VIDEO TOUR! 6830 Arborwood in Telfair, Sugar Land, TX

FBISD--not making up school days lost to Hurricane Ike?

Fort Bend ISD plans to submit a waiver request to the Texas Education Agency to excuse lost instructional days due to Hurricane Ike.
At the September 22 business meeting of the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees, Dr. Timothy Jenney, superintendent, recommended, and the Board concurred, that the district not make up the six official days when the district was forced to be closed due to Hurricane Ike. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is not requiring districts to make up those days, and is leaving the decision up to each individual school district as to how it will proceed. The recommendation will be formally acted upon at the October 13th Board Meeting. A formal waiver request will then be submitted to the TEA.

New Territory Blvd. Traffic Alert

New Territory residents will face increased traffic coming and going into the community for up to six weeks starting May 1 while LID 17 builds a flood gate on New Territory Blvd. at the Telfair border. New Territory Blvd. entering New Territory will be narrowed to two lanes for inbound and outbound traffic during that period. Once completed, the road will be back to four lanes of the same original width, said an engineer with LID 17's engineering firm, LJA. LID 17 will add Magnolias, Oleanders and low shrubs to mask the cement walls in the median and on either side of the boulevard that are necessary to support the floodgate. The gate is designed to rise up and act as a levee if activated by rising waters during a 100 year event. When LID 7 raises the levee around New Territory, the internal levee between New Territory and Telfair and the floodgate will become redundant, said the engineer. Telfair has essentially completed raising their levees and this is the final component necessary to meet new FEMA criteria. "We realize the road is heavily used and we want to cause as little impact as possible to residents," said the engineer of the floodgate project. LID 17 is paying approximately $400,000 on the floodgate project.

Stephen F. Austin H.S. ranks in the top 10

Children At Risk, a non-profit organization and a watchdog group that looks out for our children has released their 2008 rankings for 145 Houston area high schools based on the following 14 indicators that you can read at the following link provided. http://www.childrenatrisk.org//cmsFiles/Files/Methodology%202008%20FINAL2%20no%20sublists.pdf
The short of it is, New Territory parents can be quite proud of the quality of education in our neighborhood. Particularly, Stephen F. Austin High School is now ranked in the top 10. William B. Travis High School does not make this list because there is no data available prior to 2006-2007 academic year. The data is required for calculating a 4-year graduation rate. Overall, the F.B.I.S.D. High Schools are arguably the highest ranked ghroup of all districts in the Houston area.

Here are the rankings for the 145 high schools in our area.


