Houston Daily

Brays Oaks Management District Board of Directors met April 22.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

DETERMINE QUORUM; CALL MEETING TO ORDER.

The Board of Directors of the Brays Oaks Management District held a regular meeting on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. at the Brays Oaks Towers located at 10103 Fondren, Suite 240, Houston, TX 77096, “Masks Suggested, Social Distancing Recommended”, inside the boundaries of the District, open to the public, and open to the public via videoconference and teleconference, the roll was called of the duly appointed members of the Board, to-wit:

Position 1 - Ralph Rieger, Chairman

Position 2 - Sylvia Rivas, Asst- Sec

Position 3 - Sheri L. Cortez

Position 4 - Brandon J. Herndon

Position 5- Cindy Chapman, Secretary

Position 6 - Jodi Hamilton

Position 7 - Starla Turnbo, Vice-Chair

Position 8 - Marsha G. Fisk

Position 9 - Etan Mirwis

Position 10 - Etan Mirwis

Position 11 - George Nwanguma

and all of the above were present, except Directors Hamilton, Cortez, and Rivas, thus constituting a quorum, and Director Fisk attended via videoconference. Also present were Josh Hawes, Cosme Garcia, Crystal Hawes, and Victor Baserra, all with Hawes Hill & Associates, LLP; Tabitha Israel and David Israel, Upstanding Enterprises; John Durnell, McCall Gibson Swedlund Barfoot Ellis LLC; Bill Burhans; Karen Rogers; Vinitha Vasudevan; Brian Barragy; Froy Nino; Kenny Jones; Carolyn Gambrell, SNR; Barbara Hite, District K; Amy Mobley Turney, Representative Gene Wu Office; Burt Ruiz; Eddie Espinosa; and Naomi Ostfeld. Chairman Rieger called the meeting to order at 12:03 p.m.

PUBLIC COMMENTS.

Public Comments were received from Bill Burhans.

MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON MARCH 18, 2025.

Upon a motion duly made by Director Chapman, and seconded by Director Turnbo, the Board voted unanimously to approve the minutes of the regular Board Meeting held on March 18, 2025, as presented.

At 12:08 p.m. Director Cortez entered the meeting. A Qourum of the Board was still met.

FY2024 ANNUAL AUDIT AND FINANCIAL REPORT FROM MCCALL GIBSON SWEDLUND BARFOOT ELLIS LLC.

Mr. Hawes presented the FY2024 Annual Financial Report and Audit, included in the Board materials. He reviewed the Independent Auditor's Report and reported an unmodified/clean opinion. He reviewed pages 4-7, Management's Discussion and Analysis; pages 11-12, Statement of Activities and Governmental Funds Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balances; pages 14-21, Notes to the Financial Statements; pages 28-29, Comparative Schedule of Revenues and Expenditures General Fund; and page 30, Board Members, Key Personnel and Consultants. He answered questions from the Board. Upon a motion made by Director Cortez, and seconded by Director Herndon, the Board voted unanimously to approve the FY2024 Annual Financial Report and Audit, as presented.

CONSIDER BOARD APPOINTMENTS TO BRAYS OAKS REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

Josh Hawes reviewed the recommendation for the Board appointments to Brays Oaks Redevelopment Authority, Chairman Reiger, Director Chapman, and Becky Edmondson. He noted that Director Mirwis is an existing officer of the Board. He answered questions from the Board. Upon a motion made by Director Herndon, and seconded by Director Cortez, the Board voted unanimously to approve the Board Appointments of Chairman Reiger, Director Chapman, and Becky Edmondson to the Brays Oaks Redevelopment Authority.

ASSESSMENT COLLECTION REPORT.

Mr. Hawes presented the Assessment Collection Report included in the Board materials. He reported a 94% collection rate on the 2024 assessments. No action from the Board was required.

MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT AND APPROVE INVOICES FOR PAYMENT.

Mr. Hawes presented the Bookkeeper's Report and went over invoices included in the Board materials. He answered questions from the Board. Upon a motion duly made by Director Cortez, and seconded by Director Nwanguma, the Board voted unanimously to approve the payment of invoices, as presented.

UPDATE FROM BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.

Mr. Hawes reported the Business and Economic Development Committee met on April 2; a copy of the Committee Minutes is included in the Board materials.

a. Proposal from Upstanding Enterprises for writing services.

Mr. Hawes presented the proposal from Upstanding Enterprises for writing services for up to 6 articles a month at a cost of $400.00 per article, included in the Board materials. He answered questions from the Board. Upon a motion duly made by Director Cortez, and seconded by Director Herdon, the Board voted unanimously to approve the proposal from Upstanding Enterprises for writing services for up to 6 articles a month at a cost of $400.00 per article, as presented.

UPDATE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.

Mr. Hawes reported that the Public Safety Committee met on April 2; a copy of the Committee Minutes is included in the Board materials.

a. Disbursement of HPD overtime funds.

Mr. Hawes reviewed the Disbursement of HPD overtime funds included in the Board materials. He answered questions from the Board. Upon a motion duly made by Director Cortez, and seconded by Director Chapman, the Board voted unanimously to approve the Disbursement of HPD overtime funds as presented.

