MUD election sees candidate interest in The Woodlands surge
Interest in councils governing nine municipal utility districts in The Woodlands resulted in 49 applicants seeking employment this year.
Non-partisan councils perform functions such as setting retail and sewer rates as well as collecting tax rates to fund infrastructure. Typically, tax rates in water districts decline over time as they pay down debt, according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which oversees water districts across Texas. WaterCode.
A total of 22 contested positions are available on the boards for The Woodlands MUD #1 and Montgomery County MUD #6, 7, 36, 39, 46, 47, 60, and 67.
James Byers, chairman of Precinct 24 of the Montgomery County Republican Party, said in an email that although the candidates are nonpartisan, he is assisting some of them in their campaigns. MUD councils are concerned with the interests of the community, both residents and developers,” he said.
Byers said several issues spurring candidate interest are councils’ ability to issue bonds and public debt as well as the lack of public coverage of MUD meetings.
Representatives of the Woodlands Water Agency, which acts as the co-ordinating agency for the councils, said topics of interest among applicants generally include groundwater and surface water tariffs in the districts. Wholesale rates charged by the San Jacinto River Authority in fiscal year 2021-22 for groundwater are $2.88 per 1,000 gallons for groundwater and $3.30 per 1,000 gallons for surface water, increasing since 2018-2019 by $2.64 and $2.83, respectively. These costs are passed on by MUDs to consumers.
“We know that the ongoing community debate about groundwater and surface water has raised public awareness about our future water sources,” WWA chief executive Jim Stinson said in an email.
Other topics, such as subsidence or subsidence of the ground as a result of groundwater abstraction, have also generated interest, he said. Fault line activity has been associated with increased subsidence. Flooding, drainage, water rates, transparency and the topic of using bonds instead of cash to fund infrastructure needs are also topics that engage voters, Stinson said.
Byers said he believed it was the first time all MUD positions had been contested in an election at The Woodlands since the first formed in 1976. Election day is May 7. Early voting will begin on April 25 and end on May 3. information, visit www.woodlandswater.org.
Municipal Utility District Candidates:
* designates the owner
Woods
Municipal Utility District 1 Board of Directors
Two positions open
Robert Leilich*
Walter Lisiewski*
Steve Lawrence
MUD 6 Board of Directors
Two positions open
Tracy Winters
Neil Gaynor*
Brooke Hamilton*
Aaron Hoffstadter
MUD 7 Board of Directors
Three open positions
Crystal Shie
Kyle Mays*
Paul R. Nelson*
Nelson Reyes
Rhenalea Beck
Brad Houk
Marc Holt Meinrath
Jennifer Robinson
Jack Munich
MUD 36 Board of Directors
Two positions open
Vince Fredrick
Sharon DeMarsais
John Yoars*
Michel Meece
Granny Polk*
MUD 39 Board of Directors
Two positions open
Erik Berglund*
Kevin Pollock*
Brent Kitchens
Julie David
Sean Apostalo
MUD 46 Board of Directors
Three open positions
Marjorie Podzielinski*
David L. Smith
W.Tim Bush
Fred Lederman
Thomas Schwarzkopf
MUD 47 Board of Directors
Two positions open
Hugh H. Connett
Antoine Cardiel*
Diane Nielsen
Daniel E. Lewis
Jennifer J. Ronk*
MUD 60 Board of Directors
Three open positions
Bob Lux*
Donna McAleer
Brent W. Dorsey
Amanda “Bee” Beasley
Richard Carranza
Dale A. Walker
W.Richard Stromatt*
MUD 67 Board of Directors
Three open positions
Roland Johnson*
Alain Fritsche*
Paul J. Martin*
Reid Davidson
Chap Caughron
Anne Perry
Sources: The Woodlands Water Agency, Montgomery County Elections/Community Impact Newspaper