The Friendswood ISD School Board voted unanimously on June 12 to discontinue charging a collection fee for taxes paid by a local drainage district.

As of June 15, Galveston County Consolidated Drainage District will no longer be required to pay the collection fee for the taxes it pays on its land in the school district.

“We are charging them a fee that is outdated,” said Trish Hanks, FISD superintendent at the time the decision was made. The June meeting was last before retiring from the superintendent position; she will be replaced by Thad Roher.

Now that the taxes are collected electronically, the fee for collecting taxes is extraneous, said Hanks.

FISD leases roughly 6 acres of land from the drainage district for $1. The district is using the land for its agriculture barn.

According to Roher, this new contract highlights the relationship between the drainage district and the school district.

“(GCCDD) just benefits Friendswood as a community so much – not only drainage but allowing the kids to have an (agriculture) barn,” said Roher.

According to Hanks, the fee is unnecessary, especially considering the inexpensive lease terms provided by GCCDD. The decision to waive the fee would “honor [the drainage district’s] generosity,” said Hanks.

“I think it is a gesture of good will for us; they have been such great partners,” said Hanks.

According to Hanks, the board had discussed discontinuing the fee back in 2010. Once she saw no final decision had been made, she decided to “clear it up,” before she left, said Hanks.