Each month leading up to The Woodlands 50th Anniversary celebration, content is created to honor the past, present and future of our community. For the month of September, this is the fourth installment in a four-part series on governance.
The development of governance has been crucial in shaping and maintaining the high standards of The Woodlands. A pivotal moment in this evolution of governance occurred in 2007 when residents voted for the formation of a special-purpose district known as The Woodlands Township. This district has since become the central governing body for municipal services, making it unique as the sole township in Texas.
This fourth and last installment will explore the transition process that led to the successful township structure we have today. We’ll explore how this change affected existing community organizations, the benefits it brought to residents, and the current division of services between the Township and other governmental bodies.
Transition to Township Governance
The Woodlands Township brought change to the community organizations that were in place: The Woodlands Community Associations, Inc., The Woodlands Associations, Inc., The Woodlands Commercial Association, Inc., and The Woodlands Community Service Corporation.
“In 2008, a transition agreement was approved which meant the Community Associations agreed to transfer services and merge operations with The Woodlands Township. These associations were dissolved and a fully elected Board, at large was put in place,” explained Nelda Luce Blair, the first Chairman of the Board for The Woodlands Township and Founder of the Blair Law Firm.
The Town Center Improvement District (TCID) would also transition to The Woodlands Township.
Previously, the Community Associations consisted of 28 resident-elected and developer-appointed Directors. The Woodlands Township consisted of five elected residents and six appointed Directors on the Board from May 2008 until May 2010. In May 2010, The Woodlands Township became an all-residents elected Board of Directors consisting of seven members.
(Photo Courtesy of The Woodlands Township)
Benefits of the New Governance
The transition to The Woodlands Township as a single government operation brought benefits to the residents of The Woodlands. The average residential assessment/tax rate dropped from 43.5 cents in 2007 to 32.8 cents in 2010 after the services were consolidated, as noted by Bruce Tough, former Chairman of The Woodlands Township Board of Directors (2010-2015) and Founder and Managing Shareholder of Tough Law Firm.
“The assessments from the Community Associations were dissolved and taxes were reduced and generally deductible,” stated Tough. “Residents were able to get the same continuation of top-quality services they were accustomed to in The Woodlands and were able to benefit from a highly consolidated government operation.”
Division of Community Services
According to The Woodlands Township, the major services provided by the Township, Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) and Montgomery and Harris Counties, for The Woodlands, are as follows:
The Woodlands Township services:
- Capital Projects
- Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Covenant Administration and Deed Restrictions
- Economic Development
- Enhanced Law Enforcement Services
- Environmental Services
- The Woodlands Fire Department
- Garbage and Recycling Collection
- General Administrative and Professional Management
- Legislative Initiatives
- Neighborhood Watch
- Parks and Recreation (parks and pathways, pools, programming and recreation centers)
- Streetscape Maintenance
- The Woodlands Community Magazine
- The Woodlands Express Park and Ride
- Town Center Trolleys
Montgomery and Harris Counties services:
- Law Enforcement
- Courts
- Public Health
- Library
- Road Maintenance and Traffic Control
- Building Inspection and Code Enforcement
- Animal Control
Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) services:
- Water Service
- Wastewater/Sewer Service and Drainage
- Storm Water Management
Joel Deretchin, former Vice President of Public Affairs with The Woodlands Corporation, under George Mitchell, believes The Woodlands Township is successful. “The developer of The Woodlands, leaders in the community and the residents spent a lot of time customizing the form of government that works well for The Woodlands,” said Deretchin. “I truly believe, as a result of community efforts, we have a unique and proven form working better for us than any other form of government we looked at.”
Today, The Woodlands Township represents a unique, innovative and successful local governance, born from decades of thoughtful planning and community involvement. This approach has allowed The Woodlands to maintain its high quality of life and a lower tax rate with efficient services and effective governance.
“As The Woodlands continues to flourish, its governance model represents local innovation and community-driven decision-making in shaping a vibrant, sustainable future for residents and businesses of The Woodlands,” added Jim Carman, President , Houston Region for Howard Hughes.
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Many thanks to The Woodlands 50th Anniversary Sponsors:
FOUNDING – Howard Hughes
PRODUCER – The Woodlands Township
LEGACY – Woodforest National Bank
HERITAGE – Waste Connections Inc.
GOLD – Entergy Texas, Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital
SILVER – Ovintiv, SVN/JBeard Real Estate, The John Cooper School