The Woodlands Township board of directors voted to approve a contract for lobbying services with Williams Public Affairs during the July 24 meeting as legislative hearings and investigations into CenterPoint Energy in Austin are underway.
What it means
Township directors unanimously approved contracting lobbying services through Williams Public Affairs from August through December to provide representation for the township in ongoing discussions surrounding power reliability in the Texas Legislature.
The contract approved by the township includes a flat monthly fee of $10,000 for each month of services by Williams Public Affairs.
Todd Stephens, director of intergovernmental relations for the township, said the lobbying services will be directed to improving electric services to areas such as Creekside Park which were heavily impacted by Hurricane Beryl.
Quotes of note
“We have a very good working history with Williams Public Affairs,” Stephens said. “They've been very successful on behalf of the township and accomplishing legislative goals. They're well represented in Austin and have a great reputation.”
“Having some on the ground from August to December is critically important because there's a lot of moving parts,” township board member Brad Bailey said.
"I think $10,000 a month is not a lot to pay for potential solution that people in Creekside [Park] are interested in,” board member Shelley Sekula-Gibbs said.
What’s next?
The lobbying contract will not go into effect until August, at which point the firm will begin working with state legislators during hearings aimed at improving the reliability and processes of CenterPoint Energy, the largest energy provider in the Houston region.
