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City of Shenandoah News

Posted on: October 26, 2022

Shenandoah City Council Meeting October 26, 2022 Update

TCPA Presentation to Gordon and Reuvers (JPG)

Supporting Documents for Agenda Items can be found HERE.

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Attendance: Present: Mayor John Escoto, Mayor Pro Tem Charlie Bradt (Position 4), Mike McLeod (Position 5), Jim Pollard (Position 3) and Ron Raymaker (Position 1) Absent: Ted Fletcher (Position 2)

ITEM 6: Presentation of L.E.C.O.P Awards - Lieutenant Joel Gordon and Lieutenant Jake Reuvers became the 11th and 12th graduates, respectively, of the Texas Police Chiefs Association(TPCA) Law Enforcement Command Officer Program. TPCA Director of Training Mike Gentry attended the meeting to personally present the awards to the officers who were named in July as having completed the extensive training. Since July an additional 16 have completed the program which was started in 2018. Congratulations to Joel and Jake. No Council action required.

ITEM 7: Municipal Development District (MDD) Monthly Report - No action required.

ITEM 8: Annual Pool Report -Annual report on the Mary Pat Case Pool by Pool Manager Woody Crosby. No Council action required.

ITEM 9: Silverwood Ranch Backyard Party Street Closure- Residents of the Silverwood Ranch/Silverwood Ranch Estates neighborhood requested permission to hold a block party on November 6, closing the west entry to Silverwood Ranch Drive from 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The east entry will remain open for residential traffic, as well as police and fire. This will not be a political event nor is it associated with the election in any way. Council authorization is required for street closures. Council voted 4-0 to allow the closing.

ITEM 10: Equipment Replacement Fund Purchases - The following purchases include a code enforcement officer vehicle to replace the current 2010 Tahoe. The police department is requesting a second purchase to replace the remaining officers’ vests with the new Angel Armor vests that offer better protection and eliminate the need for two different vests. The police department is also requesting funds be used to replace the 2010 Malibu pool car. All items are eligible purchases. Proceeds from the sale of the older Tahoe and Malibu will be designated back to the department’s equipment replacement fund claim. The total expenditure is $ 88,208.67 . Council voted 4-0 to approve the purchases.

ITEM 11: Award of Bid for the Entry Signs - City Council funded the design of new city entrance signs along the IH-45 corridor in the 2022-23 fiscal year. For consistency, staff sought a proposal from LANDology since they have completed the design of the new entrance signs along Vision Park Dr, Shenandoah Dr, Savanah Dr, Holly Hill Dr, and Six Pines Dr. This project will require coordination with TxDOT and their standards because the new signs will be located in the TxDOT ROW. City Council budgeted $30,000 for the design services and the bid has come in at $28,999. . Council voted 4-0 to approve the Landology bid.

ITEM 12: Mary Pat Case Pool Rehabilitation Project - City council funded a rehabilitation project for the Mary Pat Case pool in the 2022-23 budget. The pool decking is damaged and worn in several locations and has many different shades of paint color. The expansion and drain joints are in need of new mastic and drain material. This rehabilitation will not be a complete replacement of the pool deck, but a repair and painting of the existing structure. Beyond Blue Pools provided the lowest cost estimate at $29,998, lower than their original quote of $33,123. The project is budgeted at $35,000. Council voted 4-0 to award the bid to Beyond Blue.

ITEM 13: Preliminary Plat Approval for Adriatic Cafe - Staff and Bleyl Engineering reviewed the plat and recommended approval of the preliminary plat. The approval allows the developer to proceed with engineering plans and construction. A final plat will follow and be presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a recommendation to City Council for action. Council voted 4-0 to approve the preliminary plat.

ITEMS 14-16: Special Use Permit (SUP) for Wine and Malt Beverages - Crawfish Café requested a Special Use Permit (SUP) at 8850 Metropark Drive, Suite 100, to allow the on-premise sale of wine and malt beverages and does not include an application for late hours permit. It also includes the authority to hold events at a temporary location away from the primary BG premises (there will be an approval process BG Permit holders must follow). A public hearing was held with no comments. The business is in the “PDD #13” – Planned Development District Zoning District. A public hearing was held with no comments. Council voted 4-0 to approve the SUP.

ITEMS 17-19: Variance Request for Encroachment of Pool Equipment - Presentation of a Planning and Zoning Commission preliminary report regarding a variance allowing for encroachment of pool equipment within the side building setback for 136 McKinley Landing Lane. A public hearing was held with no comments. Council voted 4-0 to approve the variance.

ITEM 20: Scheduling of Annexation Public Hearing - A public hearing authorization to call the meeting and post a legal notice for the proposed annexation of properties by the City of Shenandoah requires Council to set a date and authorize publication of a legal notice . Council voted 4-0 to schedule the public hearing at the November 16 Council meeting.

ITEM 21: Approval of Minutes of August 24, September 14 and September 28, 2022 Regular Meetings - Council voted 4-0 to approve the minutes as presented.

ITEM 22: Ratification of September Accounts Payable - Council voted 4-0 to ratify the accounts payable.

City Attorney Updates

A lawsuit filed by Frank Powell, a non-resident attorney, asking for a temporary restraining order (TRO) and temporary and permanent injunctions recently went to trial. The TRO was earlier denied by the judge and the injunctions, both temporary and permanent, were denied by the judge this week. At the present time, the only point remaining with this case is the determination of whether the city will recover attorney fees.

City Administrator Updates

David Memorial Extension to 242 Project moved forward with the Woodlands Township committing $500,000 in partnership funding, Conroe committing their portion through their CIP and Montgomery County funding expected to be finalized at their next Commissioners' Court meeting. Shenandoah will be the lead on this project which is underway with the grubbing portion expected to be completed by February and construction to begin shortly thereafter. There is an expected construction time of one year on the project.
I45/Research Forest intersection Project received five million dollars in federal pass-through funding from Montgomery County. Commissioner Riley will be the lead on this project which has now completed the design phase. It will probably start construction in the summer of 2023.
Research Forest/Grogan's Mill Intersection Project is expected to kick off in November. Commissioner Riley will be the lead on that project.
Reyer thanked the parties that have been instrumental in moving these projects forward including Bleyl Engineering, City Attorney, Public Works Director and Project Manager, Finance Director, former mayor Ritch Wheeler, Mayor Escoto, Commission Charlie Riley, City Council and Municipal Development District (MDD).
CVB Director John Mayner has been busy promoting the city. He was recently on an H-GAC panel for Rural Towns and Downtown Revitalization as well as a participant in a Woodland Chamber "Between the Trees" interview.
Fall Trash Bash was a huge success with 160 vehicles and five full dumpsters. Special thanks to Charley Ballmer and the Neighbors Helping Neighbors for their assistance with residents who could not physically handle the transport of their trash items.
The Halloween Parade will begin at 5 pm and run until approximately 8 pm. A route map is available on the city website as well as on social media.