Southwest Management District Board of Directors met Aug. 22

Southwest Management District Board of Directors met Aug. 22.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

The Board of Directors of the Southwest Management District held a regular meeting on Monday, August 22, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. at the Southwest Management District Office, 6588 Corporate Drive, Suite 168, Houston, Texas 77036, inside the boundaries of the District, open to the public, and open to the public via videoconference, and the roll was called of the duly appointed members of the Board, to-wit: 

Position 1 - Kenneth Li, Chairman 

Position 2 - Fred Bhandara 

Position 3 - David Peters 

Position 4 - Harry Shani, Secretary 

Position 5 - Don Wang

Position 6 - Peter F. Acquaro, Jr.

Position 7 - John R. Holmes, Jr., Vice-Chairman 

Position 8 - Stephen Le, Jr. 

Position 9 - Raj Adnani 

Position 10 - Blu Baillio 

Don Wang Peter F. Acquaro, Jr. 

Position 11- Frank Donnelly, III, Asst. Secretary 

and all the above were present, thus constituting a quorum. A quorum of the Board was present in person, and Director Holmes, Jr. attended the meeting via videoconference. Also present were Alice Lee, Annie Trinh, Alan Bernstein, Victor Beserra, and Linda Clayton, all with Hawes Hill & Associates, LLP; Tim Austin, Allen Boone Humphries Robinson, LLP; Jack Roland, Governmental Financial Reporting; and Pat Hall, Equi-Tax. Others attending the meeting were Erica Rocha, SEAL Security; Mike Laster, Harris County Attorney's Office; Elia Quiles, UPArt Studio; Charmaine LeBlanc; Dr. Aisha Siddiqui; and Ben Zhang. Chairman Li called the meeting to order at 12:03 p.m. 

RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS. 

There were no public comments. 

CONDUCT ELECTION OF OFFICERS: CHAIRMAN, VICE-CHAIRMAN, SECRETARY AND ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 

Mr. Austin provided an overview of the procedures for election of officers. Chairman Position: 

Kenneth Li nominated himself for Chairman of the Board of Directors. Director Adnani nominated Director Acquaro. Director Shani nominated Director Bhandara. Directors Holmes, Jr., Li, Le, Jr., Wang, and Peters voted to elect Kenneth Li. Directors Donnelly, Adnani, and Baillio voted to elect Peter Acquaro. Directors Bhandara, Acquaro, and Shani voted to elect Fred Bhandara. There was not a majority and a run-off for second was taken between Directors Bhandara and Acquaro and Director Bhandara was voted into the run-off election. 

Directors Adnani, Acquaro, Bhandara, and Donnelly voted to elect Fred Bhandara as Chairman of the Board. Directors Holmes, Wang, Baillio, Le, Jr., Shani, Peters, and Li voted to elect Kenneth Li Chairman of the Board. Kenneth Li had a majority vote and was elected as Chairman of the Board. 

Vice-Chairman Position: 

Chairman Li nominated Director Holmes, Jr. Director Shani nominated Director Bhandara. Directors Li, Acquaro, Peters, Le, Jr., Baillio, and Holmes voted to elect John Holmes, Jr. as Vice-Chairman. By majority vote Director Holmes, Jr. was elected as Vice-Chairman of the Board. 

Secretary. 

By a unanimous vote Director Shani was elected Secretary of the Board. 

Assistant Secretary. 

Director Acquaro nominated Director Donnelly. Chairman Li nominated Director Le, Jr. Directors Bhandara, Holmes, Baillio, Donnelly, Adnani, and Acquaro voted to elect Frank Donnelly, Jr. as Assistant Secretary. By a majority vote Director Donnelly, Jr. was elected as Assistant Secretary. 

12:30 p.m. Director Holmes, Jr. left meeting; a quorum of the Board was still present. 

APPROVE MINUTES OF MEETINGS HELD JULY 25, 2022, AND AUGUST 17, 2022. 

Upon a motion made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Wang, the Board voted unanimously to approve the Minutes of the July 25, 2022, Board meeting, and Minutes of the August 17, 2022, special meeting, as presented. 

RECEIVE ASSESSMENT COLLECTION REPORT. 

Ms. Hall presented the Assessment Collection Report, included in the Board materials. She reported a 96% collection rate on the 2021 assessments, $814,137 in uncertified values and 289 unsettled accounts. She reviewed the report on the properties annexed into the District in 2021 which includes 96 commercial properties, with an assessment billing of $86,235.78, and answered questions. Mr. Austin provided an overview of delinquency collection procedures. No action from the Board was required. 

RECEIVE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT AND APPROVE PAYMENT OF INVOICES. 

Mr. Roland presented the Bookkeeper's Report and went over invoices, included in the Board materials. Ms. Lee answered questions regarding the invoice for the Liberty Festival. Upon a motion made by Director Shani, and seconded by Director Adnani, the Board voted unanimously to accept the Bookkeeper's Report and approved payment of invoices, as presented. 

RECEIVE UPDATE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. Director Acquaro reported the Committee met on August 10, a copy of the Committee Minutes is included in the Board materials for review. 

a. Consider funding support for HPD Midwest to send two officers to TLEEAA Advisor Training. 

Ms. Lee reported HPD Midwest has withdrawn this request. No action from the Board was required. 

b. Consider the agreement to re-join the Harris County Attorney's Community  Protection/Nuisance Abatement Program. 

