Harris-Galveston Subsidence District
Harris-Galveston Subsidence District
1660 West Bay Area Boulevard
Friendswood, TX 77546-2640
Contact: Ronald Neighbors
Phone: (281) 486-1105 Fax: (281) 486-1105
Email: Rneighbors@subsidence.org
Updated as of: 6/16/2010
LEGAL AUTHORITY FOR CREATION AND OPERATION(State)
Texas Special Districts Code, Title 6, Chapter 8801, Subchapter B. Texas Constitution, Article XVI.
GENERAL POWER AND DUTIES
The Harris-Galveston Subsidence District is a special purpose district created by the Texas Legislature in 1975. The District was created to provide for the regulation of groundwater withdrawal throughout Harris and Galveston counties for the purpose of preventing land subsidence, which leads to increased flooding. The District’s enabling legislation is found in Chapter 8801 of the Special District Local Laws Code.
MEETING TIME AND LOCATION
The board shall hold regular meetings on the 2nd Wednesday of each month to consider the issuance of water well permits and to take care of other district business; at 10 a.m., which is held at the district office, 1660 West Bay Area Boulevard in Friendswood.
COMPOSITION
TOTAL: 19 directors. Directors must be residents and qualified voters within the district.
Positions 1 through 6: Are filled by the City of Houston Mayor appointees who must be residents of the city of Houston. One of these Directors must be a representative of industry.
Position 7: The mayor of the municipality with the second largest population of any municipality in the district shall appoint one director from that municipality.
Position 8 & 9: The mayors of all municipalities in Galveston County shall jointly appoint two directors from those municipalities.
Position 10: The mayor of Baytown shall appoint one director from the municipality of Baytown.
Position 11: Harris County Commissioners Court shall sppoint a director that is not a resident of City Houston and is a representative of agriculture.
Position 12: Harris County Commissioners Court shall sppoint a director that is not a resident of City Houston and is a representative of industry.
Position 13: Harris County Commissioners Court shall sppoint a director that is not a resident of City Houston and is a representative of municipal utility districts and a resident of a municipal utility
district in the district.
Positions 14 through 16: Galveston County Commissioners Court shall appoint three directors one of which must be a representative of municipal utility districts and a resident of a municipal utility district in the district.
Position 17: The president of the Clear Lake City Water Authority and the mayors of the municipalities of Deer Park, Galena Park, La Porte, Nassau Bay, and Seabrook shall jointly appoint one director from Harris County.
Position 18: The mayors of the municipalities of West University Place, Southside Place, Bellaire, and Jacinto City shall jointly appoint one director from Harris County.
Position 19: The mayors of the municipalities of Humble, Piney Point Village, Hedwig Village, Bunker Hill Village, Hunters Creek Village, Hilshire Village, and Spring Valley shall jointly appoint one director from Harris County.
COMPENSATION: A director is entitled to fees of office of not more than $150.00 a day for each day the director actually spends performing the duties of a director. The fees of office may not exceed $9,000 a year.
TERM: Directors serve staggered two-year terms.
CHAIRPERSON: Each year, at the first meeting after the new directors take office, the directors shall select from among the directors a chairperson, a vice chair, and a secretary.
QUORUM:A majority of the membership of the board constitutes a quorum for any meeting, and a concurrence of a majority of the entire membership of the board is sufficient for transacting any district business.
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY
Entity is NOT included in the financial reporting for the City of Houston. Required to take an Ethics Course.
MEMBER LIST