[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6605282,"mediaKeyId","2987084-62e8e19422193cdd1e76b7f927c17dd8","parentId",2987084,"title","Katy council tables interlocal agreements after residents and council members raise safety, outreach concerns about trail across Franz Road","audioSeconds",495,"startMs",2222000,"endMs",2717000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2987084-62e8e19422193cdd1e76b7f927c17dd8&start=2222&end=2717","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2987084-62e8e19422193cdd1e76b7f927c17dd8/thumbnail_2222000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6605282/Katy/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Katy-council-tables-interlocal-agreements-after-residents-and-council-members-raise-safety-outreach-concerns-about-trail-across-Franz-Road","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6605282-ef0353b5b814ca2d194344f93fc36a58/orig.mp4?Expires=1771170093&Signature=AmS1U6gWwu054kEqCYQfNZ7w8FlQzcJcoyZIHcU~hr4ckbqvGwMhhY2ef8tBEwu2J2hOg5NmKFPChu9yJHdfUc0AFo~ZyI2-EYHxcxdjp88YXoOQkuk2goraAFFmm2OonNOCmittr3~C9QlYpC5Qj5x7QnGU-inuW7-Ib4~2xJLeL1YNi04VUp2YwlZ7nFNuqbA40lLkIzRTLB23EcF4KGMmS4Uis3DRsHwPX2uFXGlD7Ae8DS1Re1DlIdwvar~WTapvlkWhk3HgAVXEox9qAkAWSywEtQXn~9CAQHchi~7Ltzs23LGnCiIcZQ3d8KIdCpon2R~FXuICXEGlsCNqJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Katy","date","2025-04-14T00:00:00Z","article","The City of Katy council on April 14 voted to table three interlocal agreements with a municipal utility district tied to the Falls of Green Meadows trail project after council members and staff described a changed alignment that would route the trail across Franz Road rather than along the creek.

Council Member Gina Hicks said she learned of the alignment change at the meeting and expressed concern that the revised plan had not been shown to all homeowners' associations. \"This is the first time I'm seeing this, to be honest with you,\" Hicks said. Other council members who represent neighborhoods near the project said they had not been shown the revised layout.

Staff said the alignment change resulted after negotiations with the MUD and residents who asked the trail be moved away from their backyards; staff described the revised route as a longer jog along Franz Road and said a push-button pedestrian signal would be installed to help with crossings. A city engineering representative explained the trail initially had been routed along the creek but that revised alignment was requested by the MUD and some residents.

Council members raised safety concerns about placing more of the trail along Franz Road, a roadway staff and council described as having limited visibility in places and vehicle speeding. \"We're putting children on the road,\" one council member said while discussing the alignment change and sight lines.

After discussion, the council voted to table all three interlocal agreement items (item 6F and related items) and asked staff to return with detailed trail layouts, clarifying drawings showing where crossings would be located, and a summary of meetings and input from the MUD and homeowners' associations.

The council emphasized that the request for tabling was to allow additional outreach and to verify the design can meet safety expectations before the agreements are finalized.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Katy - City Council - Apr 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council members asked staff for more outreach and detailed drawings after a changed trail alignment for the Falls of Green Meadows interlocal agreement would move the trail across Franz Road and closer to residences; council voted to table three related agreements for additional review.","taxTitle","Katy, Fort Bend County, Texas","taxId",64475,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6605286,"Katy council approves banner program and multiple infrastructure contracts, tables three interlocal agreements",1320,1402000,2722000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2987084-62e8e19422193cdd1e76b7f927c17dd8&start=1402&end=2722","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2987084-62e8e19422193cdd1e76b7f927c17dd8/thumbnail_1402000.jpg","/articles/6605286/Katy/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Katy-council-approves-banner-program-and-multiple-infrastructure-contracts-tables-three-interlocal-agreements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6605286-c123f69b4464d0458d368871231f698b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771170093&Signature=U6EtKAX0dT6RLFPRc4NGFh0hzAWtNKROxKJ2IS6UYSybQ9puvIebDyxlccK2Ncx4p7soXUVSbB9rg1-eCiKJ2D5sJ9-DxvjSzZc5I-NcXbQ2FwLCpeuYOus-NRwgkOZllOg7Gsl4HBmPsyy9URWNCzDfDIzDxeWD2J-iU5Uoa6lRGfRYaegesv1HaGo3Or~ZngrL4nRCmhAgMeO4lZOUYE5jHlREicYHej1eCLRcz8N6wGyyfuu0TtagXrd~RQuax2y4pDXWbtemV69tDiQ4D1JGAWa~wJSG5EmNagals-78Pdtbs5tIDpfvAsnHSsA7hYosh4T7GGpzPj4n3ZxLYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Katy Council on April 14 approved a hometown heroes banner program with the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce and awarded several infrastructure contracts and change orders while tabling three interlocal agreements for further review.

Council unanimously approved a proposal with the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce to run a Hometown Heroes banner program on George Bush Drive between Avenue D and the VFW hall, with city parks staff responsible for hanging banners and a policy prohibiting logos, staff said. The motion to accept the proposal was made by Mayor Pro Tem Chris Harris and seconded by Council Member Dan Smith; the motion carried by voice vote.

The council also awarded a contract for striping improvements to Stripes and Stops Company LLC of Houston. The agenda listed a bid amount of $99,702 and — as printed in the meeting materials — a total project cost figure that appears inconsistent in the agenda text; the item description said the total project cost includes the bid amount, 20% contingencies, and engineering and construction-phase services. The motion to award the striping project was made by Council Member Janet Court and seconded by Council Member Gina Hicks; the motion carried by voice vote.

