CITY HIGHLIGHT TOMBALL The city of Tomball is planning a new festival, Fiesta de Tomball, to bring together different cultures, Marketing and Tourism Manager Sasha Smith said at the June 6 City Council meeting. Smith said the festival is in partnership with the Progreso Multicultural Foundation, an organization that hopes the festival will celebrate cultures and support local businesses. Fiesta de Tomball will be Sept. 24 in downtown Tomball. COUNTY HIGHLIGHT MONTGOMERY COUNTY Commissioners voted unanimously to reject a proposed budget increase to the Montgomery Central Appraisal District, the entity responsible for appraising property values in the county, at a May 24 Commissioners Court meeting. For the proposal to move forward, 51% of the county’s taxing jurisdictions must approve. The proposal would have increased the district’s fiscal year 2022-23 budget by 23.8%, according to documents submitted to Commissioners Court. Tomball City Council will meet 6 p.m. July 5 and 18 at 401 Market St., Tomball. 281-351-5484. www.tomballtx.gov Magnolia City Council will meet 7 p.m. July 12 at 18111 Buddy Riley Blvd., Magnolia. 281-356-2266 www.cityofmagnolia.com Montgomery Commissioners Court will meet 9:30 a.m. June 28 and July 12 at 501 N. Thompson St., Ste. 402, Conroe. 936-756-0571 www.mctx.org Harris County Commissioners Court will meet 10 a.m. June 28 and July 19 virtually and at 1001 Preston St., Ste. 934, Houston. www.harriscountytx.gov. MEETINGS WE COVER
Harris County commissioners approve $53M for trailway projects
BY EMILY LINCKE
vote with Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey and Precinct 4 Commis- sioner Jack Cagle dissenting. Ramsey said he voted against the item because he believes the project has “too many unknowns.” Meanwhile, Cagle said he would have preferred additional trails be funded by the county’s parks budget. “While Commissioner [Cagle] is a major proponent of hike and bike trails and has considerably expanded their availability throughout Precinct 4, he voted against this measure because he believes it sets a bad prec- edent of diverting toll road money to projects not originally envisioned when toll roads were first pitched to Harris County voters,” Joe Stinebaker, Precinct 4 director of communica- tions, said in an email May 17. The HCTRA identified 22 priority projects as having the highest community benefit, including a
New ways to commute The Tollways to Trailways project will bring biking and walking paths to Harris County for local commuters to utilize daily.
HARRIS COUNTY Commissioners approved $53 million on May 10 for the Harris County Toll Road Author- ity’s new Tollways to Trailways initiative, which will add 236 miles of new recreational trails across each of the county’s four precincts. According to the HCTRA’s planning documents, most of the trails will be placed adjacent to existing toll roads, providing access to existing parks, public transit hubs, schools and neighborhoods. A timeline for the project has not yet been announced. “Tollways to Trailways make the county healthier and more resilient by expanding healthy mobility choices, creating more local green spaces, and giving people transporta- tion options that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve regional air quality,” HCTRA’s plan reads. The request was approved in a 3-2
236 miles of trails will be added across Harris County. 63 projects are envisioned for the Tollways to Trailways plan across Harris County’s 4 precincts. $601 million in funding will be needed to cover the plan’s trailways.
would. ... But the people who worked with me worked tirelessly to get out and talk with people. And we got the message out that we need controlled, managed growth.” Dunagin, retired from his work with oil and gas company Baker Hughes, has served in other capac- ities with the city, including on the planning and zoning commission and the board of adjustments, but he said this was his first time running for public office. His opponent, Degges, served on City Council for eight years and had previously run unopposed for this seat. $53 million in funding was approved for the project by Harris County commissioners on May 10. SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY/ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER Space Center Boulevard trail, a west extension to the Cypress Creek Greenway and an Alief East Loop project. The three projects would cost an estimated $48.3 million.
New mayor sworn in
Dane Dunagin wins runoff election
BY KAYLI THOMPSON
TOMBALL Lori Klein Quinn was sworn in as the city’s mayor May 16. “Together we will continue to achieve great things in the city of Tomball. ... We are all joined together despite our differences by our love of this town,” she said. City Manager David Esquivel also honored outgoing Mayor Gretchen Fagan for her 14 years of service. “We’ve come a long way, and we’ve done so many things, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us,” Fagan said.
BY MATT STEPHENS
TOMBALL Dane Dunagin defeated incumbent Chad Degges in the June 4 runoff election for City Council Position 3, according to results from the city of Tomball. Dunagin earned 322 votes, or 53.8% of the total. Degges received 277 votes, or 46.2%. “I’m very blessed. I really don’t have words,” Dunagin said in a phone interview June 5. “I never expected to win. I thought the incumbent
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