The Woodlands Edition - November 2019

CITY & COUNTY

COMPILED BY VANESSA HOLT AND EVA VIGH

News fromMontgomery County, Oak Ridge North and The Woodlands

District judges confront county on fiscal issues MONTGOMERY COUNTY Montgomery County district court and county court at law judges said they are being

The Woodlands Township to choose from three law enforcement scenarios for incorporation study

TheWoodlands Townshipboard of directors will meet at 6 p.m. Nov. 20 at 2801 Technology Forest Blvd., TheWoodlands. 281-210-3800. www.thewoodlands-tx.gov ShenandoahCity Council will meet at 7 p.m. Nov. 13 at 29955 I-45 N., Shenandoah. 281-298-5522. www.shenandoahtx.us OakRidgeNorthCity Council will meet at 7 p.m. Nov. 25 at 27424 Robinson Road, Oak Ridge North. 281-292-4648. www.oakridgenorth.com For instant coverage of thesemeetings, can say with 99.5% confidence that I feel like they’re going to need more money in 2020.” Commissioners agreed to revisit the topic in March. Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack was absent during the discussion and vote. COURT CASES RISING faster t han populat ion Montgomery County district courts cases have increased at a steeper rate than population growth since 2008. There have been 10,746 additional district cases since 2008 in Montgomery County, a 41.3% increase. Since 2008, there has been a 32.4%population increase in Montgomery County. Commissioners approved $528,000 in additional funding for fiscal year 2018-19. SOURCES:MONTGOMERYCOUNTY,U.S.CENSUS/ COMMUNITY IMPACTNEWSPAPER MEETINGS

CONSIDERING THE COSTS At the Dec. 11 meeting, The Woodlands Township board of directors will continue to discuss projected costs for three law enforcement models under incorporation. Net new operating cost Total gross operating cost

THEWOODLANDS The Woodlands Township board of directors had planned to decide Oct. 23 which law enforcement model to use in its ongoing incorporation study, but deferred the decision to Dec. 11. Board of directors members said the figures presented by The Novak Consulting Group regarding operat- ing costs for the three law enforce- ment models raised additional ques- tions they needed time to consider. Vice Chairperson John McMullan said he felt the board should not feel pressured to make the decision immediately. “I was expecting [costs] to be high; I wasn’t expecting them to be as high as they turned out,” McMullan said at the Oct. 23 meeting. The Novak Consulting Group models for law enforcement under incorporation. The three options are: an independent police department that does not contract any services to the county; a hybrid model, including both a local department and some county services; and the current model—continuing to contract for all law enforcement services. According to the Novak study, a full-service operating model would cost $15.5 million in new net oper- ating costs in the fourth year after incorporation, a hybrid department would cost $10.8 million in new net operating costs and the contract model would represent $2.8 million in new net operating costs. Although the contract model would provide the same services as are on Oct. 17 outlined the costs associated with three different

unfairly blamed for budget shortfalls— an allegation that does not take into account growing expenses due to increasing caseloads. Annual caseloads in county district courts have risen by 10,746 cases since 2008—a 41.3% increase, compared to the 32.4% population growth over the same time period, as Community Impact Newspaper previously reported. The Commissioners Court approved funding an additional $528,000 to the Office of Court Administration for fiscal year 2018-19 at a Sept. 24 Montgomery County Commissioners Court meeting, but OCA officials said they will need more money next fiscal year. Judge Kathleen Hamilton of the 359th District Court and several other representatives from the OCA asked the Commissioners Court to include them in the budget-setting process. Hamilton said shortfalls have been unfairly placed on certain personnel. Montgomery County OCA Director Nathan Jensen recently resigned over the issue, Judge Tracy Gilbert of the 418th State District Court said. “For the past two years, attempts have been made to essentially point the blame at the judges or our OCA director, who we’ve lost,” Gilbert said. In August, Jensen had told the com- missioners the OCA was $420,000 short of its allocated budget, but his request went unheeded, Gilbert said. County Budget Officer Amanda Carter said she has listened to the OCA’s concerns and will work closely with them in the future. “If we don’t fix it by midyear [2020], there will be an issue,” Carter said. “I

FULL-SERVICE POLICE MODEL

$15.5M

$27.1M

HYBRID POLICE MODEL

$10.8M

$22.4M

CONTRACT POLICE MODEL

$2.8M

$14.5M

SOURCE:THENOVAKCONSULTINGGROUP,THEWOODLANDS TOWNSHIP/COMMUNITY IMPACTNEWSPAPER

currently provided through county contracts, it would also require the city to have a city marshal, as a general law city, officials said. McMullan said the board also needs to understand the capital costs outlined in the study, which projected about a $30 million one-time cost for a police building in the full-service model. However, Chairperson Gordy Bunch said Oct. 17 the township has the right to use a 16,000-square-foot building being used by the Montgom- ery County Sheriff’s Office, and that could defer some of those costs. Director Bruce Rieser also suggested deferring the vote on law enforcement. “I believe the complexity of having a city in two different counties and the fact that just because everybody does it that way doesn’t mean that’s the way we should go about this,” he said.

followus on Twitter: @impactnews_wdl

Move in Special Parkwest The Newest Luxury living in Conroe

BRAND NEW LUXURY RENTALS AVAILABLE • 3 Bedrooms with 2-2.5 bath • 1 and 2 story plans ready for immediate move in • Attached 2 car garage • Granite countertops • Stainless steel appliances including refrigerator • Back yard with privacy fence • Automatic sprinkler system • Great location I-45 and 105 • Minutes Away from great dining options • Front yard is maintained by the HOA

105

The Woodlands edition • November 2019