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>> GOOD EVENING. WELCOME TO THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP DIRECTORS REGULAR MEETING ON OCTOBER
[1. Invocation / Pledge of Allegiance;]
21ST, 2024. THIS EVENING, OUR INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY DIRECTOR KYLE WATSON, AND OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE BY DIRECTOR LINDA NELSON. DIRECTOR WATSON?>> PLEASE PRAY WITH ME. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS COOLER FALL WEATHER WE ARE ALL GETTING TO ENJOY. A GREAT, BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND. LORD, I THINK YOU FOR THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THE FOLKS IN THIS ROOM THAT CARE ENOUGH ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY TO BE HERE TONIGHT. AND I JUST ASK THAT YOU WOULD OPEN UP OUR MINDS AND HEARTS UP HERE AS WE TAKE UP THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS. AND GIVE US BUSINESS AND -- WISDOM AND STRENGTH TO MAKE DECISIONS. WE ASK THAT YOU -- OUR COUNTRY THIS ELECTION SEASON. IN JESUS
NAME I PRAY, AMEN. >> DIRECTOR NELSON, STAND FOR THE PLEDGE.
>> 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.
THE TEXAS PLEDGE? HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE, TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER
GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. >> WE HAVE SEVERAL PROCLAMATIONS THIS EVENING. OUR
[2. Proclamations;]
FIRST, DIRECTOR FRANKS WILL READ. IT IS SUPPORTING VETERANS DAY. DIRECTOR FRANKS?>> THANK YOU. AS A VETERAN MYSELF, I AM HONORED TO BE ABLE TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION FOR THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ARMS. WHEREAS WE HAVE A SACRED TRUST WITH THOSE WHO WEAR THE UNIFORM OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND WHEREAS OUR NATION 'S SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN ARE THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST. IN TIMES OF PEACE AND WAR, SERVING WITH HONOR IN THE MOST DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, AND MAKING SACRIFICES MANY OF US CANNOT BEGIN TO IMAGINE.
WHEREAS WE ALSO PAY TRIBUTE TO WHERE THE UNIFORM AND THEY CONTINUE TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY AS A CIVILIAN, PROTECTING THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. AND WHEREAS OUR VETERANS CONTINUE TO STAND UP FOR THE TIMELESS AMERICAN IDEALS OF LIBERTY, SELF DETERMINATION, AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY. AND WHEREAS ON VETERANS DAY, WE HONOR HEROES WE HAVE LOST , AND WE REDEDICATE OURSELVES TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF VETERANS BY SUPPORTING OUR SOLDIERS, SAILORS, AIRMEN, MARINES, COAST GUARDSMEN AS WE RETURN HOME FROM DUTY. NOW, THEREFORE, WITH RESPECT FOR AND -- CONTRIBUTION OF OUR SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN THAT THEY HAVE MADE TO THE CAUSE OF PRESENTING AROUND THE WORLD, THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS ENCOURAGES ALL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO RECOGNIZE THE VALUE AND SACRIFICE OF OUR VETERANS TO APPROPRIATE CEREMONIES, PRAYERS, AND OTHER EXPRESSIONS OF AFFIRMATION, AND PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 11, 2024 AS VETERANS DAY IN WOODLANDS, TEXAS. WHEREUPON IN WITNESS THEREOF, THE SEAL OF THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP AND CHAIR AND SNYDER HAS BEEN SET.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR FRANKS. IF WE HAVE ANY VETERANS IN THE AUDIENCE, WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU, AND WE WOULD BE SO HONORED TO HAVE YOU COME FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN TAKE A PHOTO WITH THE BOARD. I KNOW OUR VERY OWN WAYNE IS A VETERAN. I BELIEVE SERVED IN THE AIR FORCE. WAYNE, IF YOU WOULD COME UP? AND IF THERE IS ANYONE ELSE, WE WOULD BE VERY HONORED.
>> THANK YOU. THERE IS NO GREATER HONOR THAN SERVING OUR COUNTRY. AND WE THANK EACH OF
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YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO ALLOW US TO DO WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW. OUR SECOND PROCLAMATION IS IN SUPPORT OF THE WOODLANDS RECYCLES DAY AND DIRECTOR BRAD BAILEY WILL READTHE PROCLAMATION. >> OKAY. FORGIVE ME. I AM A LITTLE HOARSE FROM CELEBRATING 50 YEARS LAST WEEK. BUT I WILL TRY TO GET THROUGH IT. BA PROCLAIMED WHEREAS THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP CULTIVATES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN URBAN NEEDS AND GEORGE MITCHELL'S VISIONS OF ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH THE PROMOTION OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND POLICY, IN KEEPING WITH THE VISION, IN KEEPING WITH THIS VISION, THE WOODLANDS RECYCLES THAT ART -- DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE, INTEGRATED SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN. AND WHEREAS THE RESIDENTS OF THE WOODLANDS VALUE RECYCLING, WITH OVER 90% PARTICIPATION, THAT IS PRETTY AMAZING, 90% PARTICIPATE IN RECYCLING, OF THE CURBSIDE RECYCLING PROGRAM. THEREFORE, RESIDENTS OF THE WOODLANDS DIVERT 1000 POUNDS OF MATERIAL FROM THE WOODLANDS -- . AND WHEREAS THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP HAS RECEIVED AWARDS FOR THE RECYCLE RIGHT EDUCATION PROGRAM, WHICH SUPPORTS STRONG CURBSIDE RECYCLING PROGRAMS WITH AN AVERAGE MONTHLY CONTAMINATION RATE OF 13%, WELL BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 25%, AND WHEREAS REDUCING, REUSING, RECYCLING SAVES ENERGY, CONSERVE NATURAL RESOURCES, PROTECTS THE ENVIRONMENT, REDUCES AIR POLLUTION AND LANDFILL NEEDS, CREATES JOBS AND POSITIVELY AFFECT THE ECONOMY, WASTE REDUCTION IN THE PURCHASE OF RECYCLED CONTENT PRODUCTS ARE CRITICAL ELEMENTS TO ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND WASTE PROGRAMS. THE COUNSELOR TODAY IS RECOGNIZING IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, AND WHEREAS THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS HOSTING AN ELECTRONICS RECYCLING DRIVE-THROUGH IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES SHRED DAY ON A SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH, 2024. TO CELEBRATE THE VALUE OF RECYCLING TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO RECYCLE BEYOND WHAT IS ALLOWED THROUGH CURBSIDE SERVICES, SUCH AS COMPUTERS, TVS, PRINTERS, BONES, ROUTERS. NOW THEREFORE I, AND DR. N SNYDER, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 21ST AS WOODLANDS RECYCLES DAY.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE TWO OF OUR LEADERS IN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES PROGRAM HAT WOULD LIKE YOU TO C. SO WE CAN PERSONALLY THANK YOU. MEGAN MCNAIR AND AND GRACE CARLOS. IF YOU WOULD COME UP, WE WILL APPLAUD YOU.
[3. Call meeting to order;]
>> I OFFICIALLY CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 6:09. 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 FOR CONDUCTING BUSINESS. I ASKED EACH BOARD MEMBER TO INDICATE HIS OR HER PRESENT RESPONDING WITH SOME AUDIBLE SOUND OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT AS I CALLED ROLL.
CALLED ] BY THE ROLLCALL, IT IS DETERMINED A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF MEMBERS ARE PRESENT TO
[4. Receive, consider and act upon adoption of the meeting agenda;]
DECLARE THAT WE HAVE A QUORUM. NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS TO RECEIVE, CONSIDER, AND IN -- ACT UPON THE MEETING AGENDA. YOU HAVE HAD IT SINCE FRIDAY. IS THERE EMOTION AND SECOND TO[5. Recognize public officials;]
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ADOPT THE AGENDA? >> I WILL MOVE. >> I WILL SECOND.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING . THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 5, TO RECOGNIZE PUBLIC OFFICIALS. WE DO HAVE MR. SHAY GIBBS. WE THANK YOU FOR COMING. ALSO, HE IS NOT ELECTED, BUT MR. AARON COX, OUR NEW CHAMBER PRESIDENT, CEO WITH US THIS EVENING. WELCOME TO OUR WONDERFUL COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR BEING
[6. Public comment;]
HERE. THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM SIX, PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE SEVERAL SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. PARTICIPATION BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN OPEN MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS WELCOMED AND ENCOURAGED. A PUBLIC COMMENT AGENDA ITEM IS INCLUDED IN THE BEGINNING OF ALL REGULAR BOARD MEETING AGENDAS. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BOARD ADOPTED POLICY TO PRODUCE A MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE PROCESS FOR ALLOWING CONSTITUENTS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ERRORS ACCEPTS PUBLIC COMMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES FOR PARTICIPATING PUBLIC MEETINGS. FIRST, EACH PERSON WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD MUST FIRST SIGN THE SPEAKER'S ROSTER , PROVIDED BY THE BOARD SECRETARY. INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO MAKE GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS, JUST A TOPIC THAT IS NOT INCLUDED ON THE AGENDA, OR WHO WISH TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS, MUST DO SO UNDER THE PUBLIC COMMENT AGENDA ITEM AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES, REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OF TOPICS. IF THERE ARE MORE THAN 15 SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, EACH SPEAKER WILL THEN BE LIMITED TO 2 MINUTES, REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OF TOPICS. SPEAKERS WILL BE TAKEN IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGN UP. SPEAKERS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO YIELD THEIR TIME TO ANOTHER SPEAKER ON THE LIST. STATE LAW PROHIBITS THE BOARD FROM FORMALLY ACTING ON A SPECIFIC ITEM OR PUBLIC COMMENT UNLESS IT IMPAIRS ON THE AGENDA POSTED. THEREFORE, ANY BOARD DISCUSSION OF ITEMS NOT INCLUDED ON THE AGENDA IS LIMITED TO QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION AND WHETHER OR NOT THE ITEM SHOULD BE PLACED ON A FUTURE BOARD AGENDA. 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 DIRECT THEIR OR DIRECTORS. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU, PLEASE, PLACEYOUR CELL PHONES ON SILENT MODE. THE FIRST INDIVIDUAL -- >> BEFORE WE PULL THAT UP, I WANT TO REITERATE SOMETHING I DID NOT UNDERSTAND IN THE BEGINNING. WE CANNOT COMMENT NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY TO US. YOU MAY SAY, I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY ARE NOT RESPONDING. WE ARE NOT
ALLOWED TO. JUST TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. >> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR NELSON.
FIRST ON OUR PUBLIC COMMENT, EACH OF YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES, IS STEPHEN WRIGHT. MR.
WRIGHT? >> GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU, TOWNSHIP DIRECTORS. REALLY, THE POINT, MY NAME IS STEPHEN WRIGHT . I AM A LONGTIME RESIDENT, 45 YEARS NOW, I CURRENTLY LIVE RIGHT HERE IN HAROLD OAKS. I REALLY WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME, I WAS A SPONSOR OF THE 50TH YEAR, ALLOWING US TO HAVE SPONSORS. AND I REALLY WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE TOWNSHIP, OF COURSE, HOWARD HUGHES, AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER SPONSORS FOR PROVIDING SUCH A FANTASTIC EVENT IN A FANTASTIC WEEK OF EVENTS. I TRULY ENJOYED IT. I WAS THOROUGHLY IMPRESSED WITH HOW WELL YOU INCORPORATED, OR HOW WELL YOU INCLUDED THE THINKING OF THE SPONSORS AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE SPONSORS ALONG THE WAY. IT WAS TRULY JUST AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE. AND HAVING BEEN A RESIDENT AS LONG AS I HAVE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE NUMBER ONE MEMORY OF THE WOODLANDS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE FESTIVAL. AND THIS PAST WEEK WAS A STRONG NUMBER TWO. I DID NOT HAVE A NUMBER TWO REALLY.
EVERYTHING ELSE WAS VERY DISTANT FROM IT. A FANTASTIC EVENT. MY LAST POINT I WANTED TO MAKE WAS THAT WE SPENT THE LAST WEEKEND THINKING AND ENJOYING ABOUT THE PAST 50 YEARS. I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE THE PLAN OF PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT 50
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YEARS. I THINK THAT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT. I RECENTLY LEARNED, OR I HAVE BEEN LEARNING, YOU KNOW, OVER MY ADULT LIFE HERE, HOW MUCH PLANNING REALLY WENT INTO THE WOODLAND WHEN IT WAS JUST AN IDEA. AND NOW THAT IT IS A PROVEN CONCEPT, I THINK IT REQUIRES EVEN FURTHER PLANNING AND PREPARATION. YOU KNOW, THERE IS A PHRASE THAT I THINK IS APPROPRIATE, IT HAD AN IMPACT ON ME, I AM NOT THE SOURCE OF IT, I DO NOT KNOW WHO ORIGINALLY SAID IT. BUT IT IS POSED IN THE FORM OF A QUESTION. WHEN DID NOAH BUILD THE ARK? IT WAS BEFORE THE RAIN. SO, TAKE THE EFFORT, YOU KNOW, PLEASE CONTINUE TO PLAN AND PREPARE TO PROTECT THIS FANTASTIC PLACE THAT I HAVE GROWN UP IN AND THE PLACE I HAVE GROWN UP IN. YOU KNOW, I PROMISE I WILL DO MY PART AS BEST I CAN AS WELL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.>> THANK YOU. OUR SECOND SPEAKER IS OWEN BROWN. MR. BROWN?
>> GOOD EVENING. I LIVE ON GROGAN'S MILL ROAD. FOR ME, THE EXPANSION WOULD JUST MEAN MORE NOISE, MORE TRAFFIC, MORE POLLUTION. FEWER TREES AND FEWER FLOWERS. MIKE WAGNER, OUR RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVES , ASKED ME TO BRING SOME ADDITIONAL LETTERS FROM OUR RESIDENTS IN THE VILLAGE, WHICH I HAVE GIVEN TO YOU. AND THEY OPPOSE THE -- PATH. THE FUTURE IS SO DIFFICULT TO SEE. THAT INCLUDES BOTH TRAFFIC FLOW AND TRAFFIC PLANNING. WHEN I MOVED HERE, I NEVER CONSIDERED OUR OFFICE BUILDINGS WOULD BE HALF-FULL. I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT GOING TO H-E-B BEING DIFFICULT AND MARKING -- MARKET STREET HAVING NO PARKING SPOTS.
IT IS HARD TO PREDICT THE FUTURE. KNOWING THIS, WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE GROGAN'S MILL EXPANSION, IF YOU MAKE AN ERROR AND MAKE MISTAKES, WHICH IS POSSIBLE, I HOPE YOU WILL MAKE THE ERROR ON THE SIDE OF MORE TREES, LESS CONCRETE, LESS NOISE. AND THAT IS WHAT I WANT FOR THE WOODLANDS. I CAN GET HAS A GREAT FUTURE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MR. BROWN. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, SPEAKER NUMBER THREE, STEVE LAKIN. STEVE,
WELCOME BACK. >> THAT COUNTS, HURRY UP, STEVE.
>> UNLESS KYLE IS TIMING. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I ALSO WANT TO ECHO STEVE'S WORDS OF THANK YOU LAST WEEK. I WAS NOT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE CEREMONY, SO I DID NOT SEE THAT. BUT LAST WEEK WAS SPECTACULAR FROM BEGINNING TO END. A MEGA THANK YOU TO YOU ALL. YOU DO HAVE A HANDOUT FOR MY REMARKS, WHICH IS LONG. I WILL NOT READ IT ALL, BY ANY MEANS. MONTGOMERY COUNTY WILL GROW TO 1 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE NEXT TWO, THREE, FOUR YEARS. SOMETHING IN THAT ORDER. MY COMMISSIONER, CHARLIE BRADLEY, INVITED ME TO BE ON THE COMMITTEE ON MOBILITY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. SO WE WORK WITH H GAC. AND ALSO WE ARE ON THE H GAC BOARD. AMONG THE MAJOR THINGS WE HAD TO DO HIS ACCOUNT AND ASSIMILATE THE GROWTH THAT WE ARE ALL EXPERIENCING. AND INTEGRATION OF WHAT WE DO IN THE WOODLANDS WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTY IN THE REGION IS A MUST. THE WOODLANDS IS NOT AN ISLAND, WE CANNOT CLOSE OURSELVES OFF FROM THE REST OF THE COUNTY. SO, AS WE WORK ON OUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE, I WOULD SAY IT NEEDS TO BE INTEGRATED. ROBERT HEINEMAN, HE IS WITH US TONIGHT, I UNDERSTAND HE WILL SPEAK LATER, WE HAVE HAD A VERY DETAILED PLAN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. AND THAT IS WHAT HAS BEEN EXECUTED OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS, ONE STEP AT A TIME. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT HAS HELPED CREATE STUNNING COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL ENJOY LIVING IN. WITH EACH ONE OF THOSE STEPS, I DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY THERE HAVE BEEN, DOZENS, THERE ARE ALWAYS CONCERNS, COMPLAINTS, ISSUES, WHICH I UNDERSTAND. THE PRIMARY ONE TYPICALLY IS NOISE. FRANKLY, THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WHEN WE MOVED HERE 23 YEARS AGO, WE BOUGHT AN INSIDE LOT, SO THAT IT WOULD BE AWAY FROM WHATEVER TRAFFIC
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NOISE EXISTED IN THE ENTITIES AROUND US. SO ITEM NUMBER FOUR THERE, AND FIVE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WIDENING GROGAN'S MILL ROAD. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT RESEARCH FOR THIS. THERE WILL BE OTHERS COMING UP. THOSE HAVE BEEN IN THE PLAN. THE TRAFFIC COUNT, WHEN THE TRAFFIC COUNT SAYS, BINGO, IT IS TIME, AND THE COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE, WELL, WE HAVE DONE THIS. AND I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. KIRK INVOLVED ROAD NEEDS TO BE WIDENED FROM FOUR LANES. IT IS ALSO ON THE DOCKET. THERE ARE THOSE AGAINST THAT. WELL, THEY DO NOT WATCH THE TRAFFIC FLOW AT MITCHELL INTERMEDIATE IN THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON. IT IS DANGEROUS. THE TRAFFIC AND THE CONGESTION, PEOPLE GET ANGRY. WHEN PEOPLE GET ANGRY, SOMETIMES THEY DO BAD THINGS. WE ARE COMING UP TO 3 MINUTE. REAL QUICKLY , WE DEPEND ON OUTSIDE VISITORS FOR ALL OF THE SPORTING EVENTS THAT WE HOLD , FOR THE IRONMAN, FOR THE COMPANY, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE WOODLANDS, PEOPLE COMING TO THE WOODLANDS TO SPEND MONEY AT OUR MALL AND KEEP OUR TAX RATES LOW, WE NEED THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE THAT AS GOOD OF AN EXPERIENCE AS POSSIBLE. SO I STRONGLY THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE A BIG PART OF THE PICTURE AS WELL. LASTLY, IT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD. WHEN WE HAVE OVERLY CONGESTED STREETS, FIRETRUCKS CANNOT GET THROUGH. AS YOU WELL KNOW, A SECOND OR TWO, 10, OR 15, CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE IMPACT THAT A FIRE HAS ON A PROPERTY. I ASK EACH OF YOU TO PLEASE LOOK THROUGH THIS AND KEEP DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO. KEEP THIS PLACE GREAT.>> THANK YOU, STEVE. >> THANK YOU. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER, RICHARD
MEIER. RICHARD, WELCOME BACK. >> GOOD EVENING. BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION, I AM RICHARD MEIER. I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT IN THE WOODLANDS FOR 32 YEARS. THE PAST NINE YEARS IN THE EAST SHORE. FOR EXPEDIENCY, I WILL NOT REPEAT THE SAFETY RELATED OBJECTIONS TO WHY THE GROGAN'S MILL ROAD THAT I MADE AT THE SEPTEMBER 25TH BOARD MEETING. I ALSO ANTICIPATE THEY MAY OVERLAP WITH OTHER SPEAKERS AT TONIGHT'S MEETING. I AM NOT AWARE OF RESIDENTS EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THIS PROPOSAL. TO THE CONTRARY, THERE HAS BEEN BROAD AND CONSISTENT RESIDENT OPPOSITION TO WIDENING GROGAN'S MILL ROAD. I AM EQUALLY UNAWARE OF ANY PUBLIC EXPRESSION OF SUPPORT FROM NONRESIDENT CONSTITUENTS OR ENTITIES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A STRAIGHTFORWARD OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD TO FOLLOW THE WILL OF THE RESIDENTS AND OPPOSE WIDENING GROGAN'S MILL ROAD. WE DO NOT NEED TO WIDEN GROGAN'S MILL ROAD AT THIS TIME. ONCE THE TREES GET CUT DOWN, THAT DECISION IS IRREVOCABLE AND WILL IMPACT GENERATIONS TO COME. I RESPECTFULLY BUT STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE TOWNSHIP AND BOARD TO MODIFY OR RESCIND THE RESOLUTION, THE 2016 RESOLUTION STATING NO OBJECTION TO
WIDENING GROGAN'S MILL ROAD TO -- IN THE COUNTY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, RICHARD.
NICE TO HAVE YOU BACK. THAT BRINGS US TO SPEAKER NUMBER FIVE. IT HAS BEEN A WILD.
