CITY & COUNTY
News from Magnolia and Harris & Montgomery counties
NUMBER TO KNOW
County to receive $23.7M for active shooter training facility
$25M
will be allocated in fiscal year 2023-24
to help Harris County departments more swiftly slash through court cases backlogged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Commissioners unanimously voted to allocate federal American Rescue Plan Act funds toward the effort on June 6. Harris County has been experiencing a backlog of court cases since courts were shut down in early 2020 and previously invested $39 million in reducing the court case backlog. Since January 2022, misdemeanor and felony cases in the county’s backlog have decreased by 44% and 41%, respectively, according to meeting documents. HIGHLIGHTS HARRIS COUNTY Commissioners voted May 16 to increase the homestead exemption for seniors and disabled homeowners from $250,000 to $275,000. The increase is applied to the appraised value of a resident’s homestead and will go into effect for the 2023 tax year for bills that go out in October, according to officials with Precinct 2. This means those who are legally defined as disabled or for those age 65 or older could qualify for an additional $25,000 off the appraised value of their homes. The savings would average $130/year. MAGNOLIA Following a June 13 council meeting, the city will move forward with updating its parks and recreation master plan. MONTGOMERY COUNTY Two full-time court interpreter positions were created by Commissioners Court on June 13 after months of discussion surrounding pay rates and backlogged requests. Interpreter salaries had not been set as of the meeting. The two new positions include one full-time interpreter and one supervising interpreter. Tomball City Council will meet at 6 p.m. July 3 and 17 at 401 Market St., Tomball. 281-351-5484. www.tomballtx.gov Magnolia City Council will meet at 6 p.m. July 11 at 18111 Buddy Riley Blvd., Magnolia. 281-356-2266. www.cityofmagnolia.com will meet at 9:30 a.m. July 11 and 25 at 501 N. Thompson St., Ste. 402, Conroe. 936-756-0571. www.mctx.org Harris County Commissioners Court will meet at 10 a.m. July 18. Meetings are held virtually and at 1001 Preston St., Ste. 934, Houston. www.harriscountytx.gov Montgomery County Commissioners Court MEETINGS WE COVER
BY JESSICA SHORTEN
STAFFING THE SITE SOURCE: MONTGOMERY COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
The facility will be staffed by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and funding is included in the $23.7 million from the state for: lieutenant sergeants specialists
MONTGOMERY COUNTY Commissioners Court will receive $23.7 million from Texas to fund a statewide active shooter training facility in partnership with the Texas Department of Public Safety. Sorting out details: The former Keefer Crossing Middle School in New Caney ISD will be fully reno- vated and staffed through a partner- ship with the DPS as well as funding from the state following a new state mandate requiring all first responders to have active shooter training. The county will staff the facility.
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What they’re saying: “As of Sept. 1, state law changes and the program that we are offering at that campus is now a mandated program for all police officers, firemen and EMTs in the state to obtain. So we anticipate starting very early in the fall to have a large rush in need for folks to want to take this training,” said Jason Mill- saps, executive director of emergency management and homeland security for Montgomery County.
Going forward: Millsaps said the funding will not be available to Mont- gomery County until Sept. 1, and there are still some parameters that must be outlined between the state and the county. However, the facility will serve all first responders statewide. The funding will allow the county to purchase the building outright instead of leasing the facility on a yearly basis, according to meeting details.
INVESTING IN HARRIS COUNTY’S HEALTH A total of $2.9 billion worth of projects have been proposed for the Harris Health System, $2.5 billion of which may be covered by an upcoming bond. Proposed projects include:
ESD No. 10 purchases land for new fire stations
BY LIZZY SPANGLER
$1.6 billion toward the creation of the new LBJ Hospital $500 million toward improvements at existing community clinics and the opening of three new community clinics in underserved parts of the county $400 million toward improvements at the existing LBJ Hospital $400 million toward improvements at Ben Taub Hospital
MONTGOMERY COUNTY Emergency Services District No. 10, which serves the Greater Magnolia area, purchased two properties in Magnolia that will serve as the sites for new fire stations, according to a June 5 news release. The two properties are located at A 310 Honea Egypt Road, Magnolia, and B 31353 Dobbin Huffsmith Road, Magnolia. ESD 10 purchased the 2.685-acre Honea Egypt Road property for $2.5 million with the land set to serve as the new home for Station No. 186, located at 32707 FM 2978, according to the release. Construction is expected to begin in 2024. “This investment is one that promises better resources for our firefighters and improved emergency response for our community,” ESD 10 board President Larry Smith said in the release. Meanwhile, the 8.2 acres purchased for $1.13 million on Dobbin Huffsmith Road will be used to serve future growth.
SOURCE: HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Harris Health System pitches $2.5B bond HARRIS COUNTY Officials with the Harris Health System pitched a $2.5 billion bond pro- posal to Harris County commis- sioners at a June 6 meeting. expand to 450 beds as needed. The need: Porsa said the hospitals are nearing their end of useful life if improvements aren’t made. BY SHAWN ARRAJJ
The background: HHS owns and operates Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital and Ben Taub Hospital; it also operates 17 community- based clinics, a dental center, a chronic dialysis center and three outpatient specialty clinics. The big picture: HHS President and CEO Dr. Esmaeil Porsa said under the proposed bond, a new 390-bed LBJ Hospital would open with the capacity to
The takeaway: If approved, the tax rate for the HHS would increase by an estimated 2 cents over the course of the bond. Over that time, the owner of a $300,000 house in Harris County would see property taxes increase by less than $6 per month. Next steps: Commissioners could call a bond election in August, which would come before voters in November.
PROPERTIES PURCHASED FOR STATIONS:
HONEA EGYPT RD.
A
1488
DOBBIN HUFFSMITH RD.
2978
B
249
N
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TOMBALL - MAGNOLIA EDITION • JUNE 2023
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