Sugar Land keeps same tax rate, approves $99M for capital projects
Sugar Land will keep last year's tax rate and invest $99 million in capital projects in the upcoming fiscal year. The city projects $382 million in expenditures in the upcoming fiscal year, including $282.8 million for operating funds and $99.2 million for capital projects. The council unanimously approved the FY 2022-23 budget at its Sept. 20 meeting. “That’s a significant investment, and those projects will pay dividends going forward for the community,” Director of Budget and Strategy Scott Butler said.
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Sugar Land PD names Mark J. Poland as new police chief
SUGAR LAND, Texas – Sugar Land Police Department announced they have named a new police chief on Friday. Undersheriff and Colonel Mark J. Poland, of Loudoun County, Virginia, was chosen after a nationwide search and by Sugar Land City Manager Michael Goodrum, according to the release. Poland most recently served as undersheriff for Virginia’s largest full-service sheriff’s department in Loudoun County, where he supervised over 800 law enforcement officers. He is set to replace Eric Robins, who retired in July. “I am looking forward to joining the Sugar Land team and working together to ensure we remain among the nation’s safest cities,” Poland said in a statement. “I am a hard-working leader who demands professionalism from law enforcement individuals. I also believe as law enforcement officials, leaders within our profession must continue to expand our knowledge and grow as professionals to keep ahead of ever-changing trends in crime.” Poland will take over as chief of police beginning Nov. 1. Resource : https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2022/09/30/sugar-land-pd-names-mark-j-poland-as-new-police-chief/
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Sugar Land calls Imperial Sugar site ‘delicate situation’ as city eyes development of privately-owned historical location
SUGAR LAND, Texas – Sugar Land is named after its origins as a sugar producer, and namely, Imperial Sugar. However, the plant itself -- the inspiration and heart of the name of the vibrant city to Houston’s southwest -- sits derelict. Why? Sugar Land is addressing that issue this week on its officially-run blog. Doug Adolph, the city’s communications director, shared an explanation of sorts on Tuesday, saying the city “does not own the Imperial Sugar site and never has,” adding “the site is privately owned and is looking for a developer experienced in historic preservation and whose vision for the property aligns with the city’s.” Then comes the action part of the blog -- what’s next? “The city and owner have been actively working on attracting a developer, but the site is difficult to develop, and even temporary alterations could impact future historic preservation financing, which is why the site remains as-is,” the blog reads. And as-is is, well, let’s just say it’s a bit more than rough around the edges. Photos shared of the site show “no trespassing” signs and what appear to be open windows and possibly graffiti in the main building’s upper
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Sugar Land named on Fortune’s 25 Best Places to Live for Families
SUGAR LAND, Texas – Sugar Land, Texas, is included on a new ranking by Fortune -- the city is No. 17 on its list of 25 Best Places to Live for Families. Fortune Well launched the inaugural Fortune 25 Best Places to Live for Families ranking on Wednesday, highlighting areas in the U.S. where multigenerational families are most likely to have access to critical resources, community support, and financial well-being. The top 25 best places to live for families, according to the listing, are: 1. Ann Arbor, Michigan, Washtenaw County, Population: 122,004 2. Wylie, Texas, Collin County, Population: 56,463 3. Olathe, Kansas, Johnson County, Population: 144,144 4. Mason, Ohio, Warren County, Population: 35,564 5. Morrisville, North Carolina, Wake County, Population: 27,774 6. Clearfield, Utah, Davis County, Population: 34,322 7. Gaithersburg, Maryland, Montgomery County, Population: 68,282 8. Leesburg, Virginia, Loudoun County, Population: 48,047 9. West Chicago, Illinois, DuPage County, Population: 25,968 10. Novi, Michigan, Oakland County, Population: 63,489 11. West Windsor, New Jersey, Mercer County, Population: 30,038 12. Tustin, California, Orange County, Population: 84,021 13. South Portland, Maine, Cumberland County, Population: 26,076 14. Woodbury, Minnesota,
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New fee will provide dedicated revenue source for Sugar Land’s stormwater program
Sugar Land City Council has approved the Fiscal Year 2023 budget, which includes a Stormwater Compliance Fee meant to pay for stormwater-related activities that are part of state and federal environmental protection requirements. Environmental Manager Georgia Tate said the establishment of this fee provides a dedicated and sustainable revenue source for one of the most important infrastructure programs in the city. “Stormwater is the collection of water that is the result of a rain event,” Tate said. “And our drainage system carries the stormwater off the roads and out of neighborhoods into ditches and pipes, so maintaining the infrastructure of that system is incredibly important.” The Stormwater Compliance Fee will help Sugar Land pay for unfunded mandates that are part of state and federal environmental protection requirements, including pollution prevention measures, community education, drainage system operations and maintenance, and other activities to control the quality of water discharged to the City’s storm drains and waterways. The average resident will pay about $3 a month or $36 per year, which will be included as a fee on their water bill. Residents should expect the changes to come in their first January 2023 bill. “Stormwater compliance is
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