In a meeting that included the removal of attendees from council chambers, Conroe City Council voted Feb. 12 to end months of litigation with Willis ISD and approve a $1.8 million infrastructure agreement aimed at locking in permanent water and sewer service for three district properties.

What happened: Council first approved dismissing pending litigation tied to Calfee Middle School and related infrastructure matters. City officials said negotiations had stalled while the case was active.

“We could not negotiate while the lawsuit was being done,” council member Marsha Porter said. “The city came to the table when Willis ISD dismissed the lawsuit.”

Council then approved the utility function, cost share and infrastructure agreement between the city and WISD.

Under the approved agreement, WISD must pay the city $1.8 million, due within 45 days after execution of the contract.

Community members and leaders gathered Feb. 6 to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Habitat for Humanity MCTX ReStore off Hwy. 242. 

The details: The ReStore sells donated furniture, appliances and home improvement items, with proceeds helping fund local homebuilding and repair efforts.  Executive Director Rhonda Darby told attendees that “every time you shop, donate or volunteer,” those dollars are turned into “real impact” for local families needing stable housing.

Board leaders also pointed to Habitat’s neighborhood footprint in Conroe, including the Cedar Creek neighborhood—described as 37 acres with 129 Habitat-built homes—and the Marble Creek project in Magnolia, an 81-acre development planned for more than 200 homes.

• 9407 Hwy. 242, Conroe

Montgomery County officials moved Feb. 12  to update the county’s National Incident Management System training and reporting plan.

County staff said the overhaul is needed now that participation demands and state requirements have changed, and the county wants more control over what responders are learning.

The context: During the Montgomery County Commissioners Court meeting, Jason Millsaps, executive director of the county Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, told the court the update is about compliance and keeping county departments and partner agencies on track without repeated exemptions.

“What we're doing is refreshing, updating the NIMS requirements for the county. Last time we did this was a couple years ago,” Millsaps said.

He said the plan approved in 2023 included a class that county departments and partners, such as fire departments and EMS, were required to take, but a combination of a legal shift and limited enrollment is causing problems with meeting that requirement.

Also on the agenda: A final change order shows work is still underway at the Precinct 2 Emergency Response Building.

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage from last week? Check out five trending stories in the Greater Houston area from Feb. 9-13.

Check this out: Montgomery County Precinct 2 residents will have an opportunity to dispose of their heavy trash March 7-8 during Commissioner Charlie Riley’s Heavy Trash Clean Up Day, according to a Feb. 4 Facebook post.

From 8 a.m.-5 p.m. March 7 and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. March 8, residents can bring their heavy trash to 31245 Friendship Drive, Magnolia. Accepted items include batteries, tires and electronics, among others. 

In other news: The Houston Texans are setting up shop in Bridgeland.

The NFL franchise is collaborating with Harris County Precincts 3 and 4 and Howard Hughes Holdings to invest $83 million into a new “Toro District” in Cypress, which will include a new Texans headquarters and training facilities. Harris County commissioners approved the public-private partnership Feb. 12 following a closed-session meeting.

Also of note: A new La La Land Cafe is expected to open in Katy's Meadows Marketplace later this year. 

The Houston Fire Department’s newest station—Station 92—is now serving the George Bush Intercontinental Airport after a grand opening celebration was held for the facility Feb. 6.

At a glance: The new 21,000-square-foot fire station is one of three fire stations at IAH. The facility will be staffed 24/7, 365 days per year.

Station 92 has features such as:

• Six fire-response apparatuses
• Administrative offices
• Access to the airport’s airfield
• Dorms for firefighters to rest