Following an analysis of the township’s current governance performance in 2011 and a comparison of staffing levels should the township become a city, the township will share those results with residents and solicit feedback during a series of public meetings this year. The township has contracted with Partners for Strategic Action, an urban planning firm based in Arizona, to assist in the process.
“That [process] will be comprised of town hall meetings, focus groups, educational and information sharing with all of our residents concerning the options that will be available in 2014 for the future government of The Woodlands,” said township board of directors chairman Bruce Tough.
Those options, he said, would include a review of the legal and financial cost of becoming a city, remaining a township, or adding additional legislative enhancements to the existing government entity that serves The Woodlands.
“So it’s going to be a very inclusive process and an intensive community engagement process involving all of our residents who wish to attend,” Tough said.
Public meetings
Although no dates have been finalized, the public engagement process will begin in mid- to late- January with a pair of discussion groups and randomly selected residents. Those meetings will focus on testing messaging and informational materials where the township will receive feedback on those processes.
Among the primary issues that will be discussed at the meetings is a financial analysis should The Woodlands incorporate, said Curt Dunham, PSA chief executive officer.
“We are looking at a baseline year of 2015 and projecting the responsibility of municipality,” Dunham said.
Those responsibilities could include the creation of a public works department, construction of a police department and detention facility and inclusion of local municipality utility districts and those district’s debts, he said.
“These are all costs that would come along should the community decide to incorporate,” Dunham said.
In order to fund the additional services and facilities, the township would need to increase its revenue. The most likely source for additional funds, Dunham said, would be a hike in property tax.
“The [township] sales tax is already, so [the additional revenue] would have to come from an increase property tax,” Dunham said.
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