The Woodlands Township holds Board meeting and planning session on Feb. 19

THE WOODLANDS, Texas – The Woodlands Township Board of Directors held a regular Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, February 19, 2015, at The Woodlands Township Town Hall, 2801 Technology Forest Boulevard, at 9 a.m. The entire meeting can be watched on video at The Woodlands Township website. The following actions were taken.

On the consent agenda, the Board:

• Received Administrative Reports for The Woodlands Fire Department for February 2015;

• Received Administrative Reports for Law Enforcement and Community Policing for February 2015;

• Received Administrative Reports for Transportation for February 2015;

• Received Administrative Reports for Community Services for February 2015;

• Approved an award of bid for a multi-function copier lease agreement;

• Approved revisions to The Woodlands Township Personnel Policy Manual;

• Moved consideration for award of bid for the purchase of fleet vehicles to the regular agenda;

• Approved discontinuance of The Voyager Pass;

• Approved conveyance of Village of Creekside Park West, Section 3, ROSRs D, E, & F;

• Approved modification to Partial Release of Easement for Waterway/Westin Hotel tract;

On the regular agenda, the Board:

• Tabled consideration for award of bid for the purchase of fleet vehicles;

• Received proposal for an aquatic potential partnership with The Woodlands Swim Team and Woodlands Master Swim Team, and Board asked staff to come back with Master Plan discussion regarding Bear Branch Park;

• Approved a Utility Easement with Crown Castle NG Central LLC to provide electrical service to a Small Cell Network;

• Discussed a traffic impact analysis regarding the possible extension / connection of Woodlands Parkway from FM2978 to SH249, and directed staff to request additional information from the Montgomery County Traffic Engineer in order to have a better idea of the traffic impact on Woodlands Parkway and remedial alternatives that might be used to deal with it.;

• Approved a 2015 Budget Amendment related to 2014 Capital and Operating Budget Carryovers;

• The Board then recessed to Executive Session and no further action was taken.

Following the regular meeting, the Board convened a planning session to discuss the following items:

• Discussed a Community Maintenance Initiative regarding providing maintenance services of small cul-de-sac islands and approved scheduling a public hearing to amend the Township Order 019-09 to provide limited maintenance of all small cul-de-sac islands in the Township, and upon adoption of the amendment to authorize approximately $105,308 or $75.22 per small island for maintenance to include basic clean-up services one time in year in the spring, to provide $280,000 for reforestation of cul-de-sac islands in need of additional native trees and shrubs, and authorize the addition of a part-time program coordinator to oversee the new cul-de-sac maintenance program. Through this program, the Township’s Park and Pathway Maintenance Services contractor will be authorized to remove fallen limbs and tree debris, mow the outside edge of the island and prune up overhanging branches. The annual program will not include maintenance of any improved landscapes or structures within the small islands. The small cul-de-sac island program does not replace the existing large “jumbo” cul-de-sac island maintenance program of 11 times per year.

• Discussed a Community Maintenance Initiative regarding streetscape and median understory. The Board reviewed various scenarios of removing the understory vegetation in the middle medians of the roads in the Township and ways to improve the health of the narrow strips of forest. The Board chose not to remove any understory; however, they authorized additional funding of $120,000 to supplement the existing invasive vines and tallow tree removal program. In addition, any remaining balances in the community maintenance initiative funding are to be used for enhancing the streetscape landscapes at median tips, intersections and roadsides.

• Discussed The Woodlands Township Special Events Policy and Procedures, including a report on the number of annual events, races, walks and festivals, and directed staff to return with recommendations to revise the Policy and Procedures as related to the approval process and special event fees;

• Discussed The Woodlands Township Five-Year Plan, Reserve Guidelines and other related matters and directed staff to bring back an amended Reserve Policy.

For more information on The Woodlands Township, please call 281-210-3800 or visit www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov.