[1. Invocation / Pledge of Allegiance;] [00:00:12] THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING. KYLE WATSON WILL LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION, AND -- WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >> HEAVENLY FATHER WE THANK YOU FOR THE RAIN WE GOT THIS AFTERNOON. WE COOLER WEATHER HERE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND MONTHS. LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS COMMUNITY, FOR THOSE THAT ARE HEREIN THOSE THAT SERVE. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT AND LIST THOSE NOT ABLE TO BE HERE, THAT INTENDED TO BE AS WELL. LORD, WE PRAY YOU WOULD GIVE US GUIDANCE AND WISDOM AS WE MAKE VERY IMPORTANT DECISIONS THAT YOU BLESS OUR COUNTRY, STATE, AND OUR COMMUNITY. >> AMEN. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 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 GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. [2. Call meeting to order;] >> THANK YOU DIRECTOR WATSON AND BAILEY. I NOW CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER. AND DECLARE THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW NOTICE OF THIS MEETING WAS POSTED HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING. THE POSTING OCCURRED INSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE TOWNSHIP AT THIS OFFICE BUILDING. STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT A QUORUM BE IN ATTENDANCE TO ESTABLISH CONDUCTING BUSINESS. I ASKED EACH BOARD MEMBER TO INDICATE HIS OR HER PRESENCE I RESPONDING WITH SOME HONORABLE SOUND OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT AS ROLL IS CALLED. [3. Receive, consider and act upon adoption of the meeting agenda;] >> BY THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS, TH PRESENT TO DECLARE WE HAVE A QUORUM. [6. Receive, consider and act upon adoption of the 2025 Consolidated Budget for The Woodlands Township; ] 3 THROUGH 20 IN YOUR PACKETS, THEY PROPOSE 2025 BUDGET WAS REVIEWED AND DISCUSSED BY THE BOARD. DURING THE AUGUST NIGHT TEAM , 20, 21, 2024 WORKSHOP MEETINGS. I CALL UPON OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO, MONIQUE SHARP, WHO WILL GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET. MS. SHARP. >> THANK YOU. I AM A LITTLE UNORGANIZED. HERE WE GO. AS THE CHAIRMAN JUST MENTIONED, THE BUDGET HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY THIS BOARD OF DIRECTORS. IT HAS ALSO GONE THROUGH OUR BUDGET TASK FORCE , SO THE BUDGET HAS BEEN REVIEWED, ANALYZED INQUIRY DETAIL OVER THE PAST 6 TO 8 WEEKS. WITH THAT, WITH THE DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE DURING THE SERIES OF BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETINGS, WE ARE RESENTING A BUDGET WITH CONSOLIDATED REVENUE OF 1.6 MILLION, IN ABOUT $1.3 MILLION. AND WITH THAT I WILL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY DETAILED QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. AS I SAID THIS WAS PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED AND APPROVED, NOT ADOPTED, AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS, BY THE BOARD. >> WE WILL TAKE A MOTION AND SECOND AND CALL ROLE. >> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS FOR PRESIDENT SHARP? >> YES. THANK YOU RESIDENT SHARP -- PRESIDENT SHARP, FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM IN PRESENTING THE BUDGET FOR 2025. WELL DONE. [00:05:02] I ASKED LAST TIME WE WERE HERE IF WE COULD GET A COMPARISON OF THE PROJECT DID RATES BY REGIONAL TAXING AUTHORITIES. SO THAT WE COULD SEE WHO, IF ANY, WERE REDUCING THEIR RATES TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. I KNOW WE ARE UNDER THE SAME ECONOMIC STRAIN, OUR RESIDENTS ARE STRUGGLING UNDER SEVERAL TAXING AUTHORITIES. WERE YOU ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT? >> MOST ENTITIES WE ARE OUT AHEAD OF THEM BY A DAY OR SEVERAL DAYS, MOST HAVE NOT. I WILL TELL YOU FROM THE PROPOSED TAX RATES, THAT WE DID NOT FIND ANY THAT WERE GOING TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. WE FOUND MOST WERE EITHER MAINTAINING THEIR CURRENT LEVEL. THE COUNTY HAS PROPOSED A RATE LOWER THAN THEIR CURRENT RATE, BUT HIGHER THAN THE NEW NEW REVENUE RATE. IN THE HOSPITAL IS THE SAME, THEY ARE LOWERING THEIR RATE BUT NOT TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. >> SHENANDOAH IS LOWERING AS WELL? >> THEY HAVE NOT ADOPTED YET . I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, I CANNOT REMEMBER WHAT THEIR RATE WAS. >> YOU DID NOT FIND ANYONE LOWERING TO BE NO NEW REVENUE RATE? >> WE DID NOT, IN THIS REGION. >> BUT THEY MAY NOT BE DEALING WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF SUPPORT, TAX SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE . THAT IS GOOD TO HEAR. