Tomball City Council moved March 2 to ratify a contract to purchase property at 213 W. Main St., a move city officials said would give Tomball control of the fully connected building next to its community and information center. 

The gist: During discussion, officials said the building is directly connected to the city’s community and information center and was formerly occupied by “Over 2B,” saying the purchase would allow “the entire building to be able to be used.”

According to the agenda packet, the item was brought forward by the city manager’s office with a recommendation for approval, and states the purchase would be funded through the city’s fund balance rather than an already designated budget line. 

Also of note: Tomball voters will weigh four proposed changes to the city charter May 2 after the council approved an ordinance calling a special election to place the measures on the ballot on Feb. 23

The proposed amendments would address council communications, departmental oversight, ordinance publication procedures and how certain department head appointments are handled.

The Houston Methodist Breast Care Center at The Woodlands celebrated a decade of service, according to a Feb. 26 news release. 

The two-minute impact: Since opening in 2016, the center has served more than 200,000 patients, becoming a regional destination for screenings and diagnostic care for residents locally and from communities several hours outside the Houston area, according to the release.

Officials said the facility was created to expand access to early detection services closer to home while providing individualized care in a supportive setting.

The center offers advanced imaging and diagnostic services, including digital mammography, 3D breast imaging, ultrasound, MRI screenings and image-guided biopsies designed to detect abnormalities earlier and improve treatment outcomes, per the release.

According to the release, the facility is now recognized as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence and holds accreditation through the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers.

• 17183 I-45 Ste. 310, The Woodlands

Montgomery County commissioners March 5 approved updates tied to the May 2 election, but the discussion quickly widened into election day operations regarding staffing shortages and how the county runs polling sites.

What happened: Precinct 3 Commissioner Ritch Wheeler asked the court to remove the Kevin Brady Community Center as an early voting location in exchange of adding the George and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Library as part of the May 2 joint election preparations. 

Wheeler said because of last-minute location changes during the March 3 primaries, voters were left searching for the right polling site.

Diving deeper: He said that staffing—not equipment—may be the biggest strain on local elections heading into May 2, with officials saying the county is struggling to fill the poll worker roles needed to keep dozens of sites operating smoothly.

Officials said it has become increasingly difficult to recruit enough election workers—especially for May elections, which typically draw lighter turnout and fewer volunteers.