Southwest Management District Board of Directors met Oct. 28

Southwest Management District Board of Directors met Oct. 28.

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 October 28, 2024, 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, the roll was called of the duly appointed members of the Board, to-wit:

Position 1 - Kenneth Li, Chairman

Position 2 - Vacant

Position 3 - David Peters

Position 4 - Harry Shani, Secretary

Position 5 - Dawn Lin

Position 6 - Peter F. Acquaro, Jr., Vice-Chair

Position 7 - Sandra Mooney

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 with the exceptions of Directors Lin and Le, constituting a quorum. Also present were Susan Hill, Natalia Hurtado, Gillian Thomas, Cosme Garcia, Victor Beserra, all with Hawes Hill & Associates, LLP. Others attending the meeting were Larry Galvan; Governmental Financial Reporting, Clark Lord; Bracewell LLP, Tabitha & David Israel, UpStanding Enterprises, Cameron Nguyen, Ronald Rivas, Berzin Bhandara, Cathy Podell, Daniel Giles, Viviana Chen, Steve Vu, Andrew Yeh, Vincent Vu, Wilfredo Santamaría, Ronald Franklin, Artul B., Jenny Nguyen, Margarita Truon, Tess Tuazon, and Randy Sim. Chairman Li called the meeting to order at 12:02 pm.

RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

Public comments were received from Berzin Bhandara, Vivian Chen, Randy Sim, Daniel Giles and Cathy Podell.

APPROVE MINUTES OF MEETING HELD SEPTEMBER 23, 2024.

Upon a motion duly made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Baillio, the Board voted unanimously to approve the Minutes of September 23, 2024.

RECEIVE UPDATE FROM FINANCE COMMITTEE.

a. Receive Assessment Collection Report.

Mrs. Hurtado presented the Assessment Collection Report, a copy is included in the Board materials. She reported a 95% collection rate on the 2023 assessments and 320 unsettled accounts. No action from the Board is required.

b. Receive monthly financial reports and approve payment of invoices.

Mr. Galvan reported that the Finance Committee reviewed the report and invoices, and recommended approval. He reviewed the monthly financial report, a copy is included in the Board materials. Upon a motion duly made by Director Shani, and seconded by Director Donnelly, the Board voted unanimously to accept the Bookkeeper’s Report and approved payment of invoices, as presented.

CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING PROPOSED EXCLUSION OF PROPERTY FROM DISTRICT.

Mr. Lord opened the public hearing at 12:19 p.m. He called for public comments. With there being no public comments, the hearing was closed at 12:20 p.m.

CONSIDER RESOLUTION TO REMOVE PROPERTIES FROM THE DISTRICT.

Upon a motion duly made by Director Acquaro, and seconded by Director Shani, the Board voted to approve the resolution to remove properties from the District. Director Donnelly abstained. The motion passed.

RECEIVE UPDATE FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING STUDY.

Mrs. Hurtado presented the Board with the latest update from SWA. No action was required.

RECEIVE UPDATE FROM PUBLIC SAFETY.

Directors Donnelly and Acquaro reported the Committee met on October 9; a copy of the Committee Minutes is included in the Board materials. He answered questions from the Board. The committee had the following recommendations:

a. Consider holiday overtime for Midwest, S. Gessner, and Westside Command Stations.

Upon a motion duly made by Director Adnani and seconded by Director Donnelly, the Board voted unanimously to approve the holiday overtime for Midwest, S. Gessner, and Westside Command Stations, in the amount of $60,000.00.

At 12:54 P.M. Director Mooney left the meeting. A quorum of the Board was still present.

RECEIVE UPDATES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.

Director Peters reported the Committee met on October 14; a copy of the Committee Minutes is included in the Board materials. The committee had the following recommendations: a. Consider proposal from Illumination Fireworks for the Liberty Fest on June 29, 2025. Upon a motion duly made by Director Shani and seconded by Director Baillio, the Board voted unanimously to approve the proposal from Illumination Fireworks for the Liberty Fest on June 29, 2025, in the amount of $28,000.00.

b. Consider proposal from Upstanding Enterprises, LLC for its social media package.

Upon a motion duly made by Director Peters and seconded by Director Baillio, the Board voted to approve the proposal from Upstanding Enterprises, LLC, for its social media package, in the amount of $14,500.00. Director Adnani opposed. The motion passed.

c. Consider B.I.G. Application request from Dashwood Center at 7633 Dashwood Drive Houston, TX 77036.