>> HELLO. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RON SEKOWSKI, I AM AN ENGINEER. YOU LOOK AT MITCHELL'S VISION OF WHAT THE WOODLANDS WAS WHEN IT WAS FIRST STARTED, HE LOOKED AT NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WERE SEGREGATED OFF OF MAJOR THOROUGHFARES, MAJOR THOROUGHFARES , LIKE WOODLANDS PARKWAY, GROGAN'S MILL ROAD, GOSLING, AND ALL THESE OTHER MAJOR ROADS. AND THEY TIE IN TO OTHER ADJOINING AREAS. AND HE UNDERSTOOD THE NEED OF A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE. BUT HE ALSO UNDERSTOOD THE NEED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE RIGHT OF WAY TO ALL RESIDENTS, EXCUSE ME, FOR ALL OF THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARES. SO, THE RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR YOUR MAJOR
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THOROUGHFARE LIKE GROGAN'S MILL ROAD IS EXCESSIVELY WIDE BECAUSE HE HAD THE FORESIGHT TO DEDICATE THE WIDER RIGHT OF WAYS TO ALLOW EXPANSIONS. MAJOR THOROUGHFARES ARE SHOWING UP ON OUR REGIONS PLANNING. FOR US TO BE SEQUESTERING OURSELVES AND SAYING, NO, WE DO NOT WANT ANYBODY ELSE TO USE OUR STREET, IT IS WRONG. MORALLY WRONG. FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON THE OUTSKIRTS THAT NEED TO GO THROUGH OUR NICE LITTLE COMMUNITY TO GET TO I-45, OR IF WE WANT TO GET OVER TO SOMETHING, LIKE, AGGIE FREEWAY , THEY COULD PROVIDE A STRAIGHT THROUGH. IT IS ALL ABOUT MAJOR THOROUGHFARES. AND ALLOCATING THE SPACE AND BUFFER ZONES THAT WE HAVE. THOSE BUFFER ZONES ARE THEREFORE ALL THIS MAJOR THOROUGHFARES. THERE ARE NO RESIDENCES THAT HAVE A DIRECT DRIVEWAY ACCESS TO ANY OF THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARES. AND THAT WAS PURPOSELY DONE BY GEORGE MITCHELL AND HIS COMPANY. SECONDLY, WE LOOK AT EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. WE ALL KNOW THAT WE HAVE A HURRICANE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. AND I-45 IS CLOSED. WE HAVE AN 18 WHEELER WITH FUEL THAT COMES OVER, IT IS CLOSED, THAT ROAD. WE NEED NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST EGRESS SO THAT THIS COMMUNITY CAN THRIVE. AND WE NEED TO HAVE OTHER PEOPLE COME IN TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THEY BRING THEIR DOLLARS, OUR BUSINESSES FLOURISH, AND YOUR SALES TAX REVENUES GO UP. THAT MEANS LOWER TAXES FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE WOODLANDS COMMUNITY, IF WE ENCOURAGE OUTSIDE BUYERS TO COME INTO THE COMMUNITY. SO, THEREFORE, I ENCOURAGE THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH GEORGE MITCHELL'S VISION OF HAVING THESE MAJOR THOROUGHFARES, EXPANDING OUT TO OTHERS. AND HE HAS PROVIDED THE RIGHT-OF-WAY THAT WE DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE ANY MORE RIGHT-OF-WAY FROM PEOPLE. HE ALSO HAS HAD THE VISION THAT HE, THAT HIS DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT HAVE RESIDENCE ACTUALLY LIVING ON THE ROAD, ON THESE PUBLIC MAJOR THOROUGHFARES. THEY ARE SEQUESTERED. AND I THINK YOU ALL FOR CONSIDERING TO ALLOW GEORGE MITCHELL'S VISION TO BE TAKEN INTOACCOUNT. >> THANK YOU, MR. RON SEKOWSKI. AND THAT BRINGS US TO --
SOCCER. THE FIELDS WERE FILLED ON SATURDAY. THEY WERE. >> GOOD EVENING, BOARD OF DIRECTOR THERE IS. THE TOWNSHIP STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, MY NAME IS SIMON, I AM THE DIRECT TOUR OF SOCA OPERATIONS FOR HEX SOCCER FOR THE GAME OF SOCCER FOR THE YOUTH. WE DO HAVE BUSY FIELDS, WE HAVE ABOUT 1400 PLAYERS IN OUR RECREATION AREA THAT COME OUT ON A SATURDAY WITH OUR VOLUNTEER COACHING STAFF. THERE IS ABOUT 200 OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT GIVE UP THEIR TIME AND SUPPORT YOUTH SOCCER. THEY HAVE A TRAINING SESSION IN AN A COME OUT ON A WEEKEND TO SUPPORT THE KID. I WANTED TO HAVE A SHUTTER FOR THE VOLUNTEER STAFF WHO ARE LOCAL RESIDENTS, AND FOR OUR PLAYERS. WE ALSO HAVE A SPECIAL NEEDS AREA THAT MEETS ON A SATURDAY, WE PERFORM YOUTH SOCCER ON FIELD SIX AT THE BRANCH, CONDUCTED BY COACH KEITH JOHNSON. OUR DIRECTOR OF COACHING, WHO IS ALSO A SPECIAL OLYMPICS PLAYER HIMSELF AND HAS REPRESENTED THE COUNTRY 101 TIMES. THAT IS A FUN ACTIVITY WE HAVE ON A SATURDAY. THAT IS A BARE BRANCH FIELD SIX. WE HAVE A WINTER BLAST COMING UP , A THREE ON THREE TOURNAMENT, THAT IS DECEMBER THE 14TH. REGISTRATIONS ARE OPEN. WE WILL HAVE ABOUT 200+ TEAMS GETTING INVOLVED IN THAT EVENT FOR THE 12 HOUR PERIOD. THAT IS AT THEIR BRANCH. WE HAVE POSTED THAT SINCE 2006. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CLOSING OUT THE SEASON WITH THAT. LASTLY, WE HAVE OUR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH GOING ON RIGHT NOW. WE ARE SELLING SHIRTS ACROSS OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE INVOLVED WITH. WE HAVE SOLD ABOUT 1300 PINK SHIRT AT THE MOMENT. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CLOSING THAT OUT TO THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, COMING BACK AND GIVING YOU A REPORT OF WHERE WE ARE GOING TO HELP IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER. AGAIN,
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THANK YOU TO THE BOARD FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT, AND TO THE STAFF, FOR HELPING TO ROLL OUT OUR YOUTH SOCCER AREAS IN THE TOWNSHIP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.>> THANK YOU, SIMON, AS ALWAYS. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER, MR. BRIGGS.
>> GOOD EVENING. I AM STEVE BRIGGS. 22 YEAR RESIDENT OF THE WOODLANDS. I AM HERE IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED FUTURE WIDENING OF GROGAN'S MILL ROAD FROM THE PARKWAY TO THE FOREST, MAKING IT SIX LANES WIDE, WHICH IS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA. I WORRY THAT THE ROAD WIDENING WOULD FACILITATE MAKING GROGAN'S MILL A MAGNET FOR A TREK THING CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC IN THE HEART OF THE TOWNSHIP. THE LIKELY ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC, WHICH I WILL EXPECT WILL FURTHER DETRACT FROM THE CHARACTER OF THE WOODLANDS THAT WE KNOW, THE KEY EFFORT OF THE BOARD SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON MAINTAINING THE CHARACTER OF THIS COMMUNITY . I RECALL, PRESERVE THE WOODLANDS WAS AN ELECTION BATTLE CRY DURING SOME OF YOUR ELECTIONS. RESIDENTS OF THE TOWNSHIP VOTED AGAINST ROAD BONDS BECAUSE THEY FEARED THE CONSEQUENCES OF FUNDING CUT THROUGH THOROUGHFARES THROUGH THE WOODLANDS. IN FACT, STRONG OPPOSITION BY RESIDENTS ALSO WAS VOICED RECENTLY , IN RECENT MONTHS, OR YEAR, AGAINST WIDENING STATE HIGHWAY 242, AS WELL AS RESEARCH FOREST. RESIDENTS DO NOT WANT CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC IN THE TOWNSHIP. I EXPECT THERE MAY BE SAFETY ISSUES AS WELL FOR RESIDENTS WHO LIVE ON THE WEST SIDE OF GROGAN'S MILL, YOU WILL NEED TO CROSS A SIX LANE ROAD AS PEDESTRIANS. IN ADDITION, THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS OF GROGAN'S MILL WILL LIKELY BE SUBJUGATED TO TRAFFIC NOISE, AS WELL AS EXPERIENCE THE DAILY HEADACHE OF ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC CONGESTION IF THE ROAD IS WIDENED. WE HAVE HEARD CONCERNS LIKE THESE VOICED BY RESIDENTS DURING SESSIONS THIS EVENING AS WELL AS IN PAST BOARD MEETINGS IN THE PAST MONTH OR SO. I ASK YOU TO OPPOSE WIDENING GROGAN'S MILL ROAD. ON BEHALF OF ALL TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS, I ENCOURAGE AND REQUEST THAT YOU WOULD PASS A RESOLUTION TO RESEND THE TOWNSHIP TRANSPORTATION -- TRANSFORMATION RESOLUTION ADOPTED IN 2016 WHICH HAD SUPPORTED THE WIDENING OF
GROGAN'S MILL ROAD. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. THAT BRINGS US TO
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, MR. PACKMAN, JEFF. >> YES, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. VERY BRIEFLY, MY NAME IS JEFF PACKMAN, I LIVE IN EAST SURE, I'VE LIVED HERE 13 YEARS. TO BE CANDID ABOUT GROGAN'S MILL WIDENING, I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS EVEN ON THE TABLE. SO I GUESS I SHOULD PAY MORE ATTENTION. SO I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT IT RECENTLY. AND SO THIS PAST WEEKEND, I SPONTANEOUSLY TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO DO A PETITION ON SATURDAY. IT GOT 80 SIGNATURES ON IT IN OPPOSITION OF THE WIDENING. 80 PEOPLE, I HAD SPOKEN TO 81. ONE PERSON DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION. THOSE 80 PEOPLE COULD NOT SIGN THE PETITION QUICK ENOUGH. SO IT IS JUST A WORK IN PROGRESS. I UNDERSTAND THAT PERHAPS IT IS ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING TO TALK ABOUT, SO I HAVE POSTPONED MY EFFORTS ON THE ADDITION UNTIL I LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE FACT. I DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER THAN THE WIDENING, FOR IT OR OPPOSED FOR IT. MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS ARE OPPOSED AS WELL. THE LAST SPEAKER MENTIONED CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CUT THROUGH TO GET TO THE PARKWAY. I LIVE AROUND THE CORNER OF TIMBER ROCK AND LAKEFRONT CIRCLE. IT IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE ALREADY.
SO IF YOU ARE GOING TO BASICALLY INCREASE THE LANE ON GROGAN'S MILL ROAD BY 50%, I COULD SEE A DOUBLING OF THE CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC, JUST IN PARTICULAR. I'M SURE THERE ARE MANY OTHER ISSUES THAT WOULD BE ON THE TABLE AS A RESULT OF THE WIDENING. I DID NOT REALLY BRING THOSE TO TALK ABOUT, BECAUSE I DID NOT DO A LOT OF RESEARCH ON A LOT OF THE CONS.
BUT THERE ARE MANY MORE CONS THAN PROS. THE PETITION I GOT THAT I'M WORKING ON IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. I ANTICIPATE GETTING MANY MORE THAN 80 SIGNATURES. SO I AM ASKING THE BOARD, RESPECTFULLY, TO TAKE WHATEVER EFFORT, TALK TO WHOEVER, OR COMMUNICATE TO WHATEVER AGENCIES THERE ARE, TO JUST TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
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>> THANK YOU. FOR CLARIFICATION, WE AS A BOARD NOT A MADE AWARE OF THIS UNTIL JULY 24TH, THE SUMMER OF 2024. THANK YOU. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER. NANCY
HERNDON. NICE TO HAVE YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIRMAN SNYDER, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE TOWNSHIP DIRECTORS. I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF INTERFAITH OF THE WOODLANDS. I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OVER THERE. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE AMAZING PARTNERSHIP FOR THE COVENANT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM THAT WE CALL "SERVING HER SENIORS." WE HAD -- VOLUNTEERS REPRESENTING CIVIC CONGREGATION MEMBERS RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE 39 SENIORS' HOMES. THIS IS REPAIRS, YARD WORK, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. WORKING DIRECTLY WITH JOSH DIXON HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP, WE WORKED IN CONJUNCTION WITH HIM, HE IDENTIFIES HOMEOWNERS THAT NEED A BIT OF EXTRA HELP AND WE PARTNERED THEM WITH THE VOLUNTEERS. WE HAD A TREMENDOUS DAY ON THE 20TH OF SEPTEMBER. AND I THINK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP. ADDITIONALLY, A HUGE THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE WONDERFUL CELEBRATION OF THE 50TH. ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF BEING A BENEFACTOR OF GIVING AND MAKING THE PILLAR OF GENEROSITY SET IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE WOODLANDS AS WELL AS THE ANNIVERSARY. WE WERE SO EXCITED AS WE HAVE SEEN AN UNPRECEDENTED NEED AT INTERFAITH IN TERMS OF PEOPLE HAVING CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW, PARTICULARLY WITH FOOD INSECURITY. AND SO THROUGH THE MONTH OF OCTOBER ALONE, WE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED 15,174 POUNDS OF FOOD. THAT IS A LOT. AND WE ARE SO VERY GRATEFUL . NATIONAL NIGHT OUT WAS INCLUDED IN THAT THAT WAS 2100 POUNDS. A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR VILLAGE ASSOCIATIONS HAVE BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE. -- GAVE 9000 POUNDS. THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO WERE OUT AND SUPPORTED IT.
WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OF EACH ONE OF YOU AND FOR THE ENTIRE TOWNSHIP. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> WELL DONE. >> WE DO HAVE A GOAL OF 50,000 POUNDS. YOU DID NOT MENTION THAT, MISSY. WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE WAYS TO GO. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER, MR.
HEINEMAN. ROBERT? >> HELLO. I AM ROBERT HEINEMAN. MYSELF AND MY FAMILY HAVE BEEN RESIDENTS OF THE WOODLANDS FOR MANY YEARS. I WAS HIRED BY MR. MITCHELL IN 1972, AND I WAS INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING OF THE WOODLANDS FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS. I RETIRED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.
BUT I WAS INVOLVED IN ALL OF THE MOBILITY PLANS FOR THE WOODLANDS. I WOULD URGE THE TOWNSHIP TO SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION FOR THE FUTURE WIDENING OF GROGAN'S MILL ROAD. ONE THING THAT COULD BE DONE IN THE INTERIM IS TO UPDATE ANY CURRENT PLANS FOR THE WIDENING. SO ANY TRAFFIC PLANS THAT ARE THERE, OR ANY OTHERS THEY MAY HAVE. BUT THAT WOULD INVOLVE IS LOOKING AT THE CURRENT CONGESTION, CURRENT LEVEL OF TRAFFIC ON GROGAN'S MILL RIGHT NOW. IS IT IN NEED OF WIDENING BASED ON CURRENT CONDITIONS? IF THERE IS CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC IN THE EAST SURE RIGHT NOW, THAT MAY BE BECAUSE GROGAN'S MILL IS CONSTRICTED. THE OTHER THING YOU WOULD REALLY NEED TO DO IS TO LOOK AT FUTURE GROWTH IN THAT CORRIDOR, IN THE TOWN CENTER AREA. THERE ARE SEVERAL UNDEVELOPED PARCELS THAT WOULD ADD TRAFFIC ONTO THAT ROAD, PARCELS OWNED BY HOWARD HUGHES NORTH OF LAKE WOODLANDS, THERE IS THE BEST TRACK THAT THE TOWNSHIP OWNS, THERE IS THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE LIBRARY AND COMMUNITY BUILDING. THERE IS TALK OF BUILDING A PERFORMING ARTS THEATER, WHICH WOULD INVITE TRAFFIC TO THAT FACILITY. SO YOU NEED TO LOOK AT NOT ONLY EXISTING TRAFFIC, BUT FUTURE TRAFFIC ON GROGAN'S MILL. THAT IS WHAT THE WOODLANDS HAS DONE FROM DAY
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ONE. PLANNING ROADS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND THE ULTIMATE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WOODLANDS, TRYING TO GET IMPROVEMENTS IN PLACE PRIOR TO REAL TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK. SO THAT IS WHAT I WOULD DO. I WOULD ASK FOR AN UPDATE OF THE TRAFFIC BASED UPON THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS AND HOW A SIX LANE ROAD WIDENING WOULD ACCOMMODATE THAT REDUCED CONGESTION. ADDRESSING SOME OF THE COMMENTS MADE PREVIOUSLY ABOUT TREES AND WIDENING, WE PROBABLY WOULD NOT LOSE ANY TREES. AS FAR AS CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC, GENERALLY, YOU THINK ABOUT CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC AS TRAFFIC FROM OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY GOING IN THE COMMUNITY FROM THE SIDE. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IS WHAT WOULD BE INVOLVED IN GROGAN'S MILL. I WOULD ASK YOU TO LEAD A -- LEAVE THE RESOLUTION AS IT IS AND PURSUE, PERHAPS, AN UPDATE OF THE CURRENT TRAFFIC . THANKYOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. HEINEMAN. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR LAST
SPEAKER, MR. ALVAREZ. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING. I AM A 27 YEAR MEMBER OF THE WOODLANDS COMMUNITY. IT HAS BEEN A GREAT COMMUNITY TO GROW UP IN. AND I LOVE THIS PLACE. THE ONLY PROBLEM I AM SAVING NOW IS I HAVE MOVED FROM THE BACK PART OF THE WOODLANDS TO THE FRONT PART OF THE WOODLANDS TO GROGAN'S MAIL. WITHIN GROGAN'S MILL, WHAT WE ARE HAVING NOW IN THE OAKS AREA IS A LOT MORE RENTERS. WITH THOSE RENTERS, WE ARE SEEING A LOT MORE PROBLEMS. PARTIES WITH CARS PARKED ON THE GRASS FOR MULTIPLE DAYS, AND IT IS BECOMING AN ISSUE. WE HAVE STARTED JOKINGLY REFERRING TO IT AS THE "HOODLANDS". I WANT TO FEEL LIKE I LIVE HERE, IT IS MY HOUSE, MY HOME, AND I DO, BUT IT IS STARTING TO FEEL THE OTHER WAY AS WE SEE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE COMING IN , FOUR AND FIVE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE SAME HOUSE FROM DIFFERENT FAMILIES. AND THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE EIGHT OR 10 CARS DOWN THE STREET, YOU HAVE CARS PARKED IN THE GRASS, YOU HAVE TRASH CANS OUT ON THE ROAD, HOUSES THAT DO NOT GET REPAIRED. AND THAT IS THE BIGGEST THING FOR US. SO YOU
WILL SEE, BASICALLY . >> IF YOU WOULD HAND THEM OVER THERE, THEY WILL GIVE THEM TO
US SO THAT IT DOES NOT USE ALL OF YOUR TIME, JOE. >> BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, PARKING HAS BECOME A BIG DEAL. BEING ABLE TO GET AN AMBULANCE AND IS A HUGE DEAL. MY WIFE HAS SPENT 30 TIMES IN A SINGLE YEAR IN THE HOSPITAL WITH HER DISEASE. IF I HAVE TO CALL 911 AGAIN AND PARKING IS NOT THERE , OR THE ACCESS IS NOT THERE, IT IS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR US AND IT
WILL BE A REASON WE WOULD LEAVE THE WOODLANDS. >> THANK YOU. AND WE WILL HAVE SOMEONE LOOK INTO THIS, AS WELL AS HAVING YOUR ADDRESS. THANK YOU. AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR
PUBLIC COMMENT. >> CHAIRWOMAN SNYDER, CAN I JUST RECOMMEND , WE HAVE SO MANY PUBLIC COMMENTS TONIGHT, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO STAY AROUND. IT IS SOMETHING WE WILL TALK ABOUT AT LENGTH. I FEEL SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET UP AND LEAVE AND THEY CANNOT HEAR THE BOARD TALK ABOUT THIS IN HERE STRAIGHT FROM THE CROWS MOUTH. SO I HOPE YOU STAY AROUND TO GO
[7. Receive, consider and act upon reports from Village Association representatives;]
THROUGH THE AGENDA ITEMS TONIGHT. >> THANK YOU. THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM SEVEN, TO RECEIVE, CONSIDER, AND ACT UPON REPORTS FROM THE VILLAGE ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES. WE HAVE SEVERAL HERE TONIGHT. TONIGHT WOULD BE A GOOD NIGHT TO HAVE YOU COME. WELCOME. WE WILL START WITH MARIANNE. ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE SO MANY OF YOU
HERE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> GOOD EVENING, CHAIRWOMAN SNYDER AND DIRECTORS. MY NAME IS MARIANNE BREIT. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE VILLAGE ASSOCIATION, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE. WE HAVE OUR LAST MEETING ON OCTOBER 8TH.
SPECIALIST DAN BULLARD GAVE US THE -- REPORT. THE FIRE CHIEF SHOULD SHARED FIRE SAFETY TIPS AND ALSO SHARED HOW -- DURING A STORM OR POWER OUTAGES. WE WELCOME ANDREA READY BACK TO
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THE BOARD. SHE WAS ON A RATHER LONG TRIP TO FLORIDA. BUT AS SHE HAS RETURNED TO ALDEN BRIDGE, WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE RUN THE BOARD AGAIN. SEVERAL OF US ATTENDED THE HOCUS-POCUS POPS CONCERT ON OCTOBER 17TH. WE HAD A GREAT TIME AND WE REALLY ENJOYED THE CONCERT. WE ARE WORKING ON OUR FINAL DETAILS FOR OUR FALL FESTIVAL ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND. THERE WILL BE BOUNCE HOUSES, A ROCK WALL, FACE PAINTING, BALLOON TWISTERS, A PHOTO BOOTH, A CARICATURIST, A DJ , AND A PRESENTATION FOR THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY POLICE K-9 UNIT.CHICK-FIL-A WILL BE SERVING CHICKEN NUGGETS AND WILL ALSO HAVE ICE CREAM, SNOW CONES, GAMES, SNACKS. WE ALSO WILL BE HAVING A FOOD DRIVE AT THE FESTIVAL AND WE ARE ASKING RESIDENTS TO PLEASE BRING DONATIONS OF FOOD IN SUPPORT OF INTERPHASE'S COMMITTEE WIDE FOOD DRIVE. WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR THE SPOOKIEST HOUSED -- HOUSE CONTEST AND WE WILL MAKE AN AWARD AT THE END OF THE MONTH. WE WILL HAVE OUR NOVEMBER MEETING AT FIRE STATION NUMBER 4 ON BAY BRANCH DRIVE. THERE WILL BE A TOUR OF THE FIRE STATION AND THE MEETING WILL BE HELD IN THE BAY AFTER THE TOUR . THE MEETING STARTS AT 6:30 P.M. ALL RESIDENTS ARE INVITED. WE STILL HAVE ONE OPENING ON THE BOARD IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHAT WE DO. PLEASE CONTACT US THROUGH EMAIL. THAT MEETING IS ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYBODY WHO HELPED MAKE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION SUCH A GREAT TIME LAST WEEK. IT WAS A GREAT TIME TO CELEBRATE 50 YEARS IN THE WOODLANDS. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT 50. THAT CONCLUDES
MY REPORT . >> THANK YOU, MARIANNE. GREAT JOB AS ALWAYS. TED STANLEY, I KNOW YOU ARE HAVING YOUR VILLAGE ASSOCIATION MEETING ALSO. SO, THANK YOU.
