Joshua City Council backs resolution supporting changes to special-district law to reduce TCEQ oversight and permit single-member districts

The Joshua City Council on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution supporting proposed amendments to the Texas Special District Local Laws Code that district representatives said would reduce duplicate Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) review of revenue-bond projects and permit the option of electing directors from single-member districts.

Josh, a representative of the Johnson County Special Utility District, told the council the district covers about 320 square miles and serves a mix of urban subdivisions and rural customers dependent on well water. He said duplicative reviews add cost and delay to capital projects: "it's really a duplication of what we have to do... it costs the rate payer about 25 to 50,000" and "at a minimum, it takes 3 months," slowing projects, he said.

That cost and delay led the district to ask state legislators to amend the Texas Special District Local Laws Code so the district would not need the additional front-end TCEQ approval for certain revenue-bond actions and large system…