Water District Meeting Recap

AK and I went to the WCID #89 Board meeting today. I know that several people went to the one on 7/7/09 and I invite your comments to this posting. First I'll just tell you my impressions.

Seemed very matter of fact business type meeting. Didn't have access to many of the documents that the Board had and wasn't invited to join the table. In fact, was ushered to the "peanut gallery" when I arrived by the lawyer's secretary. Introduced myself once the meeting was called to order but just said I was there to observe - which was true.

The thing that got the only real questions from the Board members was whether or not the sign to be posted about the new recreation center that they are building will be in color or black & white. Seems that bonds were sold a few years back to build this center, which is going to be located near Tom Bass Park off Cullen. The sign will have an artist's rendering of what the center will look like upon completion. Cost of the sign will be approximately $1800, which I suppose is our tax dollars at work :--)

I have made several open records requests for minutes of the meetings and tests of the water quality over the past 2 years. The WCID's lawyer, Chris Richardson, has been very cooperative. I have almost completed my research and just need my niece's input before I post my findings and suggestions. My niece, I think I've mentioned before, is the EPA consultant for the entire Permian Basin, has a Master's in Chemical Engineering, and used to work for Harris County testing water quality at the Port of Houston. She's well qualified to give us expert advice!

I understand that the folks who attended the last meeting spoke about their concerns over the lack of security and the recent snake problem since the retention ponds have been drained.

Here's what AK posted to the group e-mail site about his involvement in the meeting today:
Today I attended the WCID #89 Board meeting. As the residents know that attended the last meeting, this is a dead end. And this security contract is only intended for the water and sewage infrastructure not solely for the public safety of the residents. But after talking with Commissioner El Franco Lee last Tuesday, I truly wanted some clarification of the WCID #89 and Harris County Sheriff Department contract.

After a very open discussion after the board meeting, I still left feeling unsatisfied. But I did get them to promise that the Board will send a letter to the Harris County Sheriff Department stating that the residents of the District are not satisfied with the effectiveness of the daily patrol to help deter crimes and the misdirection of emergency calls. If we feel this is not resolved, they will proceed to cancel the contract with the Harris County Sheriff Department. Which means that we will be left with an already over-stretched patrol of Sheriff Department District 3 precinct or we must petition the WCID# 89 to sign a contract with Harris County Constable May Walker Precinct 7 to patrol the our water infrastructure as well as our community and public safety, due to the large area in the Harris County Sheriff Department District 3 that has to be patrolled by the current limited resource of deputies. I have uploaded maps of the Constable Precinct 7 and Sheriff Department District 3 on the files page of this website. I have also uploaded links to both agencies. (Editorial comment: I will have links to these and the petition made available in my next post.)

I hope that you can see the need to have this contract thoroughly reviewed by all parties involved, asap. By participating and encouraging your surrounding neighbors to get involved with the petition that has been posted on this website is one way that you can help to ensure that this gets done. Another way is to pass the word about this website; it has been a very useful tool of communication.

Thanks,
AK