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, FOR PRESIDENT SHARP? IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO ADOPT THE 2025 CONSOLIDATED BUDGET. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE [7. Recess the regular meeting of the Board of Directors;] >> OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. WE WILL NOW RECESS THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. IT IS 5:06. [8. PUBLIC HEARING: Convene and conduct a Public Hearing on the Proposed 2024 Property Tax Rate;] >> IT IS NECESSARY TO RECESS TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING RELATED TO THE PROPOSED 2024 PROPOSED TAX RATE. WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MONIQUE. WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO ADDRESS THE BOARD TO SPEAK. RECONVENE IN -- >> THERE IS NO ONE SIGNED UP. AND THERE IS NO NEED TO. FOR ME [9. Reconvene the regular meeting of the Board of Directors;] TO SPEAK. >> WE WILL RECONVENE TO THE REGULAR MEETING. IT IS 5:07. >> AND THAT WILL BRING US, WE [10. Receive, consider and act upon approval of a 2024 debt service tax rate of $0.0111/$100;] ARE SO GLAD YOU CAME. >> A ONE MINUTE MEETING. >> YES. >> THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 10, TO RECEIVE , CONSIDER AND ACT UPON THE 2020 FOR DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE. AND I WILL CALL UPON MONIQUE SHARP AGAIN TO EXPLAIN NEXT STEPS IN THE PROCESS. >> THANK YOU. AT THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS APPROVED A PROPOSED DEBT SERVICE RATE. THE RATE IS THE AMOUNT THAT IS NEEDED TO PAY THE PROPERTY TAXES ON OUR GENERAL UNLIMITED TAX BONDS, GENERAL APPLICATION BONDS. THE RATE THAT YOU APPROVED IS $0.0111 PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE AND THAT IS THE RATE THAT WE NEED TO STICK WITH AND CANNOT CHANGE THAT BECAUSE IT IS BASED SPECIFICALLY ON DEBT SERVICE REQUIREMENTS. WE ASK FOR A MOTION FOR THE BOARD TO APPROVE THE RATE OF $0.0111 PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE. >> IS THERE EMOTION? >> MOVED. > SECOND. >> FURTHER DISCUSSION, QUESTIONS? IF NOT, FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM WE ONLY NEED A SIMPLE MAJORITY TO PASS THE 2024 DEBT SERVICE OF $0.0111 PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. [11. Receive, consider and act upon approval of 2024 maintenance and operations tax rate;] >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA NUMBER 11, TO CONSIDER UPON THE APPROVAL OF THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS TAX RATE. THIS DOES DEMAND THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH REGARD TO THE -- AND WE WILL TURN IT OVER TO MONIQUE TO OUTLINE AS WE MOVE FORWARD. >> THIS , AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE WORKSHOPS, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS PROPOSED A RATE OF $0.1603 PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE. THAT MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE OF $0.1603, WHEN COMBINED WITH THE DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE THAT YOU ADOPTED OF $0.0111. THAT BRINGS YOU TO A TOTAL TAX RATE OF [00:10:06] $0.1714. WHICH IS THE RATE EXISTING FOR THE CURRENT YEAR. AND SO AGAIN, THAT IS WHAT THE BOARD OF PROPOSED DURING THE BUDGET WORKSHOP AFTER REVIEWING THE BUDGET. >> I CALL FOR A MOTION AND SECOND. AND THEN WE WILL HAVE DISCUSSION IF THE BOARD SO DESIRES, TO APPROVE THE 20 22 TAX RATE OF $0.1603 PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE. IS THERE A MOTION? