Downloadable PDF links for the below meeting notes:
Conference with County Commissioner Steve Aldrich and Engineer Prarthana Banjeri , September 22 – Dennis Hethcoat – Outreach Team
On 9/22/20, we held a conference call with County Commissioner Steve Aldrich and County Engineer Prarthana Banjeri. Attendees for the HOA were Rick Bennett, Anita Dunkin, Brenda Hiler, and Dennis Hethcoat. The primary purpose of the meeting was to discuss the straightening if I&GN Road from Greens Prairie to the entrance of Saddle Creek.
County Engineer Prarthana Banerji gave us some background on the project:
The County under former County Engineer Alan Munger hired a consultant and had a preliminary design for the project. They acquired the right of way (ROW) that was specified under that preliminary plan. The County subsequently hired a new consultant who recommended a new design that would be better and safer, but also requires the acquisition of addition ROW. The County has hired an outside appraiser and is making offers to obtain the additional property needed.
The project is 100% designed. In order for the project to move forward:
- The County must acquire the remaining ROW. The County Engineer thought there were 7-8 properties pending.
- Once the ROW is acquired, the project will be put out for bid – takes about 8 weeks
- BTU must relocate pole(s)
- Frontier must relocate their lines
- Wellborn SUD water line will be moved when the dirt work starts
The current project cost is $3.1 million, but the exact cost will not been known until it goes out for bid. The money for the project is in the 2022 budget, which runs October 2021-September 2022. The project is expected to take 8-10 months to complete once dirt work starts. The County is supposed to notify us prior to the start of the work.
When the project is complete:
- Roadway will be two 15 foot lanes (currently two 11 foot)
- Have 2 foot shoulders on both sides
- Have concrete reinforced drain pipes
- County will repair driveways affected
Brazos County currently does road & bridge work as they have the money in the bank. Commissioner Aldrich has been working to get Commissioners Court to use some debt to expedite the construction projects due to the rapid growth of the County. He indicated construction costs were going up faster than the cost of the debt and that for fiscal years 2022-2026 we could maintain the current $.5 per 100 tax rate while adding $70 million in road projects. The County has also hired Innovation Transportation to help the County obtain more state and federal money for projects.
One other item Commissioner Aldrich brought up was 2050 Metropolitan Housing Organization (MPO) 2050 concept map. This long range planning map shows a roadway that will run between Saddle Creek and Winding Creek, basically down the railway easement. The MPO maps can be viewed at bcsmpo.org.
Emergency Service District Meeting, September 3, Dennis Hethcoat – Outreach team
I attended the September 3rd Emergency Services District public hearing on behalf of the HOA. The ESD is the taxing entity to fund our volunteer Fire Department. The primary purpose of this hearing was concerning the tax rate, which is remaining at .03 per $100 valuation, but because of the increase in our property valuations resulted in increased tax revenue. This required them to have a public hearing. They will vote to adopt the tax rate at their next meeting.
Since no other citizens were there, I was able to have a discussion with all the ESD Commissioners and get some background and what the future plans are for the Fire Department, as well as give them some information on Saddle Creek.
- ESD #1 formed in 1998 with merger of Wellborn and Millican FD
- Currently all volunteer headed by Chief Chet Barker, who works full time for College Station FD
- There are currently 4 fire stations in ESD#1
- Typical year they respond to around 500 calls, up greatly this year with 80 just in August
- Their current budget is $480,000
- They will be making their final payment on debt next month
- The State rates fire departments with an ISO rating from 1 to 10 (10 being the worst), they had been a 9 or 10 depending on how far away from a fire station you were, but the Chief requested the State inspect and re-rate the department. As of February 2020, they are now rated 5/5Y. They said a lower ISO should lower homeowners insurance premiums.
The Chief estimates they need about 25 volunteers per station, but they have seen a drastic drop in the number of volunteers, now around 25 for all stations total. The volunteers all carry pagers and when they get a call, they have to leave wherever they are, go to the station to get the truck and then respond to the call. He recently approached the ESD Commissioners about putting on some paid staff that will stay at the station. This would decrease response times and help replace the drop off in volunteers. Initially there would be a Chief, then they would add firefighters from local fire departments looking to pick up extra shifts. There would be no training required since they would already be certified.
The problem the ESD is facing is funding. They are currently under an old rule that caps them at .03 per $100 valuation, while most ESD’s around the State are under a .10 cap. The Commissioners indicated that they have managed to build new fire stations and provide the necessary equipment at .03, but that does not provide any funding for paid personnel. Their forecasts show they would need another .02 per $100 valuation to hire the Chief and pay a rotating crew of part time firefighters to be housed at the stations. A couple of the stations were built with living quarters in anticipation of growth in Precinct 1.
There will be a proposition on the November ballot to allow them move to the new .10 cap, in line with other state ESDs. There should be flyers with all the details of their plan coming in the mail in the next couple of weeks. There is also an open house on October 8th from 6:30-8:30 at the Millican fire station for anyone interested. I have contact information for the consultant handling this for the ESD as well as contact information for Chief Barker if we need additional information.
Commissioner’s Report, September 1, Saddle Creek Board of Directors
Anita Dunkin and Brenda Hiler had a conference call with Commissioner Steve Aldrich September 1 to introduce themselves and let him know that the SC Board and related committees had formed up earlier this year and wanted to start getting more up to speed on county/precinct matters and events, and to let him know of the Subdivision’s concerns about increased traffic and dangerous road conditions on IG&N/Stousland from Green’s Prairie to Saddle Creek. They asked Mark Hiler to join them in the call in that he had made contact with Steve earlier in the year to run our Fourth of July plans past the Commissioners Court in connection with the Covid restrictions.
Steve talked a bit about IG&N, but was focused more on the road failure/closure near Capstone. With respect to that, he reported that the County had gone through a condemnation process to acquire land to properly fix the failed section/bridge, and that they had settled and would be advertising for construction bids shortly, and work might commence in 60 -90 days. Anita brought the conversation back around to the stretch of road we would be concerned with, and Steve said that, while he was familiar with the dangerous curves in the road and overall need to have a better roadway to fit today’s traffic, he wasn’t as conversant on what exact plans the road department had underway for that section, but that he would get updated on it and get back with Anita and Brenda. Mark told him that it would also be helpful to give us a primer on how road issues are addressed in general, whether in voicing concerns, or understanding the process, documentation, and prioritization of projects, and what resources could be reviewed to stay abreast of such matters. Steve said he’d look forward to updating us, and would include the county engineer to help school us.
During the conversation, Steve indicated that much of his efforts in first term were focused to helping get the Emergency Services Districts in shape to attain taxation status to provide ongoing funding. Steve suggested we get acquainted and familiar with the ESD1 commissioners, and related that the ESD was having a public hearing on its proposed tax rate on September 3 at 5:30 PM down in Millican. He said it would be a good opportunity to meet those folks and get them familiar with our HOA. That being said, Anita and Brenda thought it good that someone from our Committee attend the meeting to represent us and start forming a relationship with the group. Dennis Hethcoat from the Outreach Team volunteered to attend that meeting and report back to the Board and Outreach Team.