLIDING. YOU CAN'T CONTROL THAT. AS A PARENT, THEY'RE LIKE PUPPIES.

IT'S LIKE HERDING CATS. THE OTHER PART OF THE SAFETY PART

OF THIS IS. >> WE NEED TO HAVE YOU WRAP IT

UP. >> THERE'S NO SHADE SO THE HIGH LEVEL OF DEHYDRATION AND ALSO THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST THERE'S A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY TO STAY COOL. THERE'S NO WAY FOR THE KIDS TO STAY COOL. YOU GUYS AREN'T GOING TO ESCORT THEM TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. WE WANT FAMILY. WE WANT GRASS. WE DON'T WANT ASTROTURF. WE DON'T CARE IF YOU COME OUT THERE AND PLAY SPORTS. THEY'VE BEEN PLAYING SPORTS THERE NONSTOP. WE WANT SAFETY AND

HEALTH. >> THANK YOU.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> ANNA. AND I APOLOGIZE TO PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME. I'LL LET YOU DO IT FROM THE

SPEAKER'S STAND. >> OOH, SHORT PEOPLE IN THE

CROWD. OKAY. CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> WOULD YOU INTRODUCE

YOURSELF? >> YES. HELLO. MY NAME IS ANNA.

I'M A PART OF THE GROUP FOR FALCON WING PARK. I'M JUST HERE TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY I LOVE LIVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHY I LOVE FALCON WING PARK AS MUCH. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR ME AND HOPEFULLY IT CAN BE IMPORTANT FOR YOU TOO. YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING. FOR ME AND FOR MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS, THE MORNINGS, THEY START THE SAME.

WE WAKE UP BEFORE WORK. WE TAKE OUR KIDS, WE TAKE OUR DOGS, WE TAKE OUR SPOUSES, AND WE GO FOR A WALK. AND IT'S A TRULY INTERESTING, AMAZING EXPERIENCE BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THE BIRDS, YOU CAN HEAR THEM CHIRPING, YOU CAN SEE THE GRASS ON THE FIELD.

YOU CAN SEE THE DEW. WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS THERE. WE HAVE A COLONY OF BLUEBIRDS. WE HAVE RANDOM COYOTES. WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF NATURE'S WONDERS. AND ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO IS TO LOOK AT THE GRASS, AND I WILL SEE ON THE DEW, I WILL SEE THAT SOMEBODY WALKED BEFORE ME. I'M TRYING TO GUESS WHICH ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS WAS THERE? IT'S A LITTLE BIT SAD, WE LOST SOME OF OUR DEAR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS OVER TIME. EVERY TIME I LOOK AT THE TRACES ON THE GRASS, IT MAKES ME THINK ABOUT THEM, AND IT MAKES ME REMEMBER THEM. AND I ALWAYS THINK THAT ONE THAT WALKS WITH NATURE WALKS WITH GOD. AND THE QUESTION OF THE PARK IS MORE ABOUT THE MORALE, THIS IS HOW I GREW UP, THIS IS HOW WE ALL GREW UP, AND I WANT MY CHILDREN AND MY NEIGHBOR'S CHILDREN TO HAVE THE SAME VALUES AND TO HAVE THE SAME FEELING OF THIS WALKING IN THE WONDERFUL SUN-LIT FIELD AND EXPERIENCE BEING UNITED WITH NATURE AND BEING CLOSER TO THIS. AND THIS FIELD HAS ALWAYS BEEN UTILIZED BY OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU CAN ALWAYS SEE PEOPLE PLAYING TOGETHER, FLYING KITES, HAVING PICNICS. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY, VERY NICE. AND MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS TO THINK,

[00:20:03]

THAT'S MY POINT. >> THANK YOU, ANNA. NEXT PUBLIC

COMMENT IS RYAN. >> I GOT MY TIMER HERE. I'LL START. HELLO. MY NAME IS RYAN. I LIVE AT 119 SOUTH INDIGO CIRCLE WITH MY WIFE, MY TWO-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER, AND MY 11-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WHO'S HERE TONIGHT. COULDN'T BRING THE BABY. I DIDN'T WANT HER CRYING DURING THE MEETING HERE.

BUT WE MOVED INTO FALCON WING 2017. I FOUND, WE MOVED HERE 2014. WE LOOKED FOR TWO YEARS. EVERYONE TOLD ME MOVE TO THE WOODLANDS. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO BE. SO WHEN WE WERE READY, WE STUMBLED UPON THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. AND IT WAS BY ACCIDENT AND I CALLED MY REALTOR IMMEDIATELY. I COULDN'T BELIEVE THE FACT THAT WE WERE NEXT TO THAT BEAUTIFUL PARK. CALLED THEM RIGHT THEN AND THERE. I JUST FELT SO BLESSED TO FIND THAT HOUSE. I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT WE COULD FIND SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AFFORD THAT IN THE WOODLANDS.

I'M A REGISTERED NURSE. I'VE BEEN IN THE MEDICAL FIELD SINCE 1995, STARTED AS A COMBAT MEDIC, SERVED IN THE EMS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SYSTEM FOR 15 YEARS BEFORE GETTING MY NURSING LICENSE IN 2011. SO I'VE SEEN MANY AMAZING THINGS ALONG THE WAY. I'VE SEEN, I'VE SEEN DEATH, I'VE SEEN LIVED SAVES, I'VE SAVED MANY OF MY OWN, AND AMAZING THINGS ALONG THE WAY.

AND I'M ASKING ALL OF YOU TO DO SOMETHING AMAZING FOR US. WE WANT THAT FIELD PRESERVED. WE NEED IT TO GO BACK TO GRASS.

THE CHEMICALS THAT CAN BE LEECHED OVER THE LIFETIME ARE LASTING. THE FOREVER CHEMICALS, I MEAN, THEY'RE NAMED FOREVER CHEMICALS FOR A REASON. THEY ARE BASICALLY YOU CANNOT GET THAT OUT OF THE ENVIRONMENT. SO LET ME GO TO THIS INSTEAD OF FREE LIBBING HERE. EACH ATHLETIC FIELD USES 400,000 SHREDDED TIRES FOR THE INFIELD ON THOSE FIELDS. THAT FIELD IS A THREE-ACRE PARK. SO THAT'S ABOUT THREE FIELDS, SO 40,000 TIMES THREE. ARTIFICIAL, THE BLADES THEMSELVES, THEY'RE MADE OF POLYETHYLENE DESIGNED TO MIMIC NATURAL GAS. THE CHEMICALS EMITTED INCLUDES PAH, LEAD, NEUROTOXINS, CARBONS, ANTIMICROBIALS, AND PFA'S. THE INFILL, THE WORST PART IS THE CRUMB RUBBER. THE CRUMB RUBBER IS RECYCLED FROM TIRES. WE KNOW WE'RE GETTING RECYCLED TIRES. THEY MAKE CARCINOGENIC CHEMICALS. THE ARTIFICIAL TURF COMBINED WITH THE CHEMICALS ARE LINKED TO CANCER, NERVOUS SYSTEM TOXICITY, AND BENZENE. I GUESS THAT'S MY TIME. LEAD AND PHLALATES. IT DOESN'T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO KNOW THAT THIS STUFF IS NOT GOOD FOR OUR CHILDREN. LIKE I SAID, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET CANCER IN TWO DAYS. IT'S LONG-TERM EXPOSURE. THEY'VE LINKED THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE ATHLETES, OUR SOCCER GOALIES BECAUSE THEY STAND IN THIS STAGNANT PLACE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.

THEY'RE DIVING MOST. IT LEECHES INTO THEIR SKIN.

LEUKEMIA IS OFF THE CHARTS. THEY'RE LINKING THIS ALL TO THE ARTIFICIAL GRASS, THE CRUMB RUBBER. IT'S HAPPENING ALL ACROSS SPORTS. THEY BANNED IT IN BOSTON. OTHER CITIES LIKE CALIFORNIA HAVE DONE IT. THEY'VE BANNED IT ACROSS IN EUROPEAN NATIONS AS WELL. SO PLEASE, PLEASE CONSIDER, I SAW THEM TODAY INJECTING 10 FEET DOWN INTO THE EARTH CHEMICAL TO STABILIZE THE LAND CALLED G2. I WALKED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PARK AND IT WAS LEECHING OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE INTO THE

[00:25:06]

NO ONE LEFT ANY LEAFLETS SAYING WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS PARK? I KNOW YOU DID A RANDOMIZED CONTROL, A RANDOM STUDY MAYBE AND ASKING SOME PEOPLE WHAT THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THE PARKS, BUT I KNOW FOR A FACT IF YOU HAD ASKED ANY OF THESE PEOPLE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY WOULD HAVE

ABSOLUTELY SAID NO. >> OKAY. THANK YOU, RYAN.

>> THANK YOU. >> THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT, MARK. IT'S NICE TO HAVE YOU BACK.

>> CAN YOU HEAR ME ALL RIGHT? >> I'M A RESIDENT OF COCHRAN'S CROSSING. I'VE LIVED THERE FOR 30 YEARS. THIS IS QUOTE, UNQUOTE A SUSPECTED FALL. WE GAVE YOU THE TOOLS TO DEMONSTRATE FOR YOURSELF LAST WEEK THAT THE PANTHER BRANCH CROSSES THE SURFACE WATER PIPELINE RIGHT INTO THE ENTRANCE OF WOODLANDS HIGH SCHOOL. THIS IS A 42-INCH UNPROTECTED PIPE. IT'S BEEN LOOKED AT FOR NOW EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS, AND IT'S BEEN DETERMINED, WELL YOU CAN SEE FROM THE RIVER AUTHORITY'S OWN RECORDS THAT PIPELINE IS UNPROTECTED. IT CAN ONLY HANDLE .04 INCHES A YEAR OF SURFACE CHANGE. IT'S NOW SUFFERING THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH, WHICH MEANS IT'S WAY BEYOND SPECS FOR THAT PIPE. THE LEVEL OF SUBSIDANCE AT THAT PARK IS THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH. THE HARDENED PARKS AT THE BIG BARN IN EGYPT FALLS ARE ONLY ALLOWED A QUARTER OF AN INCH A YEAR. I WENT TO THE RIVER AUTHORITY, THE GRP REVIEW COMMITTEE YESTERDAY AND PRESENTED THE SAME SORT OF INFORMATION. I WAS TOLD BY THEM, THEIR POSITION IS THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO. WE CAN'T CONTROL THE WEATHER. WE CAN'T CONTROL HOW MUCH WATER'S BEING PUMPED. SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU GO TO LONESTAR SUBSIDANCE DISTRICT MEETING AND WE'LL PRESENT THE SAME CASE TO THEM. THEY CONTROL HOW MUCH GROUND WATER IS BEING PUMPED REGIONALLY. THEY ALSO ASKED ME TO GO TO THE MUDS AND SPEAK TO THE VARIOUS MUDS AT THE WOODLANDS WATER SWITCH. I HOPE YOU ALL WILL JOIN ME IN PUSHING OUR NEW MUD ELECTED OFFICIALS ON WHAT THEIR POSITION IS ON SUBSIDANCE. WE'RE SACRIFICING A LOT OF SURFACE WATER TO SUPPORT MORE GROUND WATER BECAUSE IT'S CHEAPER, WHICH IS CAUSING US TO SINK MORE, WHICH IS CAUSING THE PIPELINE, THE ONLY SOLUTION WE'VE GOT IS SURFACE WATER FROM LAKE CONROE. THAT'S A HALF BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PATIENCE.

>> THANK YOU, MARK. NEXT ON OUR PUBLIC COMMENT ROSTER IS MARINA

GOMEZ. MARIN A? >> HI. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MALINA GOMEZ. I LIVE IN NORTH INDIGO CIRCLE. I MOVED TO THE WOODLANDS IN 2017 FOR WORK. COMING FROM A BIG, BUSY CITY, I REMEMBER TELLING MY REALTOR TO PLEASE FIND ME AN APARTMENT NEXT TO THE TALLEST BUILDING IN TOWN. SHE DID. I MOVED TO THE WATERWAY ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY FROM ALLISON TOWER. THAT'S THE TALL BUILDING YOU SEE AS YOU EXIT I-45 ON WOODLANDS PARKWAY.

IT DIDN'T TAKE ME LONG TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS TOWN. SOON ENOUGH, I FOUND MYSELF LOOKING TO BUY A HOUSE NEXT TO THE

[00:30:01]

HAVING LIVED MOST OF MY ADULT LIFE IN THE CITY, I KNOW HOW PRECIOUS THE NATURE WE ENJOY HERE IS, AND I'M PERPLEXED BY THIS CHANGE. HOW WAS THIS DECISION MADE? I KNOW THERE WAS A SURVEY BECAUSE I'VE SEEN A COUPLE OF PIE CHARTS WITH RESULTS. NOT REGARDING THE TURF BUT REGARDING THE UPGRADES AND THE PICKLEBALL COURTS, WHICH BY THE WAY, WERE INSTALLED FEET AWAY FROM ANY NEIGHBORS' BACKYARDS. HOW IS IT THAT THOSE OF US LIVING DIRECTLY AROUND THE PARK WEREN'T SURVEYED? WAS THAT AN OVERSIGHT OR WAS THAT BY DESIGN? I SPENT THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS WORRYING ABOUT THIS FIELD. I WORRY ABOUT THE MICROPLASTICS THAT WILL SEEP INTO THE SOIL. I WORRY ABOUT THE INCREASE IN SURFACE AND AIR TEMPERATURE. I WORRY ABOUT LOCAL WILDLIFE AND THE INTENDED USE OF THIS FIELD, WHICH WITH THOSE LIGHTS WILL EXTEND WELL INTO THE LATE HOURS WHEN WE ARE ALL TRYING TO GET SOME REST. LIKE I SAID, I WORRIED ABOUT THIS A LOT. I'M AFRAID THAT AT THE END, THE ONLY ANSWER FOR MY HUSBAND AND I WILL BE TO MOVE AND HOPE THAT THE HOUSE WON'T HAVE DEPRECIATED BELOW ITS PURCHASE VALUE. I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THERE'S A BUYER HERE IN THE WOODLANDS WHO WANTS TO LIVE ACROSS FROM A PLASTIC SEA.

LISTEN TO SHRILL WHISTLES ALL DAY LONG AND WHO DOESN'T CARE IF THERE'S NOISE AND LIGHT OUTSIDE EVEN AT 11:00 P.M. AT

[6. Receive, consider and act upon reports from Village Association representatives;]

NIGHT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 6, TO RECEIVE, CONSIDER, AND ACT UPON REPORTS FROM THE VILLAGE ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES. FIRST IS ALDEN BRIDGE. NICE TO HAVE YOU AS

ALWAYS. >> GOOD EVENING, CHAIRWOMAN SNYDER. I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR ACTIVITIES.

OUR LAST MEETING WAS HELD ON FEBRUARY 13TH. WE RECEIVED THE LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORT FROM SPECIALIST AGUILAR. DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS AND OTHER RESIDENTS SPOKE ABOUT LOUD TRAFFIC NOISE AND SAFETY ISSUES ALONG RESEARCH FOREST DRIVE BETWEEN BRANCH CROSSING AND EGYPT ROAD. I WILL BE ATTENDING A MEETING WITH COMMISSIONER REILLY NEXT WEEK TO DISCUSS THEIR CONCERNS OUR SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION HAS BEEN POSTED.

THE DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, MARCH 15TH AT MIDNIGHT. WE WILL BE VOLUNTEERING APRIL 27TH FROM 9-11:00 A.M. TO INSTALL DRAIN MARKERS AND DISTRIBUTE DOOR HANGERS FOR RESIDENTS IN ALDEN WOODS TO MARK ALL OF THE DRAINS AND SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THE WATER IN THE WOODLANDS. WE WILL BE POST A FLIER WITH MORE INFORMATION SOON. PLEASE COME JOIN US. WE WILL HAVE SNACKS. THE BOARD MADE THE DECISION TO HOLD OUR ANNUAL MEETING IN MARCH ON THE THIRD TUESDAY OF THE MONTH SINCE SEVERAL FAMILIES HAVE PLANS FOR SPRING BREAK. SO OUR ANNUAL MEETING WILL BE ON TUESDAY, MARCH 19TH.

ALL RESIDENTS ARE INVITED AND ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND. THAT

CONCLUDES MY REPORT. >> THANK YOU, MARYANN. I APOLOGIZE. THERE WAS ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ROSTER. SOMEONE ELSE HAD SIGNED UP. SO I'M REVERTING BACK TO AGENDA ITEM 5. THAT'S MY ERROR. TRICIA DONTO, PUBLIC COMMENT. I

APOLOGIZE, MISS DONTO. >> I PROMISE I'LL MAKE IT QUICK. I WAS JUST COMING UP HERE TO TELL RESIDENTS TO GET OUT THERE AND VOTE. WE HAVE OUR PRIMARY ELECTION HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. THE ELECTION DAY IS ON MARCH 5TH. YOU CAN CAST YOUR BALLOT AT THE SOUTH COUNTY COMMUNITY CENTER OR THE MITCHELL LIBRARY FROM 7:00 A.M. TO 7:00 P.M. OUR PRIMARY

[00:35:01]

SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU GET OUT THERE AND VOTE NOW. WE'VE ALL RECEIVED SOME INTERESTING MAIL LATELY. I WANTED TO CAUTION YOU TO GET OUT THERE AND DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AS WELL. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I KNOW PEOPLE GET VERY ANNOYED WITH ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE PARKING LOT, BUT THE NICE THING ABOUT THAT IS ALL THE CANDIDATES AND ALL YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE THERE RIGHT NOW. SO IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, GO OUT THERE AND GO TALK TO THEM. THEY'LL TALK TO YOU. LASTLY, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME INSIDER INFORMATION. IF YOU'RE REALLY SICK OF ALL THE UNSOLICITED TEXT MESSAGES, ONCE YOU VOTE, THE CANDIDATES WILL REMOVE YOU FROM THE TEXT BLAST BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO SAVE MONEY. SO IF YOU GO VOTE TOMORROW, YOU WILL AVOID ALL OF THOSE ANNOYING TEXT MESSAGES ALL WEEKEND. SO GET OUT THERE AND VOTE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MISS DONTO. THAT BRINGS US TO COCHRAN'S

CROSSING. >> HELLO AGAIN.