1 YES PREP PUBLIC SCHOOLS YES PREP SOUTHEAST CAMPUS
2 HOUSTON ISD
DEBAKEY HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE HEALTH
PROFESSIONS
3 HOUSTON ISD
HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE PERFORMING &
VISUAL ARTS
3 FORT BEND ISD CLEMENTS H S
5 KATY ISD CINCO RANCH H S
6 SPRING BRANCH ISD MEMORIAL H S
7 KATY ISD TAYLOR H S
8 SPRING BRANCH ISD
WESTCHESTER ACADEMY FOR
INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
9 HOUSTON ISD
HIGH SCHOOL FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT
AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE
10 FORT BEND ISD STEPHEN F AUSTIN H S
11 FORT BEND ISD LAWRENCE E ELKINS H S
12 FORT BEND ISD DULLES H S
13 CLEAR CREEK ISD CLEAR LAKE H S
14 SPRING BRANCH ISD STRATFORD H S
15 HOUSTON ISD EASTWOOD ACADEMY
16 HOUSTON ISD LAMAR H S
17 FORT BEND ISD KEMPNER H S
18 KLEIN ISD KLEIN H S
19 ALIEF ISD KERR H S
20 HOUSTON ISD BELLAIRE H S
21 HOUSTON ISD CARNEGIE VANGUARD HS
22 CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD CY-FAIR H S
22 FORT BEND ISD GEORGE BUSH HIGH SCHOOL
24 HUMBLE ISD KINGWOOD H S
25 FRIENDSWOOD ISD FRIENDSWOOD H S
26 CHARTER SCHOOL HARMONY SCIENCE ACADEMY
27 FORT BEND ISD HIGHTOWER H S
28 CLEAR CREEK ISD CLEAR BROOK H S
29 BARBERS HILL ISD BARBERS HILL H S
30 ROYAL ISD ROYAL H S
31 NEEDVILLE ISD NEEDVILLE H S
32 KATY ISD KATY H S
33 MONTGOMERY ISD MONTGOMERY HS
34 GALENA PARK ISD GALENA PARK H S
35 HOUSTON ISD WESTSIDE H S
36 DEER PARK ISD DEER PARK HS
37 LAMAR CISD FOSTER HIGH SCHOOL
37 CONROE ISD OAKRIDGE H S
37 HUFFMAN ISD HARGRAVE H S
40 CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD CYPRESS FALLS H S
40 CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD CYPRESS CREEK H S
42 SPRING ISD WESTFIELD H S
43 SWEENY ISD SWEENY H S
44 BRAZOSPORT ISD BRAZOSWOOD H S
44 SPRING ISD SPRING H S
46 CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD JERSEY VILLAGE H S
47 KLEIN ISD KLEIN COLLINS HIGH SCHOOL
48 CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD LANGHAM CREEK H S
48 CONROE ISD CANKEY CREEK HS
50 HUMBLE ISD HUMBLE H S
51 SPRING BRANCH ISD SPRING WOODS H S
51 KATY ISD MAYDE CREEK H S
53 CLEAR CREEK ISD CLEAR CREEK H S
54 CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD CYPRESS SPRINGS H S
54 CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD CYPRESS RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
54 LAMAR CISD LAMAR CONS H S
57 WILLIS ISD WILLIS H S
58 TOMBALL ISD TOMBALL H S
59 MAGNOLIA ISD MAGNOLIA HS
59 HEMPSTEAD ISD HEMPSTEAD H S
61 LAMAR CISD B F TERRY H S
62 CROSBY ISD CROSBY HIGH SCHOOL
63 ANAHUAC ISD ANAHUAC H S
64 WALLER ISD WALLER H S
65 LA PORTE ISD LA PORTE HIGH SCHOOL
65 HOUSTON ISD BARBARA JORDAN H S
65 GALVESTON ISD BALL H S
68 DANBURY ISD DANBURY H S
69 HOUSTON ISD WASHINGTON B T H S
70 ALIEF ISD HASTINGS H S