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED. DISCUSSION? >> DISCUSSION. I HAVE SUGGESTED ACTUALLY AT THE BOARD WORKSHOPS AND WILL SUGGEST AGAIN, THAT WE RECONSIDER TIGHTENING OUR BELTS ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE REALLY IMPACTED BY RISING HOME PRICES, RISING RENTAL PRICES, FOOD COSTS GOING THROUGH THE ROOF, INSURANCE RATES ESCALATING, GASOLINE NOT COMING DOWN. THEY ARE TIGHTENING THEIR BELTS AND I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE TIGHTENED HOURS A LITTLE MORE DURING THE WORKSHOP, RATHER THAN JUST ACQUIESCING TO MAINTAINING THE EXISTING TAX RATE. SO, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE SET THIS RATE AT 15.04 CENTS, ALLOWING US TO GET TO THE NO NEW RATE. I KNOW WE HAVE WAYS OF REACHING THAT. YOU MAY DISAGREE WITH ME ON HOW TO DO IT, BUT I THINK WE DO HAVE WAYS OF DOING IT. SO THAT IS MY PROPOSAL. I PROBABLY WILL NOT GET A SECOND. >> YOU ARE MAKING AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE 2024 TAX RATE OF 16.04 CENTS PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE. THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR SO IT WOULD BE AN AMENDMENT. >> MY AMENDMENT IS 15.04 CENTS. >> OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? IF NOT, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT DIES. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE SICK 16 .03 -- FOR THE $0.1603 TAX RATE, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. OPPOSED? >> OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. >> MOTION PASSES. AND THAT [12. Receive, consider and act upon adoption of Order Levying Taxes (Order No. 013-24);] BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 12. TO RECEIVE, CONSIDER AND ACT UPON ADOPTION OF THE ORDER LEVYING TAXES. AT THE AUGUST 21, 2024 BOARD WORKSHOP, WE PROPOSED A RATE OF $0.1603 PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE FOR THE COMPONENT OF THE 2024 PROPERTY TAX RATE. WITH THAT, SINCE WE DO ON THIS, WE WILL RECORD -- MUST HAVE A VERBAL VOTE. >> IT IS A RECORDED VOTE. YES. >> YES. A VERBAL VOTE AND AT LEAST 60% OR FIVE MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BODY MUST VOTE IN FAVOR. >> SO JUST TO CLARIFY OR MAKE CLEAR WHAT WE ARE DOING, YOU APPROVED THE DEBT SERVICE RATE AND M& O RATE. THIS IS THE OFFICIAL ACTION YOU WILL OF ADOPTING THE TAX RATE AND YOU DO THAT THROUGH ADOPTING THIS ORDER TO LEVY THE TAX RATE. THAT IS THE POINT WE ARE AT NOW. >> I CALL FOR MOTION AND SECOND TO INCREASE THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF $0.1714 PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE. WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 6.13 PERCENT INCREASE, AND THE ORDER NUMBER 013-24 BE ADOPTED. IS THERE A MOTION? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. THANK IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ESCUTCHEON? >> I WILL VOTE AGAINST. >> OKAY. WE WILL CALL A REMINDER. IT WILL REQUIRE A RECORD VOTE IN WHICH EACH OF YOU WILL ONE BY ONE EITHER PRO OR NEZ. WE WILL START WITH DIRECTOR BAILEY. >> YES. DIRECTOR FRANKS. >> YES. >> DIRECTOR NELSON? >> YES. DIRECTOR SEKULA-GIBBS? >> NO. >> DIRECTOR WATSON? >> YES. >> DIRECTOR SNYDER? >> YES. THE MOTION PASSES 5-1. THERE IS NO, THAT BRINGS US TO [15. Consideration of items to be placed on the agenda for next month's meeting;] AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 13. THERE IS NO EXECUTIVE SESSION. THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 15. CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS TO BE [00:15:02] PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTHS MEETING. WELL, HOPEFULLY FOR SEPTEMBER. THE MEETING. ARE THERE ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA IN SEPTEMBER? I THINK WE GAVE A LIST. >> WE GAVE A LONG LAUNDRY LIST LAST TIME. SO JUST MAKE SURE WE HAVE THOSE. [16. Board announcements; and] >> WE CAPTURED THOSE. YES, SIR. >> ARE WE GOOD? OKAY. THAT BRINGS US THEN TO BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS. TWO REMINDERS, ONE, ON 9/11, THE CHIEF AND HIS FIREFIGHTERS PUT ON AN INCREDIBLE CEREMONY TO HONOR 9/11, AND IT IS AT 7:30 ON THE MORNING OF 9/11, AT THE CENTRAL FIRE STATION. IF YOUR SCHEDULE ALLOWS, EVERYONE IS WELCOME. ON 9/15, I BELIEVE THAT IS A SUNDAY, OUR BOOTS AND BADGES HAVE A SOFTBALL GAME. IT IS OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIREFIGHTERS. AND I THINK IT IS GENERALLY A VERY CLOSE GAME. LAUGHTER ] >> IT IS A GREAT GAME IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN THERE BEFORE, IT IS A LOT OF FUN. >> AND IT IS AT SCOTLAND YARD. ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? IF NOT, THAT BRINGS US TO ADJOURN. >> MOTION TO ADJOURN. >> SECOND. >> NEVER A PROBLEM WITH THAT ONE. >> DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFYING BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.