>> IF YOU WOULD RETURN TO THE PODIUM. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIRMAN SNYDER. COCHRAN'S CROSSING HAD A VERY BUSY MONTH. WE HANDED OUT $3,000 IN TEACHER GRANTS.

OUR SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR ANY COCHRAN'S CROSSING RESIDENT HEADING TO COLLEGE OR AVOCATIONAL SCHOOL. WE DOUBLED OUR SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT TO $1,000 THIS YEAR AND WE WILL BE GIVING FIVE. THIS YEAR, WE ALSO SIMPLIFIED OUR APPLICATION TO ALIGN WITH THE NEW GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION, WHICH HAS NOW SHORTENED IT TO TWO PAGES. APPLICATIONS ARE DUE MARCH 28TH. IN TOTAL, OUR ASSOCIATION IS DISTRIBUTING $8,000 BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS MORE THAN WE EVER HAVE BEFORE. AND THAT'S ENTIRELY DUE TO THE OVERWHELMING SUCCESS OF OUR FALL FESTIVAL. AND I MAKE THIS POINT BECAUSE PRIOR TO OUR VILLAGE ASSOCIATION ELECTION, I AM AWARE OF SOME E-MAILS THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT CONTAINED CONTRARY INFORMATION.

ADDITIONALLY, OUR BOARD HAS NEVER SOUGHT TO SELL OR ALLOW ALCOHOL AT OUR FESTIVAL, WHICH IS AND REMAINS A FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT. OUR FINAL MEETING OF THE 2023-2024 TERM WAS LAST NIGHT. UNFORTUNATELY, WE SAID GOOD-BYE TO THREE BOARD MEMBERS. THEY WERE NOT REELECTED AND WILL BE LEAVING US. BOTH WILL BE GREATLY MISSED. MICHELLE SOLD 28 VENDOR TABLES AT THIS YEAR'S FALL FESTIVAL, AND ANDY, A TEACHER, GAVE HIS VALUABLE INPUT FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS. LASTLY, JAMES GOLDMEYER HAS SERVED OUR BOARD FOR 20 YEARS AND IS NOW HANGING UP HIS GREEN SHIRT. JIM WAS PREVIOUSLY TREASURER OF THE COCHRAN'S CROSSING VILLAGE ASSOCIATION FOR 10 YEARS, CHAIRMAN OF THE RESIDENTIAL DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE, AND VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR FOR THE ENTIRE WOODLANDS IN 2017. HIS SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY INSPIRED US TO CREATE AN ANNUAL COCHRAN'S CROSSING VILLAGE ASSOCIATION COMMUNITY SPIRIT AWARD. SO THAT WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE MORE PEOPLE LIKE JIM IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO MAKE THE WOODLANDS SPECIAL. WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE HIM HERE AND OUR FIRST COMMUNITY SPIRIT AWARD WINNER IS, OF COURSE, JAMES GOLDMEYER. OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON MARCH 26TH AT 6:30 P.M. HERE AT THE TOWNSHIP. EVERYONE IS ALWAYS WELCOME TO ATTEND. OUR MUD 67 DIRECTOR WILL BE HERE GIVING AN UPDATE. SEE OUR WEBSITE OR

FACEBOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION. >> THANK YOU. THAT BRINGS US TO

NANCY BECKER. WELCOME, NANCY. >> BEFORE I GIVE MY REPORT, I'D JUST LIKE TO SECOND THAT ABOUT JIM. HE WAS A WONDERFUL TREASURER FOR ME WHEN I WAS AT COCHRAN'S CROSSING. PROBABLY TIED WITH THE BEST TREASURER I'VE HAD, AND THAT CURRENTLY IS MY HUSBAND MIKE. SO I HAVE TO GIVE JIM SOME CREDIT. HE WAS WELL DESERVED OF THE AWARD THAT YOU ALL GAVE HIM. ALL RIGHT.

GOOD EVENING, MADAME CHAIRWOMAN AND BOARD MEMBERS. I COME HERE TONIGHT WITH GOOD NEWS AND ALSO A COUPLE OF ISSUES. I'LL START WITH OUR WINTER FESTIVAL AND CHILI COOKOFF. OR COMMUNITY SPIRIT EVENT WAS HELD ON JANUARY 20TH ON A CRISP, COLD SUNNY DAY. PERFECT FOR A SNOW HILL. WE ESTIMATE OUR ATTENDANCE WAS OVER 1,500 PEOPLE, WHICH IS EASILY OUR BIGGEST FESTIVAL EVER. WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT OUR EVENT SPONSOR HEB AND ALSO OUR OTHER SPONSORS. THE NUMBER OF CHILI COOKOFF TEAMS EXPANDED TO SIX THIS YEAR WITH NEW TEAMS

[00:40:05]

THE SNOW HILL SLEDS HAVE GIVEN THEIR ALL BUT NEED TO REPLACE NEXT YEAR, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE ON JANUARY 18, 2025. PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW. ANOTHER GREAT PIECE OF NEWS WAS THE DECISION BY TISD TO EXPAND THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. I KNOW ALL OF YOU ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS WE WERE FACING. YOUR INVOLVEMENT TO EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS HELPED INFLUENCE TISD TO AGREE TO THE DECISION TO KEEP OUR CREEKSIDE PARK MIDDLE SCHOOLERS IN CREEKSIDE PARK. AT OUR FEBRUARY MEETING, WE HAD COLBY MAKE A SAT PRESENTATION ON POWER PROBLEMS WE'VE EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS. ACKNOWLEDGED CENTER POINT PROBLEMS THAT HAVE IMPACTED CREEKSIDE PARK. HE SHARED WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.

ACKNOWLEDGING THAT DESPITE PROGRESS TO DATE, THERE IS MUCH MORE TO DO. OUR SERVICE OVER THE LAST THREE TO FOUR MONTHS HAS BEEN MOVE IMPROVED. ALSO AT OUR FEBRUARY MEETING, WE HAD THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COME AND DO A PRESENTATION ON NARCAN.

OVERDOSES ARE A PROBLEM FAMILIES MIGHT FACE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE PRESENTATION DEMONSTRATED HOW THIS DRUG IS USED AND THAT IT IS NOW AVAILABLE OVER THE COUNTER.

RESIDENTS WERE APPRECIATIVE TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES ON THIS GROWING ISSUE. NOW TO A COUPLE OF ISSUES. FIRST, MOTORIZED SCOOTERS HAVE BECOME A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE INSIDE THE PARK, AND I'M SURE IN THE REST OF THE WOODLANDS. THERE HAVE BEEN FEW ACCIDENTS AND MORE NEAR MISSES. IT'S ALMOST DAILY I HEAR ON SOCIAL MEDIA OF INTERACTIONS BETWEEN SCOOTERS AND RESIDENTS. THE SCOOTERS THAT ARE MOST OFTEN RIDDEN BY TEENS AND CHILDREN ARE INCREASING THE RISK OF A MORE SERIOUS INCIDENT FOR OTHERS ON THE PATHWAYS AND ALSO THEMSELVES. VERY FEW SCOOTER RIDERS WEAR HELMETS. THE SCOOTERS ARE USED TO MOSTLY RIDE TO SCHOOL IN MANY CASES.

TECHNICALLY MOTORIZED SCOOTERS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE PATHWAYS. WE WOULD NOT PROPOSE THAT SCOOTERS BE MOVED TO THE STREET BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE EVEN MORE RISKY. WE ARE HONESTLY NOT SURE WHAT CAN OR SHOULD BE DONE. AN IDEA THAT THE SCHOOLS COULD BAN THEM HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THE SCHOOLS. WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT NON-MOTORIZED VEHICLES CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS ON THE PATHWAYS WHEN RIDDEN TOO FAST, ESPECIALLY WHERE THERE'S NOT A GOOD LINE OF SIGHT. I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION.

THIS PROBLEM IS NOT GOING AWAY AND SOMEHOW WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO ADDRESS IT. IN THE PAST, I BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE BOARD THE LIFE AND DEATH ISSUE OF OUR FRIEND'S HEART ATTACK AT THE PICKLEBALL COURTS AT FALCON WING PARK AND THE PROBLEMS OF EMS GOING TO THE MAIN ENTRANCE OF SAID PARK. I'M HAPPY TO SEE THERE'S A NEW RED ADDRESS SIGN ON THE FENCE BETWEEN THE TWO SETS OF COURTS. LAST WEEK, WE HAD A MUCH LESS SERIOUS INCIDENT, BUT SIMILAR INCIDENT AT SUNDANCE PARK. I HAD TO CALL 911. A YOUNG LADY SEPARATED HER SHOULDER. WHEN I WAS CONTACTING EMERGENCY PERSONNEL, THERE WAS A CHALLENGE IN RELAYING THE EXACT LOCATION OF WHERE I WAS.

THE ADDRESS TO THE PARK SHOWS ALDEN BRIDGE DRIVE AND SUNDANCE DRIVE. THE CLOSEST INTERSECTION TO THE TENNIS PARK IS SORREL BRIDGE PLACE. THE EMERGENCY PERSONNEL ARRIVED, TOOK THEM A WHILE, ASSISTED THE YOUNG LADY, AND SHE IS FINE NOW. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE SAME RED SIGN PLACED AT THE COURTS AT FALCON WING BE PLACED AT ALL TENNIS COURTS IN THE WOODLANDS. WHEN SECONDS COUNT, ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IN ONE PLACE IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL. SPEAKING OF TENNIS COURTS, MY HUSBAND AND I TAKE PICKLEBALL LESSONS ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHTS AT DIFFERENT PARKS. WE ALSO PLAY ON SATURDAY MORNINGS AT DIFFERENT PARKS. OUR INSTRUCTOR DAVE CHENEY HAS BEEN FRUSTRATED WITH RESIDENTS WHO ARE CONTINUING TO USE THE COURTS AS

[00:45:01]

WE SEE THIS BEHAVIOR ALMOST EVERY DAY. IT OCCURS MOST OFTEN ON THE MOST TRAVELED ROADS, SUCH AS WOODLANDS PARKWAY. AS I WATCH IT, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S NOW CONSIDERED THE NORM.

LUCKILY IN MOST CASES, PEOPLE WATCH AND WAIT FOR THESE RED-LIGHT RUNNERS. I KNOW RED LIGHT CAMERAS ARE NOT AN OPTION. LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL TICKET SPEEDERS BUT I HAVE YET TO SEE ANYONE TICKETS FOR RUNNING A RED LIGHT. WHAT CAN WE DO TO AVOID A SERIOUS ACCIDENT? THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, NANCY. AND NICE TO HAVE YOU HERE AND APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THOSE ITEMS TO OUR ATTENTION. THAT BRINGS US TO GROGRAN'S MILL. ERIN, SO NICE TO HAVE YOU.

>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS AARON. AS PRESIDENT, I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR ACTIVITIES. WE HAD EIGHT POSITIONS UP FOR ELECTION IN FEBRUARY. WE WERE PLEASED TO FILL ALL EIGHT OF THOSE POSITIONS. WELCOMING BACK SIX INCUMBENT DIRECTORS AS WELL AS WELCOMING TWO NEW DIRECTORS.

THE GMBA HAS ONE OPEN DIRECTOR POSITION. AS THIS BOARD IS AWARE, ONE OF OUR LONGEST SERVING DIRECTORS, BRUCE CUNNINGHAM PASSED AWAY. HE WAS A 35 YEAR RESIDENT OF THE WOODLANDS AND HIS SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY DURING THAT TIME WAS INCREDIBLE. BRUCE SERVED FOR 20 YEARS AND WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT EIGHT TIMES. BRUCE SERVED ON MUD 6 BOARD FOR 12 YEARS AND WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT SIX TIMES. HE WAS A COFOUNDER OF THE WOODLANDS FARMER'S MARKET AS WELL AS AGING IN PLACE AND RECOGNIZED AS A HOMETOWN HERO IN 2016. HE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED. THERE WILL BE A MASS HELD THIS SATURDAY, MARCH 2ND AT 1:00 P.M. HELD MEETINGS ON JANUARY 22ND. IN OUR FIRST MEETING FOLLOWING THE ELECTIONS, THE GMBA ELECTED OFFICERS REELECTING MYSELF AS PRESIDENT AND VINCE FREDERICK AS VICE PRESIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK CHAIRMAN SNYDER AND DIRECTOR FRANKS FOR ATTENDING OUR RECENT MEETINGS AND UPDATES AT THE GMBA MEETINGS AND A MONTHLY LAW ENFORCEMENT UPDATE.

MISSYHENDON PRESENTED INFORMATION IN OUR JANUARY MEETING. THE GMBA RECENTLY DONATED $5,000 TO INTERFAITH AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR EFFORTS FOR SUPPORT IN THE FUTURE. IN OUR FEBRUARY MEETING, A SPECIAL PRESENTATION FROM DEBBIE CARL AND FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY. A NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO CREATING AWARENESS IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEEDS AND THEIR FUNCTION AS CULTURAL ASSETS TO SOUTH MONTGOMERY COUNTY. THEY WERE HAPPY TO DONATE $3,000 TO THAT ORGANIZATION. CONTINUES TO SOLD WEEKLY COMMUNITY EVENTS AT THE WOODLANDS FARMER'S MARBLE LOCATED AT THE GROGRAN'S MILL CENTER. THE MARKET WILL BE CLOSING ONE HOUR EARLY THIS UPCOMING SATURDAY TO HONOR BRUCE CUNNINGHAM AND ALLOW VENDORS AND VOLUNTEERS TO ATTEND HIS SERVICES THAT AFTERNOON. ALL PROCEEDS ARE RETURNED TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH PHILANTHROPIC EFFORTS. I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT OUR APPLICATION FOR SCHOLARSHIPS HAS BEEN MADE PUBLIC AND THE DEADLINE IS MARCH 28TH. THAT CONCLUDES OUR

REPORT. >> THANK YOU, AARON. AND I KNOW MR. CUNNINGHAM, BRUCE WAS VERY PROUD WHEN YOU TOOK OVER FOR HIM FOR BOTH THE PRESIDENT OF THE VILLAGE ASSOCIATION AS WELL

[00:50:07]

ASSOCIATION? >> SO MOVED.

>> SECOND. >> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

[ CONSENT AGENDA]

>> AYE. >> MOTION PASSES.

>>> THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 7, TO RECEIVE, CONSIDER, AND ACT UPON THE CONSENT AGENDA. THESE ITEMS ARE NON-CONTROVERSIAL OR HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS REQUIRED BY LAW AND WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR APPROVAL AS A GROUP. WE'VE ALREADY PULLED F. NO DISCUSSION WILL TAKE PLACE ON A, B, C, D, E UNLESS FOR THE REMAINING PART OF THIS CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE A THROUGH E?

>> SO MOVED. >> SECOND.

>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR,

[f. Receive, consider and act upon an Engagement Agreement with The Strong Firm, P.C. (C-2024-0225);]

SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE.

>> OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. THAT BRINGS US TO 7F TO RECEIVE, CONSIDER, AND ACT UPON AN ENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT WITH

THE STRONG FIRM, PC. >> YEP. YOU PULLED IT.

>> ARE YOU ASKING ME A QUESTION?

>> YES, MA'AM. I'M SAYING YOU PULLED IT FROM CONSENT.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VICE CHAIRMAN. I APPRECIATE YOUR PERMISSION. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BRING THIS ITEM ON TO THE REGULAR AGENDA. IT IS A WELL-KNOWN FACT THAT LEGAL ISSUES ARE EXPENSIVE AND WE REQUIRE A LOT OF INPUT FROM OUR LEGAL COUNSEL, AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HIM AS WELL AS HIS TEAM FOR THE GOOD WORK AND THE RELIABLE AND REALLY EXCELLENT PRODUCT THAT HE DELIVERS ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE REASON I ASKED FOR THIS TO BE UNDER DISCUSSION IS SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S A BIG TICKET ITEM, AND I THINK IT'S WELL WORTH THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO HAVE A FEW, TAKE A FEW MINUTES SO WE CAN SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH OUR TAX-PAYING RESIDENTS WHO OBVIOUSLY HAVE A GREAT INTEREST IN HOW WE SPEND THE MONEY. SO I REQUESTED JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, I GUESS MAYBE EVEN YESTERDAY, I CAN'T REMEMBER NOW OF PRESIDENT SHARPE THAT SHE GIVE US BACKGROUND AND NUMBERS ON HOW MUCH WE ARE SPENDING FOR LAW SERVICES AND WHETHER IT'S GOING UP, WHETHER IT'S GOING DOWN.

ALWAYS WITH THE CONSIDERATION CAN WE DO IT BETTER? CAN WE DO MORE EXPEDITIOUSLY AND WITH GREATER ATTENTION TO SAVING TAXPAYER MONEY? AND ALSO TO RECOGNIZE WHEN IT'S DONE WELL.

