[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6623780,"mediaKeyId","2769299-3d3ee30ee65208cd7f3fec42c98fcc32","parentId",2769299,"title","Council approves $57,115 traffic engineering study after Lewisville ISD school closure","audioSeconds",1752,"startMs",7163000,"endMs",8915000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2769299-3d3ee30ee65208cd7f3fec42c98fcc32&start=7163&end=8915","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2769299-3d3ee30ee65208cd7f3fec42c98fcc32/thumbnail_7163000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6623780/Texas/Council-approves-57115-traffic-engineering-study-after-Lewisville-ISD-school-closure","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6623780-48349853bc25a87d41ade6fb1fb7ed01/orig.mp4?Expires=1770884013&Signature=T9cTURx1IBd2TdRWeW2QqetgFmeYGpj7s3By-GdM~v9u37wFOziaMk21vPT8q4arezYzp8yesMKp6-i87blHicWqRWfnhYS58OWGit~h~bptq2Q9j6STC2u39c3PhbBk2h9I26FISBlD~Q2NwIq~eX1x4jsZUgDlo6fxAZwR~oW6tvnAzGE~Hc~ZFBxgZC~mJ6x8x7CdAvQeQn7jIg3HXu1dAaWN9wUnkZ61yOYlkoT4KqSp~cYInGJrHSOtW4OICPT2eHVUaMTq73UEhkZHZdwfapU7roYg9GfnDYk1gnKTokTjN7NvCI~pni57XTweKLwofKhGLXsYj9e3WJB77A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Highlands","date","2025-03-25T00:00:00Z","article","The Highland Village City Council voted 7\u00002D0 on March 25 to authorize an agreement with Maldonado Burkett LLP for professional traffic-engineering services to study traffic pattern changes after Lewisville ISD voted to close Highland Village Elementary.

The contract is for $57,115 and will examine how about 347 displaced students will be reassigned and routed to McAuliffe and Heritage elementary schools, whether additional city or TxDOT infrastructure changes are needed, and whether signal timing, school-zone changes or other mitigations should be recommended.

Why it matters: council members and residents expressed concern that moving an elementary school population could concentrate morning and afternoon traffic at already constrained points in the city. The study will provide count-based analysis and recommended infrastructure or operational changes that the city and school district can use in planning and, if warranted, for capital improvement budgeting.

Council debate and alternatives considered: council members and residents argued both for and against commissioning a paid study now. Some members said the school district had indicated it was developing bus routes and other mitigation plans and that TxDOT can be asked to extend or modify school-zone speeds without a study. Others said parents and residents wanted a formal engineering analysis to identify infrastructure needs and to develop a coordinated plan with Lewisville ISD and neighboring Flower Mound.

Mayor Charlotte Wilcox and council members asked staff to seek available information from LISD on proposed bus routings and drop-off plans and to discuss whether the district would share data or cost. Several council members suggested lower-cost, immediate steps the city could take, such as requesting TxDOT extend school-zone limits and adjusting signal timing during peak school hours. Council members also discussed operational measures such as opening a school gate, additional crossing guards and enforcement for e-scooter and micro-mobility safety.

Public comment at the meeting highlighted broader concerns about Texas school funding and the impact of school closures on neighborhoods. Antonella Longo and Georgiana Bustos, residents who spoke at the meeting, urged continued local advocacy for public schools. The council heard multiple questions from members about whether the district had already finalized bus routes and whether the city\u000027s prior traffic studies or TxDOT counts would be sufficient.

Next steps and implementation: the study will collect traffic counts, examine pedestrian and bicycle routes and consider school-pickup operations. Staff will request existing routing and schedule data from LISD and coordinate with Flower Mound and TxDOT as part of the consultant scope. The study\u000027s findings may identify capital projects or operational changes that would require future council action and funding decisions.

