Message from the Board President Jennifer K. Jacobs – Third Quarter 2020

PLEASE REMEMBER TO WEAR YOUR MASKS

WASH YOUR HANDS

PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING

The financial health and wellbeing of our MUD district continues to remain strong.  Following are updates for FBC MUD #131 and the park project:

  • MUD #131 Park
    • In our May 26, 2020, Board meeting, a formal bid by Johnson Fence and Masonry, the lowest bidder for the park project was accepted by the Board of Directors, and a contract was signed for renovations and improvements to Southern Colony Park on Southern Colony Avenue. We will also bring improvements to the pocket park on Obsidian Court. Improvements to the Southern Colony Park on Southern Colony Avenue are below.

  • PARK RENOVATIONS…Additional Information
    • Very soon there will be plenty of activity at the park, and during this construction and renovation period, the park will be closed and off limits to residents. We are asking residents to respect construction workers and avoid using the Southern Colony Park on Southern Colony Avenue for any activities – until further notice. Beginning the week of   September 28, the park area will be closed off to pedestrian traffic. Security cameras will be part of the installation, and plans are also being made for deputy sheriff officers to patrol the area.
  • INVESTMENT OFFICER
    • In addition to his role as a director, Director Michael Higgins will serve as an Investment Officer for the Board. Already Director Higgins has hit the deck running. At our Tuesday, September 22 MUD meeting, Director Higgins introduced to the Board, along with our bookkeeper Steve Haskins of Protocol Bookkeeping, an investment pool that will be a competitive poll in which the District may invest its funds, all in compliance with the Public Funds Investment Act.
  • SECURITY
    • Director Leslie Smith Boards coordinated and worked with of Today’s Integration to help secure a contract for the installation of security monitoring at the Southern Colony Park.
  • PARKING LOT
    • Director JoAnn Randall has worked with the MUD 131’s engineer, Michael Rusk of LJA Engineering, for the design of additional parking at the Southern Colony Park. Once the plans are approved by all agencies, MUD 131 will move forward with a contractor to construct the new parking.
  • GET INVOLVED! PARTICIPATE! You may recall that you received a reminder to participate in the 2020 Census on your March water bill. The federal government uses residents’ answers to these ten census questions to make important decisions about housing, education, the economy, health care, and more.
    • Although Fort Bend County ranks high in completions across the state of Texas, “Fort Bend County is at risk of losing out on an estimated $2.3 billion in federal funding if we don’t increase our response rates. As one of the most diverse and fastest growing populations in the nation — we simply cannot afford a Census undercount. We must ensure we have all available federal resources possible to serve our County population.” Honorable Fort Bend County Judge KP George
    • In March you should have received an invitation to complete the 2020 census for your household. April 1 was officially census day, however, due to the pandemic, you can still complete your census online by September 30, 2020.  If you have not done so, please visit my2020census.gov to begin. You can also request a census application by texting “icount2000” to 313131. Residents who do not respond online or by phone may also receive a visit from a census worker.
  • DISCONNECTIONS!
    • At the June 23 board meeting, the Board determined that we will move forward with disconnection of delinquent water/sewer accounts beginning in July. Residents are encouraged to contact Si Enviro if you need to arrange special payment plans.
  • WARNING! Residents are banned from driving motorized vehicles around the detention pond in Southern Colony. In addition to being illegal, driving on the pond poses risk of injury to vehicle operators.  (Section 49.217 Texas Water Code). Violators are subject to penalties and fines up to $5,000. Thanks to the Sienna Plantation Levee Improvement District (SPLID), signs are placed around the detention pond to remind any would-be offenders.

Please check your calendar and plan to attend the next MUD 131 meeting scheduled for November 24 at 12:00 pm. Because of COVID-19, we will be hosting a virtual meeting, and the public is invited. Details will follow on our upcoming agenda.

Please STAY SAFE, STAY WELL, and TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER! – Jennifer

Water Tip for Residents
(submitted by MUD Consultant, Attorney Laura Davis of SK Law)

If your toilet tank equipment is leaking, or causing increased water usage, try adding simple food coloring to the tank water. If that food coloring appears in the toilet bowl (without flushing) that means the seal on the equipment in the tank is leaking – meaning water is always running (like a dripping faucet).  Replacing the seal in your tank could save you hundreds of dollars in your water bill.

Recreational Facilities in Southern Colony

Dear Residents of Southern Colony:

We are the attorneys for the District and have been asked to clarify unauthorized information that may have been distributed among residents or homebuyers within Southern Colony.

The District, governed by a Board of Directors (the “Board”) consisting of 5 residents, provides water and wastewater treatment services to the customers in Southern Colony. Additionally, the District has planned and contracted for the construction of certain recreational facilities, as depicted on the informational sign located at the park area entrance on Southern Colony Avenue (the “Recreational Facilities Depiction”).

It has come to the Board’s attention that a homebuilder sales associate may be distributing misleading information with regard to the recreational facilities being constructed by the District, including a listing or depiction of recreational facilities NOT consistent with those set forth on the Recreational Facilities Depiction.

Please be advised that the Board has not authorized the distribution of any depiction or renderings of recreational facilities inconsistent with the Recreational Facilities Depiction.  Further, the District is not associated with any homebuilding program occurring in the District and has no control over any materials being distributed outside of the District or Board.  Although the Board appreciates being informed of the unauthorized materials, any questions relating to inconsistent facilities should be directed to the person(s) distributing such material.

The Board strives to make Southern Colony a great community and has worked diligently to plan for the District’s facilities.  The Board encourages any resident with questions relating to the District and its planned facilities to attend a Board meeting.  Notices for the Board meetings are posted on the District’s website, the HOA’s facebook page, and the area Nextdoor site.  If you are unable to attend a meeting, please feel free to submit a question form that is available under the “Contact” tab at the top of the District’s web page.

Sanford Kuhl Hagan Kugle Parker Kahn LLP