Southwest Management District Board of Directors met Nov. 29

Southwest Management District Board of Directors met Nov. 29.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

DETERMINE QUORUM; CALL MEETING TO ORDER.

The Board of Directors of the Southwest Management District held a regular meeting on Monday, November 28, 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 - vacant

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

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 Baillio attended via videoconference. Also present were Josh Hawes, Annie Trinh, Alan Bernstein, Victor Beserra, and Crystal Hawes, all with Hawes Hill & Associates, LLP; Alex Manautou, Allen Boone Humphries Robinson, LLP; Jack Roland, Governmental Financial Reporting; and Pat Hall, Equi-Tax. Others attending the meeting were Aimee Turney, Office of Representative Gene Wu; Erica Rocha, SEAL Security; James Vick, SWA Group; Bricen Whitaker, with the Office of Lizzie Fletcher Tx - 07; and Alicia Liu. Chairman Li called the meeting to order at 12:02 p.m.

RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

Public comments were received from Bricen Whitaker, with the Office of Lizzie Fletcher Tx - 07.

APPROVE MINUTES OF MEETING HELD OCTOBER 24, 2022.

Upon a motion made by Director Shani, and seconded by Director Bhandara, the Board voted unanimously to approve the Minutes of the October 24, 2022, Board meeting, as presented.

RECEIVE AND CONSIDER REPORT FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE:

a. Accept Hearing Examiner's Report and Proposal for Decision on Public Hearing on Supplemental Assessment Roll.

b. Adopt Order Supplementing the Assessment Roll; Levying Assessments Against the Property on the Supplemental Assessment Roll; and Setting the Rate of Assessment for the Year 2022.

Mr. Hawes reported a public hearing on supplementing the assessment roll was held on November 1, 2022. He provided an overview of the Hearing Examiner's Report and the Order Supplementing the Assessment Roll, both included in the Board materials. Upon a motion made by Director Shani, and seconded by Director Acquaro, the Board voted unanimously to (a) accept the Hearing Examiner's Report and Proposal for Decision on Public Hearing on Supplemental Assessment Roll; and (b) adopt Order Supplementing the Assessment Roll; Levying Assessments Against the Property on the Supplemental Assessment Roll for the Remainder of the Twenty-Year Period; and Setting the Rate of Assessment for the Year 2022, as presented.

c. Receive Assessment Collection Report.

Ms. Hall presented the Assessment Collection Report, included in the Board materials. She reported a 97% collection rate on the 2021 assessments, no uncertified values and 384 unsettled accounts. No action from the Board was required.

d. 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. He answered questions from the Board. Upon a motion made by Director Shani, and seconded by Director Holmes, the Board voted unanimously to accept the Bookkeeper's Report and approved payment of invoices, as presented.

CONSIDER RENEWAL OF OFFICE LEASE AGREEMENT.

Mr. Hawes reviewed the Commercial Lease Addendum renewing the District's office lease with LE Holdings LLC. He reported the cost is remaining the same at $1,000.00 per month and is recommending approval. Upon a motion made by Director Adnani., and seconded by Director Donnelly, the Board voted to approve the Commercial Lease Addendum renewing the District's office lease, as presented. Director Le, Jr. abstained. The motion passed.

CONSIDER PROPOSAL FROM SWA FOR PREPARATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

Mr. Hawes reviewed the Service Agreement with SWA and went over the scope of services to be provided to prepare a Comprehensive Plan for the District. He reported the fees for the services is in the amount of $299,590.00, plus reimbursable expenses. Mr. Vick answered questions from the Board. Upon a motion made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Le, Jr., the Board voted unanimously to approve the Service Agreement with SWA for preparation of a Comprehensive Plan for the District, in the amount of $299,590.00, plus reimbursable expenses, subject to non- substantive changes by District attorney upon review.

RECEIVE UPDATE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.

Director Peters reported the Committee met on November 14, a copy of the Committee Minutes is included in the Board materials.

a. Consider request from The Mayor's Office and the Police and Clergy Team to sponsor its Spark of Love Toy event in December.

Director Peters reported the Committee reviewed the request from the Mayor's Office and Clergy Team to sponsor it's Spark of Love Toy event in December and is recommending approval in the amount of $1,000.00. Upon a motion made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Holmes, the Board voted unanimously to approve the request from the Mayor's Office and Clergy Team to sponsor it's Spark of Love Toy event in December in the amount of $1,000.00, as presented.

b. Consider marketing request from Luis Chen with Chinatown Crawl for the Restaurant Directories.

This item was tabled.

c. Consider proposal from JMM Group for media purchasing management.