71 TARKINGTON ISD TARKINGTON H S
72 HOUSTON ISD MILBY H S
73 LIBERTY ISD LIBERTY H S
74 KLEIN ISD KLEIN OAK H S
75 CONROE ISD CONROE HS
76 HOUSTON ISD CHAVEZ H S
77 HARDIN ISD HARDIN H S
78 ALDINE ISD CARVER H S FOR APPLIED TECH/ENGI
78 BRAZOSPORT ISD BRAZOSPORT H S
80 GOOSE CREEK CISD STERLING H S
80 EAST CHAMBERS ISD EAST CHAMBERS H S
82 DAYTON ISD DAYTON H S
83 HOUSTON ISD DAVIS H S
84 ANGLETON ISD ANGLETON H S
85 NORTH FOREST ISD FOREST BROOK H S
86 HOUSTON ISD AUSTIN H S
86 HOUSTON ISD SCARBOROUGH H S
86 ALIEF ISD TAYLOR HIGH SCHOOL
89 FORT BEND ISD THURGOOD MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL
90 SPRING BRANCH ISD NORTHBROOK H S
91 HOUSTON ISD WALTRIP H S
92 TEXAS CITY ISD TEXAS CITY H S
93 HOUSTON ISD ALTA ACADEMY
94 PASADENA ISD PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL
94 SANTA FE ISD SANTA FE H S
96 PASADENA ISD DOBIE HIGH SCHOOL
96 GOOSE CREEK CISD LEE H S
98 HULL-DAISETTA ISD HULL-DAISETTA H S
99 HOUSTON ISD SHARPSTOWN H S
99 STAFFORD MSD STAFFORD HIGH SCHOOL
101 CHANNELVIEW ISD CHANNELVIEW HIGH SCHOOL
102 HOUSTON ISD REAGAN H S
103 ALVIN ISD ALVIN HIGH SCHOOL
104 HOUSTON ISD FURR H S
104 NORTH FOREST ISD SMILEY H S
106 GALENA PARK ISD NORTH SHORE SENIOR HIGH
106 SHELDON ISD C E KING H S
108 CLEVELAND ISD CLEVELAND H S
109 ALIEF ISD ELSIK H S
110 CHARTER SCHOOL JESSE JACKSON ACADEMY
111 HITCHCOCK ISD HITCHCOCK H S
112 CHARTER SCHOOL CALVIN NELMS HIGH SCHOOL
113 KLEIN ISD KLEIN FOREST H S
114 COLUMBIA-BRAZORIA ISD COLUMBIA H S
114 HOUSTON ISD WORTHING H S
116 HOUSTON ISD YATES H S
117 HOUSTON ISD SAM HOUSTON H S
118 HOUSTON ISD MADISON H S
119 FORT BEND ISD WILLOWRIDGE H S
120 HOUSTON ISD JONES H S
121 NEW CANEY ISD NEW CANEY H S
122 HOUSTON ISD LEE H S
123 DICKINSON ISD DICKINSON H S
124 SPLENDORA ISD SPLENDORA H S
124 CHARTER SCHOOL COMQUEST ACADEMY
126 PASADENA ISD SOUTH HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL
127 PASADENA ISD SAM RAYBURN H S
128 LA MARQUE ISD LA MARQUE H S
129 CHARTER SCHOOL RAUL YZAGUIRRE SCHOOL FOR SUCCESS
130 CHARTER SCHOOL SOUTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL
131 CHARTER SCHOOL GIRLS & BOYS PREP ACADEMY
132 HOUSTON ISD H P CARTER CAREER CENTER
133 CHARTER SCHOOL GEORGE I SANCHEZ H S
134 HOUSTON ISD WESTBURY H S
135 HOUSTON ISD KASHMERE H S
136 HOUSTON ISD WHEATLEY H S
137 HOUSTON ISD STERLING H S
138 CLEAR CREEK ISD CLEAR VIEW EDUCATION CENTER
139 HOUSTON HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL HOUSTON HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL
140 HUMBLE ISD QUEST H S
141 HOUSTON ISD CONTEMPORARY LEARNING CENTER H S
142 CHARTER SCHOOL
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE
CHARTER SCHOOL
143 CHARTER SCHOOL NORTH HOUSTON H S FOR BUSINESS
144 CHARTER SCHOOL
HOUSTON CAN! ACADEMY CHARTER
SCHOOL
145 CHARTER SCHOOL
ALPHONSO CRUTCH'S-LIFE SUPPORT
CENTER