>> IT LOOKS LIKE YOU GOT SOME SUN TODAY, TED. >> THANK YOU. FIRST AND FOREMOST, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE GREAT JOB WITH THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS. YOU GUYS DID A TERRIFIC JOB. I KNOW THE COMMUNITY WAS VERY INVOLVED IN IT AND HAPPY TO PARTICIPATE AS MUCH AS THEY DID. THANK YOU FOR THAT AND FOR THE TOWNSHIP STAFF AS WELL. YOU GUYS ARE VERY INVOLVED IN A LOT OF IT. YOU GUYS WORKED HARD AND IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL EVENING THANK YOU.
AS IT RELATES TO COLLEGE PARK, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR MEETING, SO I WILL ZIP OUT OF HERE AND GET BACK TO THAT. BUT WE ARE PREPARING FOR OUR ANNUAL FALL FESTIVAL SPECTACULAR THIS COMING SATURDAY. FROM 1:00 TO 4:00 AND HARPERS LENDING PARK. WE HAVE A COSTUME CONTEST FOR THE KIDS, A TRICK-OR-TREAT TRAIL, LOTS OF GOOD FOOD, FUN, A BLOWUP BOUNCY HOUSE, AND SO WE WILL EXPECT ANYWHERE FROM 200 TO 300 PEOPLE, WHICH IS WHAT THAT EVENT TYPICALLY DRAWS. SO WE ARE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. WE JUST HAD A REPORT FROM THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. COLLEGE PARK IS PRE-MUCH IN STATUS QUO IN TERMS OF ALL OF OUR NUMBERS. I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE TO THIS BOARD THAT COLLEGE PARK COVERS THE INTERSECTION OF 45 AND 242, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS, I BELIEVE, IN THE WOODLANDS. AND IT CONTINUES TO BE SO. WE HAVE A LOT OF ACCIDENTS THAT OCCUR AT THAT INTERSECTION. SO, WE HAVE MAYBE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AWARE OF THAT. WE SEE IT AS WE DRIVE THROUGH THERE. BUT THAT IS KIND OF OUR NEW LITTLE HOSPITAL DISTRICT, IF YOU WILL. WE IMAGINE THAT WOULD CONTINUE. BUT ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO TO MAYBE SHED LIGHT ON THAT TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT WITH THAT AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU. TED, TELL US THE DATE AGAIN OF THE FALL FESTIVAL?
>> THE SATURDAY, THE 26, OCTOBER 26 FROM 1:00 TO 4:00 AND HARPERS LENDING PARK. YOU ARE ALL WELCOME TO BE THERE. WITH THAT, I WILL END AND BID YOU A DO. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THAT BRINGS US TO COCHRAN'S CROSSING. WELCOME. >> THANK YOU. WE EITHER ENDED THE 50TH CELEBRATION OR WE KICKED OFF THE 51ST YEAR CELEBRATION BY HAVING OUR FALL FESTIVAL ON SUNDAY. AND WE HAD A GREAT TIME THERE. I DID BRING YOU ALL BAGS THAT WE GAVE OUT TO OUR RESIDENTS. THIS WAS A FUND-RAISING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE FOR OUR SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS AND EDUCATION FUNDS. SO THE SPONSORS THERE HAVE HELPED US TO BE ABLE TO GET ADDITIONAL MONEY TO GIVE TO OUR TEACHERS OR OUR GRADUATING SENIORS. BUT WE DID HAVE A GREAT DAY. OVER 150 HIGH SCHOOLERS FROM THE DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS. WE DID HAVE 16 DIFFERENT BOOTH SPONSORS THAT WERE THERE. WE DID HAVE, MOSTLY IN THE VILLAGES, DIFFERENT GAMES, BOUNCE HOUSES, A PETTING ZOO, A DJ, A ROCK WALL, A TRAIN, LOTS OF FOOD AND MORE. THIS YEAR, WE BROUGHT BACK FOOD HOTDOGS AND ALL OF THAT. SO WE WERE -- FOR THAT. WE WANT TO THANK OUR
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SPONSORS, HOWARD HUGHES, KROGER, AND THE TOUGH LAW FIRM, WHO HELPED US WITH THAT. SO WE WERE VERY PAINFUL FOR THEM. ALSO, THANK YOU TO DIRECT YOUR NIELSEN FOR ARRANGING OUR FIRST AID STATION. I SAW SEVERAL KIDS THERE WHO NEEDED HELP. WE WERE VERY GLAD ABOUT THAT. WE DID HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE. WE DID PRINT 500 GAME SHEETS. WE STARTED AT ONE AND WE WERE OUT OF THOSE BY 2:15. WE DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY,PEOPLE ARE ASKING HOW MANY . WE DO NOT HAVE A CLICKER GOING AROUND. DIFFERENT PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS. IF IT WERE A PASSOVER CHURCH, THEY PROBABLY WOULD SAY THERE WERE 5000 THERE. IF IT WAS SOMEONE ELSE, THEY MIGHT SAY 600 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT JUST DEPENDS UPON THAT. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR SUPPORT FINANCIALLY AND FOR THOSE WHO WERE ABLE TO ATTEND AND BE THERE. WE HAVE RECOGNIZED OUR HOUSES FOR HALLOWEEN FOR BEST DECORATED HOUSES, AS WELL AS BEST DECORATED STREET. OUR NOVEMBER MEETING, THE NOVEMBER MEETING HAS BEEN MOVED TO NOVEMBER THE 19TH AT 7:00 P.M. BECAUSE OF THE THANKSGIVING BREAK FOR SCHOOL. SO WE HAVE CHANGED THAT IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND THAT, WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING THERE. THAT WILL BE CENTERED AROUND OUR EDUCATION OUTREACH FROM OUR SCHOOLS AND FOR DECIDING ON OUR SCHOLARSHIPS, NOW THAT WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE GOT TO GIVE TO THAT. WE DO HAVE A FULL BOARD NOW WITH 18 MEMBERS. OUR LAST MEMBER CAME THREE WEEKS AGO. HE ACTUALLY IS HERE AT THE MEETING TONIGHT. JOHN IS HERE. WE ARE EXCITED THAT WE DO HAVE 18 MEMBERS. WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. NOVEMBER 10TH AT 2:00, I WILL SEND YOU ALL AN EMAIL. THAT IS A SUNDAY. WE WILL HAVE THE TREE DEDICATION AT SUMMER STORM PART FOR JIM GOLD MEYER. MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW HIM. HE SERVED ON COCHRAN'S CROSSING FOR 20 YEARS AS OUR TREASURER. AND THAT HER OTHER OFFICES. HE WAS ALSO THE WITHIN CENTER VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR A FEW YEARS AGO AS WELL. SO WE WOULD BE RECOGNIZING THEIR AND WE WOULD ENCOURAGE HIM TO, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. AS WE RECOGNIZE JIM AND HIS DEDICATION. I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH JIM FOR 10 YEARS ON OUR BOARD. HE JUST DID A GREAT JOB. WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT HAVING THAT DEDICATION FOR THE TREE IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD AS HIS NEIGHBORHOOD PARK. AND THANKYOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. A GREAT FESTIVAL SUNDAY. ETIQUETTE WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST. THAT BRINGS US TO 2, GROGAN'S MAIL. I AM SKIPPING, NANCY, AARON IS IN A
MEETING. THE VILLAGE ASSOCIATION, YOU ARE NEXT. >> I DID NOT KNOW IF I WOULD MAKE IT OVER HERE. I WROTE DOWN A FEW NOTES. BUT THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU. QUICK UPDATE, WE DO HAVE A SLIGHT CHANGE TO OFFICERS ON THE STATION BOARD. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK VINCE FREDERICK, WHO SERVED AS VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, IT'S ACCEPTED A NEW ROLE THAT REQUIRES HIM TO TRAVEL QUITE A BIT. HE HAS ELECTED THE STEP DOWN AS VICE PRESIDENT. DELACRUZ HAS BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND WILL ACCEPT THE ROLE AS VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE DURATION OF THIS TERM. BELLA HAS DONE A GREAT JOB. AND CONTINUING TO DO THE YARD OF THE MONTH CONTEST EVERY MONTH. WE HAVE HAD SOME INCREDIBLE YARDS. I DO NOT HAVE THE INFORMATION, BUT WE CERTAINLY WILL SEND THAT OUT IN OUR NEWSLETTER. WE WILL HAVE, ALONG WITH THAT PROGRAM, SOME EXCITING PROGRAMS COMING UP IN OCTOBER. WE WILL BE FOCUSED ON SOME OF THE HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH PROGRAM. IN DECEMBER, WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON HOLIDAY LIGHTING. SO, SOME GREAT STUFF FOR RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN. WE CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE NOMINATORS TO NOMINATE FOLKS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD IF THEY SEE A GREAT YARD. ABOUT 10 MINUTES AGO, THE GM VA WAS EXCITED TO DONATE $12,000 TO THE GROGAN'S MILLS SCHOOLS. WE ARE PROUD TO WELCOME THE PRINCIPLES INTO OUR MEETING TO TELL US THEIR THOUGHTS AND JUST THE EFFORTS IN THEIR SCHOOLS. OBVIOUSLY, SOME INCREDIBLE HARD-WORKING FOLKS. WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THEY DO. THEY WERE ABLE TO USE, THEY ARE SLATED TO USE FUNDS FOR SOME TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS, AS WELL AS RECOGNITION PROGRAMS WITHIN THEIR SCHOOLS. WE ARE EXCITED TO SUPPORT THEM. AND THEN IN NOVEMBER, WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME PARTNERSHIPS COMING UP WITH INTERFAITH. WE ARE HAPPY TO MAKE A DONATION TO THEM. AND MISTY HERNANDEZ OFFERED TO COME TO THE MEETING IN NOVEMBER TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEIR ACTIVITIES THIS YEAR. AGAIN, ALL OF THE PHILANTHROPIC EFFORTS ARE FUNDED BY THE FARMERS MARKETS, WHICH IS AN INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY EVENT THAT THE GM VA HOSTS EVERY SATURDAY. WE WERE EXCITED TO WELCOME CANDIDATES TO THE FARMERS
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MARKET THIS SATURDAY. CERTAINLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE UPCOMING ELECTION. WE APPRECIATE THE TOWNSHIP'S CONTINUED SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP. WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO TO SUPPORTIT. THAT CONCLUDES OUR UPDATE. >> I HAVE A PASSION. I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE AT THE FARMERS MARKET THIS WEEKEND. OF COURSE, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, YOU KNOW, THIS WEEKEND. BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE IN AVERAGE , HOW MANY EVENTS DO YOU HOST THERE ON AVERAGE?
PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER THE REGION. >> IT WAS GREAT. INCREDIBLE WEATHER THIS WEEK. CERTAINLY AS THE TEMPERATURE COOLS DOWN, TEMPERATURES INCREASES. WE WERE NOT SURE WHAT TO EXPECT. THERE WERE SOME DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES GOING ON WITH EVERYTHING. BUT, I MEAN, THIS WEEKEND, WE PROBABLY HAD A COUPLE THOUSAND VOTES COME THROUGH . SO IT WAS
INCREDIBLE, IT WAS GREAT. >> YOU ARE A TRUE TESTAMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY. YOU GUYS ARE
DOING A GREAT JOB. >> THE BEST SCONES EVER. >> GET THERE EARLY IF YOU WANT
ANGEL'S OVEN. THERE IS A LINE AT 9:00. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR
COMING FROM YOUR MEETING. NANCY BECKER? NANCY? >> WELL, I HAVE SOME HARD ACT TO FOLLOW. GOOD EVENING, DR. SNYDER, AND BOARD. I HOPE EVERYONE IS RECOVERING FROM LAST WEEK'S HISTORIC ACTIVITIES. WHAT A FUN AND HECTIC WEEK WE HAD APPEARED A HUGE THANK YOU TO THE TOWNSHIP, HOWARD HUGHES, AND EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATORY ACTIVITIES. MY HUSBAND AND I ATTENDED ALMOST EVERY EVENT.
EACH EVENT HAD SIGNIFICANCE IN THE CELEBRATION. THE CULMINATION OF THE FIREWORKS AND THE DRONE SHOW WAS SPECTACULAR. WE WERE VERY CLOSE TO THE WATER, AND EVEN THE NOISE DID NOT DROWN OUT THE EXCLAMATIONS FROM RESIDENTS THAT WERE WATCHING. WE EVEN MET NEW RESIDENTS WERE WAITING FOR THE SHOW TO BEGIN. AND THOSE OF YOU THAT KNOW ME, I PUT ON MY MARKETING SPIEL OF WHY WE LIVE HERE IN THE WOODLANDS AND WHY WE SHOULD BE HERE. THE SPECTACULAR DRONE SHOW WAS THE FIRST FOR PROBABLY MOST PEOPLE ATTENDING, BUT HOPEFULLY NOT THE LAST TIME WE WILL SEE THIS. I CANNOT BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I WAS WHEN THOSE DRONES TOOK OFF, CAME OVER TO US, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY SIGN WAS UP THERE.
THERE WERE SEVERAL NATIONAL NIGHT OUT CELEBRATIONS THIS YEAR. MY HUSBAND AND I WERE ABLE TO CELEBRATE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A FEW YEARS. MANY NEIGHBORS ATTENDED AND EVERYONE ENJOYED EACH OTHER'S COMPANY AND DIVERSITY OF TASTY MULTINATIONAL FOOD. WE EVEN WON THE SIDEWALK CHALK CONTEST. I WANT TO THANK THE ASSOCIATION FOR THEIR FALL FESTIVAL YESTERDAY. SO EXCITED TO SEE THE HOTDOGS AND CHILI BACK. WE WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE FESTIVITIES AND WE HAD A GREAT TIME. MY HUSBAND AND I ATTENDED THE CENTERPOINT OPEN HOUSE ON SEPTEMBER 28TH. WE HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK TO OUR CONTACTS AND SEE THE -- TRACKER SYSTEM. THE NEW SYSTEM LOOK LIKE AN IMPROVEMENT OVER THE ONE THAT FAILED DURING HURRICANE BARREL. BUT UNTIL IT IS STRESSED IN AN ACTUAL STORM, WE WILL NOT KNOW HOW WELL IT WORKS. WE HEARD ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS THAT CENTERPOINT WILL BE MAKING. I TAKE EVERYTHING WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. I HAVE SEEN REGULAR ATTENDANCE MEETINGS TAKE PLACE AGAINST TARGETS. NOW, FOR OUR ONGOING PROBLEM IN CREEKSIDE PARK. CAN ANYBODY GUESS?
>> WE ARE ALWAYS READY. >> SCOOTERS. I SENT AN EMAIL TO CONSTABLE OSCAR MUNIZ, WHO SEES THE -- SCHOOLS. WE ARE SUGGESTING IMPLEMENTING A PROCESS THAT MAY HELP REGULATE SCOOTERS AT THE SCHOOL AND PROVIDE SAFETY EDUCATION. THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT RECENTLY THAT COULD HAVE EASILY ENDED IN A FATALITY. LAST WEEK, I HAD TO JUMP OFF OF A PATHWAY INTO A MUD PUDDLE AT A NATIONAL NIGHT MEETING THAT WAS HELD IN LIBERTY BRANCH WHEN TWO GIRLS ON IT SCOOTERS FORCED ME OFF THE PATHWAY. THIS HAPPENED IN FRONT OF FOUR CONSTABLES, WHO THEN HAD A STERN TALK WITH THESE TWO YOUNG LADIES. I KNOW THE TOWNSHIP IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS NO CONTROL TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION. I HOPE WE CAN PARTNER WITH TISD ON IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE SCOOTER PROBLEM MAY BE WORSE IN CREEKSIDE PARK DUE TO OUR COMMUNITY LAYOUT AND NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS. WE FEAR THAT MORE SERIOUS INCIDENTS WILL OCCUR. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. WE ARE CURRENTLY GEARING UP FOR OUR UPCOMING WINTER FESTIVAL AND CHILI COOKOFF, WHICH WILL BE ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1ST, AT ROB LIVINGSTON PARKING LODGE. WE ALREADY HAVE SEVEN CHILI COOKOFF KINGS REGISTERED, WHICH IS A FIRST. NORMALLY, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY AT THIS POINT. PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS. FINALLY,
[01:00:03]
OUR BOARD IS GATHERING TO, GATHERING FOR OUR APPRECIATION DINNER IN TODAY'S, CATERED BY A VILA FLAVORS AND EXPERIENCES. IT IS ALWAYS GREAT TO GET TOGETHER ON AN INFORMAL BASIS.OUR NOVEMBER MEETING, IF ANY OF YOU ARE PLANNING ON ATTENDING, IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY ONE WEEK ON NOVEMBER 12, DUE TO SOME OF US NOT BEING IN TOWN. THANK YOU.
>> WHAT TIME? WHAT TIME IS YOUR FESTIVAL? >> THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT VILLAGE. MICHAEL? I KNOW I SAW YOU. THANK YOU. INDIAN SPRINGS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN SNYDER. DITTO. NO.
SPRINGS, VILLAGE ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT. THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TODAY. FIRST THINGS FIRST, FALL FESTIVALS. OURS IS THIS SATURDAY. OCTOBER 26. FROM NOON TO 3:00 AT THE INDIAN SPRINGS SHOPPING CENTER WHERE THE H-E-B IS. OUR BIG SPONSORS ARE H-E-B AND REGENCY CENTERS.
THOSE GUYS ARE AWESOME. ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE, OF COURSE, A LOT OF ENTERTAINMENT. YOUTH GROUPS WILL BE ENTERTAINING US. THE SARAH KELLY MUSIC SCHOOL, HOLLYWOOD DANCERS, BALLET, AND THEN EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE SCHOOL OF ROCK WILL BE THERE. SO WE WILL HAVE LOTS OF FREE FOOD FROM LOTS OF FOLKS. THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE SOLD OUT BOOTH THAT I CAN REMEMBER. WE WILL HAVE 23 BOOTHS. MORE THAN HALF OF THEM WILL BE FOOD. SO, COME OUT, BE ENTERTAINED BY OUR SUPERTALENTED KIDS, AND GET SOME FREE FOOD. IN ADDITION, YOU WILL HAVE TWO BOUNCY HOUSES. IF YOU HURT YOURSELF, THAT IS ON YOU, JUST SO YOU KNOW. BALLOON ARTISTS, FACE PAINTERS, OUR FACE PAINTERS ARE NORMALLY KIDS INTERACT FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL INTERACT CLUB. IT IS AMAZING. HAVE ARTISTS THAT DO THE FACE PAINTING, I HAD NO IDEA. IN ADDITION, WE WILL HAVE, LIKE, $3000 WORTH OF RAFFLE PRIZES. MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN DONATED. TWO GIANT LEGO KITS AND A GETTY BACK PACK, WHICH I WILL BE PUTTING MY MONEY IN FOR. OUR LAST MEETING WITH ON THE EIGHTH OF NOVEMBER. WE HAD A QUORUM, SOMETIMES WE HAVE QUORUMS, BUT WE HAD ONE THIS TIME. I WANT TO THINK THE BOARD FOR ASSISTANCE ON THE EROSION ISSUE. THE EROSION ISSUE AND DRAINAGE ISSUE, I KNOW THAT IS A DIFFICULT TASK. I KNOW WE ARE STILL HANDLING IT. BUT I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS IN YOUR RESPONSE. I ALSO WANT TO THINK, GIVE THANKS FOR THE UPDATE. THE FIELD LOOKS AMAZING. I CANNOT WAIT TO GO AND CHECK IT OUT WHEN IT IS FINALLY DONE. YEAH. I THINK THAT IS PRETTY MUCH IT. THANKS AGAIN.
>> THAT IS GREAT. YOUR FESTIVAL IS THIS SUNDAY, NOON TO 3:00? >> SATURDAY. SATURDAY NOON TO
3:00 AT THE INDIAN SPRINGS H-E-B. >> SHE WAS TRYING TO THROW
EVERYBODY OFF FOR THE RAFFLE. >> YOU KNEW IT. YOU KNEW IT. >> WE WILL HAVE TO LEGO KITS AND A NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS IT. MY DAUGHTERS HAVE THEIR EYES ON THAT.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MICHAEL. >> I MOVED TO ACCEPT THE
REPORTS. >> THERE SO MOVED AND SECONDED? ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
[8. President/CEO's Report;]
MOTION PASSES. THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM EIGHT. THE PRESIDENT AND CEO'S REPORT.>> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN SNYDER. TONIGHT, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE JASON BEAN, A SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION SPECIALIST WITH THE TOWNSHIP. JASON AND HIS TEAM, WITH THE TOWNSHIP MOSQUITO SURVEILLANCE AND EDUCATION PROGRAM, RECENTLY RECOGNIZED BY EDUCATION FOR TOMORROW'S ALLIANCE FOR EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE AS MENTORS IN THEIR SUMMER 2024 INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES HAS PARTNERED WITH THIS ORGANIZATION FOR 10 YEARS AND HAS BEEN TOWARD APPROXIMATELY 40 STUDENTS IN HANDS-ON FIELD AND LABORATORY WORK, IN SUPPORT OF PREVENTING MOSQUITO DISEASE IN THE TOWNSHIP. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE PROGRAM HAS RECEIVED RECOGNITION FOR THE EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE BOARD . AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF JASON AND
[01:05:02]
HIS TEAM FOR CONTINUING THE TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE. >> JASON, WOULD YOU COME FORWARD, PLEASE?
