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Harris County Commissioners have agreed to a proposal to help Montgomery County build its portion of the SH 249 toll road.

The Memorandum of Understanding, signed by commissioners, states that Harris County will lend up to $20 million to develop SH 249 from Spring Creek to FM 1774.

"To understand this you have to go back about 10 years when the Westpark Freeway and the Ft. Bend Highway was going in," said Harris County Pct. 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle. "There were concerns that Harris County was going to spend a lot of money on our side and then have to wait for Ft. Bend County to catch up."

So Harris County eventually agreed to lend Ft. Bend County $15 million to complete their portion, according to Cagle.

"That success is the model for our partnership with Montgomery County," he said.

Cagle said that while Montgomery County could ultimately afford the project on its own, the length of time it would take would slow the project.

"It could delay it, even by several years," he said.

Cagle said the speed with which Harris and Montgomery counties have come together to start the project has caught the attention of state officials.

"TxDOT has now committed to extending the Aggie Freeway all the way out to highway 6, once it is complete to 1774," he said.

The first phase of the project will be Harris County's, where they will expend 249 from Spring Cypress Road to FM 2920. Construction on that is expected to begin this fall. The second phase, from FM 2920 to FM 1774, will begin about a year later. Cagle said TxDOT will follow a year after that, beginning work on the extension to SH 6 in Navasota.

Cagle praised Montgomery County Commissioner Craig Doyal for his hard work and cooperation on the issue.

"He (Doyal) definitely understands that a rising tide floats all ships," he said.

Cagle said the loan will be at a standard commercial rate, which Montgomery County will pay back once they secure revenue bonds, which will then be paid off using toll revenues.

"This area is so congested that it has hindered its growth," Cagle said. "This is akin to taking the locks off this area and allowing business to just flow in."

"With the 249 project and Grand Parkway coming soon as well, I see this area becoming a prime attraction for business and growth, not just regionally but nationally as well," he added.

Magnolia Chamber of Commerce Chairman Barry Tate knows this development is important to the area and its businesses.

"We want to be sure our chamber members are informed about the SH 249 road project, because we feel this project could really impact them, both during construction and after the road opens," Tate said. "That is why we are devoting our February luncheon to this topic, and have invited quest speakers to be sure everyone has a chance to get their questions answered."

The Tomball City Council once again discussed changes to the city's fencing ordinance, after receiving a flood of comments from concerned residents.

The Jan. 21 meeting opened up with comments from residents, as well as email and written comments regarding the fencing rules.

"What right does the city council have to tell us what kind of fencing we can have in terms of how high – in terms of what our property can look like?" said Tomball resident Leslie Lagerquist. "Please reconsider and come up with something a little more thoughtful."

City Secretary Doris Speer then read more than a half dozen emailed remarks, all in opposition to the recent changes.

"With the current increase in violent crimes and home invasions in Harris County, I would like to retain the option of installing a fence in my front yard to aid in protecting my family against a home invasion," wrote Tomball resident Johnny Dove.

City Planner Rebecca Guerra told council she did not have a problem with amending the ordinance further, but was looking for guidance on how they wished to proceed.

"When I came to Tomball I read the existing fencing ordinance and found that it was not only difficult to understand, but difficult to enforce," she said.

Council did discuss more proposed changes to the ordinances, such as allowing for six-foot high fencing in certain zoning areas with larger lots. Guerra pointed out that residents concerned with the height of the fence was worth considering, but that the four-foot high fence rules for front yards had been in effect since 2008.

"The current zoning ordinance, which was passed by the city of Tomball in 2008, states that the maximum height for a fence in the front yard is four feet," she said.
Council will take up a first reading of amendments to the ordinance at their next meeting.

In other business the council debated on whether to continue to waive impact fees for new businesses looking to open in the downtown Tomball area.

The city has waived the sewer and water impact fees before, during a meeting last September. The fees were waived for 180 days for the Old Town area. Council members seemed in agreement that waiving the fees could encourage new development and help smaller mom and pop type businesses get started.

Council directed city staffers to write an ordinance waiving the fees, which will be presented at the next council meeting.

Tomball Public Works Director David Kauffman told council members that the project to build new restrooms at the Tomball Depot Center was moving along.