This item was tabled.

d. Consider B.I.G. Application request from Dashwood and Marinette at 6702 Marinette Drive Houston, TX 77036.

Upon a motion duly made by Director Peters and seconded by Director Donnelly, the Board voted unanimously to approve the B.I.G. Application request from Dashwood and Marinette at 6702 Marinette Drive Houston, TX 77036, in the amount of $8,300.00.

e. Consider B.I.G. Application request from Dashwood North at 7600 Dashwood Drive Houston, TX 77036.

This item was tabled.

f. Consider sponsorship request from Asia Society for its Spotlight Asiatown program.

Upon a motion duly made by Director Adnani and seconded by Director Donnelly, the Board voted unanimously to approve the sponsorship request from Asia Society for its Spotlight Asiatown program, in the amount of $5,000.00.

g. Consider sponsorship request from Rupani Foundation for its 18th Annual Back to School Drive, Health Fair & Business Expo on July 26, 2025, at PlazAmericas Mall.

Upon a motion duly made by Director Peters and seconded by Director Shani, the Board voted to approve the sponsorship request from Rupani Foundation for its 18th Annual Back to School Drive, Health Fair & Business Expo on July 26, 2025, at PlazAmericas Mall, in the amount of $5,000.00. Directors Acquaro and Baillio opposed. The motion passed.

h. Consider sponsorship request from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce for its Dinner Award Night on November 09, 2024, at Royal Sonesta.

Upon a motion duly made by Director Shani and seconded by Director Baillio, the Board voted unanimously to approve the sponsorship request from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce for its Dinner Award Night on November 09, 2024, at Royal Sonesta, in the amount of $3,000.00.

i. Consider sponsorship request from Indian Film Festival for its 17th Indian Film Festival of Houston on February 21 – 22, 2025, at Asia Society.

Upon a motion duly made by Director Donnelly and seconded by Director Baillio, the Board voted unanimously to approve the sponsorship request from Indian Film Festival for its 17th Indian Film Festival of Houston on February 21 – 22, 2025, at Asia Society, in the amount of $2,500.00.

j. Consider sponsorship request from Chinese American Citizens Alliance Houston Lodge for its 70th Anniversary: Honor our Legacy on November 10, 2025, at Lambo Ballroom.

Upon a motion duly made by Director Li and seconded by Director Shani, the Board voted unanimously to approve the sponsorship request from Chinese American Citizens Alliance Houston Lodge for its 70th Anniversary: Honor our Legacy on November 10, 2025, at Lambo Ballroom, in the amount of $2,000.00.

k. Consider sponsorship request from Houston Taiwan Institute for Seniors Citizen for its HTISC Artistic Lecture and Recital Series on November 14th at Houston Taiwan Institute for Senior Citizens.

Upon a motion duly made by Director Baillio and seconded by Director Adnani, the Board voted unanimously to approve the sponsorship request from Houston Taiwan Institute for Seniors Citizen for its HTISC Artistic Lecture and Recital Series on November 14th at Houston Taiwan Institute for Senior Citizens, in the amount of $550.00.

l. Consider sponsorship request from Asian American Voters Alliance for its Elderly Citizen Festival on October 11, 2024.

This item was tabled.

m. Consider sponsorship request from the Chinese Community Center for its 45th Anniversary Gala on November 16th, 2024, at Chinese Community Center.

Upon a motion duly made by Director Donnelly and seconded by Director Adnani, the Board voted to approve the sponsorship request from the Chinese Community Center for its 45th Anniversary Gala on November 16th, 2024, at Chinese Community Center, in the amount of $5,000.00. Director Acquaro opposed. The motion passed.

n. Consider placing an annual Holiday Guide ad with Epoch Media.

Upon a motion duly made by Director Acquaro and seconded by Director Peters, the Board voted unanimously to placing an annual Holiday Guide ad with Epoch Media, in the amount of $495.00.

RECEIVE AND CONSIDER UPDATES FROM ENVIRONMENTAL & URBAN DESIGN COMMITTEE.

ADJOURN

There being no further business to come before the Board, Chairman Li adjourned the meeting at 1:47 p.m.

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