Here’s a link to their complete news release on the school rankings http://www.childrenatrisk.org/childrenatrisk.cfm?a=cms,c,449

New Territory Reaches Out to Soldiers

There's only a few days left to get your holiday item out to our overseas troops as Mary Scantilin will soon be mailing out her care packages as part of her "Good News for Soldiers" outreach project.

Mary Scantlin is a Pointe Royale resident who created "Good News for Soldiers" a few years ago as a way to support overseas troops. She and her growing volunteer base work to send out as many packages as possible—mostly at key holidays but randomly throughout the year as well.

For the December holiday season, Scantlin wants to send special gifts to the soldiers rather than the ordinary (although necessary) items like aspirin and wet wipes. If you are wishing to make a donation for the holiday care packages, use your imagination and think of something that would brighten the season, she suggested. Some examples are Christmas lights, candles, hot cocoa and marshmellows, afghans, Santa hats, CDs or DVDs, games, puzzles and chocolate. "They really crave chocolate and we can send it now that it's cooler and won't melt," she said. Gift donations are due by Friday, November 30.
Katrina Chapman, owner of the Book Nook on Hwy 90-A in the McDonald's center, is running a similar project this holiday season by offering cards for a reduced price of $1 to customers to write their own message to "any soldier." She has packaged up 52 cards so far but there is still time to add to the box! Chapman will mail out the boxes by December 4.

