Conroe City CouncilConroe City Council reconvened on Thursday to vote on issues raised during Wednesday’s workshop meeting. Here is what you need to know.
  1. Councilman to lobby in Austin during Texas Legislative session City Council unanimously approved a $50,000 budget to send Council Member Duane Ham to Austin on a part-time basis to lobby state legislators in regards to groundwater regulations in Montgomery County. The city has two ongoing lawsuits with local water authorities—the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District and the San Jacinto River Authority. The lobbying relates to efforts by local officials to convert the LSGCD board of directors—which are currently appointed by various municipalities and utility providers—into an elected board.
  2. City approves fire department construction contracts City Council approved a $66,619 contract with Terracon Consultants, Inc. to provide construction material engineering services for the new fire station No. 7. The station is under construction at the intersection of League Line and Longmire roads. Council will also consider a change order for the Christensen Building Group, approving $464,650 to build a driving pad at the new fire training facility.
  3. City tables ordinance amendment that reflects increase in LSGCD fees The tabled its vote to ammend a city ordinance that would reflect an increase in Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District rates. The district raised its rates from .06 cents to .075 cents per 1000 gallons as of Jan. 1. The city has ongoing litigation challenging the LSGCD and its implementation of groundwater regulations in Montgomery County. During Wednesday’s workshop session, city officials expressed frustration that the increase in fees is necessitated because of a reduction in groundwater use, claiming it is counterintuitive to water conservation efforts.
  4. City to repair roadways damaged by 2016 floods The city approved bids for improvements on Teas Nursery Road, Pawnee Drive and Woodland Hills, which were damaged during historic flooding events in 2016. The city made temporary roads, but the new project will make permanent repairs. The projects are eligible for up to an 80 percent reimbursement from FEMA’s disaster relief funds, totaling about $300,000 of the project cost.
  5. Council recaptures property taxes The council authorized the recapture of property taxes from Jyoti Americas, LLC, which the city declared in default of its 2011 tax abatement agreement. The amount recaptured by the county is unknown. Montgomery County Commissioners Court approved a similar resolution on Tuesday.