SO THAT'S PART OF IT IS TO TELL YOU, YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE, BUT ALSO TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE TAXPAYERS WHO ARE FOOTING THE BILL WHEN ALL THESE

LEGAL BILLS COME IN. >> I WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT UNDER CHAPTER 2, 225 AND CHAPTER A OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, A GOVERNMENT ENTITY CANNOT AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SUCH AS LEGAL SERVICES BASED ON COMPETITIVE BIDDING. BUT RATHER MAKE THE SELECTION AND AWARD ON THE BASIS OF AN ENTITY THAT DEMONSTRATES COMPETENCE AND THE HIGHEST QUALIFICATIONS. THIS IS TO ASSURE THAT THE EXPERTISE AND THE BACKGROUND THAT THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS PROVIDES THE BEST TO PROTECT US AS A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY RATHER THAN LOOKING AT AN RFP OR THE LOWEST BID. I KNOW THAT THE STRONG FIRM HAS BEEN WITH THE TOWNSHIP PRIOR TO THE TOWNSHIP WITH THE WCA, HAS THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND THAT IS DESPERATELY NEEDED AS THIS GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY AND COMMUNITY MOVES

FORWARD. >> YEAH. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING BEING HIDDEN FROM THE PUBLIC HERE. ALL OF OUR LEGAL SPEND IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. IT'S ACCESSIBLE, AND IT'S ALSO BUDGETED AND IN THE BUDGET IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR SPEND IS. AND SO YOU KNOW, I FIND IT ODD THAT IT WAS PULLED FROM CONSENT WHEN DIRECTOR GIBBS HAS THREE TIMES PREVIOUSLY GRANTED AN EXTENSION TO THE STRONG FIRM ON CONSENT.

SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE ISSUE IS NOW.

>> IT'S A NEW CONTRACT. THAT'S WHY. IT'S A NEW

CONTRACT. >> IF YOU'LL LET ME FINISH,

DIRECTOR GIBBS. >> YOU'RE INTERRUPTING ME IS

WHAT YOU'RE DOING. >> THEN YOU CAN RESPOND.

>> THANK YOU. >> I FIND IT, AND WE DID TALK ABOUT IT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND YOU PULLED IT LAST MINUTE.

[00:55:03]

THINK THEY'RE REALLY IRREPLACEABLE AND THEY'RE A TREMENDOUS VALUE EVEN AT THIS RATE. HAPPY TO GO INTO IT

FURTHER IN DETAIL. >> I'D LIKE TO RESPOND TO THAT. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WHEN A CONTRACT COMES UP FOR RE-NEGOTIATION AND THERE'S A 15% INCREASE IN THE REIMBURSEMENT THAT WE DO ADDRESS THAT PUBLICLY. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE DONE JUST IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

AND SO I THINK AS GOOD FIDUCIARIES AND IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY THAT WE JUST HAVE THE DISCUSSION. I'M NOT SAYING IT'S INAPPROPRIATE, MR. WATSON. I'M SAYING IT'S APPROPRIATE TO GIVE THE INFORMATION TO THE TAXPAYERS IN AN OPEN SESSION. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. DIRECTOR BAILEY? >> YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBERS, BUT I THINK THE LAWYERS WE HAD BEFORE THE STRONG FIRM WERE FROM FORT WORTH. IS THAT CORRECT? THEY HAD TO TRAVEL HERE EVERY WEEK OR HOW OFTEN WE MET AND PAY MILEAGE, PAY HOTEL, ALL THE LIKE. YOU KNOW, ADDING THAT INTO THE OVERALL CONTRACT PROBABLY WAS NOT PART OF THAT, BUT IT'S AN EXPENSE THAT WE TOOK. YOU ALSO INCURRED LEGAL FEES DEPENDING ON THINGS YOU'RE DOING. THERE'S A LOT OF MOVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY. I THINK THE STRONG FIRM AND BRETT ESPECIALLY, NO ONE UNDERSTANDS THIS COMMUNITY AND HOW IT'S PUT TOGETHER LIKE BRETT DOES. SO I THINK WE SAVE MONEY BY HIS TIME BECAUSE OF HIS EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. HE WORKS WITH MANY MUNICIPALITIES AROUND HERE TO BE ABLE TO BRIDGE THE GAPS, SO I THINK BRETT'S DONE A FANTASTIC JOB, AND HIS TEAM THE STRONG FIRM I SUPPORT THEM

110%. >> I HAVE TO SAY AT THIS POINT, LET DIRECTOR GIBBS ASKING WHATEVER QUESTIONS OR PROVIDE

WHATEVER IT IS YOU NEED. >> THANK Y■OU. I O AVE OME QUESTIONS. COULD YOU PROVIDE TO US THE TOTAL SPEND AND ALSO THE SPEND BY ATTORNEY GROUP SINCE THE STRONG FIRM WAS CONTRACTED WITH US? THAT WOULD BE, I THINK, 2021, 2022, AND 2023. I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION.

>> THIS WILL GET A LITTLE BIT APPLES AND ORANGES. THE STRONG FIRM HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN WITH THE TOWNSHIP AND PREVIOUSLY THE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS FOR DECADES.

>> 25 YEARS. >> YEAH. TO 2021. I DID PULL THE NUMBERS BASED ON OUR CONVERSATION YESTERDAY EVENING.

FOR 2021, THE TOTAL IN LEGAL FEES, I'LL GIVE YOU TOTAL FIRST. IN 2021, IT WAS $359,016. HOWEVER, WE HAD IN-HOUSE LEGAL COUNSEL, IN-HOUSE STAFF THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF THAT YEAR. SO THIS NUMBER IS SKEWED. THE CONTRACT SERVICES IS THAT, BUT AGAIN WE HAD IN-HOUSE ATTORNEY. IN 2022, THE NUMBER WAS $605,390. IN 2023, IT WENT TO $791,650.

LET'S RECALL WHAT HAPPENED IN 2023. THERE WAS A LEGISLATIVE SESSION WHERE WE WERE ADVANCING LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES OF THE BOARD AND MR. STRONG WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THAT. WE HAD THE WATERWAY TRANSFER, WHICH WAS A SIX-PLUS MONTH PROJECT THAT THE STRONG FIRM WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN, AND WE ALSO HAD THE RE-NEGOTIATED COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY SERVICE AGREEMENT. AGAIN, SO THOSE ARE THREE BIG PROJECTS THAT NORMALLY WOULDN'T BE. AND EVEN WITH THAT, THE $791 WAS LESS THAN WHAT WAS BUDGETED, WHICH WAS $850,000. SO EVEN WITH ALL

OF THOSE PROJECTS. >> AND IF I RECALL, DURING HIS TENURE, HE'S GIVEN US A 30% DISCOUNT, WHICH THE OTHER FIRMS

HAVE NOT. >> OTHER FIRMS MEANING IN-HOUSE FIRMS? WHEN THEY'RE IN HOUSE, THEY'RE ON PAID SALARY.

>> NO. SO OTHER THAN THE STRONG FIRM, SCHWARTZ, PAGE, AND HARDING IS THE OTHER ATTORNEY. WE'RE UNDER CONTRACT WITH HIM FOR BOND COUNSEL ON CERTAIN LEGISLATIVE MATTERS, SO WE DO

USE THEM. >> DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WE PAY

THAT FIRM? >> I DO. SO FOR 2023, THEY WERE PAID $111,988 OUT OF THE TOTAL $791,650.

>> SO THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN FIRMS THAT WE USE?

>> YES, MA'AM. >> I GUESS THE OTHER QUESTION IS ALWAYS TO LOOK AT WHEN IS IT A GOOD TIME TO BRING THE LEGAL

[01:00:05]

DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT THAT?

>> I DO. I'LL SPEAK TO THAT. GENERALLY, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE ORGANIZATION AND THE ISSUES, IN-HOUSE COUNSEL REALLY ONLY INCREASES THE COST BECAUSE YOUR SPEND WITH OUTSIDE COUNSEL DOES NOT NECESSARILY GO AWAY, BUT NOW YOU'VE TAKEN ON OVERHEAD INSIDE TO MANAGE THOSE PROJECTS. I THINK WE'VE DONE THAT BEFORE IN THE TOWNSHIP AND DIDN'T FIND IT TO BE AS PRODUCTIVE OR EFFICIENT. AND THAT IS WHY THERE HAS BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE USE OF THE STRONG FIRM AND SCHWARTZ, PAGE, AND HARDING. AND BECAUSE OF THEIR INSTITUTIONAL AND HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE THAT GOES BACK DECADES, THEY HAVE SAVED THE TOWNSHIP A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY BECAUSE THERE IS NOT A RAMP-UP OR A LEARNING CURVE THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED WITH OTHER GROUPS. AND SO I BELIEVE THAT BRETT IS OFFERING A TREMENDOUS VALUE IN HIS FIRM TO THE TOWNSHIP. THEY DO PROVIDE A VERY CONSIDERABLE DISCOUNT OF 15% OFF THEIR STANDARD RATES WHEN WE'RE PROBABLY UTILIZING ALMOST ALL OF THEIR CAPACITY. WHEN COUNSEL CAN'T GO OUT OH THE OPEN MARKET BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO TIME TO SELL AT THEIR STANDARD RATE AND YOU'VE EFFECTIVELY GOT THEM CAPTIVE NOW, THAT DISCOUNT IS HUGE. IT'S A GREATER ISSUE TO THEM THAN IT OTHERWISE WOULD BE. BRETT SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL, AND WE NEGOTIATED THAT, AND WE WENT UP FROM WHAT HE SUBMITTED TO PROVIDE THE TOWNSHIP WITH A GREATER VALUE, A GREATER DEAL TO THE TOWNSHIP. BRETT'S PROPOSAL WAS APPROXIMATELY 7% OFF THEIR STANDARD RATES, AND THEN WE WENT BACK AND THOUGHT THAT 15% WOULD BE FAIR ON BOTH SIDES. ORIGINALLY, IT WAS 30%, BUT THAT WAS BACK WHEN HE WAS DOING CONSIDERABLY LESS WORK, AND HE HAD MORE TIME TO SELL FOR HE AND HIS LAWYERS ON THE OPEN MARKET. AND SO WE DID DISCUSS THIS, AND I THINK OR I THOUGHT THAT WE WERE ALL RELATIVELY ON THE SAME PAGE FOR WHERE WE NEEDED TO BE TO PROVIDE A REALLY GOOD CONTRACT AND KEEP WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE THE BEST LAWYERS POSSIBLE FOR THE TOWNSHIP. SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO CALL THE QUESTION THAT WE MOVE TO ENTER IN AND AUTHORIZE THE CEO AND PRESIDENT TO ENGAGE AND EXECUTE THE ENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE

STRONG FIRM. >> IS THERE A SECOND?

>> SECOND. >> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO ENGAGE THE STRONG FIRM TO APPROVE THE ENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE STRONG FIRM, PC. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY

SAYING AYE. >> AYE.

>> OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE BACKGROUND AND EXPERTISE THAT

[8. Receive, consider and act upon an update on Township fire facilities, including Fire Station 5 and the Emergency Training Center (as requested by Chairman Snyder); ]

WE HAVE WITH THE STRONG FIRM. >>> THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 8, TO RECEIVE, CONSIDER, AND ACT UPON AN UPDATE ON THE TOWNSHIP FIRE FACILITIES, INCLUDING FIRE STATION 5, LONG OVERDUE, AND THE EMERGENCY TRAINING CENTER. OUR FIRE CHIEF WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH BOTH OF THESE. NICE

TO HAVE YOU, CHIEF BUCK. >> GOOD EVENING, DIRECTORS.

JUST VERY QUICKLY, A QUICK OVERVIEW. WE ENTERED, BEEN DOING WORK TO REDO THE EMERGENCY TRAINING CENTER, AND THEN REBUILD OR MAKE A BRAND-NEW STATION 5 TO REPLACE THE PROBLEMATIC STATION 5 FOR STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES. AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING BACK AND FORTH WITH OUR ARCHITECT AND OUR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER TO RIGHT-SIZE THE PROJECT AND BRING IT IN MOSTLY IN BUDGET. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT $14.6 MILLION FOR BOTH PROJECTS. IT'S $11.4 FOR NEW STATION 5 AND $3.2 FOR THE ETC. WITH RESPECT TO THE EMERGENCY TRAINING CENTER, THAT PROJECT WE HOPE TO GET UNDERWAY IN JUNE WITH THE STATION 5, WE'RE SEEING SOME MOCKUPS OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE THAT ARE FLASHING ON THE SCREEN. WE HOPE TO GET THAT DONE OR STARTED IN JUNE OR JULY

[01:05:05]

STATION 5 WILL BE A NEW FACILITY OF 23,000 SQUARE FEET.

THE ETC, WE'RE GOING TO ADD 3,000 SQUARE FEET, AND REFURBISH AN ADDITIONAL 12,000 SQUARE FEET. JUST WANTED A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE. AGAIN, WE ARE WITHIN A WEEK OF SIGNING THE CONTRACT WITH BROOKSTONE AS OUR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AND INKING THAT CONTRACT, AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GO OUT FOR BIDS OR START WORKING WITH SUBCONTRACTORS TO START THE EMERGENCY TRAINING CENTER FACILITY. WE HOPE TO BREAK GROUND ON THAT IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. WITH STATION 5, WE'LL BE SCHEDULING A GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY AS

WELL. >> THANK YOU. TIMEFRAME, DO YOU THINK IT'LL BE THIRD, FOURTH QUARTER OF THIS YEAR?

>> I HAVE BEEN PUSHING STAFF AND OUR ARCHITECTS FOR STILL IN THE SECOND QUARTER. THEY TELL ME THAT MIGHT BE JUNE 30TH AT MIDNIGHT. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT YA'LL ARE DOING, MAYBE TURNING DIRT THEN. WE'RE WORKING REALLY HARD TO GET IT DONE OR STARTED BY THE END OF THE SECOND QUARTER.

>> WE APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.

>> YES, MA'AM. >> IS THERE A MOTION, SECOND TO

ACCEPT THE UPDATE? >> SO MOVED.

>> SECOND. >> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

>> AYE. >> OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES.

[10. Receive, consider and act upon a report on potential federal funding opportunities (as requested by Chairman Snyder and Director Heiser);]

>>> THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, 9, WAS DEFERRED. AND THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 10. I REFER ALL OF YOU TO PAGES 35 AND TO 36, TODD STEVENS DIRECTOR OF INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE FEDERAL APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 AND POTENTIAL FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. KNOW THAT THIS WAS REQUESTED BY DIRECTOR

HEISER AND MYSELF. MR. STEVENS? >> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN, AND GOOD EVENING, BOARD. SO I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT AS THE CHAIRMAN NOTED, THE FEDERAL APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS AND IN PARTICULAR FISCAL YEAR 25 AS THE PROCESS MOVES FORWARD. THIS CHART KIND OF OUTLINES THE PROCESS BY WHICH CONGRESS AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TYPICALLY FOLLOWS TO FUND OUR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS. IT STARTS WITH THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET IN FEBRUARY, GOES THROUGH CONGRESS BEGINNING IN MARCH-APRIL COMMITTEE, AND THE LEGISLATION GOES TO THE FLOOR IN THE SUMMER BETWEEN JUNE AND SEPTEMBER. THE IDEAL IS THAT ALL APPROPRIATION BILLS WILL BE FINISHED AND SIGNED INTO LAW BY THE SEPTEMBER 30TH DEADLINE.

THAT'S THE TYPICAL PROCESS. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S NOT THE PROCESS THAT TENDS TO RUN IN CONGRESS OVER THE LAST FEW CYCLES. THEY'RE NEGOTIATING FISCAL YEAR 24 EVEN THOUGH THE YEAR IS HALFWAY THROUGH. AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON FISCAL YEAR 25. I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON THE PERIOD IN MARCH AND APRIL WHERE THE HOUSE SETS ITS BUDGET RESOLUTION AND BEGINS ITS COMMITTEE PROCESS FOR APPROPRIATIONS. ONE THING IT ALLOWS IS FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO REPRESENT OR REQUEST FURTHER DISTRICTS, COMMUNITY-BASED FUNDING PROJECTS. THOSE ARE BASICALLY PROJECTS THAT ARE DEALT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, FEDERAL APPROPRIATIONS ARE REQUESTED, AND THAT SUPPORTS A PROJECT OF COMMUNITY IMPORTANCE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STAFF DOES EACH YEAR IS WE MONITOR THIS PROCESS, AND WE LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS AN OTHER PROGRAMS THAT FIT INTO THESE FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE. THIS YEAR, WE'VE IDENTIFIED FOLLOWING THE CHIEF'S PRESENTATION AT FIRE STATION 5, THE POSSIBILITY OF SUBMITTING A REQUEST FOR A FEDERAL APPROPRIATION TO CONGRESSMAN CRENSHAW'S OFFICE FOR FUNDING FOR FIRE STATION 5. AS THE CHIEF ALLUDED TO, THEY'VE HAD TO RIGHT-SIZE THE PROJECT BECAUSE OF THE COSTS. THE FEDERAL APPROPRIATION PROCESS MIGHT ALLOW US A SMALL OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO RECOVER SOME OF THOSE INCREASED COSTS TO PROVIDE THEM THE SCOPE THEY NEED TO HAVE THE FACILITIES TO BEST SERVE PUBLIC SAFETY. UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE THE DEADLINE FOR MEMBERS TO REQUEST THOSE PROJECTS IN PARTICULAR IS MIDDLE OF MARCH, MARCH 15TH, PRIOR TO THE GUIDELINES THAT COME OUT FOR REQUESTS, WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER GIVING US THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE WE'RE ELIGIBLE AND THAT THE PROJECT

[01:10:04]

OBVIOUSLY, WE DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO MISALIGN OUR PROJECT BY REQUESTING FEDERAL APPROPRIATIONS WITH GETTING THAT PROJECT ON THE GROUND AS YOU HEARD FROM THE LAST PRESENTATION. AT THIS POINT, WHAT I WOULD BE ASKING FOR IS THIS IS JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT I'VE BASICALLY SAID, BUT WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS THE BOARD'S APPROVAL SHOULD THIS GUIDANCE PROVE TO BE FUNCTIONAL FOR THIS PURPOSE, THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR UP TO $1.5 MILLION FOR THE REBUILDING OF FIRE STATION 5.

