CPVA MEETING MINUTES

MINUTES NOT YET APPROVED

Date: September 19, 2005                                                               

Time: 7:30 p.m.
Topics: Miscellaneous This-N-That
 (no speaker)

Attendees: Several.  This is getting to be the Place To Be on Monday evenings!
 

Board Members Present:
Ray Penton
Gail Carney
Susan Kooiman
Seth Bienek
Wade Mulkey
Glen Bernstein
Ted Stanley
Ron Schultz
Laura Dean
Jason Stephens
Cori Singletary
Steve Reinmund
Alecia Klostermann (Village Liaison)

           
Board Meeting Notes:

1. Notes from Ted Stanley, our liaison between The Woodlands and us.  He’s doing quite an excellent job.  See items below:
1. De-Annexing from ESD #4 is complete. 

Ted thanked Gail for pursuing the issue.  We should as a community save roughly $200,000/year once all official ties are complete.  Separation goes into affect 12/31/05.  ESD #4 (Needham Road station) will cover for fires and other emergencies until the new fire station #6 is up and running, est. some time in 2006.  No worries; their builders will be faster than the road crews on I-45.  We are still responsible as a community to pay, pro-rated, for all debt incurred while the ESD #4 was serving us (that’d be any equipment they bought this year or in years past).  They will not be buying new equipment between now and 12/31.  They may be selling some.  That would be what we call a fire sale.  Humor there.  Ha.  Monies made from sales would be deducted from what we owe.  Financial requirements should be settled within the next year or year and a half.  Depends on debt rates, sales, etc

2. Quiet Zone. 

W-a-y too expensive.  See August minutes for details. 

3. Power line trees.

Some experts that have been asked have indicated that re-planting trees under the power lines would not help make the rails quieter.  These experts obviously do not live near rail lines and notice the difference between summers of full foliage and winters of deciduous trees.  Ted is working with Joel Deretchin, who’s working with Entergy and The Woodlands, to see if we might be able to get some trees planted under the lines.

4. Street light at Donwick and 242.

TxDOT has it on the calendar.  It was scheduled for the week of 9/20 but given expected Rita damage, it may or may not happen soon.

5. College Park High School

Students seem to be quite happy at the school.  Ted quoted someone as saying it was a “wonderful place to learn.”  We can all bet the quote did NOT come from a teenager….

6. Toll road flyover of 242

Bond passed last week.  Will be a flyover for folks going north on 45 to go west on College Park (think Woodlands Pkwy – just without the bronze deer).  Also should allow eastbound traffic to go south.  Theoretically the road would not be a traditional toll road but one in which the state pays the county based on the number of vehicles traveling.  Don’t bet the farm on that one.

1. Budget meetings for The Woodlands are coming up. 

Scheduled Tuesday, 9/20 6-9 p.m. at the Community Assns. building. 
Scheduled Wednesday, 9/21 6-9 p.  at the Parks and Recreation center by The Woodlands High School. 
Scheduled 10/6 5-9 p.m. TWA building.
Check with Ted if you want the excitement of attending the meetings.  They are open to the public.

1. Government/annexation by Houston

Will have surveys going out next month to random residents.  If contacted, PLEASE participate.  The Woodlands is available for annexation by Houston in 7 years.  TWOC is trying to prevent it by having the legislature pass legislation (which, oddly enough, is what they’re supposed to do) so that citizens can have a vote in whether to be annexed or not.  TWOC is also smart enough not to put all the eggs in the Austin basket – not that Austin is a basket case, but….   They’re also considering the idea of incorporating.  We are not too far for Houston to reach.  San Antonio bypassed a number of communities to annex the Dominion a few years ago, where most of the Spurs basketball team lives, along with Garth Brooks and other well-heeled folks.  The Dominion is as far from San Antonio as we are from Houston.  We represent a pretty fair amount of taxable income to Houston.   

Open forums are scheduled:
10/4  7-9 p.m.  Montgomery County Community College, Rm B102
10/4  7-9 p.m.  St. Anthony of Padua adult meeting room
10/5  7-9 p.m.  Grace Presbyterian Church
10/5  7-9 p.m.  George and Cynthia Woods Mitchell library

2. Notes from Alecia: Check The Woodlands Associations website!  It has information for emergencies, lists of shelters available, hurricane preparation checklists, etc.  Very, very useful site.

Also – please be aware.  The Woodlands is not free from crime.  Most of our crimes here are crimes of opportunity, not physical crimes.  Folks are leaving computers overnight in unlocked cars, leaving back doors open, etc.  One neighborhood is experiencing a fellow who’s going along back fences, hopping the fence and checking back doors.  Unlocked doors add purses, money and valuables to his private collection.  KEEP YOUR DOORS LOCKED!

3. Notes from me, your Social Chairman:

The annual Halloween Spooktacular is coming. 
Date: October 30th.
Time: Late afternoon
Location: Harper’s Landing pool area

I’d had very, very positive response from residents concerning the idea of a pumpkin carving contest.  Carving kits would be available only to persons over 18 – the kits have small cutting tools, no O.J. knives, but still, they’re not going into the hands of a 6-year-old without a parent right there, supervising.   Some members of the board, though, weren’t very excited about the idea.  I’ll continue to get feedback from both sides of the issue before deciding. 

4. Notes from Ron: (Treasury report): we are in good standing. 

Ron is doing an excellent, excellent job of keeping track of the budget. 

5. Notes from the board:  Jason Stephens graciously volunteered to put together a speakers’ calendar, so that we can advertise in advance the speakers that will be presenting at any given meeting.  This will be a HUGE help in writing the minutes and in writing the article for The Woodlands Magazine, albeit they change the information and the wording in there so much that they may opt to delete it anyway.

6. Notes in general:  Trent Andrews had to resign from the board because of work commitments.  We welcome Laura Dean in his place.  Thank you, Laura!

7. Panther Creek Fall Flea Market is scheduled for October 1st.  We need volunteers. We make our scholarship money from Panther Creek paying us by the number of volunteer bodies.  Contact Ted Stanley or Gail Carney for information. 

8. LIGHTING CONTEST!!!!!!

Prizes for best house, best neighborhood (defined as a part of a street or any series of houses with a theme or whatever).
Lighting judged the week of 12/11-12/17. 
Capshaw Court has won it repeatedly in the past.
Winners get a pool party.

9.  Elections are approaching.  Pull out boxing gloves and campaign promises now.  January filing, February voting.  Up for grabs are the positions of Treasurer (2 year stint), Vice President (2 year stint) and Area Representative (7 of those, at 1 year stint each). 

 
Next Meeting: October 17.  Tentative speaker: CPHS principal

Upcoming Events:
October 30th – Halloween Spooktacular
Place: Harper’s Landing pool area, once again
Time: Late afternoon
Food: Yes!
Games: Yes!
More details coming later? Yes!

The Social Chairman (that’s me, Susan Kooiman) would love to hear any ideas for the party.  I have a list of volunteers already, always need more.  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!