In The Shadow Of The Woodlands

[pineda]

Stalemate declared in Tamina water ordeal!

By: Lauren Hutton , Courier Staff 10/04/2004

TAMINA - A $3.4 million plan to bring new water and sewer systems to the Tamina community has officially dissolved, leaving the historically black community with little hope for future improvements.

"Many people have put blood, sweat and tears into this," said Annette Hardin, a Tamina resident. "There are people who have died waiting for this project, and that's disappointing."

For three years the Tamina Water Supply and Sewer Service Corporation members attempted to come to an agreement.

But when negotiations finally broke down for good, the TWSSSC's nine members unanimously voted Thursday to notify Montgomery County commissioners, the county's Community Development Block Grant Department and the Texas Water Development Board that they had come to a stalemate and could not move forward with the project.

Upon notification, county officials said that the more than $2 million loan from the water board would evaporate and the more than $1 million in grant money would be pulled from the project.

Without that funding, Tamina residents are left where they started six years ago: living in a neighborhood with the foul smell of sewer swells in lawns and inadequate water service in certain areas.

Shirley Grimes, Tamina Community Center director, said those who cannot receive water often buy it in bulk or borrow from the neighbors. One elderly woman who does not have her septic tank installed properly uses her neighbors' facilities.

"Broadway (Street) still doesn't have water," said Grimes, the wife of Ransom Grimes, who serves on the TWSSSC. "Just a few have an aerobic system. Most just have a septic system."

The $3.4 million project would have placed water and sewer collection pipes in the public rights of way. Bonds and an estimated $45-per-month water bill per resident would have paid the loan over a 15- to 20-year period.

"I sincerely believe that there is no other way to fund this project," said Gary Louie, TWSSSC president. "This (the project's end) is the result of misinformation of two or three people with a personal agenda in the community."

He was referring to James Leveston Sr., Tamina Water Supply Corporation president, Warzell Booty and Elijah Easley, who deny the claim.

Leveston, who also serves on the TWSSSC, said his opposition is about protecting Tamina's water rights, which are held by the corporation he leads.

"That (TWSC) is our sense of identity," Leveston said of the unincorporated community. "That is all we have."

In order to receive funding for the project, the law requires the TWSC to sign over the water rights, technically referred to as a certificate of convenience and necessity, to the sponsoring governmental entity, which is the city of Oak Ridge North.

A sponsoring governmental entity is required to be involved because it collects taxes and thus has collateral in case the debt is not paid.

Leveston said while he understood that, he wanted the city to promise in writing to return the water rights to Tamina after the bond debt for the loan is paid.

But TWSSSC attorney Tim Austin said for tax purposes that is not an option.

"The bonds to be issued to finance the facilities are required by the lender to be tax exempt," he wrote in a letter dated Aug. 12. "To qualify for a tax exemption, we must comply with applicable Treasury regulations relating to the issuance of the bonds by an entity 'on behalf of' a political subdivision such as Oak Ridge North."

After pleading from the TWSSSC, Leveston said he would sign after seeing proof that the majority of the residents supported the project as presented.

So Hardin hit the streets, delivering 167 surveys to residents who receive water service and more to residents who cannot. They were asked to return the anonymous ballot to a lock box in the park over the next four days.

Only 38 replied, with 36 in favor and two against, which was not enough proof for opponents.

"There may have been manipulation (from opponents); it could be apathy," Hardin said of the turnout. "I do commend those people who had the courage to voice their opinion and stand behind their position, whether it was for or against."

Nancy Mikeska, CDBG executive director, said the county would not lose the federal funding but would redirect it. County commissioners would vote on the proposed project.

"We are still going after the grant money to see if it is available to us," Leveston said.

But Precinct 3 Commissioner Ed Chance said it was "highly unlikely" that the court would approve an alternate proposal from Leveston after the last six years of an ongoing battle.

"We have done everything in our power," Chance said following the meeting. "It's really sad."

The TWSSSC has not disbanded. That will be decided in the future, Louie said.

[bachanon]

dear well meaning pineda,

why in the shadow of the woodlands ? the article has nothing to do with the woodlands at all. tamina's water and sewer issues were specifically involving the city of oak ridge north and montgomery county.

i realize you have a beef with the woodlands; i don't see how tamina's issues are related.

p.s. i enjoy your posts. keep 'em coming.