A flat rate box costs $9 to send so Chapman sells chocolate to raise mail money while Scantlin says donations are helpful. You can show your support by stopping by Chapman's store to pick out a card or by donating items, money, or your time to Scantlin's "Good News for Soldiers" outreach program.
And, if you know a New Territory resident serving in the military overseas, please pass on their name and information to Scantlin, she said. Scantlin's group recently met a soldier from New Territory who had received their packages and was on a short leave from a tour of duty in Iraq. "He brought cakes for us and I tell you it was hard to keep a dry eye as he thanked us profusely…" she said of their meeting with Michael Dinh Truong.

You can contact Scantlin at: spgndy@yahoo.com and Chapman at: nckj@alltel.net .

New Territory Residents Voice Concerns Over Development Project

RESIDENTS VOICE CONCERNS OVER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Some Greystone Place residents have threatened to sue the NTRCA if the board allows a financial investor to develop property behind their homes, on the south side of the levee, said homeowner Paul Hillegeist in an October 19 email to board members. “Please be aware that Greystone Place residents living along the Brazos River levee will pursue litigation as necessary to the full extent of the law to prevent any activity behind Greystone Place that would significantly change or restrict the current landscape and privacy as this is directly opposite to the spirit of the original developer, Markborough, and subsequently Coventry Homes and Newmark (sic, who sold homes in Greystone),” wrote Hillegeist.
In a subsequent phone conversation, Hillegesit said the threatened litigation does not refer to plans by LID 7 to raise the levee (see story, page 6 ).
Rather, residents are concerned about the construction of any recreational or commercial facilities in the NTRCA owned property behind their homes because the NTRCA entered into a contract in 2006 with financial investor Frank Marx that gave him an exclusive, five year option on the land and which gave the NTRCA the unconditional right to approve or reject any proposed project by him. The land includes two tracts south of the levee. One tract, 66 acres, exists west of U.S. 99 and south of the Sports Complex, parking lot, and Brandons Point subdivision. The other tract, 96 acres, is east of US 99, south of Greystone Place, Watermill, and runs all the way down to US 59. Because Markborough, the developer of New Territory, attached restrictions for future use and development on that land, the NTRCA would have to remove those restrictions in order for Marx to proceed with plans . Marx is reportedly expected to hire an attorney, at his expense, to negotiate with Markborough for the release of the restrictions, said NTRCA Community Manager Dwayne Lowry. While Marx has not proposed anything specific for the land behind Greystone Place or Watermill, he has considered building a hotel and/or shopping center in the land adjacent to US 59, said Lowry. The NTRCA could retain ownership of the land and control over what is built there, he said. But they could lease it to a developer and possibly even share in the revenues, he said. “New Territory could benefit, year after year, and get full say on what is developed there,” commented Lowry.
Even if the restrictions were lifted, the land comes with another problem: it’s in a floodway. In order to build a commercial structure, the developer would have to obtain a permit which entails a mitigation plan and a drainage detention plan, said a representative in the Fort Bend County Engineering Department. “I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it sounds like it would be really
challenging and tremendously expensive to do something like that...to get (the land) adequately prepped and to get the right elevations,” said Doug Schomburg, Assistant Planning Director for the City of Sugar Land.
Hatfield noted that Marx indicated that “engineering solutions were available” and the project could be “economically feasible.”
However, “until... an answer on the restrictions is obtained, it is perfectly clear why Mr. Marx has not spent any money to start the necessary studies,” commented NTRCA President, Bart Hatfield in a letter to residents.
Hillegeist said he is “fine” with development in the section along US 59 but is opposed to any development south of the residential areas in New Territory. “We all paid premiums for our lots,” he said. “Please note that Greystone Place would be vigorously opposed to any NTRCA support of plans that would allow for any changes or alterations to the viewable green space and tranquility within the green space along the levee…” he said in the email.
Lowry said that Marx had discussed the construction of recreational facilities in that area, such as a nine-hole golf course, hiking trails, or relocating sports fields from the sports complex there but said, “nothing was fleshed out,” for any such projects.
“We recognize there are homes behind there and want to preserve the landscape, but there is another long strip near Telfair,” he said, referring to the land that extends down to US 59.
Greystone Resident Shari Chadderdon also voiced concern that the NTRCA may be considering a proposal to relocate the athletic fields to one of the two tracts and build a commercial center on the sports complex site. Lowry said there are no specific plans for the sports complex but acknowledged that Marx had proposed building bigger, better fields and a parking lot south of the levee system, at no charge to the NTRCA.
Lowry added that it was his understanding that Markborough had originally zoned the sports complex for commercial development, including another grocery store and a strip center. They bowed to opposition from another New Territory commercial developer, however, and built the Sports Complex instead, Lowry said.
Marx also has an option on the three drill sites in New Territory but there has been no substantive discussion on developments in those areas, said Lowry.
Hillegeist said the Greystone Place neighbors have not hired an attorney or taken steps towards filing legal action against the NTRCA. But it may come to that, he said. “I don’t know why they are so against green space...they are not a commercial development agency or a for-profit association and they should leave well enough alone,” he said.
“There seems to be a conflict of interest among those board members who think our community is in the business of making money with a developer who incidentally has ties to the landscaping company instead of protecting our property values,” Chadderdon wrote in an October 19 email to the board. Marx is married to the owner of HLS, the NTRCA’s contracted landscaper/groundskeeper, and that is how he learned of the NTRCA owned land, said Hatfield.
The NTRCA board has not publicly addressed the complaints. Lowry commented that the NTRCA would retain control of any developments authorized by the board. A significant and ongoing revenue stream could offer opportunities for financial stability and/or future improvements that would benefit the entire community, he said.
But, without an answer from Markborough on whether they are willing to lift the restrictions, “it makes no sense for us to spend any time evaluating potential ideas or answering detailed inquiries on what he might propose,” said Hatfield.