Council approved a contract with CFG Industries LLC of Pinehurst, Texas for the Lilac Lift Station Rehabilitation Project with a bid amount listed in the agenda as $479,827.50 and a total project cost listed as $548,939.50. The motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Harris and seconded by Council Member Koretz.

The council approved an adjustment to the scope of the Area Water and Sanitary Sewer Improvement Project tied to a Texas General Land Office (GLO) contract (listed as GLO contract number 2406510E167 in the agenda materials). Staff said the change shifts one pipe from being cleaned and televised to a pipe-burst method while remaining within the project scope and not affecting grant funds. The motion was made by Council Member Koretz (listed in the meeting as Kortz in one place) and seconded by Council Member Smith.

A construction change order for the Pitts Road at Morton Road Detention Pond Improvements Project with North Houston Tandem Inc. reduced the contract by $5,470. The agenda listed the original contract amount as $1,620,933.70 and the total with Change Order No. 1 as $1,615,463.70; the GLO contract number listed in the agenda was 20-065137C503. The motion to approve the change order was made by Council Member Koretz and seconded by Council Member Smith.

Council voted to table three interlocal agreements related to an external municipal utility district (MUD) and trail construction after members raised concerns about a changed trail alignment that would cross Franz Road farther from the creek and place the trail closer to houses. The mayor and multiple council members said they had not seen the change presented to homeowners' associations and asked staff to return with detailed trail layouts; Council Member Gina Hicks moved to table all three items and the motion carried.

Separately, the council approved an ordinance amending the employee classification and compensation plan to add job descriptions for senior systems engineer and systems engineer, deleting job descriptions for IT manager and systems administrator. The motion carried by voice vote.

Most motions were approved by voice vote with no roll-call tally recorded in the meeting transcript. No dissenting roll-call votes were read into the record for the items announced as \"motion carries.\"","At its April 14 meeting the City of Katy Council approved a hometown heroes banner program and awarded several construction and striping contracts, authorized change orders on stormwater projects, and tabled three interlocal agreements after unrelated concerns about trail routing across Franz Road surfaced.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6605290,"Katy resident accuses councilmember of censoring criticism during public comment period; calls for debate",244,260000,504000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2987084-62e8e19422193cdd1e76b7f927c17dd8&start=260&end=504","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2987084-62e8e19422193cdd1e76b7f927c17dd8/thumbnail_260000.jpg","/articles/6605290/Katy/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Katy-resident-accuses-councilmember-of-censoring-criticism-during-public-comment-period-calls-for-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6605290-9b1decb81a771252c1caeb89ec7454ba/orig.mp4?Expires=1771170093&Signature=ZK7OgZTqkv5fZhfpU7cCOFeSs~flErmv0TtrngtaoVSqiDQVEXBYCKmN9xJPParZMxB9Oqht-d7ymmZN81oPMLjMwAv0B01Mwz2OL97q0aK7rUtkv9zLwLxmRYuH8l97b-3xeVOIoZzJigpt8ReQQaaoer-MHJL9S6LWfmh31MPI3cDbUy6mbMWvB8qh~1mT~EGdVmpBK-OHg0gDcr0SXCgp3ALnsKPPIVTPFpbNTK3vKvy31kIuZLHe6Trg3mSEapprq7fXA0QfM2pM4QgM6rMk0JVQFSZsai6XyTWbFIT7pY1RowgFIrvkcnZj7koDgG0RrYzsF~31teTKvcE-Gw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the April 14 City of Katy council meeting, resident Casey Hines told the council she was “utterly disappointed” by how proposed charter amendments were advanced and accused a council member of retaliatory conduct on a local Facebook group.

\"Your blatant disregard for the city review committee to push through these self serving amendments is the most undermining thing I have witnessed,\" Hines said. She said a council member had blocked her in the Facebook group City of Katy Residents Forum and argued the page functions as a public forum because it is used regularly for city-related announcements, agendas and voter outreach.

\"Given those facts and case law, these actions make this page a public forum. 1 council member has violated my First Amendment rights,\" Hines said. She also said she raised questions in the group in a respectful manner and accused the council of \"viewpoint discrimination\" when she was blocked.

Michael Payne, another resident who spoke during the same public comment period, asked Mayor Dusty Thiele to participate in a public debate with citizens about the mayoral campaign and the issues under discussion. \"What is Mayor Thiel so afraid of that he can't even stand up to the citizens and prove why he deserves a second term?\" Payne asked.

The council did not respond to speakers during public comment; the meeting chair had earlier reminded the audience that speakers must state name and address for the record and that the council cannot respond during public comment.

Hines also referenced other alleged problems—Open Meetings Act and Public Information Act violations—and said she would continue to advocate for transparency. The council took no action during the comments and the matter was not placed on the meeting agenda for discussion or response.","During the April 14 City of Katy council meeting, resident Casey Hines accused a council member of blocking her on a local Facebook group and violating her First Amendment rights while criticizing how proposed charter amendments were advanced; another resident asked Mayor Dusty Thiele to agree to a mayoral debate.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Katy council tables interlocal agreements after residents and council members raise safety, outreach concerns about trail across Franz Road

Katy council approves banner program and multiple infrastructure contracts, tables three interlocal agreements

Katy resident accuses councilmember of censoring criticism during public comment period; calls for debate