TCID officially becomes The Woodlands Township in several historic actions today

Announcing The Woodlands Township today were, from left, Mike Page, The Woodlands Township legal counsel; Bob Kinnear, The Woodlands Township Board of Directors; State Representative Rob Eissler; Dr. Ed Robb, The Woodlands Township Board of Directors; The Woodlands Township Chairman of the Board Nelda Luce Blair; and State Senator Tommy Williams.

It's official. The name of Town Center Improvement District of Montgomery County, Texas, has officially changed, and now The Woodlands Township has expanded to serve 88,000 residents in this community located 25 miles north of Houston, Texas.

The Board of Directors of The Woodlands Township, in some of the most historic steps ever taken since the founding of The Woodlands in 1974, took several actions today based on the overwhelming passage of three propositions presented at an election on Tuesday, November 6, 2007.

The name change occurred as the Board of Directors of the Township canvassed the returns and declared the results of the Confirmation and Tax Election held in The Woodlands last week. The boundaries of the existing Town Center Improvement District were officially expanded today to encompass all of The Woodlands, now known as The Woodlands Township. The name of Town Center Improvement District and also TCID will be part of the past.

“Today, by far, is one of the most significant days in the history of The Woodlands,” said The Woodlands Township's Chairman of the Board, Nelda Luce Blair. “The residents overwhelming said they wanted to determine the future of their governance, and we have just taken a giant step forward. There is a lot of work to do, but we will continue to work in unison with the community in making The Woodlands such a special place and one of the greatest communities in America.”

Voters in The Woodlands overwhelming approved three propositions leading to the establishment of The Woodlands Township in a special election held on November 6, 2007. In the election:

• Proposition 1 (Confirmation of the Addition of Territory) passed by a margin of 13,292 votes for to 2,206 votes against, or by 86%.
• Proposition II (Confirmation of Changes in the Composition of the Board of Directors) passed by 13,295 votes for to 2,172 votes against, or by 86%.
• Proposition III (The Levy of an Ad Valorem Tax) passed by a margin of 12,049 votes for to 3,419 votes against, or by 78%.

A detailed look at the results of the election can be found at the following website: http://www.co.montgomery.tx.us/election/Results/CanvassTownCenter.pdf

Major news coming from the meeting today included:

• The Regional Participation Agreements with the City of Houston and the City of Conroe have become fully effective. The Woodlands Township has partnered with the City of Houston and the City of Conroe for regional projects, and the Township will contribute a portion of the sales and use tax (a sixteenth of one percent in their respective extraterritorial jurisdictions) to regional participation funds established with both cities. All provisions of House Bill 4109 become fully effective as a result of the passage of Propositions 1 & 2, including the provision of reorganizing to a fully-elected Board of Directors.
• The Woodlands Township created The Woodlands Township Economic Development Zone to encompass all of The Woodlands. This mechanism will provide funding for essential public services that directly allows for a reduction in property assessments by the Woodlands Community Association, The Woodlands Association and the Woodlands Commercial Owner's Association.
• The Woodlands Township authorized an interim funding agreement with The Woodlands Fire Department for $6.1 million in funding for fire and emergency medical services for calendar year 2008. “This led to a reduction of property assessments by our community associations of at least 15%,” said Chairman Blair.

“Today's news is great news for residents,” said Chairman Blair. “Already, residents in the Woodlands Community Association (WCA) and The Woodlands Association (TWA) this week have seen a reduction in 2008 assessments.”

Chairman Blair continued, “Now with freedom from unilateral annexation, we have the opportunity to form our own united governance, elect our own leadership, and to decide our own future.  Not only do we enjoy a wonderful place to live and work, but we have outstanding elected officials who help to promote and protect our way of life.”

The Town Center Improvement District Board of Directors in October unanimously approved a Regional Participation Agreement (RPA) with the City of Houston in advance of The Woodlands residents' deciding its future governance structure. The former TCID also reached the same agreement with the City of Conroe concerning the Harper's Landing area, which means the residents of Harper's Landing will reside in The Woodlands Township. Both the Houston & Conroe City Council unanimously approved the RPA's.

“We applaud all the efforts of the individuals who have worked so hard in this process,” said State Senator Tommy Williams, who originally announced the Regional Participation Agreement with the City of Houston in December, 2006. “It's taken a great deal of work by many fine citizens in The Woodlands. The residents let their voices be heard. They have decided how they want to be governed.”

 “This is a first in the history of Texas,” said Rob Eissler, Texas State Representative. “No community of our size has ever escaped the extraterritorial jurisdiction of a city with annexation powers. This solution will serve as a model for the state and for the nation. It's a tribute to the entire community in The Woodlands, as well as to the willingness of the leadership in Houston and Conroe to find a mutually beneficial solution.”