No Increase in New Territory HOA Dues for 2008

There will be no assessment increase for 2008 and annual dues will remain at $870, the NTRCA board voted in their October meeting.
The board had considered raising assessments by a nominal amount to cover outstanding debt from 2007, but they plan to use $57,000 in the contingency line item to cover this debt. Although this leaves the NTRCA budget without any emergency funds for 2008, the board expects to re-establish a contingency fund when they sell a strip of land along to LID 7 for their levee elevation project, said Community Manager Dwayne Lowry.
Some residents at the October meeting expressed concerns that the $5.82 million budget is too tight and that the NTRCA could slip into debt, as they did in 2006, when they experienced what ended up being a $219,000 shortfall.
Unexpected increases in electricity costs and insurance premiums were partially to blame for the 2006 deficit, but Lowry said he believes estimates from vendors have been more accurately forecasted for 2008.
Program participation and a significant forecasting error are effecting the Club’s, 2007 year-end financials although, staff members are working to avoid these problems in 2008.
For 2007, the Club will be about $50,000 over budget in Adult Recreation expenses and about $91,000 behind in projected income.
“Moving forward, we need to consider cutting programs,” commented one resident at the October meeting.
Gymnastics was one area that did not generate income as projected because the coaching staff and several participants left the program this Spring, said the Club director. Plus, a $60,000 mathematical, forecasting error showed Gymnastics to be superficially low in income for 2007, she said. Gymnastics is forecasted to end the year with a $95,000 loss. But with the increase in fees next year and continued re-building of the program, Gymnastics is projected to bring in about $100,000, expend $85,000, and net $15,000 in 2008, said Lowry.
The Early Learning Program at the Club, the Club’s biggest money-maker, will also increase fees for 2008 after generating about $30,000 less than what was projected. This was due to the loss of several enrolled students and to an unexpectedly late start in the school year for 2007, said Lowry. The ELP is budgeted to bring in $230,000, spend $167,000, and net $63,000 in 2008.
Youth Recreation, which consists of Volleyball, Basketball, and Soccer, generated about $9,000 more than what was projected in 2007 due to higher participation and the 2008 budget reflects that expectation.
Adult Recreation, which consists of Adult Softball and Adult Soccer, is forecasted for a $18,000 loss in 2007 because of increased referee fees and because of a line-item change to the budget which moves field lighting costs from the general fund to the Club.
Babysitting operated at a $7,000 loss in 2007 because participation dropped when higher fees were implemented, said Lowry. Budgeted income for Babysitting has been lowered to $16,300 for 2008 which is in line with 2007, year-end projections.
Some residents complained that the Club should cut Babysitting and any such program that are “subsidized” by other, profitable programs or by resident assessments. “Babysitting is strictly a service. It has been never been budgeted to make an income,” said Club Director Robin McGuire.
“There’s always been a debate on whether the Club should be partially subsidized or remain revenue neutral,” said NTRCA President Bart Hatfield. “Different people have different opinions...some people believe the Club offers a valuable service and helps with Resale. Others say they don’t use the Club and don’t want to pay for it,” he said. “We’ve tried to strike a balance.”
The only other budget item discussed by residents in the October meeting was a $76,000 increase in Patrol Services which is to cover a 10% salary increase for officers, required by Fort Bend County. The pay increase actually starts in October,