Director Acquaro reported the Committee discussed entering into an Interlocal Agreement with the Harris County Attorney's Office for nuisance abatement services and is recommending for approval. Mr. Laster reviewed the Interlocal Agreement between the Harris County Attorney's Office and District, provided an overview of the scope of services, and answered questions. He reported the agreement is for the period of October 15, 2022, through October 14, 2022, at an annual cost of $60,833.33. Upon a motion made by Director Donnelly, and seconded by Director Baillio, the Board voted unanimously to approve the Interlocal Agreement with Harris County Attorney's Office to provide nuisance abatement services, as presented. 

c. Consider funding support for HFD for 10 textbooks for fire marshall. 

Director Acquaro reported the Committee discussed providing support funding to the Houston Fire Department to purchase ten textbooks for the 2022 Fire and Life Safety Educator I-Syllabus course and is recommending approval in an amount not to exceed $800.00. Upon a motion made by Director Adnani, and seconded by Director Donnelly, the Board voted unanimously to provide support funding to the Houston Fire Department to purchase ten textbooks for the 2022 Fire and Life Safety Educator I-Syllabus course in an amount not to exceed $800.00. 

RECEIVE UPDATE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM ENVIRONMENTAL AND URBAN DESIGN COMMITTEE. 

Director Le, Jr. reported the Committee met on August 10, a copy of the Committee Minutes is included in the Board materials for review. 

a. Consider the Asphalt Art Agreement with the City of Houston Public Works. 

Ms. Quiles with UpArt presented the artwork on the pavement, a copy is included as an Exhibit to the Maintenance Agreement in the Board materials. She reported the paint begins to show wear around one year and will require maintenance. Mr. Austin reviewed the Maintenance Agreement and reported it is a month-to-month agreement and once the artwork isn't present the District would no longer maintain. Ms. Quiles reported she anticipates refreshing the artwork every two years. Ms. Lee reported the agreement is still in draft and the City is reviewing. No action from the Board was taken. 

b. Consider sponsorship request from UpArt for its Big Wall Big Dreams Mural Festival. 

Ms. Quiles reported this is the 2nd Annual Big Wall Big Dreams Mural Festival. Mr. Austin reviewed the documents in the board materials and reported revisions need to be made to the "Sponsorship Agreement" and the Letter of Intent needs to be revised to be an Exhibit to the Agreement and be specific to the project and costs. Director Le, Jr. recommended tabling the item for further review. Upon a motion made by Director Le, Jr., and seconded by Director Peters, the Board voted unanimously to table this item for further review and discussion by the Committee. 

c. Consider task order from Price Wagener for repairs to damaged backflow on Fondren. 

d. Consider task order from Price Wagner for repairs to damaged irrigations in the District. 

e. Consider task order from Price Wagener to perform backflow tests as required by the City. 

f. Approve invoice from Price Wagener for irrigation repairs. 

g. Consider task order from SMC Landscaping for irrigation repairs on Bellaire Corridor. 

h. Consider endcap designs for Bellaire and Gessner and Bellaire and Beltway 8. Upon a motion made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Le, Jr., the Board voted unanimously to (c) approve Price Wagener Work Order #3084 in the amount of $2,334.00 for backflow replacement at 6117 Fondren; (d) approve Price Wagener Work Order #3083 in the amount of $2,659.00 for irrigation repairs; (e) approve Price Wagener Work Order #3079 in the amount of $3,045.00 for backflow testing services; (f) approve payment of Price Wagener invoice #6576 in the amount of $1,970.55 for irrigation repairs; (g) approve SMC Work Order #1321 in the amount of $3,709.00 for irrigation repairs; and (h) approved Option #2 endcap design in the amount of $4,840.00 each for Bellaire @ Gessner and Bellaire @ Beltway 8. 

i. Consider ordering safety vests and car magnets with the District's logo from EV1. The Board reviewed the proposal from EV1 for safety vests and car magnets. No action from the Board was taken, and this item was tabled. 

RECEIVE UPDATE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. 

Director Peters reported the Committee met on August 10, a copy of the Committee Minutes is included in the Board materials for review. 

a. Consider sponsorship request from Houston Asiatown Tours for its Q4 tours and marketing for Southwest District. 

Upon a motion made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Wang, the Board voted unanimously to approve the request from Houston Asiatown Town Tours to sponsor its Q4 tours in the amount of $2,500.00. 

b. Consider sponsorship request from CHAT TX for its Fall Festival. 

Director Peters reported the Committee reviewed the request from CHAT-TX to sponsor its CHAT Fall Festival and is recommending approval in the amount of $10,000.00. Dr. Siddiqui provided an overview of the Festival to be held at Baker-Ripley in the District on September 25 and answered questions. Upon a motion made by Director Shani, and seconded by Director Bhandara, Directors Li, Bhandara, Peters, Shani, Wang, Le, Jr., Baillio, and Donnelly voted to approve the request from CHAT- TX to sponsor its Fall Festival in the amount of $10,000.00. Director Acquaro voted nay. Director Adnani abstained. The motion passed. 

c. Consider payment to Illumination Fireworks for the down payment for fireworks for the LibertyFest scheduled on Sunday, July 2, 2023. 

Upon a motion made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Adnani, the Board voted unanimously to approve the District's portion of the down payment to Illumination Fireworks for the fireworks for the 2023 LibertyFest event in the amount of $13,125.47. 

RECEIVE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT. 

The Executive Director's Report is included in the Board materials for review. 

ADJOURN. 

There being no further business to come before the Board, the Chairman Li adjourned the meeting at 2:01 p.m.