CPVA MEETING MINUTES

MINUTES APPROVED

Board Meeting Notes:

1. Note from the RDRC that Allen Renny (forgive me if the spelling is not correct), an engineer, has joined the committee.  He should be an outstanding addition to the committee and we look forward to his contributions.  The RDRC dealt primarily with gazebo and pool requests this past month.

2. Minutes from June and July were approved.

3. Treasury report: we have $9,781.73 currently in the College Park bank account.  That number will decrease significantly next month upon payment of required liability insurance premiums.  We sold all but one of the pre-purchased Astros game tickets; game day bus costs were less than expected.  We’re in good shape.  Thanks, Ron.

4. The Woodlands Associations did not meet in August, so no report there. 

5. Alicia Klosterman, our Village Liaison, brought the usual poundage of papers and handouts to the meeting.  A lot of those brochures are really quite informative.  The Woodlands is hosting The Woodlands Academy 2005 in October.  Sign up early.  It’s a series of evening presentations telling you everything you ever wanted to know about the operation of various elements of The Woodlands, and more. 

6. National Night Out was an absolute, resounding success.  Congratulations to Ann Schultz!  Ann masterminded the event and put it together with the help of her Neighborhood Watch folks.  Grogan’s Forest doubled the number of attendees from last year (wow!).  Harper’s Landing had more than 400 people at the pavilion.  Chuck E. Cheese manager Raul Medina donated 35 pizzas.  They disappeared faster than teenagers at a family reunion.  Ann secured a visit from The Woodlands fire department  and the PHI helicopter – which drew even more folks than the pizza.  We had Child ID cards (with picture) available as well as representatives of the police auto theft unit, offering ideas on how to protect your vehicle.  Sheet cakes donated by Kroger, cotton candy and sodas added additional refreshment.  Thanks again, Ann!

7. Fire service update – we roll over to coverage by The Woodlands Fire Department officially on 12/31/05.  Right now we are covered both by TWFD and by ESD #4 (Needham Road).  December 31^st marks the last date we are obligated to pay ESD #4 for service.  We are still obligated, however, to make payments on debts incurred by ESD #4 while they serviced us (read: we have to pay for equipment procured during that time).  That debt payment should be relieved in another year and a half/ 2 years.  No solid date for that at this time.  Recap: we will continue to pay for debt service but not for operational service as of 12/31.

8. Astros Night was a success.  We sold all but one ticket and even better, the Astros won.    

Speakers:

1.  Miles McKinney of The Woodlands Associations presented the latest developments on the railroad Quiet Zone.   Mr. McKinney gave an excellent, detailed, well-prepared discussion of the issue. 

Summary: Will we have a Quiet Zone?  

                  Short answer: No.

                  Long answer: No, we won’t. 

Reason(s):  Wow.  There are a lot. 

a)      For a Quiet Zone to be implemented, there must be a Supplemental Safety Measure in place at all street crossings within the zone.  That means a curb down the center of the street, plus an island, so that circumventing downed safety arms would be impossible.  Cost of each SSM: roughly $30,000.

b)      The SSM was a surmountable challenge.  Mr. McKinney researched the issue more, meeting with Dale Hill, the engineering manager for the RR.   He also researched the issue through the Federal Register, which spells out all the federal regulations associated with a Quiet Zone.  He passed out an abbreviated version at the meeting. Dale Hill provided more input on the information in the Register.

c)      The Register indicates that the train must blow a warning whistle before approaching a Quiet Zone, at a distance of ½ mile.  That works out great for Harper’s Landing when trains are southbound.  They can blow the whistle just south of 1488 and everything works out great.  The problem lies with northbound trains.  There’s another street crossing at 242.  That crossing is required to have a whistle blow, being that it’s not a Quiet Zone.   The implementation of a Quiet Zone at Harper’s Landing prevents the horn from blowing there.  Conflict problem.  Safety rules are stronger – for Harper’s Landing to install a Quiet Zone, it would also have to install one at the 242 crossing.  Another $30,000.

d)     By Federal standards, a Quiet Zone at both intersections is acceptable.  Quiet Zones can not be considered if the ratio of wrecks to safe crossings is too high. 

                                    Our stats:

a.       Roughly 30 trains/day

b.      Trains supposedly travel at 5-60 mph  

c.       The 30 trains carry approx. 1400 cars/day

      Our safety ratio is fine.

e)      The warning arms that drop when a train approaches a Quiet Zone must be in the “constant warning” mode and take the speed of the train into account.  Makes sense.  You don’t want the arms to drop at the same time for a train going 5 mph as one going 60 mph (which brings back all those agonizing calculus problems of a train traveling x speed leaving the station at y time….).   Our current arms are not in this mode.

      Fee for a design estimate: $5000

      Fee for actually doing the work: $170,000-$225,000 per crossing.

f)       Mr. McKinney was shocked and amazed, as we were.  He confirmed it independently with another individual involved in RR work.   Same answer.

g)      Even better news is that the village association would have to pay for any and all maintenance of the crossing  (curb runover by trucks, damaged by lightning, whatever).  The county would be responsible for project management, but the RR would do the work and bill us for all expenses.

h)      Minimum cost of the project:

($170K x 2) + ($30K x 2) + $5K = $405,000 (+ maintenance)

w-a-y more than TWA would spend

i)        Plan B may be to look into the decibel level of the horn. 

2.      Larry Faith – Panther Creek Fall Flea Market

 Date: October 1

Time: early a.m.

Place: Market Street Parking Garage (new venue)

We need volunteers.  These flea markets are how we fund our scholarships.  The Village Association is paid by the number of volunteers we supply.  Shifts are available from 4:30-8:00 a.m., and from 8-11:30 a.m.

There will be an orientation Wednesday, September 28, 6 p.m., at the garage.  Contact Gail Carney if you are interested.

For those interested in exhibiting, the height of the garage dictates that displays and/or vehicles transporting goods can be no higher than 6’8”.  Tickets for exhibitors will go on sale 9/17 from 8:30-noon at the Panther Creek Village Center.

Upcoming Events:

October 30^th – Halloween Spooktacular

Place: Harper’s Landing pool, once again

Time: TBD

Food: Yes!

Games: Yes!

More details coming later? Yes!

The Social Chairman (that’s me, Susan Kooiman) would like to have a meeting of all parties interested in planning the event.  I’m tentatively thinking of September 17^th.  Please contact me via email, szkooiman@earthlink.net or by phone, 832-515-5479, if you would like to help.  WE NEED HELP!!!!  PLEASE VOLUNTEER!