The Novak Consulting Group shared projec- tions for the possible annual cost of several services if TheWoodlands incorporates. COST PROJECTED
GOVERNMENT
Incorporation study advances, but vote not likely in 2019
incorporation. “I think we need to be honest and clear with people on if we’re going to talk about the pros and cons of incorporation,” Bass said. “Let’s talk about it in the context of why now or why in the foreseeable future. That’s a different set of pros and cons, and that’s what people need to under- stand. We list a lot of revenue sources that are pros, but they don’t talk about the con of the increased cost of incorporation.” Steve Leakey, president of the Voter Awareness Council, a local nonprofit group, spoke after the presentation, discussing the need for voter edu- cation before the issue is put on the ballot. He shared a handout with the board suggesting the township have at least 50 percent of registered voters state they are well-enough informed on the topic to vote before placing the issue on the ballot. The next incorporation planning session is scheduled at 6 p.m. March 27.
Board Vice Chairman John McMul- lan said the area he has gotten the most pushback on regarding the incorporation study is the potential costs for law enforcement, noting there are gaps between The Wood- lands projections for law enforcement costs and other benchmark cities. “We need to spend the time and the money to drill down on that,” he said on the policing numbers. Other points addressed in Novak’s presentation were the potential costs of a public works department and an animal control department. The effect of other elements on the incorporation financial model, such as the use of a franchise fee—which is a fee paid by businesses—are not yet clear, Bunch said. Several residents expressed con- cerns about a possible future incorpo- ration election both before and after the Feb. 27 Novak presentation. Former Director Mike Bass said he feels attention should be paid to the potential future costs of
BY VANESSA HOLT The Woodlands Township board of directors said more time is needed before its incorporation study can yield conclusive answers about issues such as the cost of law enforcement services, but members of the board reiterated incorporation itself is not likely to go before voters this year. “This is not a 2019 ballot initiative,” board Chairman Gordy Bunch said at the Feb. 27 board meeting. “None of us are seeing this being completed any time soon.” The Novak Consulting Group, which is conducting the township’s incorporation study, reported the cost for a hybrid law enforcement model—a topic that has drawn strong public interest—is among the factors still under development. A hybrid law enforcement model would consist of a combination of a municipal police department and county contracts. The township currently contracts with Montgomery and Harris counties’ law enforcement agencies.
LAWENFORCEMENT: The cost of a hybrid service consisted of a local police department as
well as county-contracted services is still being determined, Novak officials said.
Novak estimated a public works department could cost:
$4.6MILLION ANNUALLY
and include 34 full-time equivalent employees,
in one-time capital costs for equipment, land acquisition and facility construction.
$16.8 MILLION
Novak projects the service, currently provided at the county level, could cost
$681,000 ANNUALLY with seven
full-time employees,
$175,000 STARTUP COSTS
for vehicles and equipment.
SOURCE:THENOVAKCONSULTINGGROUP/COMMUNITY IMPACTNEWSPAPER
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The Woodlands edition • March 2019
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