New officers for The Woodlands Township board of directors were elected during the Nov. 18 directors meeting. Director Ed Robb will serve as the new chairman and was elected in a divisive 4-3 vote. Robb was first elected to the township’s board of directors in 2010 and has previously served in the officer positions of secretary and treasurer. Director Gordy Bunch was also nominated for the position and earned the remaining three votes. He was first elected to the board of directors in 2012. In the election for vice chair, Director Mike Bass received four votes and Bunch received three votes. Bunch was unanimously elected secretary of the board, while new director Laura Fillault will serve as treasurer. Prior to the vote, Director John McMullan suggested the board and public should have the opportunity to hear from the directors nominated for the position of chairman. “As we think about who is going to lead this board for the next year, we should not ignore the clear message sent by voters on Election Day,” he said. Board policy does not speak to making campaign speeches prior to the vote, which township management analyst Karen Dempsey said could be done at the pleasure of the board during a Nov. 16 meeting to go over the election and nomination process. "Let's go through [the process] like we normally do," Robb said. "If Director McMullan wants to change the board policy, that's a separate issue. I think we've heard from our city attorney what the policy is, and we need to follow it." New officers are elected by the board each November after the general election and after new directors are sworn in to office. Board policy provides for either pre-printed nominations or nominations made from the floor during the election of officers. Directors also discussed the 2016 board of directors meeting schedule and voted to hold one Wednesday evening meeting per month and a second meeting only if deemed necessary. The board of directors has previously held a Thursday morning meeting along with a Wednesday evening meeting once a month.