>> OKAY. IS THERE A MOTION? >> I MOVE.

>> SECOND. >> OKAY. IT'S BEEN MOVED.

DIRECTOR HEISER AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY

AYE. >> I HAVE A QUESTION, ANN.

CONGRESSMAN CRENSHAW, IS HE AWARE OF THIS REQUEST?

>> WE'RE WAITING FOR GUIDANCE TO COME OUT. HIS OFFICE HAS PRESENTED US WHAT THEY KNOW AT THIS TIME, SO WE ARE WORKING ALONG THOSE GUIDELINES TO GET THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY'RE HELPING US WORK WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE TO DETERMINE OUR ELIGIBILITY SO THAT BEFORE WE SUBMIT A PROJECT, WE'D BE ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING THROUGH

THOSE PROGRAMS. >> IT WAS SOMETHING, IF I MAY, THAT CONGRESSMAN CRENSHAW'S OFFICE BROUGHT UP AT AN EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP DURING A CHAMBER MEETING. I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR YOU, BUT BOTH DIRECTOR HEISER AND MYSELF HAVE MET WITH HIS STAFF AS WELL AS, OF COURSE, TODD. OTHER

QUESTIONS? >> JUST WELL DONE, ALL OF YOU, AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE COMING FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL EVERY CHANCE WE CAN. SO CONGRATULATIONS ON HAVING A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH CONGRESSMAN CRENSHAW AND HIS STAFF AND LET'S HOPE FOR THE BEST. THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY THAT COULD COME TO ASSIST US.

WELL DONE, TODD. PLEASE THANK CRENSHAW'S STAFF AND THANK HIM

AS WELL FOR US. >> IT'S NICE TO KNOW WHEN YOU WRITE YOUR IRS CHECK THIS YEAR, A LITTLE BIT IS COMING BACK

INTO YOUR COMMUNITY. >> OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. SO ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RESPOND BY SAYING AYE.

>> AYE. >> OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES.

[11. Receive, consider and act upon the financial report;]

THANK YOU, RICHARD. >>> THAT BRINGS US TO RECEIVE, CONSIDER, AND ACT UPON THE FINANCIAL REPORT. THANK YOU, TODD. THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER WILL PRESENT.

>> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN SNYDER AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THIS EVENING, I'LL BE PRESENTING THE UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE FULL 12 MONTHS ENDING IN DECEMBER 2023.

THE FIRST SLIDE IS THE REVENUE AND THE YEAR TO DATE BUDGETED REVENUE WAS $121.7 MILLION. THE YEAR TO DATE COLLECTED WAS $137.7 MILLION FOR YEAR TO DATE FAVORABLE VARIANCE OF ALMOST $16 MILLION. THE MAIN COMPONENT OF THIS FAVORABLE VARIANCE HAS BEEN TRENDING ALL YEAR, AND IT'S THE HIGHER THAN BUDGETED TAX REVENUE OF $6.3 IN SALES TAX, ALMOST A MILLION IN EVENT ADMISSION, RIGHT AT $400 IN MIXED BEVERAGE, AND WE HAD OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE THAT INCLUDE ABOUT $3.9 IN ADDITIONAL INTEREST REVENUE THAT WAS NOT BUDGETED AND ABOUT $3.4 MILLION IN GRANT REVENUE OVER BUDGET. THE OPERATING EXPENDITURES FOR 12 MONTHS BUDGETS WAS $113.6 MILLION.

YEAR TO DATE ACTUAL IS $116 MILLION FOR YEAR END DATE OF A FAVORABLE VARIANCE. THIS IS DUE TO THE TREE REMOVAL AND THE STORM CLEAN UP. THERE'S ALSO UNSCHEDULED OVERTIME AND DEPLOYMENT EXPENSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS OFFSET BY THAT FAVORABLE VARIANCE OF THE $3.4 MILLION IN GRANT REVENUE. AND THERE'S ALSO THE HIGHER THAN BUDGETED EVENT ADMISSION AND SALES TAX PAYMENT, WHICH IS OFFSET BY THE HIGHER THAN BUDGETS VARIANCE IN THE REVENUES. NEXT SLIDE IS THE SALES TAX DEPOSIT SLIDE. THIS SLIDE WAS PRESENTED IN NOVEMBER WITH THE NOVEMBER FINANCIALS. ONE PIECE OF INFORMATION I WASN'T ABLE TO PROVIDE AT THAT MEETING WAS THE UNFAVORABLE VARIANCE OF THE $330,000 WHEN COMPARING DECEMBER 2022 TO DECEMBER 2023. PART OF THAT WAS AN AUDIT ADJUSTMENT OF

[01:15:02]

THERE'S A COMPANY THAT TRANSPORTS NATURAL GAS THAT DID NOT HAVE A DEPOSIT SINCE NOVEMBER. SO HAS NOT MADE A DEPOSIT IN DECEMBER, JANUARY, AND FEBRUARY. GOOD NEWS FOR THAT MONTH WHEN COMPARED TO DECEMBER 2022, RETAIL WAS UP 2.6 FOR THE MONTH. ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD SERVICES WAS UP FIVE AND A HALF PERCENT. THOSE TWO COMPONENTS MAKE UP ABOUT 65% OF OUR COLLECTIONS FOR DECEMBER. I ADDED THIS SLIDE. IT'S A BREAKDOWN OF THE SALES TAX RECEIPTS BY THE INDUSTRY OF CATEGORIES, CATEGORIES OF INDUSTRIES. AND THE RETAIL REMAINS OUR HIGHEST COLLECTION, RIGHT AT ANYWHERE FROM 48-52% ON AVERAGE. AND THAT INCREASED 3% FROM YEAR TO YEAR. OUR ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD SERVICES INCREASED ABOUT 8.9%. AND MANUFACTURING INCREASED ABOUT 21%. SO THOSE THREE MAKE UP ABOUT 68% OF OUR COLLECTIONS. NEXT SLIDE IS THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX. THIS ONE WAS PRESENTED AS WELL IN NOVEMBER, BUT I WANTED TO INCLUDE IN THE DECEMBER FINANCIALS. YEAR TO DATE FAVORABLE VARIANCE OVER BUDGET ABOUT $716,000 AND A LITTLE OVER A MILLION MORE COLLECTED IN 2023 THAN 2022. IF THERE'S NOT ANY QUESTION ON 2023, I DID WANT TO SHARE A FEW SLIDES FROM 2024. AS IN THE PAST, THE FIRST 2024 FINANCIAL STATEMENT WILL BE PRESENTED IN MARCH, BUT WE DO HAVE INFORMATION ON TAX COLLECTION FOR 2024. MIXED BEVERAGE REPORT THROUGH FEBRUARY, WE HAVE COLLECTED $265,109, WHICH IS ALMOST 25% OVER BUDGET. WE HAVE THE SALES TAX COLLECTION THROUGH FEBRUARY. YEAR TO DATE, WE'RE ABOUT $603,000 BELOW BUDGETED AND ABOUT 1.2% LESS. THEN AGAIN, WE HAVE THE NATURAL GAS COMPONENT OF THAT, WHICH WOULD BE IN THE TRANSPORTATION AND WAREHOUSING IS DOWN AND WHOLESALE WAS DOWN A LITTLE AS WELL. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE FOR THAT, AGAIN, OUR RETAIL WAS UP ABOUT 4.6% FOR THOSE TWO MONTHS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. AND ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD SERVICES, 7.8. AND MANUFACTURING WAS UP ABOUT 8.6 WHEN COMPARING THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF 2023. WE HAVE THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX DEPOSIT. WE ONLY HAVE ONE MONTH OF THAT SO FAR, AND IT'S ABOUT $10,000 OVER BUDGET AND ABOUT 6.1% OVER THE SAME TIME IN 2023. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. ARE THERE ANY

QUESTIONS? >> QUESTIONS FOR MISS SHAW?

>> CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NATURAL GAS COMPONENT IN WHICH LOSING CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS, WHAT THAT DOES TO US. BASICALLY LOSING A CASH REGISTER. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT TAXES AND NATURAL GAS GO HAND

IN HAND. >> BECAUSE THEY'RE LOCATED IN THE WOODLANDS, WE DO COLLECT ON THEIR REVENUES. I DON'T KNOW SOME OF THE DETAILS ON THAT PARTICULAR COMPANY. IT'S IN NEGOTIATION RIGHT NOW. WE DO COLLECT SALES TAX ON TRANSPORTATION AND SOME OF THE MANUFACTURING AND SOME OF THE, LET ME GO BACK TO THIS SLIDE, THE MINING AND OIL AND GAS. I MEAN, YOU CAN LOOK AT SOME OF THE LOWER LEVELS OF THIS. IT DOES SHOW SOME OF THE INDUSTRIES THAT WE DO COLLECT SALES TAX ON THAT YOU MIGHT NOT THINK ABOUT THAT AREN'T RETAIL.

>> THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS THE IMPORTANCE THAT CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS BEING LOCATED IN THE WOODLANDS PLAY IN OUR OVERALL FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE. I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT JUST WE'VE GOTTA START RECRUITING AND KEEPING, ESPECIALLY IN THE DAYS OF MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS, IT HAPPENS AND REPLACING THIS HAS DECADES OF RAMIFICATIONS IF YOU DON'T DO IT.

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY. IT'S WHERE YOUR HEADQUARTERS IS LOCATED, IF YOU'RE WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE TOWNSHIP.

>> PERHAPS SPEAK TO WHEN ANADARCO WAS HERE AND THEIR HEADQUARTERS WERE HERE, WHAT INCENTIVE THAT THEY GAVE US AS A TOWNSHIP AS FAR AS TAX COLLECTION. CAN YOU ADDRESS

THAT IN GENERAL TERMS? >> IN GENERAL TERMS, I CAN. WE CAN'T GET TOO SPECIFIC ON THE DOLLARS BECAUSE THAT'S

[01:20:03]

>> SO TOO, DIRECTOR BAILEY, IT'S TO AN ADVANTAGE IF CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS MOVE AND ARE LOCATED IN THE WOODLANDS.

>> ABSOLUTEY. >> TIME TO RECRUIT.

>> I'M ON IT. >> OTHER COMMENTS FOR MISS

SHAW? >> GREAT JOB AGAIN, AS ALWAYS.

THANK YOU. >> I DO HAVE A QUESTION.

>> A MOTION TO APPROVE? >> I'M SORRY. I HAVE A QUESTION. IT RELATES TO WHAT DIRECTOR BAILEY WAS ASKING. IS THE WHOLESALE TRADE DEFICIT OR DECREASE THAT WE'RE SEEING YEAR TO YEAR, IS THAT RELATED ALSO TO THE CHANGE IN CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS OR IS IT RELATED TO SOMETHING ELSE?

>> WHOLESALE COULD BE ANYTHING FROM AUTOMOBILE PARTS TO, GOSH, ANYTHING WHOLESALE. SO I DON'T THINK IT'S RELATED TO HEADQUARTERS, I DON'T. AND I KNOW A LOT OF THAT IS IN CYCLES, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT DECEMBER TRANSACTIONS. SO A LOT OF THAT DOES FALL DOWN TOWARD YEAR END AND COMES BACK UP THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. BUT I DON'T THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH

THE HEADQUARTERS. >> THANK YOU.

>> OTHERS? IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ACCEPT

THE FINANCIAL REPORT? >> SECOND.

>> THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN

FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE.

[12. Receive, consider and act upon the 2023 Communications Annual Report, the January 2024 Activities and Metrics Report, and the 2024 Communications Action Plan;]

>> OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MISS SHAW.

>>> THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 12. REFER YOU TO PAGE 38 TO 112 IN YOUR BOARD PACKET. LEANNE PETERSON WILL PROVIDE THE REPORT AND INFORMATION RELATED TO THE 2024 COMMUNICATIONS ACTION PLAN. MISS PETERSON?

>> GOOD EVENING CHAIRMAN AND DIRECTORS. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME UP HERE TODAY. I HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD NEWS ABOUT OUR COMMUNICATION EFFORTS AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. SO I'M GOING TO REVIEW THREE OF OUR REPORTS, WHICH IS OUR 2023 ANNUAL REPORT, OUR 2024 JANUARY METRIC, AND OUR 2024 COMMUNICATIONS ACTION PLAN. TO START OFF IS OUR 2023 ANNUAL REPORT, AND THIS KIND OF SUMMARIZES EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE YEAR. IT TALKS ABOUT OUR WEBSITE, THE MAGAZINE, PROJECTS, MEDIA COVERAGE, NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY, ALL OF THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE AS THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE FOR THE TOWNSHIP. SO JUST TO KIND OF SUMMARIZE OUR WEBSITE, WE HAVE OVER 10,000 PAGES IN DOCUMENTS ON OUR WEBSITE, OVER 2.6 MILLION PAGE VIEWS, 1.2 MILLION USERS. PEAK MONTHS ARE JUNE AND JULY. WE HAVE OVER 31,000 SUBSCRIBERS. THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO HAVE E-MAIL AND TEXT NOTIFICATIONS SENT TO THEIR DEVICES. AND THEN ALSO NOTEWORTHY, 73% OF OUR VISITORS TO THE WEBSITE USE A MOBILE DEVICE OF SOME SORT. OUR MAGAZINE, WE OF COURSE PRODUCE 12 MAGAZINES IN 2023. ALL THE CONTENT WITHIN THE MAGAZINE IS PROVIDED BY THE STAFF, OUR DEPARTMENTS, AND EDITED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS STAFF. IN NOVEMBER, WE STARTED INCLUDING HISTORIC PHOTOS TO CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY, AND IN 2024 WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON RE-DESIGN ELEMENTS. WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THE MAGAZINE NEXT ITEM. TALK OF THE TOWNSHIP IS A WEEKLY E-MAIL NEWSLETTER. WE SENT OVER 228,000 OF THOSE THIS YEAR BECAUSE IT IS SENT EVERY

[01:25:03]

AFTER THE FRYER IS A POST-FIRE RECOVERY GUIDE THAT THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT PROVIDED FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND WE PRODUCED OVER 105,000 OR ORDERED OVER 105,000 PRODUCTS, BOOKLETS, PIGGY BANKS, LOTS OF THINGS. WE USED CRITICAL MENTION TO MONITOR OUR MEDIA, AND WE ISSUED 174 PRESS RELEASES IN 2023. FROM THAT, 901 ARTICLES WERE PUBLISHED. THAT'S A MEDIA VALUE OF OVER, EXCUSE ME, THAT IS A VERY HIGH MEDIA VALUE. WE'VE HAD IMPRESSIONS AS WELL.

FOR OUR VIDEO PRODUCTION, WE PURCHASED ADDITIONAL VIDEO EQUIPMENT TO PRODUCE IN-HOUSE PRODUCTION. WE HIRED A VIDEOGRAPHER IN OCTOBER. WE INCREASED OUR SOCIAL AND VIDEO REEL, AND WE DEVELOPED A REOCCURRING MONTHLY SERIES ASKING A DIFFERENT QUESTION EACH MONTH. IN DECEMBER THIS PAST YEARELF THAT WAS VERY POPULAR. FACEBOOK REMAINS OUR TOP SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNEL. WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF IMPRESSIONS ON FACEBOOK AND IMPRESSIONS ON INSTAGRAM AS WELL AS MONTHLY AND MEETINGS TO CENTRALIZE OUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH OUR DEPARTMENT SOCIAL MEDIA STAFF. THIS IS JUST OUR TEAM. I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN THEM AROUND. AND THAT LEADS ME INTO THE NEXT REPORT. SO STARTING IN JANUARY, WE'RE NOW GOING TO PROVIDE SNAPSHOT REPORTS FOR THE DIRECTORS, AND WE'D LIKE TO PUT THESE STARTING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA NEXT MONTH. BUT WE HAD 144 PROJECTS RECEIVED IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY, AND WE COMPLETED 136 OF THOSE PROJECTS. WE HAD 62 MEDIA MENTIONS VALUED AT $270,000, AND WE HAD OVER 1,900 ONLINE MAGAZINE VIEWS. WE STARTED A NEW E-MAIL LISTSERV SYSTEM AND IT'S BEEN A VERY POPULAR PRODUCT. RE OUR BOARD ROOM RECAPS I THINK EVERYONE IS RECEIVING NOW. WE HAD 1,500 WEBSITE UPDATES AND 44,000 COMBINED IMPRESSIONS ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. I'M MOVING TOO QUICKLY. OKAY. IT'S VERY SENSITIVE. SO THAT BRINGS US TO OUR COMMUNICATIONS ACTION PLAN. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NEW THIS YEAR. WE PUT TOGETHER A COMMUNICATIONS ACTION PLAN FOR 2024, AND WE HELD DEPARTMENTAL MEETINGS IN OCTOBER, AN ACTION PLAN WORKSHOP WHERE ALL THE DEPARTMENTS CAME TOGETHER TO GIVE INPUT ON WHAT THEY NEED TO BE COMMUNICATED WITH AND WHAT THEIR GOALS ARE IN COMMUNICATIONS. WE IDENTIFIED FOUR PRIMARY GOAL, AND THAT IS TO REFRESH OUR TOWNSHIP BRANDING, CENTRALIZE OUR COMMUNICATION EFFORTS, ENHANCE OUR DIGITAL TOOLBOX, AND DEVELOP OUR PERSONNEL. FROM THAT, WE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL MAJOR PROJECTS THAT WE'LL BE TAKING ON IN THE 2024 YEAR. THIS INCLUDES A BRAND AUDIT WHERE WE LOOK AT ALL THE AREAS WHERE OUR BRAND IS AT, ALL OF OUR PUBLICATIONS, OUR CARDS, OUR ONLINE PRESENCE, AND WE IDENTIFY ALL OF THOSE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BRAND IS BEING USED PROPERLY AND HOW WE CAN REFRESH THE BRAND SO THAT WE STAY ON POINT AND REALLY MAKE OUR BRAND IDENTITY STAND OUT MORE. OF COURSE, YOU APPROVED THE WEBSITE REDESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT. WE'VE KICKED OFF THAT PROJECT AND ARE EXCITED TO GET THINGS STARTED AND MOVING ALONG. WE'VE MADE SEVERAL ENHANCEMENTS TO OUR VIDEO PROGRAMMING, AND WE WILL CONTINUE THAT IN 2024. WE ALREADY STARTED OUR GOV DELIVERY THAT I TALKED ABOUT IN THE JANUARY REPORT, AND THAT IS THAT E-MAIL-BASED SOLUTION. WE'RE NOW MOVING INTO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, SO ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WILL START USING THIS ONE SYSTEM TO KEEP EVERYTHING, AGAIN, BRANDED AND MAKING SURE THAT WE STAY ON OUR IDENTITY. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE MAGAZINE REVITALIZATION. FROM THERE, WE BROKE EVERYTHING DOWN PER DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING SOME OF THE SPECIAL THINGS GOING ON THIS YEAR, WHICH IS OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY. WE IDENTIFIED AREAS THAT FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND SOME OF THESE WE'VE ALREADY COMPLETED LIKE THE ANNUAL REPORT THAT WE

[01:30:02]

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE MARKED OFF THE LIST FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES GROUP IS WE STARTED WITH PROJECT 365.