UPDATE FROM BEAUTIFICATION AND URBAN DESIGN COMMITTEE.

Director Chapman reported the Beautification and Urban Design Committee met on April 3; a copy of the Committee Minutes is included in the Board materials.

a. Contract for landscape maintenance and services.

Mr. Hawes reported that Price Wagner gave notice of contract termination on January 30th, 2025. The committee reviewed the bids for landscaping and recommend to the Board SMC at a cost of $232,830.00 per a year, included in the Board materials. He answered questions from the Board. Upon a motion duly made by Director Cortez, and seconded by Director Moore, the Board voted unanimously to approve the contract for landscaping from SMC at a cost of $232,830.00 per year, included in the Board materials.

b. Task order from M2L for W. Bellfort esplanade project.

Mr. Hawes reviewed the task order #4 from M2L for W. Bellfort esplanade project at an additional cost of $3500 with a total of $13,500.00, included in the Board materials. He answered questions from the Board. Upon a motion duly made by Director Cortez, and seconded by Director Moore, the Board voted unanimously to approve the task order #4 from M2L for W. Bellfort esplanade project at an additional cost of $3500 with a total of $13,500.00, as presented.

c. Task order from SMC for backflow preventer testing and reporting.

This item was tabled.

UPDATE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE.

Director Mirwis reported that the Infrastructure Committee met on April 3; a copy of the Committee Minutes is included in the Board materials.

a. Task order from M2L for Fondren Rd. project.

Mr. Hawes reviewed the Task Order from M2L for Fondren Rd. project authorizing an additional $10,000.00 with a total of $22,250.00, included in the Board materials. He answered questions from the Board. Upon a motion duly made by Director Cortez, and seconded by Director Chapman, the Board voted unanimously to approve the Task Order from M2L for Fondren Rd. project authorizing an additional $10,000.00 with a total of $22,250.00, as presented.

b. Task order from M2L for rendering of Spellman Detention.

This item was tabled.

c. Task order from Gauge Engineering for intersection improvement specifications, and estimates.

This item was tabled.

UPDATE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROMCOMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.

a. Change to grant policy. - plans,

Mr. Hawes reviewed the change to the grant policy included in the Board materials. These changes are to direct applicants to staff and applicants may only submit once a year. He answered questions from the Board. Upon a motion duly made by Director Cortez, and seconded by Director Moore, the Board voted unanimously to approve the changes to the grant policy, as presented.

b. Support funding for Westbury High School Foundation.

Mr. Hawes reviewed the support funding request for the Westbury High School Foundation at a cost of $1500.00, included in the Board materials. He answered questions from the Board. Upon a motion duly made by Director Cortez, and seconded by Director Herndon, the Board voted unanimously to approve the support funding request for the Westbury High School Foundation at a cost of $1500.00, as presented.

c. Support funding for HCPAAA.

Mr. Hawes reviewed the support funding request for HCPPAA for the Hydrate the Officer Program at a cost of $7400.00, included in the Board materials. He answered questions from the Board. Upon a motion duly made by Director Cortez, and seconded by Director Chapman, the Board voted to approve the support funding request for HCPPAA for the Hydrate the Officer Program at a cost of $7400.00. Director Moore abstained. The motion passes.

d. Support funding for Willow Waterhole Music Fest.

Mr. Hawes reviewed the support funding request for Willow Waterhole Music Fest at a cost of $7500.00, included in the Board materials. He answered questions from the Board. Upon a motion duly made by Director Cortez, and seconded by Director Moore, the Board voted unanimously to approve the support funding request for Willow Waterhole Music Fest at a cost of $7500.00, as presented.

At 1:03 P.M. Director Nwanguma left the meeting. A quorum of the Board was still met.

AGREEMENT WITH WILLOW WATERHOLE GREENWAY CONSERVANCY REGARDING DRYAD DR. PAYMENT.

Mr. Hawes reviewed the Agreement with Willow Waterhole Greenway Conservancy regarding Dryad Dr. Payment, included in the board materials. He answered questions from the Board. Upon a motion duly made by Director Cortez, and seconded by Director Chapman, the Board voted unanimously to approve the Agreement with Willow Waterhole Greenway Conservancy regarding Dryad Dr. Payment, as presented.

AGREEMENT WITH WESTBURY COMMUNITY GARDEN REGARDING ENGINEERING SERVICES.

Mr. Hawes reviewed the agreement with Westbury Community Garden Regarding Engineering Services included in the Board materials. He answered questions from the Board. Upon a motion duly made by Director Cortez, and seconded by Director Herndon, the Board voted unanimously to approve the agreement with Westbury Community Garden Regarding Engineering Services, as presented.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MONTHLY REPORT.

Mr. Hawes presented the Executive Director's Report, included in the Board materials. No action from the Board was required.

ADJOURN.

There being no further business to come before the Board, Chairman Rieger adjourned the meeting at 1:05 p.m.

https://www.braysoaksmd.org/who-we-are/board-materials/