[pineda]

To the Gentleman from The Woodlands:

I used the phrase "in the shadow of the Woodlands" because many who visit this board do not know where Tamina is, but have heard of the Woodlands. In fact, I-45 North is the divider for the two areas. It's called Research Forest to the west of I-45 North, and Tamina Road to the east. Many of the newer residents of the Woodlands have no idea that Tamina even exists, but to their credit, many of them volunteer with Interfaith to help them out the best they can. It is very unfortunate though that the people in the Tamina community do not receive the same kind of services that are generally taken for granted in the Woodlands area.

[bachanon]

'tis true.

it would be interesting though, to see who owns the most land in the tamina community. i drove around the area recently and there isn't much land for sale. my bet is that it has quietly been bought up for future development. i guess we could check the tax rolls.

it is unfortunate that the water/sewer issue has not been worked out sooner. is it the city of oak ridge that sunk this most recent deal or "greedy" forces within the tamina community? i read an article that certain parties wanted undue control or funds and ultimately lost government funds due to the bickering.

[pineda]

Plan to bring water, sewer to Tamina falls apart

Lack of support from community dooms efforts

By CHARLIE BIER, Houston Chronicle

The $3.3 million project to bring water and sewer service to Tamina is dead, at least under the plan's existing structure.

The Tamina Water Supply and Sewer Service Corp. voted last week to inform state and county entities willing to fund the project that it won't proceed because of differences with plan structuring.

Some Tamina residents want control of the water service returned to them after a 20-year loan to state and county entities is repaid. Since Tamina is an unincorporated community, it isn't eligible for the loan without assistance from other municipalities such as nearby Oak Ridge North. Parts of Tamina would tap into that city's water system.

The board will present its opinion to the Montgomery County Community Development Board, the entity that would fund the part of the project not covered by a proposed $2.2 million state loan. The board also will relay its stance to the Texas Water Development Board, the entity that would provide the state funding.

Deal breaker

The board said the action will kill the project because the loans won't be granted for a project spawning such divisiveness.

"We'll present it and they'll pull the plug on it," said Brian Kennedy, an engineer with Jones and Carter who worked on the project infrastructure.

The move came after months of jousting on the long-talked-about project that began jelling in 2001 with the formation of the Tamina Water Supply and Sewer Service Corp. Some Tamina residents objected that the plan would leave control of the water system with the Tamina Water Supply and Sewer Service Corp.

Community apathy

James Leveston, president of the Tamina Water Supply Corp., a 25-year-old Tamina-controlled entity unrelated to the other water corporation, said recent results of 200 surveys circulated in the 628-acre, 280 to 300 estimated home, unincorporated community underscored that point.

Although survey results showed 36 of 38 respondents approved the plan, the apathetic turnout is more indicative of sentiment in the community,Leveston said. "At the rate it's going, I don't want to see the project terminated, but I don't want to accept it as it is. We want the water and sewer, but we don't want it on the conditions that have been laid before us," Leveston said.

Leveston clarified "us" as referring to opposing Tamina residents, not the Tamina Water Supply and Sewer Service Corp. board on which he serves.

One of the key hindrances of the plan is the refusal of Leveston, as president of the existing water corporation, to turn over the corporation's certificate of convenience and necessity, despite a June 2001 letter agreeing to do so. Certificates of convenience and necessity are state-issued requirements of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for entities wanting to provide water service.

Leveston said in holding onto the certificate he is acting on behalf of a majority of residents who want the certificate turned back over to them once the bonds are paid off.

Loan structure

As the potential loan is structured, it would be paid with a 20-year plan of just more than $160,000 per year as a safeguard, with projections calling for the loan optimally to be repaid with $250,000 payments over 11 years.

Oak Ridge North city officials, who would service a large part of Tamina while the rest of the community would tap into Shenandoah's system, have said no to a written promise of returning the certificate because of the state loan requirements, but have made a verbal promise to do so. Leveston said many Tamina residents don't want to proceed with the plan without written documentation.

Standing still

Gary Louie, president of the Tamina Water Supply and Sewer Service Corp., said without the certificate of convenience, the project is at a standstill anyway.

"We don't have that document, we can't move forward. We can't move further along and we need to notify those partners that made commitments to us. Our project as we have defined it

[bachanon]

........over a year later....................

Seven families in tamina get running water in time for the holidays

By: CHEVALIER MAYES, Villager staff

01/12/2006

After many generous donations from the South Montgomery County community, seven families on Broadway Street in Tamina no longer have to worry about their wells running dry.

The families, for many years, had to share well water and at times had to catch rain water in barrels if their wells were not working properly.

Thanks to volunteers who donated either time or money, wells are now a thing of the past for the Tamina community.

When the Tamina community first approached South Montgomery County for help, the goal was for the families to have a plumbing system in their homes before Christmas.

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