IT'S CALLED SET IT, DON'T FORGET IT. IT'S AN ALARM CAMPAIGN THAT GOES ALONG WITH NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. EACH MONTH, WE'RE PRODUCING A DIFFERENT PSA THAT WILL BE POSTED IN THE E-MAIL NEWSLETTER AND POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA. LAST MONTH, IT WAS HOME INVASIONS. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THAT PSA, HIGHLY RECOMMEND GOING TO SEE IT. I THINK IT WAS VERY TIMELY WHENEVER IT WAS RELEASED. AND FINALLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE PLAN ON DOING IS MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE A PART OF ASSOCIATIONS, WE'RE DEVELOPING OUR PERSONNEL, WE'RE ATTENDING CONFERENCES. I WILL BE SPEAKING AT THE CONFERENCE THIS SUMMER, YEAH JUNE 5TH THROUGH THE 7TH. I SPOKE AT 3CMA LAST SEPTEMBER AS WELL AND ICMA. SO I'D LIKE TO END THE REPORT BEFORE I TAKE QUESTIONS WITH A SHORT VIDEO.

>> I LOVE LAST-MINUTE VIDEO IDEAS.

>> I'M A GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATOR AND I LOVE THE INVERTED PYRAMID, BUT I HATE THE OXFORD COMMA.

>> I LOVE TO BRAINSTORM IDEAS WITH THIS AMAZING TEAM.

>> I'M A GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATOR AND I LOVE CAPTURING THE FUN AT OUR EVENTS.

>> I'M A GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATOR AND I LOVE CREATING SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT FOR THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP.

>> I LOVE DESIGNING NEWSLETTERS FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

>> I LOVE THE POST-PRODUCTION PROCESS.

>> I'M A GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATOR AND I LIKE DESIGNING THINGS THAT GET NOTICED.

>> I LOVE CANVA. >> I'M A GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATOR AND I LOVE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION.

>> I LOVE ENGAGING WITH RESIDENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

>> I LOVE WHAT I DO. >> I LOVE WHAT I DO.

>> AND I LOVE WHAT I DO. >> AND I LOVE WHAT I DO.

>> AND I LOVE WHAT I DO. >> NICE. WELL DONE. AND I LOVE WHAT YOU PRESENTED. QUESTIONS FOR MISS PETERSON? COMMENTS?

>> I HAVE A COMMENT AND A QUESTION. IT RELATES TO SOME CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH SOME REALTORS ABOUT THE USE OF THE WOODLANDS BRAND. THEY'VE ASKED, AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME, WHO IS ALLOWED TO USE THE BRAND THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP OR THE WOODLANDS ALONE? I NOTICED THERE WAS A TRADEMARK MARK. IT'S A LEGAL QUESTION AS MUCH AS ANYTHING ELSE. CAN YOU COMMENT ON THAT, COUNSEL?

>> ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, LET ME TRY AND SUMMARIZE THAT. THE MARK THE WOODLANDS IS OWNED BY THE HOWARD HUGHES CORPORATION.

IT WAS REGISTERED BACK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WOODLANDS, AND THEY THEN LICENSED THAT THE WOODLANDS TO VARIOUS PEOPLE INCLUDING THE TOWNSHIP AND VISIT THE WOODLANDS AND VARIOUS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. THEY ALSO, THERE'S LOTS OF BRANCHES TO THAT TREE, BUT FOR EXAMPLE THE WEBSITE THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP TX HAS TO BE DONE WITH PERMISSION. ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT HAVE THE WOODLANDS IN THEM IS DONE WITH PERMISSION AND BY

LICENSE OF HOWARD HUGHES. >> WOULD IT NOT BE FAIR, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BRETT, BUT THAT HAS BEEN THE HISTORY OF THE WOODLANDS SINCE THE INCEPTION.

>> ABSOLUTELY. THE COMMITTEE ASSOCIATION OF THE WOODLANDS, COMMUNITY SERVICES CORPORATION, ALL OF THOSE ENTITIES HAD LICENSES FOR USING THE WOODLANDS. THERE ARE VARIOUS TRADEMARKS, EXAMPLE IS THE TOWNSHIP'S TRADEMARK, WHICH HAS BEEN REGISTERED WITH PERMISSION OF HOWARD HUGHES AND IS USED BY US, BUT THAT IS DONE WITH THE PERMISSION AND UNDER A

[01:35:04]

LICENSE. YEAH? >> HOW DOES THE CREATION OF THE TOWNSHIP AS A SPECIAL-PURPOSE ENTITY, A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY THAT IS RECOGNIZED CHANGE THAT, IF AT ALL? YOU AND I KNOW YOU CAN'T USE A GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AS A MARK. SO IF THERE'S SPRING CREEK, I CAN CALL IT SPRING CREEK BARBECUE OR WHATEVER. YOU CAN'T OWN THAT BECAUSE IT'S A GEOGRAPHIC MARK OR A CITY OR A TOWN'S NAME. DOES THAT CHANGE? I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS PRIOR TO US BECOMING A TOWNSHIP. DOES IT

CHANGE AS A RESULT OF THAT >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION,

DIRECTOR WATSON. >> I APPRECIATE THAT. SAY THAT

AGAIN. >> YOU NEED SO MUCH STROKING.

>> WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THIS, IF IT WERE A ZIP CODE, WHICH THE ZIP CODES AS WE ALL KNOW ARE REALLY TIED TO SPRING. WE HAPPEN TO HAVE OUR OWN POST OFFICE, BUT THE ZIP CODE IS NOT TIED TO WOODLANDS. TRADEMARK LAW SAYS YOU CANNOT REGISTER OR OWN A GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION, BUT BECAUSE THIS IS A MASTER DEVELOPED COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THE TOWNSHIP WAS CREATED UNDER A TRANSITION AGREEMENT AND WITH LOTS OF AGREEMENTS IN PLACE, THAT IS A GRAY AREA. I WILL TELL YOU CURRENTLY IF YOU ASKED HOWARD HUGHES THAT QUESTION AND I'M NOT THEIR ATTORNEY, THEY

WOULD TELL YOU NO. >> OF COURSE.

>> THE WORDS THE WOODLANDS ARE STILL OWNED BY HOWARD HUGHES AND IT IS THEIR BELIEF YOU CANNOT USE THAT WITHOUT THEIR

PERMISSION. >> WE SHOULD ASK CRENSHAW TO CHANGE THAT POST OFFICE BOX DEAL. WE'RE NOT SPRING. WE'RE

THE WOODLANDS. >> OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FOR MISS PETERSON? VERY GOOD. EXCELLENT.

>> YEAH, THANKS. >> YOU DID A LOT IN A VERY

SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. >> I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS IF NO ONE ELSE DOES. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO REFRESH THE BRANDING? WHAT'S THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET

INPUT? >> OUR GOAL IS NOT TO CHANGE THE LOGO. IT IS AN ICON IN THE COMMUNITY. THERE IS A STORY BEHIND THE CREATION OF THE LOGO AND THE TREE KIND OF PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY. SO WHAT WE WILL DO IS ACTUALLY BRING OUT THE TREE MORE AS A SOLO OBJECT. YOU SEE THIS IN OTHER BRANDS SUCH AS MCDONALD'S, NIKE WHERE YOU SEE THAT EMBLEM, AND THEN YOU CAN IDENTIFY THAT AS THE TOWNSHIP EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE WORDS THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP WITH IT. YOU'LL PROBABLY NOTICE WE HAVE BEEN USING THE TREE AS A SOLO IN A LOT MORE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN PUSHING OUT IN ADDITION TO THE REGISTER THAT AND TRADEMARK THE TREE AS WELL.

>> GOOD. >> THEN FROM KELLAN'S REPORT, SALES TAX, HOTEL, MIXED BEVERAGE TAX ARE A HUGE PART OF OUR REVENUES. SO HOW CAN THE TOWNSHIP PLAY A ROLE IN PROMOTING LOCAL BUSINESSES, SHOP LOCAL, HIGHLIGHTING CERTAIN BUSINESSES I KNOW WE CAN'T PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS, BUT WE DO HAVE A VERY, VERY VIBRANT RETAIL AND RESTAURANT HOSPITALITY MARKET. CAN WE PLAY A GREATER ROLE IN HIGHLIGHTING NEW BUSINESSES OR STUFF LIKE THAT? THIS MAY KIND OF MORPH INTO WHAT THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS, BUT I THINK THAT'S MAYBE

SOMETHING WE CAN TOUCH ON. >> RIGHT. SO YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. WHENEVER YOU START PROMOTING BUSINESSES AND DIFFERENT THINGS IN YOUR COLLATERAL AND ON YOUR WEBSITE, YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL. IN FACT, IF YOU HAVE A DOT GOV WEBSITE, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO SOME OF THOSE PROMOTIONS BY MANDATE THROUGH THE WEBSITE. WHAT SOME CITIES HAVE DONE, I WILL COMPARE US TO A CITY SINCE WE DO FUNCTION AS A MUNICIPALITY, THEY FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE GRAND OPENINGS, RIBBON CUTTINGS, RENOVATIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE YOU CREATE GUIDELINES AROUND CERTAIN PARAMETERS SO THAT YOU AREN'T JUST PICKING FAVORITES AT THAT POINT. BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE DOING IT FOR ALL OF THOSE BUSINESSES. SO IT CAN BECOME CUMBERSOME. IDENTIFYING A LOT OF THE AMENITIES WE HAVE AND I KNOW THEY'RE DIRECTED AT VISITORS, BUT I FEEL CONFIDENT A LOT OF RESIDENTS PROBABLY USE THAT WEBSITE AS WELL FOR THEIR INFORMATION.

>> OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? >> SPEAKING OF WEBSITES, ARE WE

STILL ON FOR LIKE OCTOBER? >> WELL, IT WAS ACTUALLY JANUARY 1, 2025. OCTOBER IS A LITTLE TOO SOON FOR ME. SO YEAH, WE'RE MOVING ALONG, WE HAVE MEETINGS ACTUALLY NEXT WEEK. WE'VE BEEN ASSIGNED ALL OUR PROJECT MANAGERS THROUGH

[01:40:03]

>> OTHERS? >> WELL DONE. THANK YOU.

>> WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT WEBSITE.

>> GOOD JOB IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

>> IS THERE A MOTION AND SECOND TO ACCEPT THE REPORT?

>> SO MOVED. >> SECOND.

>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR,

[13. Receive, consider and act upon an award of bid for The Woodlands Community Magazine (C-2024-0223);]

SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE.

>> OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. >>> AND THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 13, RECEIVE, CONSIDER, AND ACT UPON AN AWARD OF BID FOR THE WOODLANDS COMMUNITY MAGAZINE. A BID FOR THE PRINT AND SERVICE OF THE WOODLANDS COMMUNITY MAGAZINE.

>> THANK YOU. SO THE WOODLANDS COMMUNITY MAGAZINE, WE WENT OUT TO RFP, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE BACKGROUND TO CATCH THE DIRECTORS UP AND EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM THAT THE FEBRUARY 2024 EDITION OF THE MAGAZINE WAS THE LAST PRINTED EDITION BY CHAMPIONS PRINTING AND PUBLISHING. OUR AGREEMENT WITH THEM ENDED WITH THAT EDITION. ON JANUARY 5TH, WE DID POST AN RFQ, RFP SEEKING ADVERTISING, PRINT, AND MILLING SERVICE FOR THE MAGAZINE. WE KNEW WE WOULDN'T HAVE THIS BID AWARD BY THE TIME WE HAD TO GO TO PRINT FOR THE MARCH EDITION.

AND FOR THAT MARCH EDITION, COMMUNITY IMPACT SUBMITTED A QUOTE FOR THAT, AND THEY WERE SELECTED BECAUSE THEY PROVIDED THE LOWEST QUOTE FOR A ONE-TIME PUBLICATION. SO IN REVIEW OF THE RFP AND RFQ THAT WE POSTED, WE HAD FIVE VENDORS BID IN RESPONSE. THAT WAS COMMUNITY IMPACT, PAM LA PRINTING, WRIGHT'S PRINTING, AND ADCETERA. COMMUNITY IMPACT, PAMELA PRINTING, AND ADCETERA PROVIDED ADVERTISING, SO THEY WERE INTERVIEWED BY STAFF TO EXPLORE HOW THESE SERVICES COULD POTENTIALLY OFFSET PRINT AND DISTRIBUTION SERVICES. HERE ARE THE NUMBERS. I LOVE EXCEL BECAUSE IT DOES THE MATH FOR ME BECAUSE I AM A COMMUNICATOR. I AM NOT IN FINANCE. WITH THAT SAID, THERE WAS TWO OPTIONS SUBMITTED BY COMMUNITY IMPACT AND TWO OPTIONS SUBMITTED BY ADCETERA. AND THESE ARE A COST FOR A CIRCULATION OF 55,000 COPIES OF THE MAGAZINE. AND SO I ALSO BROKE IT DOWN PER ISSUE. SO COMMUNITY IMPACT IN THEIR TWO PROPOSALS, ONE WOULD BE AN INSERTED MAGAZINE INTO COMMUNITY IMPACT EACH MONTH. COMMUNITY IMPACT ALREADY MAILS OUT A PUBLICATION TO THE COMMUNITY EVERY MONTH. THIS WOULD BE AN INSERT INTO THEIR EXISTING PUBLICATION. AND BECAUSE IT IS AN INSERT, IT CAME IN AT THE LOWEST COST, BUT THEY DID OFFER ANOTHER PROPOSAL WHICH WOULD BE A SOLO PUBLICATION JUST LIKE WE HAVE BEEN PRODUCING, BUT THOSE COSTS ARE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER. SO IF YOU WERE TO BREAK IT DOWN FOR 55,000 COPIES, EVEN FOR THE SOLO PUBLICATION, IT'S ABOUT 50-CENTS PER COPY. SO WE'RE HITTING HOMES UNDER A DOLLAR A PIECE. WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE HITTING ALL OF THOSE

HOMES. >> THIS IS BASED ON HOW MANY

PAGES? >> WELL, TOTAL 20, BUT IT WOULD BE 18 PAGES OF CONTENT INCLUDING THE COVERS.

>> DOES THE MAGAZINE CURRENTLY GO TO OR DID IT BEFORE IT WENT OUT OF BUSINESS, DID IT GO TO ALL APARTMENT ADDRESSES AS

WELL? >> IT DID. IT WAS A CIRCULATION OF ABOUT 44,000. WE HAVE JUST OVER 37,000 RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, AND THE MARCH EDITION IS ONLY GOING TO THOSE 37,000 PLUS. WE DID NOT HIT THE APARTMENTS FOR THE MARCH EDITION. BUT YES, WE WERE HITTING THOSE APARTMENTS.

>> AND COMMUNITY IMPACT ON THEIR INSERT PROPOSAL, I ASSUME THEY WOULD GO TO ALL RESIDENTS AND APARTMENTS AS WELL?

>> THE INSERT OR THE SOLO PUBLICATION, FOR EITHER ONE.

AND THEN I ALSO BROKE OUT THE COST SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE EVERY VENDOR CAME IN. BUT I THOUGHT IT WORTH NOTING THAT CURRENTLY, WE PRODUCE THE MAGAZINE MONTHLY, BUT THERE IS SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS IF WE PRODUCE THAT BI-MONTHLY AND QUARTERLY. AND THE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS THE TOTAL SPEND FOR THE REST OF 2024 IN THOSE COLUMNS. FOR EXAMPLE, FOR MONTHLY, THAT'S NINE MORE EDITIONS FOR THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY DONE JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH. FOR BI-MONTHLY, IT WOULD BE FOUR REMAINING EDITIONS. AND THEN

[01:45:03]

>> CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THE SELLING OF ADS WILL REDUCE THIS FINANCIAL IMPACT? IS THAT COMING?

>> YEAH, IT'S COMING. >> THANK YOU.

