What you need to know
Board members voted 6-1, with Shelley Sekula-Gibbs dissenting, to extend the contract with Williams Public Affairs through Dec. 31, 2025 that was initially approved in July.
Director of Intergovernmental Relations Todd Stephens presented the contract to the township board on Dec. 4. It will have the firm working with both the Texas House and Senate as well as the office of Gov. Greg Abbott.
“They will obviously talk to members of the legislature, meet with the chairs of various committees, and members to make sure that they are aware of township priorities,” Stephens said. “And to champion and advocate on behalf of those priorities.”
The board also voted in another 6-1 decision to contract the services of Schwartz, Page and Harding for drafting potential legislation. Stephens said the firm was recommended due to the fact the company was involved in drafting the initial enabling legislation for The Woodlands.
Another viewpoint
Sekula-Gibbs voted against the hiring of both firms due to concerns over a lack of a clear set of priorities for the legislative session.
“I haven't heard a report on any of the results,” Sekula-Gibbs said. “I was supposed to be on a committee that would be hearing some of this, and that committee never met. So I don't understand why we're doing something again where we didn't really get any feedback.”
Board member Ann Snyder said the township’s ability to testify before the legislature following Hurricane Beryl was due to the efforts of Williams Public Affairs.
Board Chair Brad Bailey also said he wanted the board to have a two-day strategic session which would outline the township’s priorities going into the 2025 session in early January.
Stay tuned
Bailey’s request for a meeting to discuss legislative priorities was approved for a future meeting as well as seeking an update from state Sen. Brandon Creighton and Rep. Steve Toth in January.
