The Board of Directors of CCMUD 1 held their regular business meeting on August 26. The following is a recap of some of the items they discussed:
Several members of the public shared their concerns about the state of the landscaping and irrigation in the community’s common spaces. They expressed their desire to see a more permanent solution and asked the board to consider swift action to prevent any further damage.
The District’s attorney advised the Board on the process for engagement of professional services that was last updated in 2023. This process details how the President, or an appointed Director at their choosing, can engage and receive proposals from consultants for Board consideration. There is not an open bidding process for hiring professional services.
The District has been designated a “Developing District” again this year based on the overall level of development and funding. The Board voted to publish a proposed tax rate of $0.9284 for next year, which is $0.02 less than last year. The District will hold a formal taxnrate hearing at their September meeting and will adopt the tax rate at that time.
The financial advisor also reviewed the upcoming road bond sale. She presented a tentative figure of $22m. The draft offering will be reviewed in September, and the anticipated sale date will be in November.
The Board heard a report from Lee Engineering, who had previously been engaged to provide recommendations on signage and traffic controls throughout the community. His report noted some inconsistencies in the placement of signs and recommended a formal speed and traffic study to
determine if additional traffic control measures or speed limit reductions are needed. Additionally, the GM will seek out quotes for a traffic study with the intent of lowering the speed limit on Light Farms Way. The Board will hold further discussion regarding safety initiatives once their budget for the upcoming year is finalized in September.
Director Miles shared a request from various residents concerned about the impact that the new apartments and arterial road from Laughlin Lane to Preston will have on traffic within the neighborhood and asked the District’s engineer to reach out to Celina for an update on planned traffic
signal changes.
The Board voted unanimously to terminate their current contract for communications services and engaged a new provider, Infinity Services. The website migration will take place over the next 45 days. This will save the district a minimum of $30,000 in tax money per year.
The PISD purchase and land use agreement was approved by the Board. The formal agreement will be executed in the coming weeks. The Board appointed Directors Miles and Dusza to represent the District in the closing of the sale.
There was extensive discussion about the use of motorized scooters and e-bikes on the District’s trail system. The attorney clarified that the HOA notice around motorized scooters would not apply to many of the trails in Light Farms, as they belong to the MUD. The attorney advised the Board that they do not have the authority to prohibit the use of such vehicles.
The General Manager updated the Board on ongoing projects in the District, including the status of the storage building construction, sidewalk lifting efforts, and crosswalk installation. In July, the board
approved two new crosswalk treatments at Cypress Creek / Meridian and Light Farms Way / Homestead Ct. These are ordered but will not be installed until December due to backlog with the vendors.
In addition, the GM discussed the significant erosion in the District’s drainage channels and options to address and prevent further erosion of the slopes. This led to a longer discussion with the District’s irrigation specialist on the condition of the wells. Irritech advised the Board that the irrigation issues they’re experiencing are caused by the insufficient volume provided by the existing wells. The Landscape Committee will explore options for long-term improvements, and the Board will consider repairs in its 2025 budget.
Gold Landscaping provided an update on the green spaces within the District. The representative noted that much of the plant material and sod is under stress due to the high temperatures and lack of sufficient irrigation. They are hand-watering and using a water truck to help keep the landscaping alive.
The next Board will be held on Monday, September 23, 2024.