>> I DID WANT TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR FOR 12 MONTHS, BUT I WILL SAY THIS IS BASED OFF THE PROPOSALS THAT WE RECEIVED. AND SO WHEN WE GET INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR NEXT YEAR, PLEASE BE PREPARED THAT BECAUSE OF INFLATION, THESE COSTS COULD INCREASE. SO LET ME DIVE INTO EACH ONE OF THE PROPOSALS THAT WE RECEIVED IN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER DETAIL. SO THE INSERTED PUBLICATION IS THE LOWEST BID OPTION. COMMUNITY IMPACT HAS A BUILT-IN MECHANISM FOR DISTRIBUTION. HOWEVER, READERS MAY BEGIN TO IDENTIFY COMMUNITY IMPACT AS THE OWNER OF THE MAGAZINE AND NOT THE TOWNSHIP IF WE GO WITH THE INSERTED OPTION BECAUSE EVERY MONTH IT WILL BE INSERTED INTO COMMUNITY MAGAZINE. AND THOSE THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE MAGAZINE, NEW TO THE AREA MIGHT BEGIN TO THINK THAT COMMUNITY IMPACT OWNS THE MAGAZINE. COMMUNITY IMPACT IS A PRIVATELY OWNED NEWSPAPER AND IS NOT REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE SAME AS THE GOVERNMENT.

THEY CAN SELL POLITICAL ADS AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF ADS. AS A TOWNSHIP, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT. ALSO, IT IS A GLOSSY COVER WITH A NEWSPAPER PRINT AND COMMUNITY IMPACT IF WE GO WITH THE INSERTED OPTION, THEY WOULD PREFER NOT TO HAVE THE ADVERTISEMENTS IN THE INSERTED OPTION BECAUSE IT COMPETES WITH THE ADS IN THEIR PUBLICATION. COMPARING IS THAT TO THE SOLO PUBLICATION, THIS WAS THE LOWEST OPTION FOR A SOLO PUBLICATION, IT WOULD BE A GLOSSY PRINT WITH NEWSPAPER INTERIOR PAGES. IF WE DID WANT A FULL GLOSS VERSION, THERE WOULD BE A SLIGHT INCREASE FOR COST PER COPY ON THAT. ALSO NOTING JUST THE MARCH EDITION THAT WE HAD THE LIMITED RUN OF 38,000 VERSUS 55,000. COMMUNITIEN IMPACT PROPOSED TO SELL ADVERTISING AS AN UP SELL OPTION. THIS IS WHERE I WOULD JUST MAKE THE BOARD AWARE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO SELL ADVERTISING THAT DOES NOT COMPLY WITH WHAT THE TOWNSHIP IS ALLOWED TO DO AS A GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION. AND THEN IN THE PROPOSAL, THEY DID INDICATE THAT THE ADVERTISING REVENUE WOULD BE RETAINED BY COMMUNITY IMPACT.

HOWEVER,REPRESENTATIVES ARE EXPLORING A REBATE OPTION WITH THE TOWNSHIP. PAMELA PRINTING SAID THEY COULD DO ADVERTISING.

THEY'RE SIMILAR TO THE MOST RECENT PUBLISHER WE HAD WHERE THEY PRODUCED SIMILAR NEWSLETTERS FOR SMALLER COMMUNITIES, HOWEVER THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO TELL US HOW MUCH REVENUE WE COULD SECURE, BUT SAID IT WOULD MARGINALLY OFFSET THE COST. AGAIN, IT'S A FULL GLOSS PUBLICATION, AND IT IS A QUALITY PRINT VENDOR. ADCETERA WAS THE LAST VENDOR THAT PROVIDED THE ADVERTISING. AND AGAIN, THE SOLO AND THE DIGITAL NEWS-BASED OPTIONS. IT WAS THE HIGHEST BID FOR THE SOLO PUBLICATION. THIS IS PARTIALLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO OUTSOURCE THEIR PRINTING AND MAIL DISTRIBUTION. THEIR ABILITY TO SELL ADVERTISING, THEIR PROJECTION WHICH IS THE ONLY VENDOR THAT PROVIDED A PROJECTION, ESTIMATED ABOUT 25% OF THE EXPENSES COULD EVENTUALLY BE OFFSET BY REVENUE. THIS WOULD NOT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE IMMEDIATE. SO THAT WAS REALLY THE ONLY NUMBER WE GOT BACK FROM THE VENDORS ABOUT AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH IT COULD.

>> CAN YOU COMPARE THAT, MISS PETERSON, COMPARE THAT TO WHAT WE HAD FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS? DID THEY ALSO SELL ADVERTISING AND OFFSET IT TO THE EXPENSE OF PRINTING OR

MAILING? >> RIGHT. WITH CHAMPION'S PUBLISHING, THE ENTIRE MAGAZINE WAS OFFSET BY ADVERTISING THAT THEY SOLD. THAT WAS PART OF THEIR AGREEMENT.

>> THAT'S 100%. >> BUT THEY FOUND IT WAS NOT SUSTAINABLE. IS THAT WHAT CAUSED THE TERMINATION?

>> YES. IT WAS NO LONGER SUSTAINABLE. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WHENEVER THE COMMUNITY STARTED, THIS PUBLICATION, IT WAS A LOT SMALLER COMMUNITY AT THE TIME.

[01:50:03]

THEIR DIGITAL BID THEY PROPOSED WOULD ACTUALLY BE A NEW STYLE WEBSITE THAT WOULD INCLUDE ADVERTISING. SO THIS WOULD BE SIMILAR TO COMMUNITY IMPACT, THE CHRONICLE WHERE THEY PUT STORIES ON THIS WEBSITE. STAFF FELT THAT IT WAS KIND OF A REDUNDANCY OF WHAT WE WERE WORKING ON WITH OUR NEW WEBSITE BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO MORE OF THE ARTICLE TYPES ON OUR NEW WEBSITE. AND IT'S STILL $18,000 PER ISSUE PER MONTH. SO IT WOULD ACTUALLY EXCEED WHAT OUR ENTIRE WEBSITE REDESIGN PROJECT AT THE END OF THE DAY. RICHMOND PRINTING AND WRIGHT'S PRINTING, BOTH ARE AT THE HIGHER RANGE, BUT THEY LIMITED THEIR PROPOSALS TO PRINT AND MILL DISTRIBUTION ONLY. SO WE DID NOT INTERVIEW THEM. ALL RIGHT. SO THE OPTIONS THAT I'D LIKE EVERYONE TO CONSIDER TONIGHT, PRINTING A MONTHLY PUBLICATION INCURS A SIGNIFICANT COST, AND WITH THOSE MONTHLY PUBLICATIONS, WE HAVE ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON STAFF. TOWNSHIP PERSONNEL HAS TAKEN ON THE DESIGN OF THE MAGAZINE AS CHAMPION'S PUBLISHING USED TO DESIGN THAT FOR US. WE WOULD PROVIDE THE CONTENT, AND THEY WOULD DESIGN IT. WE ARE NOW DESIGNING THE MAGAZINE. SO IF IT IS A MONTHLY PUBLICATION, THAT IS ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON OUR STAFF. BI-MONTHLY AND QUARTERLY PUBLICATIONS ARE LESS EXPENSIVE. BI-MONTHLY, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SPECIAL ISSUES, FOR EXAMPLE AROUND HURRICANE SEASON, REDUCED PRESSURE ON TOWNSHIP STAFF, AND AN ENHANCED VALUE FOR THE READER. HOWEVER, WITH A BI-MONTHLY OR QUARTERLY PUBLICATION, WE'LL REQUIRE MORE LEAD TIME. SO WE'RE FITTING MORE IN ONE ISSUE. WITH ADVERTISING, IF WE WERE TO TRANSITION FROM AN ADVERTISING-SUPPORTED FORMAT TO AN AD-FREE FORMAT, THIS WOULD ALLOW ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR TOWNSHIP AND ENHANCE THE READER EXPERIENCE, A MUCH BETTER AESTHETIC APPEAL BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE COMPETING WITH ADS, ESPECIALLY ADS THAT COME FROM CERTAIN BUSINESSES THAT THEY HAVE THEIR OWN COLOR SCHEMES, THEIR OWN FONTS, AND IT REALLY STANDS OUT AND DOESN'T FLOW WITH THE ENTIRE MAGAZINE. IMPROVED ENGAGEMENT AND ENHANCED BRAND IMAGE, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR GOALS FOR THE YEAR. IF YOU CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN AN AD-SUPPORTING PUBLICATION, THIS WILL LIMIT YOUR CONTENT SPACE. THIS WILL CREATE CLUTTER IN THE MAGAZINE.

THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR NEGATIVE BRAND ASSOCIATIONS, AND THE ADS WOULD ONLY MARGINALLY OFFSET THE EXPENSES WITH THE BEST-CASE SCENARIO OF 25% EVENTUALLY. WHEN IT COMES TO THE DESIGN OF THE MAGAZINE AND THE TYPE OF PAPER THAT WE USE, USING A GLOSSY COVER WITH INTERIOR PAGES PRINTED ON NEWSPAPER STOCK DOES REDUCE THE COST, WHICH IS WHAT COMMUNITY IMPACT PROPOSED. LIMITING DISTRIBUTION TO RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES REDUCES THE COST. BY DECREASING THE NUMBER OF COPIES AND POSTAGE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE WANTED TO CONTINUE ONLY MAILING OUT 38,000 COPIES, THAT WOULD SAVE US COST. BUT YOU AREN'T HITTING THE APARTMENTS AT THAT COPY. OUR RESIDENTIAL LIST IS PROVIDED BY THE TOWNSHIP, WHICH ALSO CAN SAVE ADDITIONAL COSTS WITH SOME OF THE VENDORS THAT WOULD BUY A LIST. I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO TRANSITION FROM A PRINT TO AN ONLINE FLIP BOOK VERSION OF THE MAGAZINE, AND THIS WOULD NOT BE AN EXTRA COST TO THE TOWNSHIP'S COMMUNICATIONS BUDGET. HOWEVER, IT COULD RAISE BUDGETS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT DEPEND ON THE MAGAZINE FOR THEIR PRINT DISTRIBUTION NEEDS. HISTORICALLY, SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENT TO MAIL OUT CERTAIN NOTIFICATIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND THE MAGAZINE HAS SERVED THAT PURPOSE. ELECTION NOTICES AND OTHER THINGS AND ANY FUTURE REQUIREMENTS THAT ANY

[01:55:01]

REDUCING THE FREQUENCY IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE APPROACH. THE COMMUNITY IMPACT

PROVIDED THE LOWEST BID. >> I HAVE A QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY THIS. I SEE HOW THE TREE IS PROMINENT LIKE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, THE BRANDING. EVERYWHERE I'VE EVER SEEN THE WOODLANDS, THE T IN THE IS CAPITALIZED. WHY DID YOU

GO LOWER CASE? >> WE CAN CHANGE THAT. THIS WAS PROPOSED BY THE PREVIOUS PUBLISHER. WE WERE CONTINUE TO USING THE MASTHEAD, BUT THAT IS A SIMPLE CHANGE. THE WOODLANDS MASTHEAD IS NOT THE SAME AS USING THE LOGO TREE AND THINGS

LIKE THAT. >> WOULD WE LOOK AT TRYING TO INCORPORATE THE NEW BRANDING INTO THIS SO THEY KNOW IT'S REALLY FROM THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP?

>> ABSOLUTELY, WE CAN DO THAT. >> DOES THE COMMUNITY IMPACT BID, IS THAT THE 55,000 INCLUDING APARTMENT HOUSEHOLDS?

>> YES. >> BECAUSE I THINK, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT OUR PREVIOUS MAGAZINE DIDN'T GO TO

APARTMENTS. >> THEY DID GO TO SOME

APARTMENTS. >> SOME APARTMENTS, OKAY. THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, QUITE FRANKLY, PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE KIND OF APARTMENTS THAT WE HAVE NOW GOING UP AND HAVE GONE UP IN THE WOODLANDS, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THOSE FOLKS GET WHATEVER PUBLICATIONS WE PUT OUT.

>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, TOO, THAT THE MOST WIDELY READ PUBLICATION HAS BEEN OUR COMMUNITY MAGAZINE. AND I THINK EVERY RESIDENT DESERVES TO RECEIVE A COPY.

>> CAN YOU TELL US, I MEAN, GIVE US SOME FACTS ON THAT.

I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY THAT, BUT IS THAT REALLY TRUE?

>> OKAY. SO IT IS BASED ON SURVEYS THAT HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED. EVERY TWO YEARS, THE TOWNSHIP CONDUCTS A SURVEY THROUGH A RESEARCH MARKETING COMPANY, AND THEY IDENTIFY ALL OF THE CHANNELS THAT THE TOWNSHIP COMMUNICATES WITH. AND 60% IDENTIFY AS THEIR TOP SOURCE IS THE MAGAZINE.

>> WHERE DOES COMMUNITY IMPACT FALL ON THAT? DO YOU KNOW?

>> WE DON'T SURVEY COMMUNITY IMPACT AND THEIR READERSHIP.

>> SO THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SURVEY, CORRECT? FOR OUR

MAGAZINE? >> I'M GOING TO LET KAREN BECAUSE THE SURVEY WAS BEFORE I WAS HERE.

>> BEFORE WE WERE HERE. >> I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO BRING

NICK UP FOR THIS ONE. >> NOPE, NOPE. WE DIDN'T AGREE

TO THAT. >> HE'S OUR RESIDENT EXPERT.

>> BEFORE NICK GETS HERE. >> YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR NEW TENNIS SHOES ON YOU HAD ON THE OTHER DAY.

>> I'LL SAVE THAT FOR THE NEXT AGENDA.

>> IS THIS THE SAME SURVEY WE ASK ABOUT PARK ASSESSMENT NEEDS

AND WANTS AND WISHES? >> YEAH. SO THIS IS THE COMMUNITY RESIDENT SURVEY AS LEANNE MENTIONED EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS. AS CHAIRMAN SNYDER MENTIONED, WHERE PEOPLE GET THEIR SOURCE OF INFORMATION, THE NEWS ABOUT THE TOWNSHIP, WHERE DO THEY GET THAT FROM? THE LEADING FROM WHEN WE STARTED THAT SURVEY BACK IN 2010 HAS BEEN THE WOODLANDS

COMMUNITY MAGAZINE. >> SO THAT'S NOT COMPARING

OTHER PUBLICATIONS? >> YES, IT IS. THE COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWS IS IN THERE, HELLO WOODLANDS, THE COURIER. THE MAGAZINE EXTENDED THAT LEAD. I THINK IT WAS 62% AND THEN THE NEXT UP FROM THERE WAS IN THE 40S AS FAR AS WHERE OUR COMMUNITY GETS INFORMATION ABOUT THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP.

>> WHO CREATED THAT MAGAZINE? >> NO, I DIDN'T CREATE THE MAGAZINE. NO. GIVE THAT CREDIT TO MARY AND KAREN DEMPSEY FOR MANY YEARS. IT HAS BEEN A STAPLE FOR THE WOODLANDS

HOUSEHOLDS FOR 30 YEARS. >> IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IT GOES TO ALL THE APARTMENT DWELLINGS AS WELL.

>> I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBERS, BUT I KNOW THE APARTMENTS IN THE TOWN CENTER, THEY RECEIVE IT. OTHERS WITHIN ALDEN BRIDGE, I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THOSE, BUT THAT LIST WAS

KEPT WITH THE PRIOR PUBLISHER. >> MISS PETERSON, FIRST THANKS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM. OBVIOUSLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME. YOU'RE THE SUBSTANTIVE EXPERTS HERE. YOU'VE DONE THE INTERVIEWS.

[02:00:01]

BASED? >> I BELIEVE BASED OFF THE NUMBERS WE RECEIVED THAT WE SHOULD GO WITH THE LOWEST BID, SO WE SHOULD SELECT COMMUNITY IMPACT. I BELIEVE WE SHOULD KEEP THIS AS A SOLO PUBLICATION. I DON'T BELIEVE WE SHOULD INSERT IT INTO COMMUNITY IMPACT TO MAINTAIN OUR OWNERSHIP OF THE MAGAZINE. I BELIEVE WE SHOULD REDUCE THE NUMBER OF TIMES WE SEND IT PER YEAR FOR MORE COST SAVINGS. I DO THINK THAT THE BI-MONTHLY, SIX PUBLICATIONS A YEAR IS A GOOD MIDPOINT GOING FROM 12 AND NOT TO QUARTERLY, WHICH WOULD BE FOUR. HITTING THAT MIDPOINT AT SIX. SO THAT WOULD BE MY

RECOMMENDATION. >> YOU AGREE WITH THAT?

>> I AGREE WITH THAT AS WELL. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE BEST

IMPACT IS TO BE AD FREE? >> I DO AS WELL JUST BASED OFF OF WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WE CAN GET TO OFFSET. SO IT'S KIND OF JUST A GUESS AT THIS POINT. IT WOULD PUT ADDITIONAL STRAIN, OF COURSE, IF COMMUNITY IMPACT WAS TO SELL THOSE ADS, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT HOW WE APPROACH THOSE CUSTOMERS AND WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T SELL IN OUR MAGAZINE. SO THERE'S MORE IN PLACE TO TAKE IN THE AD REVENUE, WHICH COULD INCREASE PERSONNEL. SO THERE'S JUST A LOT OF FACTORS OUT THERE IN ADDITION TO THE AESTHETICS OF THE MAGAZINE, AND WE'VE HAD COMPLAINTS OVER THE YEARS THAT THE ADS DO KIND OF TAKE AWAY

FROM THE ACTUAL CONTENT. >> THANK YOU.

>> IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY IMPACT HAS THEIR OWN PRESS FACILITY.