2007, leaving Patrol Services with a $17,500 shortfall for that year and a $30,000 increase for 2008.
Residents asked if there was documentation supporting any reduction in criminal activity within New Territory since the NTRCA hired a fourth deputy last year. Hatfield responded that there were no records of such. A Safety Committee had been charged with the task of compiling records but they did not meet in 2007, he said.
Correction from October, 2007 issue: Annual Assessments were not raised from $750 to $870 in 2006. They were raised from $800.

Video Tour! New Territory Community, Sugar Land, TX

Strategic Partnership Agreements meetings scheduled for each MUD

The public is invited to attend public input sessions for their particular MUDs this month. By law, the MUDs must hold their meetings within the boundaries of their district. They meetings are as follows:

MUD 111 - October 22, 7:00 p.m., at Sartartia Middle School
MUD 69 - October 23, 6:00 p.m., at the Pecan Park gazebo.
MUD 112 - October 23, 5:30 p.m. at the Sports Complex covered pavillion
MUD 67 - October 29, 6:30 p.m., at the Club
MUD 68 - October 30, 7:00 p.m., at Brazos Bend Elementary School

The MUD boards may take action on the Strategic Partnership Agreements following their scheduled meetings.

New Territory MUDs and City of Sugar Land Reach Agreement for Annexation

Annexation negotiations between the City of Sugar Land and the five New Territory MUDs nearly fell apart following a September 25 joint, MUD meeting but a last-minute concession by the MUD 112 board resulted in an agreement by all parties.
The draft Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA), which has been in the works for five years, will be presented this month at various City and MUD public hearings and brought before City Council at their November 6 meeting.
The item of extreme controversy related to the City’s proposed expansion of the wastewater treatment plant at the far west end of New Territory Blvd. as MUD 112 directors fought to limit the size of the site.
Ultimately, the board reportedly conceded to the City’s terms on this issue as long as the City agreed, in the SPA, to preserve existing landscaping and natural vegetation on the north site of the site and to construct any necessary berms or walls on our inside the boundary line.
Because an SPA with the City can only be adopted if all five MUDs sign it, the expansion site controversy created a rift between MUD 112 and the other four districts who expressed support for the proposed agreement.
MUD 112 wanted to negotiate further on the wastewater treatment plant expansion site, saying they didn’t believe the City would walk away from the opportunity to annex New Territory. “We are a pretty good prize for the City. They want us to participate in the expense of the fire station (to be built in Telfair) and their ground water reduction plan,” said MUD 112 Director Jim Grotte. “We’ve negotiated a pretty decent agreement, the best we could...but I am not satisfied,” he said in the meeting.
But the City’s representative at the meeting, Director of Utilities SuEllen Staggs, said the City’s proposed SPA is their best and final offer and that city officials had not expressed a willingness to negotiate further on the issue.
“The decision is yours, whether you are comfortable with this agreement or not...and whether or not you want to be part of the City,” she told the 22 MUD directors present at the meeting.
Several years ago, the City purchased the land surrounding the New Territory wastewater treatment plant with the long-term plan to increase treatment capacity in order to serve future development in their ETJ. These developments include what has become Telfair and two other tracts north of US 90A.
The current plan is to expand the New Territory plant, now 2.5 million gallons per day capacity, to 6.5 mgd by 2012, and to 7.5 mgd in 2019. The most they would expand it would be 10.5 mgd when their north plant behind Target on US 59 reaches the end of its useful life (perhaps around 2025), Staggs said.
The City also agreed to certain terms in their proposed expansion, including minimizing noise pollution by installing blowers inside the buildings, complete odor control mitigation, minimizing light pollution, providing landscape screening, and building the expansion facilities as far west and south as possible, she said. “You’ll just see the trees, you won’t know the plant is there,” said Staggs referring to heavy landscaping that she promised would not be removed during the expansion process.
While these terms were acceptable to MUD 112, they expressed concern that the SPA ties the treatment capacity of 10.5 mgd to the City’s master plan, a document that can be amended in as few as two city council meetings. “They are a City, they are bureaucratic. There is no telling what will happen five or ten years from now,” said Grotte. “They are unwilling to give us a binding commitment on capacity so the only way is
to bind the size of the site,” explained MUD 112 President Carl Dase.
At their regular board meeting in September and at the joint MUD meeting, MUD 112 said they would sign the SPA if the City restricts land usage to an area south and east of the existing facility for a 35-year period. The rest of their acreage would be designated parkland and placed under the control of the NTRCA.
Staggs said the City would agree to MUD 112’s preferred site, but only if certain contingencies were attached to agreement. The City needs the flexibility to expand into an additional 250-feet of property east of the site if necessary, Staggs explained. These contingencies include: equipment failure at the existing plant which would necessitate the construction of new treatment structures, future regulatory changes that would require additional treatment and facilities, and an increase in the flood hazard area determined by FEMA which would eliminate use of some their land.
Staggs said if the MUDs didn’t agree to the contingencies, the City would build their own 8 mgd facility adjacent to New Territory’s plant. Referring to a diagram presented by Staggs showing an example of an 8 mgd facility on the city-owned property, Dase said, “I really don’t think that what they have laid out is useable. But that’s the $68,000 question.”
“The question is, is it reasonable for the City to build a plant in an area that is very limited and where they would have to deal with, possibly, a very messy permitting process. Can they, will they? Nobody really knows,” commented the MUD attorney.
“You may be willing to call their bluff, but we are not,” commented MUD 111 Director Jennifer Weinecke. Matt Shepard, also a MUD 111 Director, said he supports the proposed SPA because it establishes a site for a fire station near the New Territory border. If the proposed SPA is not approved, the City could elect to move the fire station to a more central location within Telfair—further east from New Territory. “We are talking about life safety, response time, and human life,” he said. That wastewater treatment plant isn’t going to kill anyone. But response time is critical,” he said.
Directors with MUD 68, the district furthest from the proposed fire station site, said they are not happy with all the terms of the SPA but want to “stick with New Territory as a whole.”
MUD 67 concurred. “You have more power working from within rather than being the rebel district,” advised Director Leanne Pfister. “For the good of the whole team, it is in our interest that 112 signs the SPA,” she urged.
“We’ve got no aces,” said MUD 69 Director Bart Hatfield. “It comes down to trust and there is no way to answer that,” he said. “Going away from this agreement will cost us a lot,” he said, referring to the possible loss of opportunity for annexation.
The attorneys said that the four districts could possibly negotiate an SPA with the City, without MUD 112, but advised that it would be in the best interest of residents to maintain unity within the community. “The appeal of a master planned community is the uniformity it offers,” said the attorney.
Hatfield, who is also on the NTRCA board, said splitting New Territory into “city” and “non-city” units would be a disaster for the homeowner’s association. “Almost everything in the NTRCA’s structure is consistent with us existing as one political entity," he said.
Following the meeting, MUD 112 directed their attorney to contact the City and express their willingness to accept the SPA as long as no landscaping or vegetation in front of the plant site is removed without their permission and that any flood plain protective barriers are located on or within the proposed boundary line.