This item was tabled.

d. Consider request from Houston Fire Department to sponsor its Great Toy Giveaway

Day. Director Peters reported the Committee reviewed the request from Houston Fire Department to sponsor its Great Toy Giveaway Day recommending approval in the amount of $1,500.00. Upon a motion made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Holmes, the Board voted unanimously to approve the request from Houston Fire Department to sponsor its Great Toy Giveaway Day in the amount of $1,500.00, as presented.

e. Consider request from Midwest Police Station to sponsor its Annual Blue Santa Toy Drive.

Director Peters reported the Committee reviewed the request from Midwest Police Station to sponsor it's annual Blue Santa Toy Drive and is recommending approval in the amount of $2,500.00. Upon a motion made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Holmes, the Board voted unanimously to approve the request from Midwest Police Station to sponsor its annual Blue Santa Toy Drive in the amount of $2,500.00, as presented.

f. Consider request from Westside Police Station to sponsor its Lion Dance uniform. Director Peters reported the Committee reviewed the request from Westside Police Station to sponsor its Lion Dance Team event and is recommending approval in the amount of $750.00. Upon a motion made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Holmes, the Board voted unanimously to approve the request from Westside Police Station to sponsor its Lion Dance Team event in the amount of $750.00, as presented.

RECEIVE UPDATE FROM PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.

Director Acquaro reported the Committee met on November 9, a copy of the Committee Minutes is included in the Board materials. There was general discussion regarding crime statistics in the District.

a. Consider targeted overtime for HPD.

Director Acquaro reported the Committee discussed having more targeted overtime for the three HPD stations to be directed toward DRT/CST officers and is recommending approval in a total amount of $45,000.00/$15,000.00 per station. Upon a motion made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Donnelly, the Board voted unanimously to approve the targeted overtime for HPD in the amount of $15,000.00 per station for a total amount of $45,000.00, as presented.

b. Consider request to host a Trespass Affidavit Signing and Boba with a Cop Event.

Director Acquaro reported the Committee reviewed the request to host a Tresspass Affidavit Signing and Boba with a Cop Event and is recommending approval in an amount not to exceed $3,000.00. Upon a motion made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Donnelly, the Board voted unanimously to approve the request to host a Tresspass Affidavit Signing and Boba with a Cop Event in an amount not to exceed $3,000.00, as presented.

RECEIVE UPDATE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM ENVIRONMENTAL AND URBAN DESIGN COMMITTEE.

Director Le, Jr. reported the Committee met on November 9, a copy of the Committee Minutes is included in the Board materials. He provided highlights of the Committee meeting and answered questions.

a. Consider Task Order from Price Wagener Services to rebuild eight backflows.

Upon a motion made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Donnelly, the Board voted unanimously to approve the Task Order #3122 from Price Wagner Services to rebuild eight backflows in the amount of $3,250.00, as presented.

b. Consider Task Order from Price Wagener to install mulch for the District

Upon a motion made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Donnelly, the Board voted unanimously to approve the Task Order #3120 from Price Wagner to install mulch for the District's beds and trees throughout the District in the amount of $36,000.00, as presented.

c. Consider Task Order from SMC Landscape Services to install mulch for Bellaire Corridor.

Upon a motion made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Donnelly, the Board voted unanimously to approve the Task Order from SMC Landscape Services to install mulch for Bellaire Corridor medians from Mary Bates to BW8 in the amount of $1,350.00, as presented.

d. Consider Task Order from SMC Landscape Services to install a game camera at 4121 Osage.

The Board had a general discussion of being on a monthly plan instead of the yearly price. Upon a motion made by Director Le, Jr., and seconded by Director Adnani, the Board voted unanimously to approve the Task Order from SMC Landscape Services to install a game camera at 4121 Osage in the amount of $165 per month and $80 installation fee.

e. Consider porter abatement and landscape maintenance increase request from SMC Landscape Services.

Upon a motion made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Le, jr., the Board voted unanimously to approve the porter abatement and landscape maintenance increase request from SMC Landscape Services for porter services the cost changing from $131,725.00 per year to $140,945.75 per a year and for 81-00-9900 Bellaire Landscape Maintenance from $73,867.56 per year to $79,038.29 per a year, as presented.

RECEIVE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

Mr. Hawes reported the Executive Director's Report is included in the Board materials for review. No action from the Board was required.

ADJOURN.

There being no further business to come before the Board, Chairman Li adjourned the meeting at 1:23 p.m.

https://southwestmanagementdistrict.org/the-district/more-information/board-agendas-meeting-minutes-and-board-packets/