Montgomery County commissioners held a court session June 14. Commissioners appointed Judge Scharlene Valdez to the new County Court at Law 6 and discussed reworking interlocal service agreements. Here are two additional agenda items that were approved in the session.
New contract for Magnolia Relief Route
Commissioners approved a $120,000 contract with WBA Engineers and Surveyors relating to the Magnolia Relief Route project. The planned four-lane divided roadway would loop north around the city from Hwy. 249 to west of Old Hempstead Road at FM 1488, Community Impact Newspaper previously reported.
The scope of services detailed in the contract allow for the preparation of cost estimates as well as coordination with the Texas Department of Transportation on advanced funding agreements and right-of-way agreements, according to documents submitted to the Commissioners Court agenda.
Other services include participating in meetings with Montgomery County and other stakeholders or affected parties.
The project was rejected by the Houston-Galveston Area Council—the Houston area’s largest metropolitan planning organization—for funding in 2019, but Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley previously said he wanted to resubmit the project in 2022. TxDOT previously estimated the project’s value at $46.4 million.
The item was unanimously approved as part of the meeting’s consent agenda, meaning no discussion was held. The funds for the contract will come out of the Precinct 2 commissioner budget.
A copy of the contract can be found here.
Foreclosure sales moved to courthouse steps
Commissioners unanimously approved moving the county’s monthly tax lien and foreclosure sales out of the commissioners courtroom in the Alan B. Sadler building back to the steps of the county courthouse on 301 N. Main St. in Conroe, where they had been previously located.
County Attorney B.D. Griffin presented the agenda item, which had come at an April 26 Commissioners Court session where it was found the tax sales date would conflict with the scheduled Aug. 2 budget hearing. Griffin told Community Impact Newspaper that the county’s move to an online platform for tax lien sales meant holding them in the courtroom was no longer necessary.
“When it was out on the courthouse, it was really complicated and chaotic to keep track of, so [the sales] were moved in[to the courtroom],” Griffin said. “Now with the sales online, there’s no reason to use the courtroom.”
The move would take place beginning in October. The Aug. 2 sales will likely remain in the Sadler building but will take place in the lobby outside the Commissioners Court. Griffin said the county would send notice of the changed location.