>> IT IS COMMUNITY IMPACT PRINTING WOULD BE THE VENDOR.

>> THEY HAVE AN OPERATION UP IN AUSTIN.

>> TWO QUESTIONS, IF I MAY. >> YEP.

>> THANK YOU. MISS PETERSON, ARE YOU ALSO SAYING THAT WE WOULD MAINTAIN THE GLOSSY PAPER? MAYBE YOU SAID THIS, BUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE GLOSSY PAPER?

>> SO WE DO HAVE AN OPTION. I AM GOING TO SAY THE PROPOSAL THAT COMMUNITY IMPACT PROVIDED WAS A GLOSSY COVER WITH NEWSPAPER PRINT INTERIOR. FULL GLOSSY WILL INCREASE THE COST SLIGHTLY BASED OFF, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE TO PROPOSE TO ASK

THEM TO PROVIDE THAT QUOTE. >> SO YOU'RE SAYING, I'M SORRY, IF I COULD ASK A SUBSEQUENT QUESTION. ARE YOU SAYING TO BEGIN AT LEAST WITH THE GLOSSY FRONT AND BACK AND THEN THE STANDARD NEWSPAPER TYPE PAPER ON INSIDE? WE CAN ALWAYS CHANGE THAT GOING FORWARD IF WE GET COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT. AND THEN I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE COMMUNITY IMPACT. I AGREE, IT SHOULD NOT BE STUCK IN THE MAGAZINE. I THINK THAT WOULD BE PROBLEMATIC. IT WOULD IDENTIFY US TOO MUCH WITH THE MAGAZINE ITSELF. AND SO IF THEY DO THE PRINTING, WILL THERE BE ANY OF THEIR LOGOS OR ANYTHING AT ALL ON THE MAGAZINE THAT WOULD LINK US TO COMMUNITY IMPACT?

>> NO. WE PROVIDE THEM A PRINT FILE. THEY ARE PROVIDING A SERVICE OF PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION ONLY AT THAT

POINT. >> I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING.

I HAVE A NEWSPAPER HERE TODAY. I DON'T THINK A GLOSSY COVER WITH A NEWSPAPER INSERT IS THE WOODLANDS. NO OFFENSE. BIG FAN OF COMMUNITY IMPACT. NO OFFENSE AGAINST YOU GUYS. WHAT WE'RE GOING FROM TO THAT WOULD BE KIND OF COMPROMISING OUR BRAND.

AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT DONE ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

>> TOTALLY AGREE. >> DEPENDS ON THE NUMBERS, OF COURSE. RIGHT? I AGREE WITH YOU. I WOULD RATHER HAVE THE CONTINUATION OF THE LOOK THAT WE HAVE, AN IMPROVED LOOK, NOT

A STEP BACKWARD. >> HAVING BEEN A MAGAZINE PUBLISHER IN THE PAST, I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. WILL IT BE

PERFECT BOUND OR STAPLED? >> BOUND.

>> GOOD. >> MADAME CHAIRMAN, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? FIRST OF ALL, IF WE DECIDE TO GO WITH COMMUNITY IMPACT, SAY WE CHOOSE THE SOLO PUBLICATION, IS THERE IN THE CONTRACT, IS THERE ROOM TO CHANGE IF FOR SOME REASON WE DECIDE IT'S NOT WORKING AS WELL AS MAYBE INSERTING OR VICE VERSA? ARE YOU ABLE TO CHANGE YOUR MIND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE

CONTRACT? DO YOU KNOW? >> THAT WOULD BE, I WOULD DEFER

TO BRETT FOR THAT. >> YEAH. WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE FORMAL CONTRACT, BUT I AGREE WITH YOU. WE NEED TO BUILD IN SOME FLEXIBILITY. THIS IS A NEW VENTURE FOR US, SO WE WOULD INSIST UPON THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE SOME MODIFICATIONS AND HAVE SOME AT LEAST UNDERSTANDING AS TO HOW

THAT GETS DONE. >> OKAY, GOOD.

>> THE OTHER LEGAL QUESTION I'LL ASK REAL QUICK WHILE I HAVE THE MIC, ARE WE COMFORT IF WE WENT EVERY OTHER MONTH THAT WE'D MEET THE PUBLICATION REQUIREMENTS WE HAVE CURRENTLY?

>> YES. >> DIRECTOR FRANKS, IT IS SADDLE STITCHED. MY APOLOGIES FOR THAT.

>> THE QUICK COMMENT I WAS GOING TO MAKE, YES IT IS A COST

[02:05:03]

>> HOW SOON ARE YOU TRYING TO GO TO PRINT ON THIS?

>> APRIL. >> WELL, ACTUALLY, WE WOULD DO, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED COMBINING THE CONTENT FOR MARCH AND APRIL TOGETHER WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT WE PROBABLY WOULD MOVE IN THE DIRECTION. SO OUR FIRST PUBLICATION WOULD BE THE MAY-JUNE PUBLICATION. IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE ACTION TONIGHT, YOU CAN ALWAYS PUT SOME EXTRA FUNDS IN THERE, AND THEN WE COULD GET THE OFFICIAL QUOTE.

>> I MEAN, I'M COMFORTABLE, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A GENERAL CONSENSUS ON SOME OF THE THINGS HERE, BUT THERE OF COURSE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT TWEAKS THAT CAN BE MADE.

PERHAPS WE COULD FOCUS IN ON A SOLO PUBLICATION WITH COMMUNITY IMPACT THAT'S AD FREE THAT'S GOING TO BE FULL GLOSS GOING BI-MONTHLY BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S RELATIVELY AGREED.

PERHAPS YOU CAN SHOW US A SIMILAR SPREADSHEET WHERE THERE ARE VARIOUS OPTIONS OR BELLS AND WHISTLES THAT MAY CHANGE

THAT COST. >> WITH THAT, I HAVE A QUESTION. I AGREE WITH DIRECTOR WATSON. WILL IT SAY ANYWHERE WITHIN OUR MAGAZINE, PRINTED BY COMMUNITY IMPACT?

>> THAT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT, NO.

>> NOTHING THAT WE DO, IT WILL NOT IDENTIFY THAT IT'S PRINTED

BY, I MEAN. >> WE'LL SELL THAT IF YOU WANT

TO PUT SOMETHING ON THERE. >> THEY WANT TO GIVE YOU A

DISCOUNT. >> I WOULD OBJECT TO THAT.

>> IF THEY WANT TO ADVERTISE, WE'LL LET THEM BUY AN AD.

>> PEOPLE THAT ARE ADVERTISING IN THIS MAGAZINE. ARE WE CUTTING THEM OFF RIGHT NOW? THAT'S IT?

>> SO WE DO HAVE CERTAIN PARTNERS, FOR EXAMPLE, WOODLANDS WATER, THEY ALWAYS TAKE OUT AN AD, BUT WE ALSO GIVE THEM A PARTNER AREA WHERE THEY CAN PROVIDE ARTICLES. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HONOR THAT. I HAVE RECEIVED ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES FROM BUSINESSES, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THEM, HOW DO THEY RELATE TO THE TOWNSHIP? DO WE SPONSOR THOSE EVENTS THEY'RE PROMOTING? WE'RE TAKING IT ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE THE MECHANISM IN PLACE TO SELL THE ADVERTISING. SO IF WE DID THAT, IT WOULD JUST BE AS PART OF THE

CONTENT. >> OKAY. AT ONE TIME, I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS WITH THE WOODLANDS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION THAT WE HAD STAFF WHO SOLD ADS OR SPONSORSHIPS. WOULD THAT BE CONSIDERED AT ALL, IF FOR INSTANCE, BUSINESS A CALLS THE TOWNSHIP AND SAYS THEY WANT TO ADVERTISE, IT'S WITHIN OUR PARAMETERS, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO AGREE OR WOULD YOUR TEAM?

>> I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER. >> I THINK WHAT WE'D HAVE TO DO IS MENTION IF THERE WERE A CASE PRESENTED, WE'D HAVE TO BRING THAT TO THE STAFF AND POTENTIALLY TO THE BOARD TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER WE COULD LEGALLY DO THAT. AND THEN HOW WE WOULD MANAGE THAT FROM A STANDPOINT OF ACCOUNTING AND SO FORTH. SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IF THE IDEA IS THAT WE GO AD FREE AT THIS POINT, AS THOSE THINGS COME UP, WE CAN ALWAYS

ADDRESS THEM LATER. >> I WOULD SAY ONE THING WE COULD DO, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE, WE'D HAVE TO WORK THE LOGISTICS OUT, THERE'S A QUARTERLY KIND OF MAILER THAT WE HAVE THAT GOES TO A LOT OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, NOT TO OUR RESIDENTS, BUT THEY DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MARKET RESTAURANTS AND HOSPITAL VENUES AND NEW OPENINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT COULD BE AN INCERTAIN SIDE THIS MAGAZINE TO BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE. PRODUCED BY VISIT THE WOODLANDS. IT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO MARKET IN A GREATER WAY. I THINK ALL OF US ON THIS BOARD WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF

THAT. >> AND THINKING IT WOULD OFFSET

THE COST OF THE MAGAZINE. >> IF YOU INSERT THE WOODLANDS PUBLICATION INTO THE MAGAZINE, THAT WILL BE ADDITIONAL COSTS FOR THE PRINTING AND INSERTION OF THAT.

>> WE'LL PAY FOR IT. >> DIRECTOR WATSON, ARE YOU

PREPARED? >> I MOVE THAT LEANNE AND HER

[02:10:05]

AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE IS SOME COST IN THE INTERIM, THAT WE AUTHORIZE HER TO PROCEED IN THAT MANNER. YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL COSTS.

>> BY DEFERRING ACTION? >> I'M NOT TRYING TO KICK THIS DOWN. THAT WAS MY QUESTION ABOUT TIMING. I'M WORRIED THAT NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ANOTHER MONTH BEFORE WE GET THESE FIGURES AND WE'RE TRYING TO GO TO PRINT AND THINGS ARE

HAPPENING. >> YES.

>> THIS IS A LONG MOTION. THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LAWYER.

>> AND DIRECTOR FRANKS HAS ALREADY SECONDED.

>> YOU GET PAID BY THE WORD. >> CAN WE MOVE FORWARD WITH

THAT? >> I GUESS, LET ME BACK UP. DO YOU NEED AUTHORIZATION FOR FUNDING OR A DECISION TODAY?

>> UM, IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL, BUT I'M GOING TO LET KAREN.

>> NOPE. I WANT YOU. DON'T CALL NICK UP HERE. NICK'S

GOING TO SAY YES. >> WHAT WE COULD DO IS TO GET THROUGH THIS INITIAL PHASE, WHILE WE WAIT TO GET PRICING ON THE GLOSS, WHAT YOU COULD DO IS AUTHORIZE UP TO THE AMOUNT PER ISSUE THAT WE ARE SPENDING ON THE MARCH ISSUE.

>> PERFECT. >> AND THEN WE WOULD COME BACK WITH AN ACTUAL NUMBER FROM THEM, IDEALLY IT WOULD BE LESS.

>> I WILL ADD THAT TO MY MOTION THAT WE WOULD AUTHORIZE THAT

EXPENDITURE TO OCCUR. >> I'LL ADD THAT TO MY SECOND.

>> WHILE WE'RE NAILING DOWN THIS.

>> THAT'S A FRIENDLY AMEND. >> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN

FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE.

[14. Receive, consider and act upon an award of bid/proposal for Transit Planning and Consulting Services (C-2023-0327);]

>> OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. WELL DONE.

>>> THAT BRINGS US TO RUTH ANN, TO RECEIVE, CONSIDER, AND ACT UPON AN AWARD OF BID/PROPOSAL FOR TRANSIT PLANNING AND CONSULTING SERVICES. YOU'VE HAD THIS INFORMATION, PAGES 117-118 IN YOUR WORD PACKET. RUTH ANN, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION RELATED TO THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR TRANSIT PLANNING AND CONSULTING SERVICES.

>> SURE. GOOD EVENING, BOARD O DIRECTORS. SO THE GOODMAN CORPORATION HAS BEEN THE TRANSIT PLANNER FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS. THEY HAVE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE TRANSIT IN OUR AREA AS HAVING HISTORIC EXPERIENCE IN TRANSIT PLANNING THROUGHOUT THE PAST FEW DECADES IN SOUTH MONTGOMERY COUNTY, BOTH HERE AND IN CONROE. THE MAJORITY OF THE PRINCIPAL STAFF ASSIGNED TO THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN WITH THE GOODMAN CORPORATION. BRINGING FORWARD HDR ENGINEERING AS A SUBCONTRACTOR, HDR WAS THE TOWNSHIP'S TRANSIT CONSULTANT FROM 2017 TO 2020, SO THE CONTRACT PRIOR TO GOODMAN. THIS BRINGS FURTHER INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND A STRONG TRANSIT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SKILLS. SUCCESSFUL IN ASSISTING THE TOWNSHIP IN RECEIVING $6.5 MILLION IN TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT CREDITS OFFSETTING THE TOWNSHIP'S NEED TO SPEND THIS AMOUNT IN LOCAL DOLLARS TO BUY OUR TROLLEYS. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW WITH THE GOODMAN CORPORATION TO SUBMIT ANOTHER APPLICATION FOR $25 MILLION TO OFFSET THE PURCHASE OF OUR COACH BUSES FOR THE WOODLANDS EXPRESS PARK AND RIDE. ASSISTED THE TOWNSHIP IN RECEIVING THE $400,000 FOR THE COMPETITIVE GRANT ROUTE PLANNING STUDY TRANSIT PLAN THAT WE COMPLETED LAST BOARD MEETING. THEY WERE ALSO INSTRUMENTAL IN ASSISTING THE TOWNSHIP IN GETTING A NO FINDINGS, COMPLETELY CLEAN REVIEW IN 2023. SO THE STAFF IS CONFIDENT THAT THE GOODMAN CORPORATION IS CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE TOWNSHIP WITH QUALITY WORK, AND SO STAFF RECOMMENDS AWARDING THE CONTRACT TO THE GOODMAN CORPORATION FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM WITH THE OPTION TO RENEW THE CONTRACT FOR UP TO TWO ADDITIONAL ONE-YEAR TERMS.

>> I'M GOING TO CALL FOR A MOTION, AND I'LL READ IT AND A SECOND, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE DISCUSSION IF THERE IS FOR RUTH ANN. I CALL FOR A MOTION AND SECOND TO ACCEPT THE PROPOSAL FOR THE GOODMAN CORPORATION FOR TRANSIT PLANNING AND CONSULTING SERVICES AND AUTHORIZE THE PRESIDENT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT BY TOWNSHIP LEGAL COUNSEL. I MADE THE MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND?

>> SO MOVED. >> SECOND.

[02:15:01]

>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. QUESTIONS FOR RUTH

ANN? >> I HAVE A COMMENT, YES. I RECENTLY WAS APPOINTED BY YOURSELF. I ALMOST SAID YOUR EXCELLENCY TO THE UZA, AND I HAVE LEARNED A LOT OVER THE YEARS FROM RUTH ANN. SHE'S AN EXCELLENT STAFF PERSON TO REPRESENT US AND MANY LEVELS OF TRANSIT. AND I'VE RECENTLY RECONNECTED WITH THE GOODMAN ORGANIZATION. THEY ARE HIGHLY REGARDED. THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING THAT THEY DO THE WORK AND WE GET THE GRANTS, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. I'M HAPPY TO

SECOND THIS AND VOTE FOR IT. >> THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN

FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE.

>> OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. >> DID I VOTE? I WANTED TO SAY

AYE YE. >> WOODLANDS ADVERTISES ON

[16. Receive, consider and act upon a quarterly update from Visit The Woodlands (Convention & Visitors Bureau);]

THOSE BUSES. >>> AGENDA ITEM 15 WAS DEFERRED. THAT BRINGS US TO 16. YOU CAN LOOK AT PAGES 122-148 IN YOUR BOARD PACKET. NICK FROM VISIT THE WOODLANDS WILL PRESENT AND YOU DID A GREAT JOB WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES YESTERDAY

AT THE STAFF BREAKFAST. >> THANK YOU. CAN WE QUEUE UP

BABY SHARK ONE MORE TIME? >> HE CELEBRATED HIS 25TH YEAR HERE WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP AND TOWN CENTER IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND IS OUR LOCAL HISTORIAN. HYPER HISTORIAN.

YOU'RE STILL OUR HISTORIAN. >> HYPER AS IN HYPER? REALLY

HYPER? >> HIGH PERFORMING.

>> I GOT YOU. IT'S 8:15. DO WE HAVE EXECUTIVE SESSION?

>> WE DO. >> ALL RIGHT. THEN LET ME GET RIGHT INTO IT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. A NICE SEGUE. GREAT CONVERSATION HERE TONIGHT. AS CHAIRMAN SNYDER ALLUDED TO, YOU HAVE PLENTY OF STATS WITHIN YOUR BOOK, ADVANCE BOOK THAT WENT OUT. I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL THOSE, EXCEPT FOR HIGHLIGHTED POINTS. I HAVE JUST A FEW SLIDES AND WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE WITH A MINUTE VIDEO TO SHOW YOU. SO OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, OUR THREE OFFICERS BRAD BAILEY, LINDA NELSON, CONGRATULATIONS, AND RICHARD FRANKS OUR SECRETARY AND TREASURER. WE DID EXPAND THE BOARD FOR THIS YEAR. WE ADDED KIM LOWE WHO REPRESENTS THE WOODLANDS RESORT AND EMBASSY

SUITES AND MONIQUE SHARP. >> HOW MANY? WHAT PERCENTAGE OF HOTELS HAVE REPRESENTED BY MAKING THAT ADDITION?

>> RIGHT AT ABOUT 68-70% OF OUR HOTEL ROOMS THAT ARE ON VISIT THE WOODLANDS BOARD OF DIRECTORS. GREAT QUESTION. OUR STAFF MEMBERS, AS I THINK MOST OF YOU KNOW, WE DO INCLUDE THIS JUST BECAUSE WE LIKE TO HAVE IT ALL PACKAGED UP FOR NOW AND FOR FUTURE YEARS AS WELL. WE ARE LOOKING FOR OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT. WE CONGRATLATION GABBY WHO LEFT US. SHE WENT TO WORK FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND SHE'LL HIT THE GROUND RUNNING THERE. WE'LL HAVE MORE NEWS ON THAT COMING UP. HOTEL TAX COLLECTION, SO THIS IS THE, WE PRESENT ONCE A QUARTER. SO FOUR TIMES A YEAR. I WANTED TO THROW IN SOME STATS. WE'RE COMING OFF A TREMENDOUS YEAR. I WANTED TO THANK THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP BOARD FOR BELIEVING IN US AND SUPPORTING THE SALES MISSIONS AND THE ADVERTISING AND MARKETING WE DO. SET A RECORD LAST YEAR, $9.6 MILLION IN HOTEL TAX COLLECTION. THAT'S UP 12% FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. OUR OCCUPANCY, ADR, WHICH IS AVERAGE DAILY RATE, AND OUR REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM ALL WERE UP YEAR OVER YEAR. SO JUST A TREMENDOUS YEAR. WE HAVE $9.9 MILLION IN THE BUDGET. OUR CHAIRMAN IS SAYING WHY NOT $10? THAT'S OUR GOAL THIS YEAR, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR. SALES RECAP, OUR 2023 SALES RECAP, 22 SHOWS ATTENDED MEANING THESE ARE TRADE SHOWS WHERE WE GO OUT AND WE MAKE THE SALE, WE MAKE THE INTERVIEWS.

YOU CAN SEE HOW MANY MILES TRAVELED THAT THE SALES TEAM DID LAST YEAR. 34,000 MILES. AGAIN, JUST PULLING SOME KEY STATS, 223 ONE ON ONE APPOINTMENTS WITH CLIENTS.

THAT'S A REAL IMPORTANT ELEMENT THAT WE FIND IS A DIFFERENCE MAKER IS THAT PERSONALIZED TREATMENT OF THE GROUPS THAT WE SERVICE. SO WE DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET FOR OUR CONVENTION GROUPS WHEN THEY COME HERE. JUST SOME PHOTOS FROM LAST YEAR THAT WE WANTED TO INCLUDE. WE THANK, AGAIN, TOWNSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR

[02:20:04]

2023 MARKETING RECAP, $62 MILLION AD IMPRESSIONS CREATED LAST YEAR. THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE. THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE WOODLANDS MESSAGE OUT TO AS A PLACE TO VISIT AND TO HOLD MEETINGS. NOT NECESSARILY A PLACE TO LIVE OR WORK, BUT THIS IS TO VISIT, TO SPEND MONEY HERE. AGAIN, RETAIL SALES, HOTEL TAX WHAT THE ORGANIZATION LIVES OFF OF, VISIT THE WOODLANDS DOES, BUT WE STIMULATE THE RETAIL SALES TAX. THAT'S IMPORTANT IN OUR BUDGET. EVERYTHING IS TRENDING UPWARDS AND TRENDING VERY WELL.

THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOME ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE AND SOME EXAMPLES OF ADVERTISING AS WELL. A TEAM RECAP, AGAIN, THIS IS INQUIRIES THAT WE RECEIVED, GUIDES THAT WE SEND OUT, ASSETS CREATED. WE CREE SATED A LOT OF PHOTOGRAPHY THAT WE USED, ALL THE GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY USED AND AVAILABLE FOR OUR PARTNERS AVAILABLE, AVAILABLE FOR THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. PARTNERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS, LAST YEAR UNITY DINNER CONVERGED ON THE CAPITOL. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN BAILEY FOR SHOWING US AROUND AND LEADING US AROUND THE CAPITOL. OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOINING US HERE TONIGHT, THANK YOU, ELIZABETH. AND SOME OTHER THINGS WE DID AS WELL. AWARDS AND ACCOLADES, SAW A LOT OF THOSE OVER THE YEAR LAST YEAR.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES WAS JOE ROGAN COMING HERE. CHAIRMAN BAILEY, I KNOW THIS WAS SOMETHING WE SAW JUST REALLY BLOW UP. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THIS

ONE IN PARTICULAR. >> HE JUST POSTED ON SUNDAY ANOTHER POST ABOUT CHEF AUSTIN. HE ACTUALLY COOKED THE BEEF HIMSELF AND GAVE AUSTIN AND TRISH A SHOUTOUT. THAT'S A BIG DEAL. THAT'S MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF LIKES.

>> WE PLAY UP ALL THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. FEATURED ON A MAJOR NETWORK. A LITTLE BIT LATER ON, A COUPLE OF SLIDES CHAIRMAN BAILEY HAS US WORKING ON A RESTAURANT INITIATIVE OF POSITIONING THE WOODLANDS AS A CULINARY DESTINATION. AND WE'VE NEVER DONE THAT, SO WE'RE GOING DOWN THAT ROAD, AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MORE ABOUT THAT. LOTSOF AWARDS WON BY THE ORGANIZATION, AND JUST KUDOS TO THE ENTIRE TEAM OF DIFFERENT AWARDS. AGAIN, THIS IS ALL IN YOUR PACKET, SO WON'T GO THROUGH THOSE INDIVIDUALLY. WE KNOW APRIL IS A VERY, VERY BUSY MONTH. YOU'LL SEE MORE ABOUT THIS ON INVITATIONS TO VARIOUS THINGS. WHEN YOU RECEIVE THOSE INVITATIONS, WE'RE ASKING YOU TO PROMOTE THE MESSAGE OF THE WOODLANDS. WE WANT TO GET PEOPLE THINKING ABOUT THAT FOR THEIR ASSOCIATIONS THAT THEY'RE MEMBERS OF TO THINK OF THE WOODLANDS. WATERWAY ARTS FESTIVAL IS APRIL 12-14TH. FOLLOWING THAT, THE CHEVRON CHAMPIONSHIP. LAST YEAR, WE HAD THE CHEVRON CHAMPIONSHIP AND IRON MAN ON THE SAME WEEKEND. IT'S GOING TO LOOK GOOD THIS APRIL THAT WE HAVE IRON MAN MEMORIAL HERMAN IRON MAN.

>> THAT WAS CLOSE, NICK. >> I KNOW. EXACTLY. BUT THAT'S BEEN DESIGNATED AS THE NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP. THE PROFESSIONALS COMING IN ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD.

WE'LL SEE GREAT FINISHES FOR THAT. AND THEN A GREAT STAPLE OF OURS APRIL 29TH THROUGH MAY 5TH THIS YEAR. A LOT OF GROUP BUSINESS AND SOME REALLY IMPORTANT ONES COMING UP. UNITY DINNER, WHICH WE JUST HAD, I'LL SHOW YOU A QUICK VIDEO, OUR 2,000 ROCKET SCIENTISTS THAT TAKE UP ALL OF OUR HOTEL ROOMS WILL BE HERE IN MARCH, THE SECOND WEEK OF MARCH. THAT'S THE LUNAR PLANETARY SCIENCE CONFERENCE. YOU CAN SEE THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT. WE'LL HAVE 10 FOOD TRUCKS SET UP FOR FOUR DAYS. THEY'RE ON REAL TIGHT SCHEDULES BUT IT'S GREAT BUSINESS FOR US. A NEW EVENT WE HAVE THIS YEAR IS CALLED TEXPO TREASURY AND FINANCIAL CONFERENCE. FRANK AVONDALE WILL BE A SPEAKER. I KNOW MANY OF YOU KNOW HIM. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. THERE'S PEOPLE COMING IN FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. ONE OF THE ONES WE'RE MOST EXCITED ABOUT AND THIS IS IN SEPTEMBER, ALL OF YOU WILL BE INVITED, AND WE HOPE YOU WILL BE THERE IS THE TSAE. THESE ARE ALL THE CEO'S, 500 OF THEM OF ASSOCIATIONS IN TEXAS THAT ARE COMING HERE FOR A THREE-DAY CONFERENCE, RIGHT? SO IT'S THE TEXAS LAWYER'S ASSOCIATION OR TEXAS DERMATOLOGISTS ASSOCIATION. ALL OF THOSE ARE COMING HERE TO SEE THE WOODLANDS. WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS GOING TO BE SUCH A MAJOR, WE'LL HAVE A MAJOR

[02:25:01]

SO LORI, I'M GOING TO TRY TO CALL THAT UP HERE, AND AIDEN IS HERE. AND IN CASE I NEED HELP. I GOT IT.

>> AS THE WOODLANDS CELEBRATES ITS HISTORIC 50TH YEAR, ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT EVENT OCCURRED FEBRUARY 11TH THROUGH 13, 2024 AS TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS FROM ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS MET FOR THE TEXAS TRAVEL ALLIANCE UNITY DINNER. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME UNITY DINNER HAD TAKEN PLACE OUTSIDE OF THE STATE CAPITOL OR A MAJOR TEXAS CITY. OVER 500 INDUSTRY LEADERS, TOWNSHIP DIRECTORS, AND THE VISIT THE WOODLANDS BOARD CAME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE AND ADVOCATE THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAVEL AND TOURISM IN TEXAS, A $155 BILLION INDUSTRY. LEISURE TRAVEL, EVENTS, SHOPPING, AND MEETINGS ARE A VITAL COMPONENT TO THE WOODLANDS ECONOMY WHERE RETAIL SALES, HOTEL OCCUPANCY, AND MIXED USE TAX MAKE UP OVER HALF OF THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP BUDGET. THIS MEANS RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES HAVE A LOWER TOWN TAX RATE THAN CITIES ACROSS TEXAS. THE WOODLANDS HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR ARTS, MUSIC, FINE DINING, WORLD-CLASS EVENT, AND ICONIC EXPERIENCES. MAKING IT A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE AND A

PREMIER DESTINATION TO VISIT. >> THAT'S FANTASTIC.

>> NICE VIDEO. >> BEFORE YOU END, TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR BAILEY, NELSON, AND DIRECTOR FRANKS FOR COMMENT.

>> WE'RE BLESSED WITH A GREAT STAFF, A PASSIONATE STAFF HERE AT VISIT THE WOODLANDS BUT ALSO WORKING IN TANDEM WITH THE TOWNSHIP. WE'RE ALL IN THIS THING TOGETHER. THE BETTER WE ALL DO, THE BETTER WE ALL DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YA'LL.

CONGRATULATIONS, NICK, ON 25 YEARS.

>> THANK YOU. >> OF SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

>>

>> YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE ME BLUSH.

>> NO BETTER SPOKESPERSON THAN NICK. THE ENERGY AND PASSION YOU HAVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY IS SECOND TO NONE.

>> THANK YOU. >> AND DIRECTOR FRANKS?

>> WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE NICK AND SUCH A GREAT STAFF HE WORKS WITH. WE HAVE SOME VERY TALENTED FOLKS THAT REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, ALL OF THEM, AND IT'S TERRIFIC TO HAVE THAT KIND OF SUPPORT AND STAFF WORKING ON SUCH WORTHWHILE PROJECTS AS VIZ VIZ THE WOODLANDS.

>> AND ELIZABETH, YOU'RE TERRIFIC AS WELL.

>> AND IT APPEARS YOU'VE ATTRACTED SOME NEW CONFERENCES AND CONVENTIONS TO COME HERE WITH GREAT LEADERSHIP AND YOUR

STAFF. >> WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS YEAR. REALLY SOME VERY IMPACTFUL GROUPS THAT ARE COMING HERE THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN HERE. SO IT'S A SIGNIFICANT MOMENT IN OUR HISTORY.

>> $10 MILLION NEXT YEAR, NICK. >> I KNOW. WE'RE GOING FOR IT.

PEDAL TO THE METAL. >> IS THERE A MOTION TO RECEIVE

THE QUARTERLY REPORT? >> I MOTION.

>> SECOND. >> THANK YOU.

>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR,

[17. Receive, consider and act upon an update regarding the Village Presidents' Council;]

>>> THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 17 TO RECEIVE, CONSIDER, AND ACT UPON AN UPDATE REGARDING THE VILLAGE

PRESIDENTS' COUNCIL. >> YA'LL HAVE THE DOCUMENT IN

[02:30:03]

WE'VE HAD GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH SOME OF OUR OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS, WITH SOME OF OUR TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS. THE INTERACTION AMONG THE VILLAGE PRESIDENTS HAS BECOME MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE THAN IT WAS IN THE PAST. THEY'RE WORKING ON PROJECTS TOGETHER. THEY'RE DOING CONSIDERATIONS OF ISSUES TOGETHER. THEY'RE HELPING EACH OTHER SOLVE PROBLEMS THAT THEY HAVE GENUINELY. WE'VE HAD SOME TERRIFIC SPEAKERS, AS I SAID, WE'VE HAD MR. CARMAN, MR. NOVAK. IT WAS VERY GOOD BECAUSE HE, AS YOU KNOW, HAS A SMALL PORTION IN TERMS OF HIS ENTIRE EMPIRE SO TO SPEAK OF THE WOODLANDS, BUT HE WAS VERY KIND TO COME DOWN AND GO THROUGH A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON BOTH IN HIS AREA NORTH, ONE OF WHICH IS THE MAGNOLIA BYPASS, WHICH IS VERY INTERESTING. BUT HE WAS ALSO ABLE TO TALK TO THE RESIDENTS AND PARTICULARLY MARYANN ABOUT SOME ISSUES IN ALDEN BRIDGE. THAT RESULTED IN HIM HOLDING A MEETING I THINK IN MARCH COMING UP VERY QUICKLY WITH SEVERAL OF THE FOLKS THAT HAD CONDITIONS UP IN HIS OFFICE TO TALK WITH THEM DIRECTLY. WE'VE HAD REALLY GOOD INTERCHANGE ON THOSE ISSUES. AT THE LAST MEETING, WE HAD AS I SAID COMMISSIONER REILLY WAS OUR SPEAKER. HE GAVE A GREAT PRESENTATION INITIALLY. WE HAD A VERY, VERY GOOD CONVERSATION FOR THE FOLKS IN ALDEN BRIDGE. AS I SAID, THE RESULT OF THAT WAS SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO MEET WITH HIM IN HIS OFFICE PERSONALLY. I THINK IT'S GONE VERY WELL. WE ALWAYS HAVE HAD, I THINK OUR LAST FOUR OR FIVE MEETINGS WE'VE HAD EVERYONE OR THEIR DESIGNEE PRESENT. IT'S BECOME A DON'T-MISS EVENT.

>> WHO'S OUR NEXT SPEAKER? >> AND DIRECTOR NELSON?

>> MONIQUE IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER. I THINK IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE, IT WAS YOUR IDEA, RICHARD, AND I THINK IT FAR EXCEEDS WHAT I EVEN THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. NICE JOB.

>> WITH THAT, I CALL FOR A MOTION AND SECOND TO ACCEPT THE

REPORT. >> SO MOVED.

>> SECOND. >> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. QUESTIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING

[18. Recess to Executive Session to discuss matters relating to real property pursuant to §551.072, Texas Government Code; deliberation of economic development negotiations pursuant to §551.087, Texas Government Code; discuss personnel matters pursuant to §551.074, Texas Government Code; discuss IT network or critical infrastructure security pursuant to §551.089, Texas Government Code; and to consult with The Woodlands Township’s attorney pursuant to §551.071, Texas Government Code;]

AYE. >> AYE.

>> OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. >>> THAT BRINGS US TO EXECUTIVE SESSION. THERE IS A NEED TO RECESS TO EXECUTIVE SESSION THIS EVENING TO DISCUSS MATTERS RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO 551.072, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, DELIBERATION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO 551.087, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. DISCUSS PERSONNEL MATTERS PURSUANT TO 551.074, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. DISCUSS IT NET WORK OR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY PURSUANT TO 551.089, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. AND TO CONSULT WITH WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP'S ATTORNEY PURSUANT TO 551.071. THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE IN PUBLIC SESSION IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION

[19. Reconvene in public session;]

[21. Consideration of items to be placed on the agenda for next month's meeting;]

>> SECOND. >> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER AGENDA

ITEMS? >> YES. SINCE WE HAD ANOTHER ISSUE BROUGHT TO US RELATED TO PARKS AND QUITE A BIT OUTPOURING OF CONCERNS FROM RESIDENTS AROUND THE FALCON WING PARK, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR AN UPDATE ON THE PROCESS OF WHAT'S GOING ON NOW AT THE PARK AND ALSO EMPHASIS ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, AND I ASK THAT FOR DR. NOONS. I'M SURE HE'LL BE ABLE TO HELP US WITH THAT.

[02:35:03]

>> IS THERE A SECOND? THERE'S NOT A SECOND. ANY OTHER AGENDA

ITEMS? >> YES. I'D LIKE TO BRING BACK NEXT MONTH THE HOLIDAY LIGHT CONTRACTOR'S ITEM AGENDA ITEM

15 ON TO NIGHT'S AGENDA. >> SECOND. WE NEED IT FOR THAT,

I'M SURE. >> ANY OTHER? THAT BRINGS US TO BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS, AGENDA ITEM 22. ARE THERE ANY BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS? IF THERE ARE NONE, WELL, I CALL FOR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 9:36.

>> SO MOVED. >> IS THERE A SECOND?

>> UH-HUH. >> SECOND.

>> THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

>> A E. -

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.