Grand Jury Takes the MC Commissioners to Task 4.8.13

If you have been keeping up with the newpapers, then you know that the Grand Jury has been investigating how the development, construction and financing of the Joe Corley jail facility and the Mental Health facility.  The jail, which I understand is still almost empty, is now up for sale.

Although the investigation into potential criminal conduct by the Montgomery County Commissioners returned no indictments, the grand jury took county commissioners to task for, among other things, ethical violations, mismanagement and lack of financial oversight. In a scathing letter to the commissioners (minus James Noack, who was elected after the investigations began), the grand jury strongly urges them to immediately adopt ethical guidelines, and concludes the letter by declaring, "our county officials should not profit on the backs of their constituents."

On Monday, April 8 District Attorney Brett Ligon will read the following letter to the commissioners at Commissioners Court at a public hearing, where the public will be able to speak before the court. Commissioner  James Noack has been instrumental in arranging for this public hearing.

 

GRAND JURY LETTER

March 28, 2013
To the Commissioners Court and fellow Montgomery County citizens:
This Grand Jury of Montgomery County, Texas, having completed its term would like to relay the following information:
Over the last several months, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office presented volumes of testimony, numerous witnesses, thousands of documents and evidence concerning potential criminal conduct in the development, construction and financing of the Joe Corley facility and the Mental Health facility. Our sole job as the Grand Jury was to review this evidence and determine whether probable cause existed to indict for criminal conduct. After reviewing the evidence and applicable law, it has become apparent that although there were no actionable criminal charges, ethical violations, mismanagement and lack of financial oversight was present.

As 12 citizens of Montgomery County, Texas, the best way for us to express our sincere disappointment in the conduct of the Commissioners Court and to try to change your dealings was to author this letter to you to be presented in a public forum so that our community would know that this matter was given every attention. The lack of ethics in decision making, failure to disclose personal relationships, and pure disregard for best practices and above board dealing was very upsetting to each of us. We expect more from our elected county officials and hope that major changes in how the court functions and how individual commissioners handle personal relationships are made immediately. The County Judge and Commissioners Court should continuously train in ethics and best practices to ensure that these violations do not reoccur.

We strongly challenge our Commissioners Court to immediately consider and adopt ethical guidelines that prohibit members of this Court and other county employees from conducting personal business with vendors, developers, architects and engineers currently engaged in the pursuit of county business. This simple ethical practice avoids the appearance of impropriety and the easy lure of inappropriate financial dealings.
Our county officials should not profit on the backs of their constituents.
Sincerely,
Grand Jury of the 410th District Court

Proposed Research Forest Overpass at Grogans Mill

As a member of the Woodlands Township Board of Directors, I also serve as a member of the Township’s Transportation Committee as well as the South Montgomery County Mobility Committee. Many of you have heard about the proposed grade separation or overpass at the intersection of Grogan’s Mill and Research Forest. This would be very similar to the Woodlands Parkway overpass at Grogans Mill. This project is currently being considered as part of H-GAC’s 2013-2016 TIP Call for Projects and will cost approximately $4.3 million. There has been some local opposition to the project from The Woodlands residents in Grogans Forest and the City of Shenandoah.  I wish to share my perspective on the project in the context of the broader mobility issues we will face in The Woodlands as we approach our projected build out population of about 135,000 residents. 

Research Forest is one of the three major arterial access roads into The Woodlands from I 45. As always intended, the proposed overpass will be located in a heavily wooded median area between the existing lanes of Research Forest. The existing lanes of Research Forest Drive will remain as feeder roads. The proposed overpass at Grogan’s Mill has been part of The Woodlands mobility plan for the past 30 years. The overall roadway plan for The Woodlands was covered by the Community Impact Magazine in their April, 2013 issue.( Community Impact Magazine The WoodlandsHGAC Transit Options )The map included in this article summarized the roadway expansion that will be needed at some point in the future. The Woodlands was designed, and rights of ways were provided, to accommodate this expansion. Many of our residents have not been aware of these plans and may view some of the expansion to accommodate our future growth in a negative light. But with growth, which is inescapable for a successful community, comes mobility challenges.  

The Grogan’s Mill and Research Forest Overpass has always been in the cards. This proposed improvement is only one of several that will ultimately be needed to alleviate the growing congestion on Research Forest Drive. Today, there are approximately 35,000 vehicles using Research Forest every day. This road serves approximately 41,000 thousand residents living within the Town Center, East Shore and the Villages of Cochran Crossing and Alden Bridge. In the next five years, it is forecasted the office space around Grogans Mill/Research Forest will grow from 10 million square feet to 18 million square feet. Today, there is only .4 % vacancy in Class A office space. This growth in office space is needed to support a forecasted increase of approximately 300 employers who will add over 13,000 jobs during the next five years. During this same period, it is expected the number of residents living within this “downtown area” will increase to almost 7,000 people. These changes will result in a vibrant, economically robust urban area, but also an area where mobility will be a major constraint unless roadway and transit improvements are forthcoming in the coming years. 

Based on February 2012 and 2013 Traffic Studies, the intersection at Grogan’s Mill and Research Forest is now rated an "F" and is forecasted to only become worse with this coming growth. Every engineering firm that has reviewed this project agrees the proposed overpass will help reduce congestion in the area.

This project’s next step will be to complete the environmental assessment. Many of the concerns expressed to date will be more fully addressed during this phase. However, many of the recent objections to the proposed overpass by a small number of residents and business have already been mitigated by the proposed design. Residents in the City of Shenandoah should not be affected by the overpass. The proposed overpass is not within their city limits--the closest lot within their city is approximately 400 feet from the northern right-of-way of Research Forest Drive. As always intended, the proposed overpass will be located within the current wooded median between the existing lanes of Research Forest Drive. As such, the expanded overpass lanes will be located further away from existing residents than the current road. The forested area between the existing road and the adjacent residential neighborhood of Prosewood is 70 feet and will be preserved. Access to the businesses adjacent to the proposed overpass will be actually be improved and made safer though the feeder road design and incorporation of U- Turn Lane allowing any west bound traffic to reverse course to the east.

Due to the significant negative reaction from the City of Shenandoah and Township residents in Grogans Forest to the proposed overpass, it has now been agreed that this project will be removed as submitted. Instead HGAC is seeking approval for a front end design and environmental assessment project to look at all the possible solutions to the congestion at this intersection. Commissioner Noack will be estbalishing a local steering committee to provide over sight to the project. At present, the project is waiting final approval by HGAC