>> WE APPRECIATE, JASON, ALL THAT YOU DO FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY. THAT
[ CONSENT AGENDA]
BRINGS US TO AGENDA NUMBER 9, TO RECEIVE, CONSIDER, AND ACT UPON THE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE A MOTION? IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFIED BY SAID --[10. Receive, consider and act upon funding for an art structure at Woodlands Parkway and Grogan's Mill Road;]
SAYING AYE. NONE OPPOSED, MOTION PASSES. THAT BRINGS US TO THE REGULAR AGENDA. AGENDA ITEM 10, TO RECEIVE, CONSIDER, AND ACT UPON FUNDING FOR AN ART STRUCTURE AT WOODLANDS PARKWAY AND GROGAN'S MILL ROAD. INFORMATION IS ON PAGE 105 OF YOUR PACKET. ACCOUNT STATEMENTS DIRECTOR OF INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS HAS PROVIDED INFORMATION RELATED TO A REQUEST FOR FUNDING FOR AN ART STRUCTURE AT WOODLANDS PARK WAY AND GROGAN'S MILL ROAD.DIRECTOR WATSON ALSO SITS ON THAT COMMITTEE. WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TONIGHT TO HAVE BOTH JONATHAN MCMILLAN AND PATRICIA WHO ARE WITH US THIS EVENING TO GIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. I
WILL TURN IT OVER TO TODD AND DIRECTOR WATSON. >> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN SNYDER.
GOOD EVENING, BORED. AS THE CHAIRMAN NOTICED, DIRECTOR WATSON SERVICES THE BOARD'S APPOINTING ON THE ARE UD. THE RED HAS BEEN WORKING ON A PROPOSAL OF PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE INTERSECTION OF GROGAN'S MILL ROAD AND WOODLANDS PARKWAY. IT IS PHENOMENAL, EXCITING IMPROVEMENTS. BUT ONE OF THE PIECES OF THAT PROPOSED PROJECT WAS THE IDEA OF A COMMUNITY ART PIECE CELEBRATING THE COMMUNITY. WORKING ON BEHALF OF THE ARE UD, THERE HAS BEEN A HAND IN DESIGNING THIS PIECE. JONATHAN TEMPERATURES ARE HERE TO RUN YOU GUYS THROUGH WHAT THE ART PIECE IS ENVISIONED TO BE AND TO DESCRIBE THAT PIECE
FOR THE COMMUNITY. >> I AM SURE THERE WILL BE A MUCH BIGGER ANNOUNCEMENT AND ROLLOUT, SO WE DO NOT WANT TO TAKE A WHOLE LOT OF THUNDER FROM THE RED. BUT THIS INTERSECTION HERE AT WOODLANDS PARKWAY AND GROGAN'S MILL IS SOMEWHAT AN ENTRANCE TO THE WOODLANDS FROM MANY DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. OVER TIME, I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN EROSION, EXPOSE RED CLAY, DIRT, NO GRASS. FOR A LONG TIME, THERE HAS BEEN A NEED TO MAKE A STATEMENT FOR THAT INTERSECTION. COMING IN FROM THE WOODLANDS AND EXITING, BUT COMING IN FROM BOTH DIRECTIONS. THIS IS A MASSIVE, VERY EXPENSIVE BEAUTIFICATION PROCESS. IT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE A WHILE. AT THESE FOLKS HAVE BEEN AMAZING. AS THEY GO THROUGH THIS, I WILL TELL YOU THAT THIS IS NOT JUST PLANTING SOME FLOWERS AND PUTTING THOSE UP. I HAVE HAD TO LEARN MORE THAN I EVER THOUGHT I WOULD ABOUT ENGINEERING, STAKING, DETERMINING WHAT IS IN THE GROUND, WHAT CAN GO WHERE.
AND THERE IS QUITE A BIT. IF YOU GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION, I THINK YOU WILL BE REALLY IMPRESSED. THIS WILL BE A REALLY AWESOME INTERSECTION WHEN IT IS
VANISHED. GO AHEAD. >> IS IS PATRICIA, I AM -- IS POSTED THIS INTERSECTION IS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE IN THE TOWN CENTER. WE ARE VERY HONORED TO BE ABLE TO COME AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOMETHING THAT FEELS LIKE OUR CHILD, ALMOST. WE HAVE INVESTED SO MUCH ENERGY AND EFFORT INTO THE DESIGN OF THIS SCULPTURE, AS YOU MENTIONED, IT IS PART OF A LARGER PROJECT. THE INTERSECTION HAS EIGHT, ALMOST NINE, IT IS 8.8 ACRES OF GREEN SPACE, GREEN PLACES IN THE MEDIANS. THE EXIT RAMPS AND ON RAMPS AND EVERYTHING COMPRISE A
[01:10:05]
LOT OF SPACE. SO MUCH SPACE, IN FACT, THAT WE LITERALLY WILL BE PLANTING HUNDRED MORE TREES IN THIS AREA. AS SOME OF YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, ABOUT THE DESIRE TO PRESERVE TREES IN THE WOODLANDS, WE ARE TOTALLY THERE. WE ARE OBVIOUSLY THREE HUGGERS BY DESIGN. BUT I WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU A BIT OF AN OVERVIEW. TONIGHT, WE WILL NOT TALK ABOUT THE GREATER AT-LARGE PROJECT. WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE ART PIECE ITSELF, WHICH IS A KEY FEATURE WITHIN THAT INTERSECTION. AND I WILL GIVE YOU A BIT OF A BROADER OVERVIEW AND I WILL LET PATRICIA TALK MORE ABOUT THE SPECIFIC DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT ARE KEY TO IT THAT I THINK EVERYONE CAN RELATE TO. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHERE WE ARE IN THE WORLD. WE ARE AT THE GROGAN'S MILL ROAD AND WOODLAND PARKWAY OVERPASS. THE ONLY OVERPASS IN THE WOODLANDS. THIS INTERSECTION IS A KEY LOCATION, THERE WAS REFERENCE TONIGHT, I AM PROUD TO SEE ROBERT HANNIGAN HERE, AND MR. RON SEKOWSKI MENTIONED THE PLANNING GOING INTO THE WOODLANDS. IT IS NOT LOST ON US THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS INTERSECTION AND IT SERVING AS A GATEWAY TO THOSE OUTSIDE THE WOODLANDS INTO THE GATEWAY OF ALL OF THE VILLAGES TO THE WEST OF THE LAKE THERE. AND ALSO, NORTHBOUND INTO THE TOWN CENTER ITSELF. AGAIN, MY OFFICE SITS RIGHT NEXT TO THAT AS WELL. WE WANT TO PAY ALMOST HERE TO THAT BACKGROUND THIS YEAR. THERE ARE EIGHT RESIDENTIAL VILLAGES THAT ARE CAPTURED IN THE DESIGN OF THIS. WE WILL EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER THAT CONNOTATION. BUT THERE IS A HIERARCHY OF ROADWAYS, A HIERARCHY OF VILLAGES. WE ARE TRYING TO REPRESENT IT GRAPHICALLY AS YOU SEE THE ACTUAL IMAGERY HERE. I BELIEVE THAT ROBERT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE ONE THAT SKETCHED THE SECOND -- GET YOU SEE UP HERE. THIS INTERSECTION IS THE ONE THAT IS SHOWN THERE AT THE BOTTOM, YOU KNOW, COMING UP NORTHBOUND OUT OF THE WOODLANDS PARK TO GET INTO THE TOWN CENTER. ALSO, WE UNDERSTOOD, WE FOUND OUT LATER THAT THE FIRST PLACE CONCRETE WAS EVER POURED IN THE WOODLANDS WAS AT THIS INTERSECTION, HEADING BACK TOWARDS THE I-45 CORRIDOR THERE. IT IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT , IN TERMS OF THE FIRST 50 YEARS OF THE WOODLANDS, WHICH, BY THE WAY, IS THE NAME OF THIS CULTURE -- SCULPTURE. "THE FIRST 50." AND FOR MANY TO COME. IT IS MY FIRST 50,000. I WAS BORN IN THE YEAR THAT THE WOODLANDS WERE FOUNDED IN 1954.I HAVE BEEN AFFILIATED WITH BOTH SETS OF GRANDPARENTS ABOUT THE FAMILY MEMBERS, GROWING UP AND CURRENTLY LIVING IN THIS AREA TOO. I HAVE ENJOYED WATCHING THE PROGRESS OF THE WOODLANDS GROW. THE DESIGN FROM AN OVERALL PERSPECTIVE IS REALLY KEY. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS A PERSPECTIVE OF THIS SCULPTURE COMING AND GOING FROM UPPER AND LOWER ELEVATIONS. WE WILL SHOW YOU A LOT MORE IMAGERY HERE. BUT IT IS NOT A ONE-APPROACH LOCATION. WHICH WAS TRICKY, BUT ALSO A FUN CHALLENGE. WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO PATRICIA TO TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFIC IDEAS BEHIND SPECIFIC ELEMENTS AND NOT SCULPTURE.
>> THANK YOU. >> SO WHAT WE STARTED WITH, WE TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE WANTED TO WORK AND MAKE EVIDENT WITH THIS SCULPTURE. IT BASICALLY WAS PEOPLE, THE VILLAGES, THE PEOPLE THAT COME THROUGH THE WOODLANDS . WHAT IS ATTACHING, WHAT IS MAKING IS A COMMUNITY? THE SENSE OF BELONGING. DEFINITELY THE IDEA OF MARKING THE TIME FOR THE 50 YEARS. WHAT IS THE WOODLANDS? IT IS NOT SINGLE URBAN TREES, IT IS THE WOODLANDS. STARTING THERE, WE THOUGHT, OKAY, WE NEED TO IDENTIFY THE DESIGN ELEMENTS. THERE ARE THREE DESIGN ELEMENTS WE CALL FRAME, FABRIC, AND FLOW. WE WILL GO THROUGH EACH ONE OF THOSE. THIS IS A VIEW. IF WE WERE CUTTING, LIKE A PIECE OF CAKE, IF WE WERE CUTTING THE MEDIAN LOOKING SOUTH, LET'S SAY THE NORTHBRIDGE OF THE INTERSECTION, WHICH IS A PERSPECTIVE THAT NOBODY WILL SEE. BECAUSE THEY ARE MOVING TO THIS INTERSECTION. BUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THESE PARTS, THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. THE FIRST ELEMENT WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS THE FRAME. IT IS ABOUT TIME. AN ELEGANT PIECE OF TIME, LIKE A WATCH, WE ARE MARKING WITH STAINLESS STEEL MARKERS ON A WEATHERING STEEL STRUCTURE. WITH THE SENSE OF THE MATERIAL, IT TALKS ABOUT THE PASSAGE OF TIME. IT GETS MORE BEAUTIFUL AND GREATER AS TIME GOES ON.
THE IDEA OF WIDENING IMPLIES GROWTH. IT STARTS IN A PLACE WHERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE
[01:15:12]
TREES ARE GROWING INTO THE FUTURE. AND IT REACHES OUT TOWARD THE TOP OF THE MAGNET, LET'S SAY THE LAST 2024 MARKING, WHICH IS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY. THE NEXT ELEMENT IS THE FABRIC. AND THIS IS WHERE WE ARE. THE VILLAGERS, ALL OF THE RESIDENTS IN THE VILLAGES OF THE WOODLANDS ARE REPRESENTED HERE. ALL THE VILLAGES WERE CREATED AT DIFFERENT TIMES, ALL THE VILLAGES HAVE DIFFERENT POPULATIONS. AND THAT IS WHAT WE WANTED TO IDENTIFY HERE WITH THESE TREES THAT ARE INTERCONNECTED. THEY ARE INTERCONNECTED WITH THE BRANCHES. NOT ONLY IN THE PERSPECTIVE WE ARE SEEING, BUTALSO IN THE HORIZONTAL PLANE. >> SO EACH OF THE TREES REPRESENTING AN INDIVIDUAL VILLAGE, IT IS BEAUTIFUL IN ITS OWN RIGHT. BUT, COLLECTIVELY, AND THEY ARE WORTHY OF ATTENTION TO THEMSELVES. BUT TOGETHER, THEY CREATE THIS FOREST FABRIC. THERE ALMOST
BETTER TOGETHER THAN THEY ARE INDIVIDUALLY. >> AND I WILL SAY THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF ENGINEERING CHANGES TO THIS, WHICH I WAS VERY SURPRISED ABOUT. BECAUSE THE INITIAL DRAFTS OF THIS, IT WAS ACTUALLY A CONCERN ABOUT A HEART DEFECT WITH THE TREES, I MEAN, WITH THE CARS DRIVING BY IT, YOU WOULD GENERATE ENOUGH WIND AND BREEZE TO ACTUALLY HAVE A HUMMING OR A HEART DEFECT. EVERYBODY IS, LIKE, WE CANNOT HAVE THAT. IT WAS REDONE
TO ENSURE THAT WOULD NOT OCCUR. >> WE ARE NOT PUTTING A HEART UP ON HERE.
IS UNIFYING US? THE LEAVES BLOWING, YOU KNOW, THE LEAVES IN THE TREES, THERE IS THIS FORM INTERCONNECTING ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS OF THE TREES, WHICH HELPS WITH THE WHOLE SOUND AND WIND PROBLEM. BUT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALL IN DIFFERENT VILLAGES, BUT THIS IS WHAT MAKES US A WHOLE, THE THE WOODLANDS IS A COMMUNITY, AS A WHOLE. YES. WE ARE USING, OR WE INTEND TO USE -- COLORS TO MAKE THIS REMEMBRANCE OF CELEBRATION, 25 TO 50 YEARS, WHICH IS A COMBINATION OF -- FOR REFERENCE. YES. THERE ARE 50 ELEMENTS.
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF 50S. >> THAT IS RIGHT. >> FOR THE CIRCLE, THERE ARE 50 BRANCHES THAT REACH OUT FROM THOSE EIGHT TREES. OF COURSE, THESE ELEMENTS HERE, I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT AS THE BRANCHING REACHES OUT AND EXPANDS, IN ORDER TO CREATE THE EFFECT OF A FLOW, NONE OF THE TREES ARE TOUCHING, BUT THE CALIBRATION OF THE DIFFERENT SIZED PIPES THAT ARE ALL FABRICATED HERE TOGETHER AND PAINTED SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY CREATE THAT EFFECT OF MOVEMENT. SO THIS IS NOT A KINETIC SCULPTURE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE ARE NO MOVING PARTS, BUT IT WILL FEEL LIKE IT DOES MOVE, ESPECIALLY AS YOU MOVE THROUGH THE SPACE TO VIEW IT. YOU RARELY WILL BE SITTING
STATIONARY, EXCEPT AT A CYCLE OF THE LIGHT. >> THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. AND WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO THIS IS SO APPRECIATED. COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS? >> YES. I THINK THERE MAY BE A FEW MORE SLIDES.
>> THESE ARE THE STAINLESS STEEL MARKERS THAT WE WOULD HAVE A LONG IT. THERE WILL BE
THE 50. THE LETTERS BELOW THAT WILL CHANGE. >> IT WILL SAY FOUNDED 1974.
>> THIS IS PART OF THE SCULPTURE THAT WILL BE SEEN FROM THE NORTHWEST CORNER.
>> THOSE PLANTER BOXES ARE SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE SEEING THERE. YES. THEY ARE VERY
[01:20:02]
SUBSTANTIAL. YES. >> SOUTH, LEAVING THE TOWN CENTER OR ARRIVING INTO THE
TOWN CENTER. >> THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD SEE ARRIVING OR LEAVING THE WOODLANDS. ARRIVING INTO THE WOODLANDS AND LEAVING. THAT IS WHY PERSPECTIVE CHANGES ARE IN
ALL DIRECTIONS. >> WOULD THERE BE LIGHTING ON THIS?
>> THERE WILL BE LIGHTING ON THE BRIDGE. IF I COULD GO BACK TO THE FIRST SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE
IT. >> YES. THERE WILL BE INTERNAL LIGHTING IN THE SCULPTURE. BUT ALL THE LIGHTING YOU SEE ON THE BASE OF THE SCULPTURE, THAT IS PART OF THE OTHER PART.
>> THE SYMBOLISM IS AWESOME. >> THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT SAFETY, SOME OTHER ELEMENTS WHERE YOU WOULD EXIT OFF OF THE WOODLANDS PARK WAY OR DIRECTION. BUT THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF TIME AND THOUGHT THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS.
>> WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THIS IS VERY COOL. AWESOME. WHEN WILL THIS BE
DONE? >> HOPEFULLY BEFORE THE NEXT ANNIVERSARY.
>> LIKE THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY? >> WHAT SHE MEANS IS WE CAN BE
KICKED OFF IT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW YEAR. >> BEFORE THE TEAM LEAVES, A QUESTION. FOR MISS URIBE . HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON THE WEATHERING OF THE STEEL? IT LOOKS NATURAL AND APPROPRIATE FOR THE WOODLANDS. HOW DID HE DECIDE THAT VERSUS SOMETHING
SHINY AND GLOSSY? >> BECAUSE THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WITH TIME. WE WANT IT TO BE BETTER AS IT GROWS. WITH THE TREES. THEY WILL GROW IN TURN BETTER.
>> IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL AND VERY APPROPRIATE FOR THE NATURAL ELEMENTS FOR THE WOODLANDS. I
WANT YOU TO CONGRATULATE ON THAT. >> IT IS GORGEOUS. IT IS REALLY, REALLY EXCITING. SO HOPEFULLY, WE CAN GET GOING ON THIS. AS LINDA SAID , YOU CAN LOOK AT SOME NEWER COMMUNITIES BEING PUT UP. THEY DO A LOT OF STUFF IN THE FRONT OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE WELCOMING THINGS. THIS IS A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE. THERE IS SO MUCH INTEREST IN DIFFERENT AGENDA ITEMS TONIGHT. BUT SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND OUR VISITORS GO RIGHT THROUGH HERE ALL THE TIME.
>> EVERYONE IDENTIFIES WITH PUBLIC ART. NO ONE DOES PUBLIC ART THE WOODLANDS. EVEN THE DRONE SHOW . WE HAD THE GUY IN THE IMMEDIATE LANE DOWN. THESE ARE KEY THINGS. SO WE JUST GREATLY APPRECIATE LIVING AND WORKING IN A COMMUNITY THAT DOES VALUE PUBLIC ART LIKE
THIS. AND THE ARTIST IS A SPECIAL TREAT FOR US. >> THIS IS WELL DONE. YOU HAVE REALLY CAPTURED EVERYTHING. BY PEOPLE, BY BELONGING, THE WHOLE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT THAT WE ALL
HAVE GROWN TO LOVE AND HAVE ALL GROWN UP WITH. IT IS AMAZING. >> IS THIS ALL APPROVED? ARE WE
READY TO START? >> WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT. >> THE BEFORE YOU START GUY.
>> THANK YOU, IT IS BEAUTIFUL. HOPEFULLY YOU SAW THE MURAL AS WELL.
>> JUST TO POINT OUT THE SOURCES OF THE REVENUE FOR THE TAXPAYERS. CAN YOU MAKE SURE THAT YOU ELUCIDATE THE CULTURAL ARTS, THE CULTURAL PROJECTS IN THE RESERVES THAT YOU CAN
UNDERSTAND WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM? >> THE SOURCE OF THE REVENUE
FOR THE RUD. >> WHAT I WOULD TALK ABOUT QUICKLY BASED ON TIMING, THERE ARE TWO ELEMENTS IN THE PROJECT, THE LANDSCAPE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT WILL BE DONE BY THE WOODLANDS UTILITY DISTRICT 1. THEY ARE PAYING FOR THAT PORTION AND THEY WILL BE READY TO GO ON THAT AS WELL, WAITING FOR THE APPROVAL OF THESE PIECES TO BE A CONSUMMATE TO THAT PROJECT. THE ART PIECE ITSELF IS ACTUALLY BEING FUNDED BY PARTICULAR COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THE TOWNSHIP IS -- $150,000 TO THE COST OF THE ART PIECE.
>> TO BE CLEAR, THE RUD CANNOT HOLD IN ITS ARTWORK . IT CANNOT HAPPEN LAWFULLY.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION, DIRECT. YOU CAN CONSTRUCT RAILWAY PROJECTS, MOBILITY PROJECTS THAT CAN BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ART PIECE. THE ART COUNSEL IS WORKING WITH
[01:25:03]
COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO BE ABLE TO SECURE THE FUNDING FOR THE ART PIECE TO DEAL WITH THAT. AT THIS TIME, AS I MENTIONED, TOWNSHIP IS BEING ASKED FOR A CONTRIBUTION OF $350 FOR THE TOWNS AND OWNERS HAS PLEDGED $250,000 TOWARD IT. HOWARD HUGHES AND IT PARTNERS ARE COMMITTING TO THE OTHER $450,000 REQUIRED FOR THE SCOPE PIECE. SO THAT WOULD SECURE THE FUNDING FOR THE PIECE. MONEY FROM THE TOWNSHIP HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED THROUGH OUR CULTURAL PROJECTS RESERVE. WE HAVE A BALANCE OF $1.6 MILLION IN THAT RESERVE TODAY. SO THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO USE THE $350,000 FROM OUR PORTION OF THAT, AND THEN THE OTHERWOULD BE THE CONTRIBUTIONS AS I INDICATED. >> IS IT NOT ALSO IN THE 2025 BUDGET FOR MAINTENANCE WITH REGARDS TO THE LANDSCAPING ONCE IT IS ALL INSTALLED?
>> WE DID INCLUDE THAT IN THE 2025 BUDGET. THE FUNDING, LIKE WE SAID, IS COMING FROM THE CULTURAL RESERVE. THERE IS A 5% TASK THAT IS COLLECTED -- PAVILION TICKETS. THE PAVILION IS THE ONLY QUALIFYING ENTITY. IT IS COMING FROM PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS, NOT COMING FROM PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS, IT IS COMING SPECIFICALLY FROM THE TICKET TAX.
>> THAT IS 10% OF THAT 5% TICKET TAX THAT WE COLLECT. AND THIS IS WHEN WE HAVE CHOSEN TO
USE. THIS IS NOT THE WHOLE 5%. >> IT IS OUR 10% PART THAT WE RETAIN.
>> 10% FROM THE 5% THAT IS COLLECTED FROM THE TICKET TAX. AGAIN, FOR TAX PURPOSES, THE RUD, CAN YOU ELABORATE? I KNOW YOU SERVE ON THE RUD, VICE CHAIRMAN.
>> WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION? >> WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF THE REVENUE?
>> COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES WITHIN THE RUD ARE TAXED A SPECIAL TAX WITHIN THAT RUD ZONE DISTRICT,
AND THEY HAVE TO PAY TAX. IT IS ONLY BUSINESSES THOUGH. >> THAT IS THE POINT I WANTED TO KNOW. IT IS ONLY AS MRS.. INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS IN THE WOODLANDS ARE NOT PAYING FOR THIS SCULPTURE. IT IS COMING FROM TICKET TAX AND THE BUSINESSES WHO ARE INSIDE THE
RUD. THANK YOU. >> WITH THAT, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE PROCEED AND WE ACT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION AND VOTE TO APPROVE THE $350,000 EXPENDITURE TOWARDS THIS ART
STRUCTURE. >> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. WE HAD DISCUSSION,
MUST THERE ARE OTHER COMMENTS. DIRECTOR FRANK? >> ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH .
>> WE ARE HOLDING IT UNTIL OCTOBER 19TH, 2025. NO PRESSURE.
[11. Receive, consider and act upon a quarterly update on Law Enforcement;]
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR WATSON, FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE BOARD. THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 11. ACCORDINGLY UPDATE ON LAW ENFORCEMENT. YOU HAVE HAD THE INFORMATION, PAGES 106 TO 110 IN YOUR PACKET. CAPTAIN TIM WHOLE FIELD WITH MONTGOMERY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL PRESENT ON BEHALF OF BOTH THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND HARRIS COUNTY.
>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. >> LIEUTENANT SURLY WAS RECENTLY PROMOTED. SO I AM JOINED NOW BY THE BREAKING LIEUTENANT. IT IS OUR PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS EVENING. I KNOW YOU HAVE IT BEFORE YOU AND IN YOUR PACKETS, I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY GO THROUGH THESE. SO I WILL MOVE A LITTLE QUICK FOR YOU. FOR THE THIRD QUARTER, THE LAST THREE MONTHS, YOU SEE BEFORE YOU THE NUMBER OF CALLS FOR SERVICE. YOU CAN KNOW THAT DURING THE MONTH OF JULY, IT IS A VERY ACTIVE MONTH FOR BOTH AGENCIES. SO YOU SEE THE CALLS FOR SERVICE TOTALING JUST OVER 13,000 CALLS FOR THE MONTH . THEY DROPPED DOWN IN AUGUST AS SCHOOL GETS STARTED. IN THE BACK TO SCHOOL TRAFFIC IS GOING ON. IN SEPTEMBER, WHEN WE ARE IN FULL SWING OF SCHOOL TIME, THE CALL WAS DROPPED ON A BIT. THAT IS PRETTY STANDARD. TO WATCH IT OCCUR, IF YOU WILL, IN HAVING CALLS FOR SERVICE GOING UP IN THE SUMMER MONTHS AND THEN DROPPED BACK DOWN FOR FALL. ANY SUMMARY OF CRIME CATEGORIES OF NOTE, I WILL JUST REMIND YOU THAT EACH BOARD PRIOR TO THIS BOARD HAS DESIGNATED CERTAIN KINDS OF CALLS FOR SERVICE THAT THEY WANT TO QUANTIFY AND CALCULATE. SO THESE ARE JUST A SUMMARY OF
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THOSE CALLS. AGAIN. YOU SEE THE PEAK IN JULY AND AUGUST AND THEN IT DROPS ON IN SEPTEMBER.THOSE TYPES OF CALLS ARE FURTHER DOWN ON THE CRIME CATEGORY BY NATURE CODE. SO WE HAVE ASSAULT, FAMILY VIOLENCE, ASSAULT EXCLUDING FAMILY VIOLENCE, BURGLARIES OF A BUILDING, BURGLARIES OF A HABITATION, SO, FOR THE YEAR TO DATE, THESE WERE YOUR TOTAL CALLS. YOU CAN SEE THAT'S INFORMATION CALLS ARE A LOT. THOSE ARE THINGS SUCH AS CRASHES OR ACCIDENT REPORTS , RUNAWAYS, DISTURBANCE CALLS, WE MAY GENERATE A REPORT THAT THERE IS NO ACTUAL CRIME, IT IS MORE OF AN INFORMATIONAL-TYPE OF REPORT. I WILL DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO FRAUD AND FORGERY TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF THE GRAPH. THOSE CONTINUE TO BE THE LEADING CALL THAT WE GET WHERE NEIGHBORS OR RESIDENTS ARE SCAMMED OUT OF MONEY. SOME OF THESE, BY TEXT MESSAGE THAT THEY RESPOND TO. SOME CALM BY WAY OF A PHONE CALL. MOST RECENTLY, I HAD A RESIDENT CALL BECAUSE THEY HAD RECEIVED A PHONE CALL THAT THEY HAD MISSED GRAND JURY AS A PERSON TO SIT ON THE JURY. AND IF THEY WOULD RUN DOWN AND GET AN APPLE CARD AND GIVE THEM THE NUMBER, THEY WOULD RELEASE THEM FROM BEING ARRESTED. OTHERWISE THE DEPUTY WOULD BE RIGHT THERE TO ARREST THEM. OBVIOUSLY THAT IS A SCAM. LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE DO NOT TAKE MONEY IN LIEU OF AN ARREST. WE TAKE BODIES. SO WE DO NOT HAVE THAT OPTION. IF IT DOES NOT SOUND RIGHT, HANG UP AND CALL SOMEBODY TO VERIFY. I JUST ENCOURAGE RESIDENCE, AGAIN, BE
CAUTIOUS, TRUST AND VERIFY. >> KEPT WHOLE FIELD, CAN YOU TELL US THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THEFT AUTO AND BURGLARY OF A MOTOR VEHICLE? >> THAT IS WHEN THEY ACTUALLY STEAL THE VEHICLE. SO THE THEFT OF A VEHICLE OR THEFT OF AN AUTOMOBILE.
>> THERE WERE 39 AUTO THEFT? >> THIS IS YEAR TO DATE. >> WOW. ALL RIGHT.
>> YES. >> SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR FIVE-YEAR CRIME TREND, THAT IS TAKING WHAT WE ARE CALLING QUALITY-OF-LIFE CRIMES. LAW-ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TRY TO TARGET THE FOCUS ON YOUR BURGLARIES, BURGLARIES OF VEHICLES, THEFTS, ROBBERIES, OTHER TECH THEFTS OR VEHICLE THEFT. THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY. I AM NOT ABLE TO GIVE YOU A FIVE-YEAR TREND FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND HARRIS COUNTY. WE SIMPLY HAVE NOT BEEN DOING A COMBINED REPORT THAT LONG. BUT THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT. SO AS WE LOOK AT THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE ARE TRENDING DOWN RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD. THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF THE ADDITIONAL OFFICERS THAT THIS BOARD HAS FUNDED, FOURTH FOR OUR AGENCIES, AS WELL AS COST INCREASING FORWARD. WE CAN PUT MORE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL GIVE US A LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE THAT REDUCES OPPORTUNITIES OF CRIME FOR THOSE WHO SEEK TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF RESIDENTS AND DISTRICTS ALIKE. AGAIN, HAPPY 50TH ANNIVERSARY TO THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP . IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE I HAVE SPENT 32 YEARS IN THIS COMMUNITY RESPONDING TO CALLS FOR SERVICE. IT HAS BEEN MY PLEASURE TO WATCH OVER HALF OF THE LIFE OF THE WOODLANDS DEVELOP AND GROW. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT EITHER THE LIEUTENANT OR I CAN ANSWER?
>> THAT IS A LONG TIME SINCE WE WERE IN TRAFFIC JUNIOR. REMEMBER THAT?
>> OH, YES. >> WE'LL GO BACK A LONG WAYS. I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE, CAPTAIN. ALSO, LIEUTENANT, WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE. CONGRATULATIONS.
ANY UPDATE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE? OR CAPTAIN WHOLE FIELD COVERED AT ALL?
>> I HAVE TO BRING THIS DOWN FOR THE SHORT PEOPLE. THE FRAUD, THAT IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ISSUES RIGHT NOW. IT IS STILL TRENDING UP THERE. I DID WANT TO MENTION SOCIAL MEDIA IS ALSO A GOOD PLACE WHERE THIS OCCURS. MY WIFE JUST GOT HIT FOR TRYING TO BUY TICKETS FOR MY BIRTHDAY. LUCKILY, SHE IS JUST AS GOOD AS AN INVESTIGATOR AND SHE CALLED HERSELF. WHAT YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA. THEY KNOW THINGS ON THERE THAT YOU WILL NOT EVER RECEIVE. AND I AM SEEING THAT JUST AS BAD AS I AM WITH PHONE CALLS OVER IN HARRIS COUNTY. THAT IS REALLY ALL I
WANTED TO TOUCH ON. >> I WOULD SAY, HE GOES TO BOTH OF Y'ALL'S JURISDICTION. I LIVE IN COCHRAN CROSSING, AIDEN'S RUN BACKS UP TO IT. I AM JUST TELLING YOU THAT YOU CAN HEAR THE MOTORCYCLES OR, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE LOUD. WE GET A LOT OF SPEEDING GOING ON DOWN THERE. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO TO PUT MORE BOOTS ON THE GROUND. AND IT GOES ALSO INTO WHEN THEY CROSS OUR PARK, THEY HIT THE BRIDGE, AND THEY FLY DOWN.
>> COMPARED TO WHAT IT WAS BEFORE, I HAVE ACTUALLY NOW GOT MY GUYS ARE DOING TRAFFIC. IT
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IS MANDATORY FOR THEM TO DO TRAFFIC. OUR STOPS HAVE JUMPED UP PER MONTH. THAT IS FOR THE PRESENT, FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO BE SEEN SO YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE THERE.>> YES. THAT DETERS A LOT OF CRIME. >> THE OTHER IS ON GOSLING. IT TENDS TO HAVE ACCIDENTS FREQUENTLY. WE HAVE HAD RESIDENTS REACH OUT ON WHAT
COULD BE MORE PREVENTIVE OF THE RED LIGHT. >> THE DESIGNATION YOU MAY REMEMBER SEVERAL YEARS BACK, WE ASKED ABOUT THE DESIGNATOR LIGHT, WHICH ALLOWS A DEPUTY TO WATCH ALL LANES OF INTERSECTING ROADWAYS. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS RED, THERE WOULD BE A BLIGHT ON TOP THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO SEE THAT THE LIGHT IS RED. BECAUSE IF THEY ISSUE A TICKET FOR RUNNING A RED LIGHT, YOU HAVE TO TESTIFY THAT YOU SAW THE LIGHT AND YOU KNEW THAT LIGHT WAS RED. WELL, IF I'M AT THE SIDE OF THE INTERSECTION, THERE IS NO WAY FOR ME TO SEE THE EAST BOUND TRAFFIC. BUT IF WE HAD THAT DESIGNATOR LIGHT ON TOP, SO I AM HOPEFUL, I GOT AN EMAIL BACK THAT THEY ARE CONSIDERING IT. MAYBE WE GET SOME CONSIDERATION FOR THAT. I THINK THOSE MAJOR INTERSECTIONS ON THE PARKWAY IN RESEARCH AND GOSLING THOSE ARE INTERSECTIONS THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM AGGRESSIVE PERFORMANCE. WE ARE TRYING TO GET OFFICERS OUT THERE WITH BODY CAMERAS. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS RED AND WHERE THE VEHICLE IS, SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY TESTIFY AND PROVIDE PROOF. TODAY, WHAT REALLY HAPPENED ? WELL, THE CAMERA DOES NOT LIE. THAT IS VERY HELPFUL. WE ARE WORKING ON THAT. WE JUST RECEIVED A DESIGNATION AS A INITIATIVE AREA. SO YOU CAN SEE INCREASED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT TO ADDRESS THAT. BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS ALONG THE STRETCH. WE BELIEVE THERE WOULD BE SOME
IMPACT. >> HOW IS THE DRONE PROGRAM? >> I GOT AN UPDATE TODAY. WE ARE CLOSE TO LAUNCHING, WE SHOULD LAUNCH ON NOVEMBER 1ST. OUR PLAN IS TO HAVE IT LAUNCH NOVEMBER 1ST SO THAT WE CAN BE IN STEP WITH OUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING SO THAT WE CAN USE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AND ADDITIONAL OFFICERS, AS WELL AS HAVING THE DRONE THERE TO BE A A DETERRENT TO REDUCE CRIME, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR NUMBER ONE GOALS. IT CAN AND IT CAN BE
TURNED OFF. WE CAN DO A BIT OF BOTH. >> DIRECTOR FRANKS?
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WE ALL APPRECIATE THE GREAT JOB YOU GUYS DO OVERALL. IT IS UNMATCHED BY ANY COMMUNITY THAT I KNOW. I THINK YOU DO A GREAT JOB . I APPRECIATE YOUR FORWARD
THINKING ON ALL THESE THINGS AS WELL. SO, THANKS, MUCH, GUYS. >> THANK YOU, BOTH. AND NOW LIEUTENANT BOBBY SELLERS, FROM PRECINCT 3, HE WILL PRESENT AN UPDATE ON THE HARBOR.
>> GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME IS BOBBY SELLERS, THE LIEUTENANT OF THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION, CIVIL DIVISION, TRAINING DIVISION, SPECIAL OPERATIONS UNIT. NEWLY APPOINTED AS WELL, BETWEEN THE LAST MEETING. I WILL TALK ABOUT OUR SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT. WITH THIS QUARTER, SAFE HARBOR, THE THREE DETECTIVES WE HAVE ASSIGNED TO THAT HAVE 41 CASES THAT HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED. YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS THROUGH SEARCH WARRANTS AND DEVICES FORENSICALLY EXAMINED. THE REDLINE IS 2024, THE GREEN LINE IS 2023. A LOT MORE PRODUCTIVITY, A LOT MORE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE WITH THOSE THREE. WITH ICAC, INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN, AND OUR HUMAN TRAFFICKING DIVISION, WE HAVE THREE DETECTIVES AS WELL FOR THAT. RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE WE ARE LEADING THE STATE OF TEXAS WITH FELONY CHARGES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT AGAINST CHILD PREDATORS OUT OF ANY AGENCY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS RIGHT NOW. 40 CASES . WE DO WORK OFF OF CYBER CHIPS AS WELL, WHICH IS WHERE THE COMMUNITY CAN REPORT ANY SUSPECTED CHILD EXPLOITATION OR SOME OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA SITES THAT HAVE ALSO BEEN DOING A LOT BETTER THIS YEAR AS OPPOSED TO OTHER YEARS, AS OPPOSED TO GIVING CYBER TIPS, ESPECIALLY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND AREA SO
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THAT WE CAN RESPOND TO IT. 74 FELONY CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED. THESE NUMBERS, WE ACTUALLY HAD TWO MORE OPERATIONS THIS PAST WEEK. THEY ARE BOOSTING THOSE NUMBERS AS WELL. A LOT OF PRODUCTIVITY. THE GREEN IS 2024. THE RED IS LAST YEAR, 2023. AND YOU CAN SEE THEINCREASE. >> IS IT AN INCREASE? >> MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVITY. SO WE HAVE A DREAM TEAM RIGHT NOW. IT TOOK US A WHILE TO GET THEM TRAINED UP, TO GET THEM TO THEIR CLASSES, TO GET TRAINED FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. AND WITH THE INCREASE OF THAT TRAINING, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACQUIRE SOME MORE COMPUTER PROGRAMS AND APPLICATIONS. AND THAT HAS MADE US A LOT MORE USEFUL IN THAT. IT IS NOT THAT THE NUMBER OF PREDATORS HAS INCREASED, IT IS JUST THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CATCH THEM MORE OFTEN NOW. THE TWO NOTICEABLE CASES IN THE WOODLANDS AREA PRIMARILY, THERE WAS A CYBER TIP THAT CAME OUT FROM A MARRIED COUPLE IN THE WOODLANDS, THEY WERE WALKING AROUND THE MALL, RECORDING CHILDREN, OF SKIRTING THE CHILDREN, GOING TO LOCAL WATER PARKS FOR SOME SPLASH PAD'S WERE IN THE PARK. DETECTIVES WERE ABLE TO INVESTIGATE THAT AND BRING THEM TO JUSTICE. IT WAS BOTH THE HUSBAND AND WIFE. WHICH IS SOMETHING PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHEN IT COMES TO INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN. IT IS OUT OF PROFILE. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS THEY HAVE, THEY CAN LIVE IN A MILLION-DOLLAR HOUSE OR IN A CRACK SHACK. IT DOES NOT MATTER. IT IS DIFFICULT TO PROFILE THOSE INDIVIDUALS ON WHO IT IS GOING TO BE. SOMETIMES IT IS NOT THE DAD, IT IS THE MOM, THE GRANDDAD, GRANDKIDS, WHATEVER. THIS CASE ALSO WAS IN THE WOODLANDS. IT WAS A VERY PROACTIVE CASE .
THIS COUPLE HAD A HOME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ALL OF THE KIDS WOULD COME TO. THEY HAD NO CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN. AND THEY WERE TAKING PICTURES OF THE CHILDREN, AND EXPLOITING THE CHILDREN. SO I THINK HE GOT 75 YEARS. SO THERE ARE SEVERAL MORE, BUT THOSE ARE THE TWO BIG ONES HERE IN THE WOODLANDS WE HAVE SEEN , IT IS IMPACT DID COMMON SPACES LIKE THE MALL OR -- HOUSE. THE BIG TAKE AWAY ON THIS, AS PARENTS, BEING AWARE OF WHAT YOUR CHILDREN ARE DOING AND WHAT THEY ARE EXPOSED TO, AND BEING INVOLVED, WE SEE A LOT OF UPTICK WITH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. THE NUMBER ONE CHILD PREDATOR GAME THEY ARE USING RIGHT NOW IS ROBLOX , TWO GROOMED THESE CHILDREN. THE BIG TAKE AWAY WE TRY TO PUT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IS TO BE AWARE OF WHAT YOUR CHILDREN ARE INVOLVED IN AND THE GAMES THEY ARE PLAYING. AND BY DOING THAT, YOU CAN BE A LITTLE MORE PROACTIVE TO HELP US OUT . AND OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS ASK THAT, YOU KNOW, DO NOT SIT ON IT IF YOU THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM. GO AHEAD AND GET US INVOLVED EARLY. I PRAY THAT IT IS NOTHING. BUT IF IT IS SOMETHING, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO RECTIFY THAT.
>> THANK YOU, LIEUTENANT. THANK YOU. >> MOVED AND SECONDED,
[12. Receive, consider and act upon matters relating to the proposed future widening of Grogan’s Mill Road between Woodlands Parkway and Research Forest Drive as reflected in the H-GAC Regional Transportation Plan;]
SIGNIFIED BY SAYING AYE. THE MOTION PASSES. AGENDA ITEM 12, YOU HAVE HAD PAGES 111 THROUGH 128 REGARDIG THE WIDENING OF GROGAN'S MILLS ROAD. THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN, TODD STEVENS, OUR DIRECTOR OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING THE PROPOSED FUTURE PROJECT FOR THIS ROAD, INCLUDING IN THE REGIONAL TRANSFORMATIONAL PLAN. JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, BEFORE MR. STEVENS BEGINS, A COMMENT WAS MADE THAT THIS BOARD WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THIS BEFORE JULY 24TH, 2024. IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE ENTIRE BOARD AS AN AGENDA ITEM ON AUGUST 28TH. AND THEN IT WAS ASKED TO FIND OUT MOREINFORMATION AND IT IS ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT. MR. STEVENS? >> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. TO REITERATE WHAT THE CHAIRMAN SAID, SO IN JULY, THE HOUSTON DISTRICT STARTED HAVING LOCAL QUARTERLY COORDINATION MEETINGS WITH THE TOWN TO UPDATE US ON THE HOST OF TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY PLANNING GOING ON IN THE REGION. SO, WE HAD TO DEFY PROJECTS IN AND AROUND THE
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WOODLANDS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO US SO THAT WE CAN HAVE BETTER COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION WITH OUR PARTNERS AS A RESULT OF A POSITION ON THE CAPITATION POLICY COUNCILAND THE WORK THAT WE DO THROUGH EACH GAC. >> SO, BECAUSE OF OUR POSITION ON EACH GAC, THERE IS MORE COMMUNICATION WITH US THAN PRIOR BOARDS. SO WE JUST OUT OF
THESE MEETINGS IN JULY OF THIS YEAR. >> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> THAT IS WHERE THAT CAME FROM. AS WAS MENTIONED, I PREVIOUSLY HAD PRESENTED AN ITEM TO THE BOARD THAT UPDATED ON THAT MEETING, IN PARTICULAR, THE PROJECT THAT PERTAINS TO THE WIDENING OF GROGAN'S MILL FROM FOUR LANES TO 6 LANES IN A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
THE BOARD ASKED FOR THAT ITEM TO BE BROUGHT BACK FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. SO, I WANTED TO JUST START OFF AGAIN BY SHOWING THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE AND WHY THIS IS RELEVANT. SO THIS BASICALLY IS JUST A DIAGRAM THAT SHOWS THE TIMEFRAME OF MOBILITY PLANNING AND ESSENTIALLY HOW MOBILITY PLANNING HAPPENS FOR THE REGION. AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE BEGINNING OF IT OR THE LOWER BOX, YOU HAVE WHAT IS BASICALLY THE LETTING SCHEDULE.
