Oak Ridge North City Council held its first meeting of the month Monday night. Here are the three things residents may have missed:

1. Fiscal year 2018 budget meetings continue
City Manager Vicky Rudy said the next budget-related meeting for the city will be a public hearing for the tax rate and budget on Aug. 21. The Oak Ridge North City Council will adopt the budget and tax rate on Aug. 31.

2. Montgomery County Emergency Communication District budget approved

Oak Ridge North City Council approved the Montgomery County Emergency Communication District's FY 2018 budget at Monday night's meeting.

Executive Director Chip VanSteenberg said the emergency communication district supports four 911 call centers run by local safety organizations and works with Montgomery County Hospital District, The Woodlands Fire Department, Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and the Conroe Police Department. The FY 2018 budget, which is set at $4.4 million, requires approval from the Montgomery County Commissioners Court and the majority of cities in the county. 

"We provide technology, funding, networking and maintain maps for local public safety organizations," VanSteenberg said. "We have an increase of 5.2 percent—or $215,000—in our budget this year. We have a new program dedicating $109,000 to recruiting and training 911 call takers. Our largest expense is contracting with the sheriff’s office and Conroe PD."

3. Curfew ordinance discussed

Oak Ridge North City Council unanimously decided to table and review an ordinance that would establish a curfew for persons under the age of 17 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on any day that a minor is required to attend school. The ordinance includes a fine on business owners and parents or guardians who allow minors to remain at establishments other than school during curfew hours.

While some city council members agreed that the ordinance would keep minors off the city streets during school hours, other council members said they believed the ordinance would impact business owners and criminalize legal and innocent behavior.

"I'm on the fence," said council member Paul Bond. "If it provides a deterrent to kids getting out of school I think its great. I'd like to see us mesh with both sides to have agreement. However, I remember being 17 and skipping school. I certainly wouldn't want to be stopped if I was minding my own business."

Council member Alex Jones said he disagreed completely with the ordinance.

I’m completely against the whole thing, I think you’re criminalizing legal behavior to make it easier to do something else," Jones said. 

Mayor Jim Kuykendahl said he believes Oak Ridge North police officers are wasting time taking kids back to school rather than dealing with real problems.

"Our officers are spending their manpower time on taking kids back to school when they should be protecting citizens," Kuykendahl said.

Oak Ridge North City Council members will continue to review the ordinance and possibly change how the curfew is implemented.