If you weren't there last night, you missed a board meeting in which decisions pivotal to the future of Kings Forest were successfully hammered out. Several major milestones were reached, including the selection of a key access system, which will transition the pool to key access/no lifeguards, and approval to fund development of the final design plan for new entrance treatments. We want to thank the highly engaged audience of more than 20 residents who voiced their support, and by doing so, helped the board make these decisions.
Here are the highlights:
Don Barksdale presented research on card and key access systems conducted by an ad hoc team of board members Lois Vance and Richard Badoian, Ginny Eckley (Revitalization Committee) and residents Kathy Quinn and Don Barksdale. Their recommendation was to implement a Mult-T-Lock High Security system that works with special keys that cannot be duplicated without an authorizing passcard.
The board voted to approve implementation of this system; exact timing dependent on how quickly the team can purchase and install the system. Residents will receive a single key per household, but can purchase additional keys at a small cost to be determined.
The ad hoc team presented modified pool rules that will be further refined before dissemination to residents. The team also proposed that residents be required to sign a notarized document acknowledging their understanding of and responsibility to follow pool rules.
Audience and committee members were supportive of their recommendations; Lois Vance proposed that the board approve acquistion of the key access system, and the motion passed with Vance, Mike Gilroy and Richard Badoian voting in favor.
Tricia Morley recapped the status of the entrance treatment plan and outlined the decisions that must be made by the board before we can proceed with full implementation. She presented a resolution for the board to approve allocating funds so that the Revitalization Committee can proceed with the final design plan and select one entrance to be improved as "proof of concept."
Lois Vance made the motion that the board allocate an additional $10,000 to the Revitalization fund for a total of $20,000. Bob Braun, Mike Gilroy, Richard Badoian approved it; next step is for the Revitalization Committee and board member Mike Gilroy to work with the landscape designer to produce final architectural drawings for all entrances, draft a contract for board approval, and begin construction on one entrance.
Discussed at length last night was the Valley Manor high school parking lot construction. Humble ISD Director of Facilities Deborah Yoacham said the City of Houston will most likely approve the Y-shaped exit and construction will continue as planned. Residents and Yoacham exchanged ideas for reducing traffic and obscuring view of the parking lot.
During the course of the discussion, it became apparent that it is simply too late to reroute the exit because of the expense involved; the time to do so was several years ago when the plans were first presented to the KF board. While the outcome is not entirely satisfactory to affected residents and others in attendance, Yoacham did commit the district to plant trees to obscure the view, investigate elimination of a sidewalk, and enforce no parking/standing rules.
Board member Mike Gilroy urged the school district to make every effort to minimize the impact on Valley Manor residents and respond as quickly as possible with firm plans.
During the discussion on safety and security, resident Dave Stevens suggested that Kings Forest consider contracting for extra security, as other villages have done. Dave and Richard Badoian will form a team to investigate options and costs.