OTHER PROJECTS READY TO GO TODAY THAT ARE BEING BUILT. YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION AND IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. THAT IS A DOCUMENT THAT HAS PUT TOGETHER REGIONAL PROJECT THAT ARE TO BE BUILT IN THE 0 TO NEXT FOUR YEARS. THOSE ARE PROJECTS SEEM TO BE TO FRUITION. YOU HAVE WHAT IS CALLED THE NPO TENURE PLAN. BUT I WANT TO CONCENTRATE ON IS THE GREEN ONE. THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN. THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN IS TYPICALLY A 20+ YEAR HORIZON REVIEW OF WHAT MOBILITY PROJECTS MAY BE NECESSARY AT THAT TIME FOR ANY PARTICULAR COMMUNITY. SO, WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? A MASTER-PLANNED COMMUNITY, THE WOODLANDS AND ITS ROAD SYSTEM WAS DEVELOPED MANY DECADES AGO. SO, PLANS FOR OUR ROADS WERE PUT INTO PLANNING DOCUMENTS AS THOSE NEEDS WERE ADDRESSED . SO WE HAVE ROADWAYS THAT WILL GO BACK AS FAR AS THE LATE 70S FOR MOBILITY PLANNING FOR OUR COMMUNITY. A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN STARTING IN 2007 IDENTIFIED A PROJECT THAT WOULD BE POTENTIALLY NEEDED IN THE FUTURE FOR THE WIDENING OF GROGAN'S MILL BETWEEN WOODLANDS PARKWAY AND RESEARCH FOREST DRIVE. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD ASKED AT THE LAST PRESENTATION WAS FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON THAT PROJECT. THERE ARE NONE. THAT WAS A PROJECT PUT OUT THAT THEY KNEW POTENTIALLY COULD BE NEEDED IN THE FUTURE. BUT WE HAVE TALKED TO THE PRECINCT IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, AND I HAVE TALKED TO EACH GAC EXTENSIVELY.
THE PRODUCT IN THEIR DATABASE EXISTS PRIOR TO THE CURRENT STAFF BEING ON STAFF. AT LEAST THE LATE 90S, IF NOT EARLIER. BUT IT SHOWS UP IN THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2007 FOR WHAT WAS CALLED THE 2035 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN. IN 2015, PRECINCT 3 DID DO A MONTGOMERY COUNTY MOBILITY STUDY WHERE THE PROJECT WAS ALSO IDENTIFIED AS A FUTURE NEED. AND THEN THE PROJECT HAS CONTINUED IN THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN WITH THE HVAC CURRENTLY CURRENTLY IN ITS 2045 UPDATE, LOOKING OUT TO 2045. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TRIGGER PARTICULAR VISIBILITY WAS AT THE ORIGINAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN WAS ORIGINALLY 2023, THEN MOVED TO 2025, NOW IT IS PROPOSED TO MOVE OUT TO 2027. WHEN PEOPLE SAW THAT DATE, IT CAUSED SOME CONCERN ABOUT WHAT IT DOES THE DEVELOPED OF THE PROJECT WOULD LIKE? SO ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN, AS I MENTIONED, A 20+ YEAR TIME HORIZON LOOKING FORWARD. SO ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS MIGHT NEED TO ASK EACH GAC TO CONSIDER MOVING THE DATE OF THE PROJECT, AS REFLECTED IN THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN OUT 10 YEARS OR MORE TO COMPLY WITH THE GOALS AND PURPOSES OF THE RCP. AGAIN, IT IS ONE DOCUMENT USED IN THE PLANNING OF THE PROCESS AND HAVE A LONG-TERM RANGE. THAT IS ESSENTIALLY WHERE WE ARE TODAY. WE KNOW ABOUT THE PROJECT WAS THIS TIME THAT THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO POTENTIALLY CONSIDER ASKING EACH GAC TO MOVE THE PROJECT OUT, TO COMPLY WITH THE PURPOSES AND GOALS OF THE RTP
DOCUMENT. >> I KNOW WE EACH HAVE COMMENTS TO MAKE. MY CONCERN IS THAT I DO NOT WANT US TO JEOPARDIZE THE FUTURE. THERE ARE FOUR PARCELS OF LAND THAT ARE UNDEVELOPED IN THAT AREA. ONE AS MR. HEINEMANN NAMED , THE LIQUID WOODLANDS AND GROGAN'S MILL SOUTHWEST CORNER . THEN ONE BLOCK SOUTH OF GROGAN'S MILL IS FOR THE COMMUNITY CENTER, AS WELL AS THE LIBRARY THAT WILL BE MOVED. BUT THAT WILL BE ANOTHER UNDEVELOPED PARCEL OF LAND. THE THIRD IS ADJACENT TO THE CENTRAL FIRE STATION ON TIMBER LOCK AND HIGH
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TIMBERS, THANK YOU. HIGH TIMBERS AND GROGAN'S MILL. IN THE FOURTH IS ACREAGE OVER BY THE BOATHOUSE, THE SOUTH END OF EAST SHORT THAT HAS NOT BEEN DEVELOPED. THERE ARE PLANS , I AM NOT PRIVY TO WHAT THOSE PLANS WILL BE. BUT IT IS UNDEVELOPED. IN EACH ONE OF THOSE, PERHAPS, A JUDGE WOULD BRING ADDITIONAL CONGESTION OR PEOPLE TO THAT AREA. AND I THINK WE AS A BOARD NEED TO LOOK AT THE FUTURE AND DECIDE WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO. WHEN I MET WITH TX D.O.T., AS BRAD POINTED OUT, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE NOW HAVE QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH THEM. IT IS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT BY THIS BOARD TO BE A VOTING MEMBER OF THE TCP. SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN WORKED ON SINCE 2012, IF NOT BEFORE. THIS BOARD MADE THAT HAPPEN. EVEN THOUGH WE DO NOT HAVE AUTHORITY OVER THE ROAD, WE DO HAVE MORE INPUT THAN WE HAVE HAD IN THE PAST. THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT I SPOKE TO, I SPOKE TO SEVERAL, TO NOT JEOPARDIZE THE FUTURE, IS NOT TO OPPOSE, BUT TO DELAY THE WIDENING OF GROGAN'S MILL TOWOODLANDS PARKWAY. OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION? >> WHAT KIND OF TIME DELAY ARE
YOU SUGGESTING? >> 10 YEARS? AND THAT CAN BE MOVED FORWARD TO ANOTHER TIME.
AFTER HAVING ANOTHER MEETING AND TALKING TO DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIVES, SITTING ON THE TCP BOARD, WE HAVE SO MANY OF OUR ROADWAYS STARTING WITH THE WOODLANDS PARKWAY, AS WELL AS THE PEDESTRIAN BIKE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE WATERWAY, BUILT WITH FEDERAL FUNDING. FEDERAL FUNDING. AND WE HAVE NOT UTILIZED A LOT OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT WE COULD. AND WITH THAT SAID, IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT WE DELAY AND NOT JEOPARDIZE OUR FUTURE BY
OPPOSING THIS PROJECT. >> DOES THAT 10 YEAR FALL IN WITH THE PROGRAM?
>> IT WOULD BE IN THE WINDOW OF THE RTP. LIKE I SAID, PROJECTS ARE ANYWHERE FROM SOMEWHERE SHORT AS 3 TO 4 YEARS OUT. BUT 10 OR 15 YEARS WOULD BE IN LINE WITH THAT.
>> OTHER COMMENTS? >> WHEN THIS FIRST CAME UP IN JULY, A CAUSED ALARM FOR ALL OF US. WE DID NOT REALLY KNOW WHAT THIS PLAN WAS. AS WE HAVE LOOKED INTO IT, THE THING I HAVE SAID, WITHOUT HAVING A LOT OF INFORMATION AT THIS TIME, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE DID AN EXTENSIVE TRAFFIC ANALYSIS? A STUDY OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE WOODLANDS WITH ALL THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE . SO I LOOKED BACK IN THE ORIGINAL TRAFFIC PLAN HISTORY.
IT BASICALLY, THE STUDY WAS DONE IN 2015. THE CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE WOODLANDS PARKWAY EXTENSION IN 2017. AND IN 2021, THERE WERE OTHER CHANGES MADE AS WELL. BUT THE GROGAN'S MILL WIDENING HAS STAYED CONSISTENTLY ON THIS LIST FOR SOME REASON. AND I KNOW THAT DR. GIBBS AND SNYDER WERE ON THE BOARD AT THAT TIME. DR. SAKUMA GIBBS WAS A SECRETARY AT
THAT TIME. >> BUT IT WAS NEVER DISCUSSED. NOT TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT IT WAS NEVER DISCUSSED OR BROUGHT TO ANYONE'S ATTENTION. WE WERE OPPOSING OTHER ROADS THAT WERE BEING EXTENDED. WE WERE NOT SUPPORTING ACTIVELY BECAUSE WE DID NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT THIS PROJECT. THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE LAST TIME I KNOW IT WAS DISCUSSED WAS WHEN IT WAS STATED AND APPROVED BY THE CHAIRMAN ED ROB IN 2016. THAT WAS CLEARLY STATED AS, THE TOWNSHIP DOES NOT OBJECT TO THE WIDENING OF GROGAN'S MILL ROAD FROM THE PARKWAY TO RESEARCH FOREST. THAT IS THE LAST TIME. THAT WAS IN 2016. THE LAST TIME THAT I KNOW OF THAT IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING. AND THEN IT WENT DARK. IT WENT DARK. AND NOW BECAUSE OF THE MEETING WE HAD WITH TX D.O.T., IT RESURRECTED.
AND AS TODD SAID, IT COULD BE FUNDED ANY TIME BY THE COUNTY. THE COUNTY LOOKING BACK AT THAT RESOLUTION WOULD SAY, DE FACTO, WELL, THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP STILL SUPPORTS IT. UNLESS WE
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CORRECT THAT. BECAUSE THIS BOARD AT THIS MOMENT OF TIME DOES NOT SUPPORT IT. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU COULD NOT COME BACK A NEW BOARD IN 10 YEARS, BRING IT TO THE BOARD AND SAY WE WOULD LIKE A RESOLUTION SAYING THAT YOU SUPPORT A NEW PROJECT. WE CANNOT TIE THE HANDS OF NEW BOARDS. BUT IF YOU DO BELIEVE YOU WANT THIS, THEN VOTE FOR IT. BUT IF YOU DO NOT WANT IT, IF YOU THINK THIS WAS DONE REPEATEDLY IN SILENCE WITHOUT DISCUSSION AND NO VOTING , THEN I SAY VOTE AGAINST IT. TAKE IT OFF. TAKE IT OFF THE REGIONAL-- >> I AM SAYING I DO NOT THINK WE HAVE THE DATA TO BE FOR OR AGAINST IT AT THIS TIME. MAYBE IN 10 YEARS WE WILL. WHAT I JUST HEARD DR. SNYDER SAY IS THAT THERE WILL BE A LOT OF GROWTH. LET ME JUST SAY THIS, FIRST OF ALL. LET ME BACK UP. I CAN SEE GROGAN'S MILL FROM MY FRONT PORCH IN THE NEW HOUSE I HAVE. PLEASE KNOW THAT. I'M COMING FROM THIS FROM A SENSIBLE STANDPOINT. I'M NOT FOR IT OR AGAINST IT. BUT WHAT I AM ASKING IS WHEN, IF WE WERE TO WRITE SUCH A LETTER, TO BACKUP YOUR IN 2021, HE DID NOT
DISCUSS IT, BUT YOU APPROVED IT TO KEEP IT ON HERE? >> IS FINE, I DO NOT WANT TO ARGUE WITH YOU ABOUT IT. SECONDLY, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A TRANSPORTATION STUDY SINCE 2016 FOR US TO EVEN KNOW THAT IF ALL THE CHANGES WE MADE WERE POSITIVE ONES. I THINK A LOT OF THEM WERE. BUT I THINK IT MIGHT BE NICE TO DO A STUDY, PUT THIS OFF INTO THE FUTURE AND HAVE IT AVAILABLE. I THINK IF WE WRITE A LETTER, THAT MONEY GOES AWAY. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> NO, THAT IS NOT CORRECT. >> SO, RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NO MONEY IDENTIFIED WITH THE PROJECT. THERE IS A COST ASSOCIATED TO THE POTENTIAL PROJECT. BUT THERE IS NO FUNDING CURRENTLY TODAY THAT IS OBLIGATED OR TIED TO THIS PROJECT DIRECTLY IN ANY WAY.
>> HERE IS SOMETHING I HAVE A FEW ISSUES WITH. ONE IS THAT I HAVE SEEN MANY EMAILS THAT YOU HAVE SENT, SHELLEY, TO MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, SOME THAT ARE HERE, MAKING THIS HUGE DEAL, LIKE WE HAD A SECRET PROJECT THAT WE ARE DOING AND YOU NEED TO WRITE THE BOARD AND ASK THIS QUESTION AND SAY THIS LINE AND THIS, THIS, AND THIS. I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW, NONE OF US KNEW ABOUT THIS, NONE OF US DID. PLEASE KNOW THAT NONE OF US ARE JONES THING TO WIDEN GROGAN'S MILL RIGHT NOW. WHY WAS THIS BROUGHT UP TO US? A QUESTION, WHY? BECAUSE WE GOT A SEAT ON THE H GAC TCC COMMITTEE. THE POLICY COUNSEL. AND WE WERE TOLD DURING INCORPORATION, ONE OF THE REASONS WE SHOULD INCORPORATE IS BECAUSE WE COULD NEVER BE A MEMBER OF THAT BOARD. WE COULD NEVER BE. UNTIL WE BECOME A CITY, GUESS WHAT? THAT WAS FAKE NEWS. WE GOT ON THE TRANSPORTATION POLICY COUNSEL. AND IT IS A HUGE DEAL FOR US.
BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE AND WE ARE AT WE ENGAGED WITH IT. THAT IS WHY IN JULY, THEY STARTED MEETING WITH US. ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE GET TO HAVE MORE INTEL AND MORE INFORMATION. SO I JUST DO NOT, YOU KNOW, THE THING THAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT IT IS IN POLITICS. THE BOGEYMAN WILL GET YOU. GUYS, LET'S SIT DOWN AND TALK. I WILL GIVE YOU GUYS A CELL PHONE NUMBER. THE SAME THING HAPPENED A FEW MONTHS AGO WITH ANOTHER PROPERTY. YOU CAME HERE AND THAT WE WERE -- AND THEN HE HEARD MY STATEMENT AND SAID, WOW, HE THINGS A LOT LIKE I AM. THIS IS THE SAME THING. BUT WE ARE GOING DOWN THESE RABBIT HOLES AND THEY ARE NOT TRUE. THEY JUST ARE NOT TRUE. SO I JUST ASK EVERYONE TO TAKE A STEP BACK, LET'S LOOK AT THE FACTS AND HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER. I AGREE WITH DIRECTOR HEISER, WE HAVE NO DATA, WE HAVE NO DATA ON THIS. WE HAVE A COMMISSION ON ITS WAY OUT AND ANOTHER COMMISSIONER ON ITS WAY IN. GUESS WHAT THEY DO ?'S. SO WE NEED TO START WORKING WITH A NEW COMMISSIONER ABOUT WHAT WE WILL DO AND HOW WE WILL DO IT. BUT WE HAVE NO DATA, WE HAVE NO AGENDA. JUST PLEASE, WE WANT TO WORK TOGETHER, WE VALUE OUR EAST SHORT RESIDENT, OUR CHAIRMAN LIVES IN EAST SHORE, OUR DIRECTOR LIVES IN EAST SHORE. YOU LIVE IN THE EAST SHORE AREA?
>> BEHIND THE CLOSED RANDALL. THAT IS WHERE I LIVE. NO, NO, I DON'T.
>> LET ME PULL IT TO DIRECTOR FRANK. >> CAN I ASK A WESTON? EXACTLY
WHAT, IF ANY, IS OUR AUTHORITY IN THIS MATTER? >> I THINK THAT REALLY GOES TO SOMETHING WE ALL NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT HERE. THIS IS A SOLUTION LOOKING FOR A PROBLEM.
THIS IS SO MATURE. TO GET ALL OF THESE FOLKS RILED UP AND MAKE THEM THINK THAT CARS ARE
[02:00:06]
COMING THROUGH THEIR BACKYARD AND ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, ONE , IT IS SO SPECULATIVE. YOU CAN GO INTO MY HOUSE RIGHT NOW AND YOU PROBABLY WILL FIND A LIST OF THINGS I WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE AND MOST OF THEM WILL NEVER GET DONE. THIS IS A LIST OF POTENTIAL PROJECT WHERE THERE IS NO FUNDING ON THINGS THAT TAKE YEARS AND YEARS TO DO. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS. BUT I DO KNOW THAT, AS A FACT, WE HAVE MORE CARS ON THE ROAD, NEW GROWTH, NEW DEVELOPMENT ALL AROUND US. SO I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF TAKING A DEFINITIVE POSITION TODAY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD PROCEED ON A SPECULAIVE PROJECT THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT NEED DOWN THE LINE. I AM VERY HAPPY THAT WE DO HAVE AN OPEN AND TRANSPARENT RELATIONSHIP NOW WITH TPC. I THINK THERE WILL BE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE THESE ISSUES, SHOULD IT START TO COME TO FRUITION. BUT RIGHT NOW, IT IS NOTHING BUT CONJECTURE AND FEAR THAT IS CAUSING PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND GET FIRED UP OVER THIS. SO, I WOULD SAY TO YOUR QUESTION, RICHARD, THERE IS NO NECESSITY OF A POSITION RIGHT NOW. WE DO NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN KEEP WORKING WITH H GAC AND TPC , TX D.O.T. AND THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER. THIS IS LITERALLY A FABRICATED ISSUE. IT DID NOT NEED TO BE HERE. WE DID NOT NEED TO BE CONTENTIOUS ABOUT IT, BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING TO BE DONE RIGHT NOW.AND THAT IS MY POSITION. >> I HAVE A QUESTION. >> TX D.O.T. AND H GAC SAY WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF THE WOODLANDS AND ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE OPTIONS AND NOT JEOPARDIZE ANY FUNDING THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE IN THE FUTURE. THEY RECOMMENDED AND SUGGESTED THAT WE PUT 10 YEARS, 20 YEARS, WHATEVER THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DO, AND MOVE
FORWARD. >> I DOUBT THERE WAS ANY PARTICULAR VOTING ON WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, THAT THERE WAS NO VOTING BY TPC OR H-GAC TO SAY WHAT YOU JUST SAID, CHAIRMAN. I CHALLENGE THAT TX D.O.T. OR H-GAC SAID ANYTHING FORMAL LIKE THAT. I DO NOT KNOW WHO YOU TALKED TO, BUT I TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO SAY THERE IS NO FUNDING. BUT THE FUNDING COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME BY A COMMISSIONER, IF THE COMMISSIONER WANTED TO FUND IT . AND IT COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NO FUNDING, BUT IT COULD HAPPEN, TO YOUR POINT, DIRECTOR, THAT COULD HAPPEN. SO I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT TWO OF THE THINGS WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN, IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, IS PREVENTING THE WIDENING OF STATE HIGHWAY 242. THAT HAPPENED BEFORE WE HAD A SEAT ON THE TPC WITH THE HOUSTON / GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL. WE WERE ALSO SUCCESSFUL IN NOT -- NO. IT IS NOT WIDENING. WE ARE GETTING MORE TURNING LANES AND ENHANCED MEDIANS. IT IS NOT BEING WIDENED. THE OTHER PART IS THAT WE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN REMOVING, BECAUSE THE BOARD REMOVED IT, SENDING A LETTER TO REMOVE THE WIDENING OF RESEARCH FOREST , BETWEEN SHADOW BEND AND EGYPT LANE TO 6 LANES. YES, WE DO TAKE ACTION LIKE THIS. WE DO TRY TO HEAD OFF PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE THAT COULD BE DETRIMENTAL AND BRING MORE CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC AND TAKE AWAY TREES. SO, DO NOT LET IT BE SAID THAT THIS IS UNUSUAL. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL. WHY DO YOU THINK WE HAVE FOUR TRANSPORT RESOLUTIONS THAT ARE BACKUP? WE TAKE ACTION ON THESE THINGS TO PREVENT CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC WHEN WE CAN. SO, IT IS APPROPRIATE TO TAKE ACTION. IT IS APPROPRIATE TO KEEP CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC OUT OF THE WOODLANDS, AND A BETTER SOLUTION WOULD BE TO BUILD A LOOP AROUND THE WOODLANDS. SO THE CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC CAN GET TO THE GRAND PARKWAY AND GET TO INTERSTATE 45 WITHOUT COMING THROUGH. WE COULD USE 1488, WE COULD USE 2978 AS THE OTHER ANGLES. AND THE ENGINEERS WOULD, I THINK, ENJOY ALL THE WORK THAT THEY WOULD GET.
>> I WANT TO GO HOME ON A MAGIC CARPET, BUT IT IS NOT HAPPENING.
>> I WILL TRY TO WORK WITH YOU TO WORK ON THE MAGIC CARPET.
OR ACCUSATORY, NOTHING LIKE THAT. BUT WE TALKED TO MEETINGS AGO ABOUT THIS PROPERTY BEING A
[02:05:02]
GREAT SPOT FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. IF YOU ARE GOING DOWN GROGAN'S MILL AND YOU HAVE TO TURN LEFT INTO A PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND YOU HAVE TO PUT A LIEN THERE, GUESSWHAT? THAT IS WIDENING GROGAN'S MILL. >> KNOW IT IS NOT. ADDING A TURNING LANE IS NOT WIDENING. ADDING A TURNING LANE IS ADDING A TURNING LANE. WIDENING IS
ADDING A LANE IN. THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE OF THE MATTER. >> OKAY. BUT DON'T YOU THINK, BECAUSE I AM NOT A PARKING EXPERT BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION. BUT DON'T YOU THINK THAT IF YOU DID PUT A PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AT THE PROPERTY, THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A TRAFFIC STUDY DONE TO LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF CARS COMING INTO A 2000S WHERE FOR PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND 2000 PEOPLE LEAVING A PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE. POTENTIALLY THAT COULD REQUIRE THE WIDENING OF THE ROAD. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> SO BE IT. IF THE RESIDENTS WANTED AT THAT TIME, IF THEY WANT OUT, I SAY GO FOR IT. BUT TAKE IT OFF NOW. AT THIS POINT, WE KNOW ABOUT IT. AND IF WE DO NOTHING, THAT IS ACQUIESCENCE
SAYING THAT WE SUPPORT IT. >> I WANTED TO SAY ONE THING THAT I LEARNED THIS WEEK, ACTUALLY, DURING A PRESENTATION BY MR. HEINEMANN. IF THERE REALLY IS ALREADY A LOOP AROUND THE WOODLANDS, IT IS ALREADY THERE. 45, YOU GO OVER TO 1488, DOWN 2978, BACKUP 99, THAT IS A LOOP AROUND THE WOODLANDS. MAYBE THIS IS A DIFFERENT SUBJECT , BUT MAYBE WE DO NEED TO FOCUS ON MAKING THAT CIRCLE A BETTER MOBILITY FOR AROUND THE WOODLANDS THAT IS SEPARATE
FROM THIS. BUT THIS DOES LEAD INTO PART OF THAT. >> I HAVE SAID THIS BEFORE AND A FEW STILL FEEL THE SAME WAY. SEEING HOW WE FIGHT FOR FUNDING AND IT IS VERY POLITICAL TO GET FUNDING FROM OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, SOURCES, ET CETERA, WHEN YOU GO AND TELL SOMEBODY THAT IS NOT EVEN SPENDING ANY MONEY ON YOU, THAT YOU BETTER TAKE THIS OFF , THAT HAS CONSEQUENCES. SOMEBODY COULD GET A REQUEST LATER ON AND SAY, OH, NO, YOU ARE DOING JUST FINE UP THERE IN THE WOODLANDS. YOU DO NOT NEED OUR HELP. SO, FOR ME, AGAIN, I FEEL THIS IS PREMATURE AND IT IS UNNECESSARY TO REMOVE ANYTHING OR TAKE ANY ACTION AT THIS POINT.