"We hope to bring the proposal (for final designs) to council at the next meeting," he said.

City workers estimate the project to cost around $125,000 and will be built to look like the depot building.

UPDATE: (10:45 a.m. Jan. 30) - The Harris County Sheriff's Office responded to this story today with a statement saying that undercover deputies will be exempt from the photo session. Their statement is below.

"Even though you alluded to the deputies’ organization’s concerns in an e-mail last Thursday -- in the midst of national breaking news concerning the Lone Star College shooting and the Sheriff’s Office -- we were unaware of the specific concerns voiced to you until today," said Harris County Sheriff's Office Director of Public Affairs Alan Bernstein. "We have not seen the organization’s news release. Also, as far as we can tell, the organization did not voice or send or write its concerns to Sheriff Garcia despite the numbers ways it can do so.

Most important, undercover officers have always been exempt from the photo requirement. However if a deputy works an approved “extra job” in uniform, they are not truly undercover."

ORIGINAL STORY: Members of the Harris County Deputies Organization (HCDO) are upset with a mandatory request from Sheriff Adrian Garcia, calling it a public relations grab that ignores officer safety.

Garcia sent a memo out to department staffers last week notifying them of a mandatory policy, requiring them to have a photo taken for the department's yearbook, commemorating the department's 175th anniversary.

HCDO President Robert Goerlitz said the policy could put deputies at risk, especially those that serve in undercover positions.

"We don't know who is getting copies of these yearbooks," Goerlitz said. "If drug cartels get one, they can scan pictures and put them into facial recognition databases. This is a public relations thing for the sheriff and it could cost lives."

Harris County Sheriff's Office officials responded to a request to comment on the issue by sending the Tribune a copy of Garcia's memo.

"As you are all aware, the Sheriff's Office is working feverishly towards completing our 175th anniversary yearbook," the memo states.

It goes on to say that a special yearbook committee has only been able to secure about half of the department employees pictures.

"In an effort to assist the Yearbook Committee's efforts and help facilitate the completion of this project, I am requiring all personnel who have not yet had their yearbook portraits taken to schedule an appointment to have their portrait photo taken during the next scheduled photo session this coming February," the memo states. “The intent of my instruction is to reach 100% employee participation so that all personnel are properly represented and duly recognized for their continuing commitment to their communities and for their loyal service to the Sheriff's Office."

"The problem is that the administration is requiring 100 percent participation," said Goerlitz. "A lot of these guys are currently or may work undercover in the future. It's a safety issue."

Goerlitz said that in the past, deputies have been allowed to mask their identities in photos; something he said that administrators say is not an option this time.

"The response we have gotten from them is that if it is too dangerous to have a picture taken then it is too dangerous for deputies to have jobs outside the department," he said.

"Our job function is inherently dangerous without creating additional risks," he added. "This most certainly creates undue risk that the safety of not only the deputy will be compromised, but that of their family as well."

Tomball Police Chief Robert Hauck was the guest speaker at the Tomball Rotary Club weekly luncheon Jan. 16. Hauck talked to Rotary members about the department's philosophies and how he has integrated his years of experience to build a department that strives to serve the community. The Tomball Rotary Club meets every Wednesday, at noon, at the Tomball Community Center. For more information email Tomball This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Magnolia's Lady Bulldog basketball team continued their winning ways, upending their rival Magnolia West 60-39, Jan. 22.
The win improved the Lady Bulldogs to 10-2 in district play, putting them in a three way tie with Brenham and Montgomery.
The Lady Mustangs kept the game close throughout the first quarter, trailing just 12-11 heading into the second period.
Magnolia's depth and their full court pressure began to wear on Magnolia West, as the Lady Bulldogs opened up a nine-point halftime lead.
The third quarter was the deciding factor, as Magnolia went on a 19-5 run to break open the game and grab a 51-29 lead.
Allison Abendschein led all scorers with 15 points, and recently picked up the 1,000th point of her high school career as well. Ashley Richardson and Savannah Schroeder each pumped in 10 points in the win.
The Lady Bulldogs took on Waller Jan. 25, but results were unavailable as of press time.