Ending: Council approved the study after a lengthy discussion about timing and alternatives; several members said they expected close monitoring of school-related traffic when the school year begins in August and reserved the option to bring additional measures forward later.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Highlands - City Council - Mar 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Following the Lewisville ISD decision to close Highland Village Elementary, council approved a $57,115 traffic-engineering contract to study route and intersection impacts for students reassigned to McAuliffe and Heritage. Council debated alternatives including TxDOT school-zone requests and school-district coordination before the 7\u00002D0 vote.","taxTitle","Highlands City Council, Highlands, Harris County, Texas","taxId",72997,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6623785,"Highland Village receives clean audit, finance team praised for fiscal 2023–24",693,279000,972000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2769299-3d3ee30ee65208cd7f3fec42c98fcc32&start=279&end=972","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2769299-3d3ee30ee65208cd7f3fec42c98fcc32/thumbnail_279000.jpg","/articles/6623785/Texas/Highland-Village-receives-clean-audit-finance-team-praised-for-fiscal-202324","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6623785-0f160e3e22ee31012583f1cf2f7f50bb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770884013&Signature=dTBcuNHMqmGg71Vrzkz~oL7HZ7G2TDn1FLSJT3UEcS7hZ5JtSkH12vLpDBOTUfzmo1jQzpd5d-WrG9paurHL1c7SCT6Xrdhx0f8~yga7HwH3JfWkMri4uiy-tpMybrcNXuvNNNoQTiMuGtfKI9-xC1WDuXJOB3usdKTfOiAJOU7gq0yofHl662VDAdrVBsSm6ERikDns6wNWSspiO3DoM2He4pUVftscQ4wBhC7igEC76fFnx6W1RAsQkYSiUpR44-XndtnTXKbXGy97~n3x6Tz5YZGGxGh-a0EoyJQ1FPLcNJZbHPamy50wcSkQs0jm8WslvKhtembjym~uvWsIoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jacob Bowman, an audit supervisor with Pattillo, Brown & Hill out of Waco, told the Highland Village City Council on March 25 that the city\u000027s annual comprehensive financial report (ACFR) for fiscal year 2023\u00002D24 received a clean opinion and that auditors found no internal control deficiencies.

The auditor summarized the single-audit testing required for entities that spend federal funds, noting that Highland Village\u000027s ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) spending was tested and found compliant. \"No issues, no noncompliance,\" Bowman said of the federal grant testing. He also praised the city\u000027s finance staff and the audit firm\u000027s professionalism.

Why it matters: a clean audit reduces immediate legal and fiscal exposure, supports creditworthiness and shows the city\u000027s financial statements conform to generally accepted accounting principles. The auditor also presented key fund metrics that will inform budgeting and capital planning decisions.

Bowman walked council through highlights of the ACFR: the general fund ended the year with a fund balance of roughly $11.6 million and unassigned general fund balance of about $9.3 million, representing roughly 38% of annual spending. \"You\u000027re at 38%, which is good,\" Bowman said, noting that the Government Finance Officers Association recommends at least 30% and that the city\u000027s adopted target was lower (20% to 25%). He also described the utility fund as \"healthy,\" with about 75% of a year\u000027s worth of unrestricted fund balance after excluding debt and capital assets.

Bowman explained the difference between governmental fund accounting on a modified-accrual basis and the governmentwide statements on a full-accrual basis, and encouraged council and residents to review the management\u000027s discussion and analysis and the statistical tables for additional context. He said the ACFR\u000027s 10-year schedules help show trends in revenues, expenditures and debt-service ratios.

Heather (finance staff) and the city\u000027s audit coordinator were thanked repeatedly during the presentation. Bowman said the audit process went smoothly because of the documentation the finance team provided: \"You've a very clean set of books that is very easy to audit so y'all make it easy on us.\"

Council action: the ACFR was on the consent agenda (item 13) and was approved as part of a blanket consent motion. The consent motion carried 7\u00002D0.

What council members asked and next steps: council members asked clarifying questions about asset classification (for example, why storm sewers appear under wastewater on a particular schedule) and about a typographical page-number error Bowman noted; staff said they would correct the page number before submission to the GFOA. Council members also discussed how certain capital and lease transactions are reported in governmental fund statements versus governmentwide statements.

For readers who want the details: the single-audit section in the smaller-bound report lists federal programs tested and the auditor\u000027s findings; Bowman said ARPA-related testing was performed for the last time for the period ended Sept. 30, 2024. The ACFR and single-audit documents were provided to council and are on file with the city.

Ending: council accepted the ACFR and thanked the finance team and outside auditors for the work. No further formal actions were taken at the presentation beyond the consent approval recorded on the council\u000027s March 25 agenda.","An outside auditor told the Highland Village City Council the city\u000027s annual comprehensive financial report for fiscal year 2023\u00002D24 received a clean opinion and no internal control deficiencies. Auditors highlighted strong reserves in the general and utility funds and the end of ARPA-related single-audit testing.","actionData","errors"]

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Council approves $57,115 traffic engineering study after Lewisville ISD school closure

Highland Village receives clean audit, finance team praised for fiscal 2023–24