>> I WANT TO SAY THIS. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE MAYOR, THE CURRENT MAYOR OF SHENANDOAH. HE LOOKED AT THIS AND SAID THEY WOULD NOT BE IN FAVOR OF THIS. POTENTIAL NEGATIVE
CONSEQUENCES. >> WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
>> YEAH, GO AHEAD. I AM GOING TO MOVE THAT WE TAKE NO ACTION AT THIS TIME AND CONTINUE TO WORK WITH TPC AND H-GAC, AND OUR COMMISSIONERS. AND WE CAN KEEP A PULSE ON THIS. UNLESS IT DOES GROW LEGS AND START TO DEVELOP, WHICH I DO NOT ANTICIPATE, IT HAS BEEN ON THERE FOR 8 YEARS, BUT THAT WE TAKE NO ACTION, THAT IS MY MOTION.
>> I SECOND THAT ONE. >> DISCUSSION? >> CAN WE ADD A CAVEAT THAT A
STUDY BE DONE? >> I WILL SECOND THAT. >> SURE.
>> WITH THE CAVEAT? WE NEED TO ADD A STUDY IF WE DO INTEND TO WIDEN THE ROAD.
>> YES. I WOULD WANT THAT STUDY TO NOT JUST LOOK AT CURRENT CONDITION, BUT ALSO A FORECAST
OVER THE NEXT PERIOD OF TIME. >> YOU ASK FOR DISCUSSION. A STUDY CAN STILL BE DONE. A STUDY WILL STILL BE DONE. A PRECINCT COMMISSIONER WILL UNDOUBTEDLY WANT A STUDY , AND UPDATED STUDY FOR TRAFFIC, MOBILITY, AND ALL OF THAT PARKING WOULD BE IN US. WE HAVE TO DO OUR OWN PARKING STUDY. THAT IS A SIDE. YOU DO NOT TIE IT WITH THIS. THIS IS PARTICULARLY A CLEANUP, A CLEANUP OF A RESOLUTION THAT IS SITTING THERE LIKE A TICKING TIME BOMB, TELLING FUTURE COMMISSIONERS AND FUTURE DIRECT ERRORS AT TX D.O.T. THAT THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP SUPPORTS THIS. THAT IS WHAT THE RESOLUTION SAYS. I AM SIMPLY SAYING, CLEAN IT UP, DO YOU SUPPORT WIDENING GROGAN'S MILL ROAD? IF YOU DO, SO YOU SUPPORTED. IF YOU JUST SAY, OH, I DON'T WANT TO TOUCH IT, IT IS RADIOACTIVE, THAT IS
DIFFERENT. >> THERE IS A PENDING MOTION. CAN YOU CALL IT?
>> AGAIN SECONDED, AMENDED. FURTHER DISCUSSION? >> I SUPPORT DIRECTOR HEISER'S AMENDMENT. WE HAVE NO DATA. WE ARE NOT IN THE ROAD BUSINESS. WE HAVE ZERO DATA. JUST LIKE I SAID, NOT NOW, BUT FOR FUTURE, INCLUDING PARCELS YOU IDENTIFIED, CHAIRMAN SCHNEIDER.
OBVIOUSLY, THE COUNTY, THE PRECINCT CHAIRMAN AND H-GAC, WE HAVE A LOT OF COLLABORATION TO
DO ON THIS. >> I THINK IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE DO HAVE SOME
[02:10:02]
LIMITED AUTHORITY IN THIS. THAT IS THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS, OR WHOEVER HIGHER AUTHORITY DECIDES TO DO THESE PROJECTS, WE CAN TAKE ALL THE POSITIONS WE WANT TO DO, AND THEY MAY NOT HAVE AN EFFECT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FINAL, FINAL AMENDMENT PROPOSAL IS.>> IS AMENDED, I WILL MOVE THAT WE TAKE NO ACTION AT THIS TIME, WITH RESPECT TO A RESOLUTION OR REQUEST FOR REMOVAL FROM THIS LIST. BUT THAT WE PROCEED WITH A TRAFFIC OR MOBILITY STUDY TO TAKE A LOOK AT GROGAN'S MILL, BOTH IN ITS CURRENT STATE AND ANTICIPATED GROWTH OVER THE
NEXT FIVE, 10, 15 YEARS. >> OKAY. IT WAS MOVED BY DIRECTOR WATSON, SECONDED BY DIRECTOR NELSON. AT THIS TIME, TO MOVE TO NO ACTION, BUT PROCEED WITH THE STUDY OF GROGAN'S MILL , ET CETERA, ET CETERA. OKAY. AND ANTICIPATED GROWTH. ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR
WILL SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. OPPOSED? >> I OPPOSE. THE MOTION PASSES,
[13. Receive, consider, and act upon scheduling a public hearing on the establishment of fees for certain Covenant Administration permits;]
6-1. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM. AGENDA ITEM 13. THIS IS SCHEDULING A PUBLIC HEARING. DR. NOON, OUR CHIEF OFFICER, WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING TO A PROPOSED PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE ADMINISTRATION PERMIT FEES. WE WILL CALL FOR AMOTION TO SCHEDULE THE PUBLIC MEETING. >> THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THE MOTION IS. I KNOW WE HAVE ALREADY GONE 2+ HOURS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO GO TO THE
PRESENTATION, I AM VERY HAPPY TO. >> OKAY. THIS IS JUST
SCHEDULING THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE EMOTION? >> SO MOVED.
>> SECOND. >> MOVED AND SECONDED, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE . OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. THAT BRINGS US, THANK YOU, DR. DURR NOON. WE CALL
[14. Receive, consider and act upon the financial report;]
UPON KELLAN CHAR, THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER TO PRESENT THE REPORT. YOU MAY THINK YOU, CHAIR AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS. I AM A LITTLE STUFFY MYSELF FROM LAST WEEKEND.>> FIREWORK SMOKE. IT SOUNDED LIKE A CIVIL WAR RE-ENACTMENT.
>> DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH. IT WILL GET ME GOING. THIS WILL BE THE SEPTEMBER 2024 FINANCIALS.
THE FIRST SLIDE, THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES. THE YEAR TO DATE BUDGETED IS $112 MILLION AND 455,000. THE ACTUAL YOUR TODAY COLLECTED 113,519,000. FOR OUR YEAR-TO-DATE FEDERAL VARIANCE OF 1,064,000. THE MAIN COMPONENT OF THIS VARIANCE IS THE HIGHER THAN BUDGETED INTEREST REVENUE. WE HAVE SOME FIRE DEPARTMENT GRANT REVENUE THAT WAS UNBUDGETED. OF COURSE, THE MIXED BEVERAGE TAX AND EXEMPT ADMISSION TAX. THIS AMOUNT IS OFFSET BY THE UNFAVORABLE VARIANCE IN SALES TAX AND TIMING OF PROPERTY TAX. NEXT SLIDE IS THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES. YEAR TO DATE BUDGETED IS $96,076,000. YEAR TO DATE ACTUAL EXPENDED $91,494,000. FOR OUR YEAR-TO-DATE FEDERAL VARIANCE OF 4,582,000. ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND ARE SHOWING A FAVORABLE VARIANCE FOR SEPTEMBER WITH THE EXCEPTION OF OTHER EXPENDITURES. THAT IS WHERE OUR HURRICANE BERYL DEBRIS REMOVAL IS CODED TO. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR ADMISSION TAX PAYMENTS TO THE CYNTHIA WOODS MITCHELL
PAVILION, OF COURSE, OFFSET BY THE FAVORABLE REVENUE. >> WILL WE GET ANY MONEY BACK
AT ALL FOR THE HURRICANE BERYL DEBRIS REMOVAL? >> AS FAR AS FEMA FUNDS? I DO
NOT THINK SO, NO. >> IN THE FUTURE, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SEPARATELY THE OTHER? I -- THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN ONE SECTION AND IN THE EVENT ADMISSION TAX IN ANOTHER SECTION? SO THAT PEOPLE CAN IDENTIFY THAT MORE EASILY.
>> I CAN DO THAT ON THE SLIDE. IT ALSO IS IN YOUR FINANCIAL PAGES.
[02:15:02]
>> IT IS, IT IS. >> YES, I CAN DISPLAY THAT. THE YEAR TO DATE BUDGETED IS -- YOUR TODAY ACTUAL COLLECTED IS 61,000,468 THOUSAND DOLLARS. FOR OUR YEAR-TO-DATE UNFAVORABLE VARIANCE OF $1.5 MILLION, COMPARED TO THE SAME TIME PERIOD IN 2023, WE COLLECTED 279,200 AND 20 ADDITIONAL SALES DOLLARS. I KNOW WE HAVE GONE OVER THIS IN THE BUDGETING PROCESS AND DURING THE FINANCIALS. BUT WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR OUR FOUR TOP CATEGORIES IN SALES TAX COLLECTION, WHICH IS THE RETAIL TRADE ACCOMMODATION SERVICES MANUFACTURING AND INFORMATION. IN THAT BOX OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOWS THE INCREASE FROM 2023 TO 2024. THAT MAKES UP ABOUT 78% OF OUR SALES TAX COLLECTION. THE LAST SLIDE, SORRY, NOT THE LAST ONE. HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX DEPOSIT. THE YEAR TO DATE BUDGETED IS $7,371,000. THE YEAR-TO-DATE ACTUAL COLLECTED IS $7,590,000. FOR YOUR TODAY FAVORABLE VARIANCE OF 209,648 DOLLARS, WHICH IS 3% OVER BUDGET. WHEN COMPARED TO 2023, WE COLLECT DID A LITTLE OVER 97,000, OR 7% MORE. THIS IS THE LAST SLIDE. THE MIXED BEVERAGE TAX DEPOSITS. YEAR-TO-DATE BUDGETED IS 1,017,000 , ACTUAL COLLECTED, 1,220,000 FOR FAVORABLE VARIANCE OF 202,983,
OR JUST ABOUT 22% OVER BUDGET. >> YES, NO. THAT IS GREAT NEWS.
>> THAT IS GREAT, YES. >> ANY QUESTIONS CUT >> ANY QUESTIONS FOR MICHELLE?
IS THERE EMOTION AND A SECOND? >> SO MOVED.
>> SECOND. >> THANK YOU. >> WELL DONE AS ALWAYS.
>> THANK YOU. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. THE MOTION
[15. Receive, consider and act upon items related to the Bear Branch Park parking lot improvements;]
PASSES. THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 15 . TO RECEIVE, CONSIDER, AND ACT UPON ITEMS RELATED TO THE PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENT'S AT BEAR BRANCH PARK .>> ALL RIGHT, GOOD EVENING. THIS IS IN REGARDS TO BEAR BRANCH PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENT.
JUST THEM INFORMATION TO BE RESPECTABLE OF YOUR TIME HERE. SO, INFORMATION, THEY ARE BRANCH WAS BUILT IN 1993, YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE AMENITIES, THE RECREATION CENTER, THE POOL, THE SPRAY GROUND, MULTIPURPOSE RINK, WHICH HAS FIVE PICKLEBALL PORTS ON IT.
TENNIS COURTS. OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF ACTIVITY GOING ON IN THAT SIDE OF THE PARK. ACROSS THE STREET IS THE SPORTS FIELD SIDE WHERE THEY HAVE SEVEN FIELDS OVER THERE. ON A SIDE NOTE, IF YOU JUST HAVE NOT SEEN IT YET, DEFINITELY DRIVE THROUGH THERE. IT IS AMAZING. THE HILL IS GONE, THE PLAYGROUND IS THERE AND READY. IN THE NEXT MONTH, THE BUILDING SHOULD BE GETTING
DROPPED. SO, A LOT OF EXCITEMENT OVER THERE. >> WHEN WILL THE PLAYGROUND BE
OPENED? >> SORRY? >> THE PLAYGROUND.
>> WE ARE HOPING IN TWO WEEKS. FOR THE PLAYGROUND, WE CAN PIECE IT OFTEN OPEN IT TO THE PUBLIC. THE BUILDING WILL COME WITH THE RESTROOMS IN A MONTH. SO WE WILL GET THAT READY FOR
THE TOURNAMENT. >> I HAVE A FIVE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER THAT HAS TO SIT
THROUGH SOCCER GAMES. THAT IS THE BEST THING TO BE OPEN. >> SAME THING HERE, BRAD. MY
NINE-YEAR-OLD. >> IT IS OPEN, DAD, LOOK. ALREADY.
>> YES. WE JUST NEED A LITTLE FENCE WORK AND IT WILL BE READY. THE PARK NEEDS AND CHALLENGES, YOU CAN SEE THE NEED, OBVIOUSLY, PARKING. SO WITH THIS PLAN, IT IS FOR AN ADDITIONAL 126 SPACES, ENHANCED TRAFFIC FLOW. IF YOU DRIVE DOWN THERE, IT BASICALLY JUST DEAD ENDS. AND IN BATTING CAGES WAS ANOTHER PART OF THE BEAR BRANCH MASTER PLAN. CHALLENGES DRAINING AND FUNDING . DRAINAGE IS ACTUALLY NOT AN ISSUE. THE CONSULTANT SAID NO IMPACT TO THE FLOODPLAIN. WE SUBMITTED PERMITS WITH MONTGOMERY COUNTY. SO WE SHOULD BE GETTING THAT.
BUT THERE WAS PARKING. IN THIS, WE HAVE 800,000 BUDGETED FOR THE PARKING LOT IN BATTING CAGES . WE ALREADY HAVE DONE THE INITIAL SITE DRAINAGE WORK AND CONCEPTUAL PLANS THERE. SO IT SHOWS 758,758 93 REMAINS. DISC -- THIS TASK ORDER IS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS TO
[02:20:04]
BRING EVERYTHING TO GET PROPOSALS FOR THIS . AND THEN THERE WILL BE 642 AND SOME CHANGE THEY ARE REMAINING FOR THE PROJECT. AGAIN, THIS IS PRIORITIZING JUST THE PARKING FACILITY, NOT THE BATTING CAGES. WE WILL SEE HOW THE FUNDING COMES BACK FROM THE PARKING LOT. BUT WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF THAT WORK BEFOREHAND, RUNNING CONDUITLINES WITH WATER AND ELECTRICAL TO THAT SITE THERE. >> WHAT ABOUT WHAT WE APPROVED ON OUR BUDGET LAST YEAR? THE PARKING UNDERNEATH GOING DOWN TOWARDS THE RECYCLING CENTER?
>> S. 2025. THAT ALSO WILL BE ON THE OTHER SIDE. SO THAT IS AN ADDITIONAL ANOTHER 100 OR SO SPOT THAT WILL BE OVER THERE. THIS ONE IS JUST ADDING MORE SPOTS. THAT WILL NOT BE ENOUGH OVER THERE. WE NEED MORE. REALLY, WITH EVERYTHING WE HAVE ADDED TO THAT PARK, I MEAN, IT IS NEEDED. THE SPRAY GROUND, IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE PLAYING TENNIS, IT IS A LOT. THE DOG PARK IS CROWDED, THE POOL IS CROWDED. ACTUALLY, AGAIN, WHENEVER WE DO TOURNAMENTS AGAIN, WORKING WITH SUNDAY'S -- ON SUNDAYS WITH THE CHURCH AND WHATNOT, ACTUALLY LEAVING SPOTS, OPEN . THE TOURNAMENT TRAFFIC TAKES EVERY PARKING SPACE THERE. AND WE CANNOT DO OUR PROGRAMS OUT OF THE REC CENTER. AGAIN, THIS IS JUST MORE ADDITIONAL
PARKING. >> SO THIS ADDS 100 AND HOW MANY SPOTS?
>> ANOTHER 100 SPOTS OR SO? SO THAT IS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT? WHEN THOSE TOURNAMENTS COME IN, I MEAN, YOU SEE THE PARK ON THE MEDIAN, THE CENTER MEDIAN, IT IS ALL OVER THE PLACE. I THINK
THIS WILL FREE UP SOME OF THAT AND MAKE IT A LOT EASIER. >> JUST DURING THE REGULAR
SEASON WEEKENDS, IT IS CROWDED. >> YES. THE SUCCESS OF ALL THE PROGRAMS THEY ARE, YES. AND YOU CAN SEE, YEAH, JUST THE TIME THERE , IS THIS IMPROVING THE TASK ORDER? WE WILL WORK ON THE CONSULTANTS, WE WILL WORK ON THE DOCUMENT OR THE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS AND SO ON. AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK TO THE BOARD WITH THE PROPOSAL.
YOU KNOW, TO DO THE WORK. AND HOPEFULLY THIS SUMMER WE CAN START THE WORK ON IT.
>> IS THERE EMOTION AND A 2ND TO APPROVE TASK ORDER -- IN THE AMOUNT OF 116 --
[16. Receive, consider and act upon the Alden Bridge Sports Park renovation project (Phase 1: Design), bidding management and construction administration services;]
BRINGS US TO THE ELDON BRIDGE SPORTS PARK. >> ABSOLUTELY. TO THE NEXT ONE.
LET'S SEE. AGAIN, JUST SOME INFORMATION THERE ABOUT THIS PROJECT. THIS ONE IS IN ALDEN BRIDGE VILLAGE, 1999 IS WHEN IT WAS BUILT. CURRENTLY, THE FIVE MULTIPURPOSE FIELD -- AND THE COMMUNITY GARDEN WITH ABOUT 61 PLOT THERE APPEARED A RESTROOM, WHICH IS, AGAIN, ON THE SOFTBALL SIDE. THE SOFTBALL / BASEBALL SIDE. AND IN THE PARKING LOT, CURRENT USERS, RUBY, LACROSSE, BASEBALL, SOCCER, THE GARDEN, THE COMMUNITY GARDEN FOLKS, OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF PEOPLE GO INTO THAT PARK TOO. PARK NEEDS AND CHALLENGES YOU CAN SEE THERE, PARKING WAS ALWAYS AN ISSUE THERE ON 242, AS WE HAVE TALKED ON IN THE PAST. THE SECOND INGRESS / EGRESS THERE, RESTROOMS ON THE OTHER SIDE. IT IS A PRETTY LONG WALK IF YOU HAVE BEEN TO THAT FACILITY TO THE CURRENT RESTROOMS. ADDITIONAL FIELD SPACE, SITE AMENITIES. AGAIN, CHALLENGES ARE DRAINAGE, FUNDING, CONSTRUCTION DURING PLAY SEASON, THAT IS ALWAYS, SO, AGAIN, WITH DRAINAGE, JUST TO TOUCH ON THAT ONE. MONTGOMERY COUNTY AUTHORITY APPROVED THE DRAINAGE REPORT THAT WAS TURNED IN AND GAVE A NO OBJECTION LETTER TO THIS PROJECT. ALSO, TX EOT, THAT WAS A HUGE BENEFIT. IT WAS THE SECOND EGRESS WE TALKED ABOUT, WORKING WITH TX D.O.T.. THEY ARE ADDING A TRAFFIC LIGHT THERE THAT WAS NOT PREVIOUSLY THERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE HAVE A PERMANENCE WITH TX D.O.T. FOUR PARKING LOT APPROVALS. IT WILL BE A HUGE -- TO THAT PROCESS. YES, YES. THE WHOLE PROJECT IS $17.8 MILLION WHEN YOU LOOK AT EVERYTHING IN THERE. SO, WHAT WE WILL TALK ABOUT IS PHASE ONE. YOU KNOW, OF WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. SO THERE ARE ABOUT 12 1/2 MILLION DOLLARS STILL IN THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT POT THAT WAS EARMARKED FOR ALL OF THE SPORTS PARK. THAT IS
[02:25:04]
LEAVING ENOUGH MONEY FOR RESTROOM RENOVATIONS THAT WE STILL HAVE TO BRING BACK AND SOME OTHER PROJECTS THAT WERE IN THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT. BUT 12.5 REMAINS FOR THAT. FOR THE ALDEN BRIDGE SPORTS PARK. PHASE ONE, WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THEIR OUR CONSULTANT, THEY DID TALK THERE WITH CONTRACTORS ABOUT THE PROBABLE COST. THEY CAME UP WITH $9.8 MILLION FOR PHASE ONE. AGAIN, THIS ONE HAS TO DO WITH THE TASK ORDER, $466,635. AGAIN, CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENT, BID MANAGEMENT, AND CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION. BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG PROJECT ON THIS ONE. WITH THAT PHASE ONE, YOU WILL SEE IT IS ADDING 228 ADDITIONAL PARKING SPOTS. A SECOND INGRESS AND EGRESS. THE RESTROOM BUILDING RIGHT BY THE FIELD THEY ARE. IT IS THE LITTLE BLUE SQUARE IN THE MIDDLE THERE. FIELD THREE EXPANSION, AND THAT ACTUALLY TO ADD IT BEFORE THE FIELD, WHICH IS ARTIFICIAL TURF, SO FUNDING HERMAN -- PERMITS HIM A WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL MONEY THAT WE SHOWED. WE WILL DO BID ALTERNATES THAT WILL HAVE THESE THINGS THAT HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, FIELD SIX CAN COME BACK, THE PLAYGROUND CAN COME BACK,AND THE SITE AMENITIES. >> THESE ARE NEEDED. IF YOU GO BACK, THE PARKING SPACES, PEOPLE ARE DRIVING IN THEIR SATURDAY FOR SOCCER GAMES, THE INGRESS / EGRESS IS DESPERATELY NEEDED. WE ARE FORTUNATE NO ONE HAS BEEN, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A FATALITY. AND THE RESTROOMS
ALSO WELL DONE. >> I HAVE A QUESTION. REGARDING THE NEW INGRESS / EGRESS THAT IS OPPOSITE TWIN VEIL, YOU SEE HOW IT DOES NOT MATCH THE ENTRANCE THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY , WHICH IS DIVIDED? AT LEAST IT APPEARS TO BE DIVIDED. HOW MUCH MORE WOULD IT COST? AND HOW MUCH MORE DIFFICULT WOULD IT BE TO MAKE THE NEW ONE ALSO DIVIDED TO MATCH? WOULDN'T IT
BE SAFER? >> I HAVE WORKED ON THAT PART OF THE PROJECT. THAT, I BELIEVE, WAS ACTUALLY THREE LANES. YOU WILL HAVE ONE LANE COMING IN AND TWO LANES GOING OUT. YOU ACTUALLY CAN HAVE A RIGHT-HAND TURN. IT HAS A FREER FLOW. IT MAY NOT SHOW IT IN
THAT, BUT THAT IS THE PLAN WE HAVE. >> IS IT DIVIDED FOR AESTHETIC
PURPOSES, SAFETY, THAT SORT OF THING? >> WE CAN LOOK AT THAT. OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS DIVIDED. BUT WE CAN COME BACK TO THAT.
