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Sterling Ridge Village Association Meeting:
The next meeting of the Sterling Ridge Village Association will be Monday, August 28, at 7:00 PM at the Sterling Ridge YMCA.

County Precinct 2 Commissioner Craig Doyal will be at the meeting to speak to the Association about the proposal for the County to acquire rights of way for future extension of Woodlands Parkway west to Highway 249.

Governance Forum:

The Governance Steering Committee is holding a community forum on Saturday, September 23, 2006 from 8 AM until Noon at The Woodlands College Park High School. All individuals who would like to attend must register at www.thewoodlandsgovernance.com, or call Audra Koster Thomas at The Community Associations of The Woodlands, 281-210-3800. This forum will allow residents to:
- Review and discuss the legal, political, and financial data assembled by the Governance Steering Committee,
- Review the governance alternatives for adherence to the evaluation criteria prioritized by the public at the February 2006 forum, and
- Discuss and provide feedback on the Governance Steering Committee’s preliminary recommendations.
The desired outcome of the event will be to provide public feedback to the Governance Steering Committee in developing a final governance recommendation.

This is a very important event an all interested parties should attend if possible. I often get the questions “Is The Woodlands going to incorporate?” and “When is The Woodlands going to incorporate?” This is the time and place for residents to have input into that decision. There are a limited number of seats, but if more people request attendance than space has been provided for, hopefully the Governance Steering Committee would hold additional sessions. The more residents who educate themselves on the alternatives and provide input, the better the chance for a successful future.

Two alternatives are on the table at present: A special purpose district, and incorporation. Members of the Committee have said that these two alternatives are not mutually exclusive, with the possibility of a special purpose district (with sales taxing authority similar to Town Center Improvement District) being formed soon, and possible incorporation in the future. The Committee is very close to putting forth a recommendation that could be taken to the legislature for the 2007 session. Under the present plan, if legislation effort is successful, residents would get a chance to vote yes or no on the formation of the entity provided for in the legislation. However, there is no plan to hold an election allowing the residents to choose among a special purpose district, incorporation, or both. Therefore, forums like the Sept 23 event are a very important tool through which residents can provide input.

Park and Ride Update:

The Village Association has not received answers to the questions posed at the June meeting. When they are received, they will be posted on at www.sterling-ridge.org.

Upcoming Joint Board Meetings:

During September, the TWA Board will meet jointly with the Woodlands Community Association Board and the Woodlands Commercial Owners Association Board to address issues such as future governance, the Woodlands Recreation Center, and the 2007 budget, including the proposal to increase the level of funding for law enforcement. The meetings during September are workshops during which the directors review levels of service and the related costs. The TWA will then have two public hearings on its budget, the first on October 26 and the second on November 15. Look for meeting notices and agendas at www.thewoodlandsassociations.org.

Wheel-Friendly Parks (Skate Parks):

At the September 24, 2006 meeting, The Woodlands Association Board will again address the issue of wheel parks in the TWA area. A number of residents have spoken to the Board about the dangers of wheel parks, and three separate reviews have been done of the wheel parks available in The Woodlands. At the Thursday meeting, the Board is scheduled to address several recommendations made as a result of the reviews. Possible outcomes include a reduction in the number of skate parks, requirements for the wearing of personal protective equipment, improved signage, and perhaps, future paid supervision for the wheel park facilities, perhaps with an accompanying fee to users.

TWA Board Meeting:
The next TWA board meeting will be Thursday, September 24, 2006 at 7:30 PM, at the Community Associations Building, 2201 Lake Woodlands Dr.

STANDING INFORMATION AND NOTICES:

Water Wells and Plant:

The San Jacinto River Authority is planning to construct a water plant including two tanks and two water wells off of Branch Crossing Drive south of the new Super Wal-Mart and west of Branch Crossing. The Woodlands Development Company has prepared a notice for home builders to provide to purchasers so that they are aware of the future location of the facility. Construction is planned to being in mid to late 2006 and proceed for 12 to 18 months.

Future Governance Information:
The Woodlands Governance Steering Committee is working on a plan for a future government structure of The Woodlands. They have set up a website, www.thewoodlandsgovernance.org where you can sign up for e-mail updates and follow the progress of the committee as well as provide your input.

Organization of The Woodlands:
An organization chart for The Woodlands has been developed and added to the Sterling Ridge website at www.sterling-ridge.org/org_chart.php. The chart is "clickable," and takes the viewer to FAQ where additional information is given about the various organizations that provide services to residents of The Woodlands.

Association Service Requests:
A very easy to use feature on the Community Associations website provides a way to report problems or ask for assistance from the Community Associations paid staff. Problems or questions relating to things like park, pathway, and streetscape maintenance, street lights, covenant administration, garbage and recycle pickup, pools, etc, can be entered online via the “Service Request” button on the Community Associations website. This new feature is very easy to use and responses are sent via e-mail notifying the resident of the status of his or her request. There is no need to contact me with every request. Feel free to contact me, however, if you have any trouble getting resolution.

Contact Info:
If you have any questions or comments, you can contact me:


Class A Elected Director from Sterling Ridge and Assistant Treasurer The Woodlands Association