>> FIND OUT IF IT CAN BE DONE. AND HOW MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE. >> GOOD QUESTION.
>> AGAIN, A TIMELINE TO GET THE TASK ORDER SIGNED. AND THEN IT WOULD BE FOR THEM TO WORK ON CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS. YOU KNOW, TO BRING BACK TO THE BOARD IN MARCH, TO GO OUT TO BID, BASICALLY, AND THEN COME BACK, HOPEFULLY, WITH VENDORS THAT WE DECIDE TO GO WITH. AND THEN IN JULY, IT WOULD START CONSTRUCTION IN A PERFECT WORLD IN SUMMER THERE. IT WOULD TAKE A YEAR. THIS WOULD WORK WITH THEM TO KEEP THE TWO ARTIFICIAL TURF FIELDS HOPEFULLY IN ACTION SO THEY ARE NOT OUT OF THE FOLD, I GUESS, AND THAT BE DONE IN APRIL OF 2026.
>> I WILL JUST SAY ONE THING. WE HAVE A LOT OF ASTROTURF FIELDS. I HOPE WE START REALLY LOOKING AT SOME OTHER PROJECTS FOR OTHER PEOPLE THAT DO NOT JUST PLAY ASTROTURF SPORTS, LIKE GOLF. YOU CANNOT PLAGUE GULF ANYWHERE HERE UNLESS YOU PAY $75,000 TO BE A MEMBER OF THE COUNTRY CLUB. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE HAD A DRIVING RANGE, PART THREE, SOMETHING.
BUT WE JUST KEEP A MASSIVE MARCH FORWARD ON FIELDS, FIELDS, FIELDS. I THINK THEY ARE ALL RIGHT, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THIS ONE. BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH OTHER PARK PROJECTS, I HOPE BOARDS WILL LOOK AT OTHER AMENITIES THAT WE ARE SHORT ON. AND NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO.
BOARD TO SEE THAT. OR IF YOU CAN SEND IT OUT TO THE BOARD. YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE FIELDS WERE 179% OF RECOMMENDED USAGE. IT JUST SO YOU KNOW WHY THEY ARE DOING WHAT THEY ARE DOING
HERE. >> I MEAN, $9 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY. I MEAN, THAT IS A LOT
OF MONEY. SO I WANT TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW . >> THERE IS DATA WE MAY NEED TO
SHARE. >> MORE DATA. HOW MANY PEOPLE FROM THE WOODLANDS ARE ACTUALLY USING THESE THINGS? OR HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE OUTSIDE THE WOODLANDS COMING IN FOR
[02:30:03]
TOURNAMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT? WHAT DOES IT GENERATE? THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS WE NEED TO LOOK AT. BUT I DO THINK THAT WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT SOME OTHER UNDERSERVED AREAS THAT ARE NOT BEING LOOKED AT. IN THE FUTURE. I AM FINE WITH THIS ONE.>> OKAY. THE RECOMMENDATION TO ACCEPT THE PROPOSED PLAN FOR THE ALDEN BRIDGE SPORTS PARK RENOVATION AND AUTHORIZE OUR CEO TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION AS APPROVED? IS
THERE EMOTION? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND.
>> SECOND. I'D DO AGREE THAT BRAD'S SHORT GAME IS UNDERSERVED.
KIDDING, JUST KIDDING. >> THIS ISMY LAST FULL MEETING.
>> DID YOU SECOND IT? >> MOVED AND SECONDED. SOMEWHAT DISCUSSED BY DIRECTOR WATSON.
[17. Receive, consider and act upon a recap of The Woodlands 50th Anniversary events and activities; ]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. THE MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU, JOHN, FOR BOTH OF THOSE. THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 17 . A RECAP OF THE WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL WEEK WE HAD CELEBRATING. THE CEO NICK SHARP WILL RECAP THE ENTIRE WEEK, AND WE WILL THANK ALL OFYOU. >> IT WAS INCREDIBLE. I HOPE NO ONE TRAVELED AFTER THAT FIREWORKS SHOW. THEY WOULD NOT GET THROUGH TSA. I HAD GUNPOWDER ON ME LIKE CRAZY.
>> I FELT LIKE I WAS BACK IN --. BUT I COULD NOT RETURN FIRE.
>> THERE YOU GO. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. WHAT I WANT TO DO HERE IS RECOGNIZE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT MADE THIS POSSIBLE. I KNOW IT IS LATE, THIS IS A BIG PROJECT. I KNOW ALL OF US HERE HAVE SPENT A LOT ON IT. WE PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE AND THANK ALL OF THOSE INVOLVED. STARTING OUT WITH HOWARD HUGHES AND THE PEOPLE ON HIS TEAM. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO KIM PHILLIPS. SHE SERVED WITH A LOT OF US ON THE COMMITTEE ON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEE. SHE WAS AN ABSOLUTE DELIGHT TO WORK WITH. VERY, VERY TALENTED. -- A VERY INTEGRAL PART OF THIS. WE THINK OUR SPONSORS. THEIR SUPPORT MADE A LOT OF THIS POSSIBLE. I WILL NOT NAME EVERYONE OF THEM. WE HAVE DONE THAT. BUT THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS. AS WELL AS TO OUR MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND OUR BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS. THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE AND HELPED AND VOLUNTEERED WITH MANY ACTIVITIES. NEXT, THANKS TO ALL OF YOU, THE TOWNSHIP BOARD. FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS, FOR YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR VISION, YOUR IDEAS . TREMENDOUS. IT HAS BEEN REALLY FUN FOR THE STAFF TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE WERE TO DO EVERYTHING LAST WEEK. A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEE WHO PUT A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF EFFORT INTO THIS. THE ORIGINAL COMMITTEE WAS CHAIRMAN SNYDER, DIRECTOR BAILEY, AND DIRECTOR NELSON. CHAIRMAN SNYDER STEPPED OFF AFTER A WHILE AND DIRECTOR HEISER STEPPED UP. DIRECTOR FRANKS ALSO HAD A SPECIAL ROLE WORKING ON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY BOOK, WHICH WE SHOULD SEE COMING OUT HERE IN ABOUT A MONTH. IT WILL BE AWESOME. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR, AGAIN, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. YOU MADE IT FUN. YOU MADE IT FUN WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU. IF YOU WILL INDULGE ME, I WILL THINK MY AWESOME TOWNSHIP STAFF, WHO DID SO MUCH. THEY STARTED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, THE LAST 15 MONTHS IN EARNEST. FIRST, I WANT TO START OFF WITH DR. NOONS. HE HAS DONE AN AWESOME JOB THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE THING. AS WELL AS A TEAM, PARTICULARLY PARKS AND RECREATION. DON MCGOWAN IS BACK THERE. HIS TEAM, PANNELL WOOD, MITCH HALL, THE ENTIRE TEAM, THEY KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK. KAREN DEMPSEY DID A TON OF WORK ON THIS. INCLUDING HER TEAM SPECIFICALLY WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS. LEAH PETERSON IS HERE, SHE AND HER TEAM DID A WONDERFUL JOB. ANGEL DIGGS, I DO NOT THINK BUCK IS HERE ANYMORE, BUT FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY STANDPOINT, HE WAS INVOLVED IN THIS FOR THE WHOLE
[02:35:04]
TIME. WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, WILLIAM PHAM IS BACK THERE IN THE BACK WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT. THEY WERE A PART OF ALL OF THIS. ANGELA BRANDT, OUR HR DIRECTOR HELPED MAKE SURE THE EMPLOYEES ALL FELT ENGAGED IN THIS THROUGHOUT. KELLAN SHAW HELPED WITH THE FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF THIS. AND FINALLY, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, NICK WALDEN. TWO YEARS AGO, NICK CAUGHT ME IN THE HALLWAY KNOWING THAT THIS WOULD COME UP. HE STARTED MAKING THIS PITCH TO ME ABOUT HOW HE WANTED TO BE INVOLVED. YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE WAS A ROLE FOR HIM. ALL OF THIS STUFF. IT IS HARD TO PITCH 10 WORDS INTO THIS PITCH. WHY IS HE DOING THIS? WHO ELSE? WHO ELSE WOULD I WANT ON MY TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WOODLANDS CELEBRATED 50 YEARS . A NO-BRAINER. SAY NO MORE, OF COURSE YOU ARE ON THE TEAM. SO, THAT CONCLUDES, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO DO THAT. IT HAS BEEN ABLAST FOR ALL OF THIS WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU. >> IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE.
SINCE I WAS NOT ON THE SECOND YEAR, THE DAIS CELEBRATION REALLY EMBRACED WHO WE ARE. NO ONE COULD HAVE HEADED THE DAY -- AND HER INVOLVEMENT WITH NON-PROFITS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING BACK. OF COURSE, THE BEAUTIFUL TRADE, THAT WOULD MAKE IT.
IT WAS PERFECT, EVERYTHING WAS. CINDY WITH HER BACKGROUND IN ARTS, THE ARTS COUNCIL, THE MURAL IS SECOND TO NONE. AND IT EMBRACES WHAT WE HAVE. OF COURSE, RICHARD, YOUR PHOTO BOOK IS IN HIGH DEMAND, I HAVE HEARD. BUT I REALLY THINK IT ECHOED WHAT THIS COMMUNITY IS.
WE THANK YOU , NICK WALDEN, BUT ALSO MONIQUE, YOU PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN KEEPING EVERYONE
TOGETHER. >> THANK YOU, IT WAS A TEAM EFFORT.
>> THE ONE THING I NOTICED IS THAT IT WAS A LOT. I LOOK AT CHRIS ESPECIALLY, JOHN, NICK.
WHAT I NOTICED WAS THAT EVERYONE WAS ALWAYS HAPPY. IT WAS SO MUCH WORK, BUT YOU ENJOYED BEING WITH THEM. YOU KNOW? CHRIS COULD'VE SAID, I AM SO TIRED OF THIS DON'T STUFF. ANYONE TELL US WHAT WAS GOING TO BE UP THERE, IT WAS JUST AMAZING. EVERY SINGLE DAY WAS JUST PERFECTION. AND GOING AROUND THE COMMUNITY THE LAST FEW DAYS, IT IS A LOT TO UP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE. IF ONE MORE PERSON SAID THAT TO ME --
SPEAKERS ] >> I WAS NOT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE, BUT I PROMISE HOURS IS BETTER.
DID NOT JUST GIVE 50 TREES, SHE GOT 50 HUGE TREES. WE ARE STILL REELING FROM IT. IT WAS INCREDIBLE. IT WAS A TOUCH, LIKE A CHERRY ON TOP. SO MANY PEOPLE REALLY APPRECIATED IT.
BUT EVERYTHING, ALL WEEK LONG, WAS JUST FLAWLESS. IT IS INCREDIBLE TO SEE EVERYTHING HAPPEN. SORRY TO BE THE CONFERENCE CROSSING VERY. BUT IT WAS REALLY GREAT.
>> I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO ALL THOSE FOLKS WHO WORKED ON THE PHOTO BOOK. OBVIOUSLY, KEY MEMBERS, I MIGHT ADD, BUT WE WENT THROUGH, LITERALLY, THOUSANDS OF PHOTOS.
MOST OF WHICH WERE SUBMITTED BY CITIZENS. AND IT BECAME VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY THAT I REALLY PREFER THIS ONE OVER THIS ONE. IT WAS TOUGH. WE WENT TO THE PROCESS I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES. TWO TABLES LINED UP END TO END WITH CATEGORIES OF EACH PICTURE.
EVERYBODY DID A TERRIFIC JOB OF SORTING IT OUT AND MAKING A HARD DECISION. WE HAVE HELD OFF BECAUSE WE WANTED TO INCLUDE PICTURES FROM THE CELEBRATION. BUT WE SHOULD HAVE THOSE FINISHED UP BY OUR NEXT MEETING AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO OUR PRICING AND GET IT OUT AS SOON AS WE CAN BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS. SO EVERYONE CAN HAVE ONE AS A GIFT.
>> SOMETHING TO SAY, IF I MAY. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, IT IS SHORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, STEPH, YOU ARE WONDERFUL. YOU MADE IT ALSO SMOOTH AS YOU ALWAYS DO. JUST LIKE SILK. I ALSO WANT TO SAY TO THE PEOPLE WATCHING, THE TAXPAYERS, THIS WAS A VERY COST EFFICIENT
[02:40:09]
PRODUCTION. THANKS TO THE WORK OF OUR CHAIRMAN, SHE BROUGHT IN A LOT OF SPONSORSHIPS, SHE IS VERY GOOD AT THAT SORT OF THING. AND SHE REALLY ROSE TO THE OCCASION AND BROUGHT IN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THAT END. AND THE TOWNSHIP ONLY CONTRIBUTED $200,000 FOR THIS ENTIRE WEEK. PLUS A LOT OF SWEAT EQUITY FROM THE STAFF. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING ON THE BACK OF THE TAXPAYERS, BUT IT WAS WELL DONE AND BEAUTIFULLY PRODUCED. SO,THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. AND IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE REPORT?
>> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> THAT BRINGS US TO THIS ONE.
>> YOU WANT TO CALL THE VOTE? >> YES. I JUST HAD TO TURN THE PAGE.
>> ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. THE MOTION PASSES. THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM
[18. Receive, consider, and act upon proposed revisions to the Ad Hoc Economic Development Committee Strategic Initiatives to include parking in Town Center;]
18. TO ACT UPON PROPOSED REVISIONS TO THE AD HOC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES. I WILL TURN IT OVER TO NICK. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT DIRECTOR BAILEYHAD SUGGESTED. >> SOME MORE GOOD NEWS. A PROPOSED REVISION TO THE AD HOC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. REMEMBER, THIS BOARD GIVES INSTRUCTIONS TO THE COMMITTEE OF TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT. SO THE INITIATIVE IS TO INCLUDE THE COMMITTEE TO BE ABLE TO TALK
ABOUT PARKING IN TOWN CENTER. THAT IS MY REPORT ON THIS. >> WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT. WE HAVE A LOT OF VISITORS COMING IN. SEVERAL LOTS OF PEOPLE PARKING FOR THE PAVILION FOR GROGAN'S MILL. AND JUST LOOKING, WE HAVE A LOT OF RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS.
RESTAURANTS ESPECIALLY, THAT ARE HAVING SOME ISSUES. KYLE AND I HAD A FRONT ROW SEAT TO THAT IN THE MORTON AND TRISH AREA. AS WE GROW AND MORE SHOWS HAPPEN , A LOT OF DIFFERENT PARKING THINGS WILL CHANGE AROUND. WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS NOT JUST RIGHT NOW, BUT FOR LATER. I THINK IT GOES INTO SOME OF THE TRANSPORTATION STUDY OF HOW WE ARE MOVING PEOPLE AROUND . BEING FRIENDLY TO PEOPLE, BUT ALSO KEEPING MIND OF OUR RESIDENCES, OUR BUSINESSES, AND OUR VISITORS. WE ARE NOT THE AUTHORITY ON IT, BUT GETTING SOMEONE TO TAKE A
LOOK AT IT, THINK MAKING ANY DECISION GOING FORWARD. >> JUST A DISCUSSION, MAYBE IT IS NOT THE RIGHT TIME. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO THROW OUT, PLEASE THINK VISIONARY AND UNDERGROUND PARKING AND TUNNELS THAT CONNECT ALL OF YOUR PARKING OUT OF THE ELEMENTS AND SAFE. I THINK THAT IS VERY FORWARD THINKING. I KNOW IT IS EXPENSIVE. BUT DON'T ELIMINATE IT. CONSIDER THE IMPOSSIBLE.
>> HOW WE MOVE PEOPLE AROUND AND MAKE IT SAFE AND SEAMLESS.
>> SO MOVE. >> OKAY. >> SO MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. THE PROPOSED MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
[19. Receive, consider and act upon an update regarding the Village Presidents' Council;]
FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS 19. AN UPDATE ON THE VILLAGEPRESIDENTS COUNCIL. IT IS YOURS. >> WE HAD A MEETING ON OCTOBER 7TH. A PRESIDENT OR REPRESENTATIVE FROM EVERY VILLAGE WAS PRESENT. WE STARTED THE MEETING BY HAVING MR. WALDEN AND PHILLIPS GOING THROUGH DETAILS OF THE 50TH CELEBRATION. WHICH I UNDERSTAND DID VERY WELL. AND THEN WE HAD MR. PETERSON, THE GENERAL MANAGER OF WOODLANDS WATER, WHO CAME IN AND DISCUSSED WITH THE COUNCIL SEVERAL ASPECTS OF THE SEWER AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. GOING THROUGH COLLECTIVELY AN ASSESSMENT OF THE NEEDS AT THIS TIME, AND HE ASKED THAT EITHER THE VILLAGE PRESIDENT OR A NOMINEE OF THEIRS SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE AS WELL. AND I THINK THEY WERE ALL PLEASED WITH THAT. THEY ARE INVOLVED IN THE THINGS GOING ON. MEMBERS WILL BE OF THIS COMMITTEE. EIGHT FROM THE VILLAGE ASSOCIATIONS, OUR -- CORPORATION, WE HAVE COURSE WILL BE INVOLVED WITH THE TOWNSHIP.
[02:45:10]
FTRA. THEY ARE EXPECTING AT LEAST QUARTERLY, IF NOT MORE, BUT THE ICING ON THE WHOLE THING, THERE WILL BE GREAT INFORMATION DIRECTLY TO THE VILLAGE PRESIDENT , THEY CAN PASS IT ONTO THE VILLAGE BOARD SO THAT WE CAN GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AT EVERY LEVEL OFWHAT WE THINK IS GOING ON. >> THANK YOU. I WILL TAKE THAT AS A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND. >> ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD, DR. NELSON?
>> MOVED AND SECONDED. >> I DID NOT FINISH UP TOO QUICKLY THERE.
>> THEY ALSO WILL BE DEVELOPING PROACTIVELY, A PROACTIVE PLAN ON THE PITCHES. WHETHER THEY ARE MEETING THEIR CAPACITY FOR DRAINAGE AND HOLDING WATER, ET CETERA. THERE WAS ALSO A QUESTION FROM ONE OF THE PRESIDENTS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT EVERYBODY HAD TO BE ON THE SAME NIGHT. BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE FELT THE WEATHER FOR THE PROJECT WAS A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH.
PRESIDENT SHARP ASSURED THEM THAT THEY COULD BASICALLY HOLD IT ANY NIGHT THEY WANTED TO HOLD IT. IT WAS CONVENIENT FOR THEM. THANK YOU, THAT IS IT. THINK -- THANK YOU. MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, THEY AYE. THE MOTION PASSES. THERE IS A, THERE IS NO NEED
[22. Consideration of items to be placed on the agenda for next month's meeting;]
FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TONIGHT. THAT WILL BRING IT DOWN TO AGENDA ITEM 22. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MONTH OR THE FOLLOWING. I DO HAVE ONE. WE HAVE BEEN REQUESTED BY TXD.O.T. TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL -- >> PATHWAY AND PEDESTRIAN
PROJECTS. >> YES. POTENTIAL PROJECTS FOR THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN. AND SO AS AN AGENDA ITEM, SOMETHING NEW FOR ALL SEVEN OF US, WITH THAT SAID, THE DECEMBER AGENDA FOR THAT. ARE THERE ANY OTHER --
>> THERE IS A DEADLINE. >> THE DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY. >> YES.
>> YES. I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT -- >> I WILL GIVE YOU A SECOND.
SORRY. A SECOND, NOW THAT YOU HAVE PASSED THE RULE, YOU HAVE MY SECOND.
>> THANK YOU. >> AND OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RECENTLY TALKED ABOUT NAMING A PORTION OF THE TRAINING FACILITY AFTER ONE OF THEIR FIREFIGHTERS. THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH NAMING THINGS AFTER THEIR PEOPLE. I WOULD LIKE TO REVISIT THAT POLICY , NOT JUST FOR FIRE STATIONS, BUT FOR PARKS. THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT HAVE DONE AMAZING THINGS. I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH.
>> KYLE WATSON CAPSTONE PARK. >> OKAY. ANY OTHER? ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS?
>> HOLD ON. >> I DO HAVE ONE. >> EXCUSE ME JUST A MINUTE. WE
DO NEED A SECOND. >> WHO SECONDED? >> I WILL SECOND.
>> YEAH. >> THIRD. >> WE WILL ALL SECOND.
[23. Board announcements; and]
>> THANK YOU, KAREN. I THOUGHT THAT DIRECTOR WATSON HAD --
SPEAKERS ] >> A THANK YOU TO ALL OF US. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK IN PRODUCING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. WE KNOW IT TOOK LOTS OF PLANNING, COLLABORATION, AND COMMITMENT TO MAKE EVERYTHING HAPPEN. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOU.
DON AND DEBBIE POWERS. THANK YOU. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS, IS THERE A MOTION
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.