Talk of the Town Podcast: Conversation with Brookside Village

On today’s episode of the Talk of the Town Podcast, we sit down with Brookside Village Mayor Glenda Hundl and Mayor Pro Tem Kevin Murphy to talk all things Brookside Village.

Brookside Village is a small town and the northernmost city in Brazoria County. With a population of around 1,600, it has maintained its small-town, rural feel while facing many of the same challenges that come with growth and development.

We discuss drainage grants, how the Clear Creek Project could benefit the city, and the impact the widening of Mykawa Road could have on the Brookside Village community.

One thing that really stands out during our conversation is how much Mayor Hundl truly loves the city she serves. Her passion for Brookside Village and the people who call it home is evident throughout the conversation.

Join us for another great conversation on the Talk of the Town Podcast!

Transcript

Welcome And Meet The Mayors

SPEAKER_01 0:05

Welcome to the next episode of the Talk of the Town Podcast, where we bring to you local leaders, local stories, and local impact. I'm Cameron. And today we have some special guests with us.

SPEAKER_02 0:15

Today, we do. We do. This is Kevin Cole, and we've got Mayor Glenda Hundel right here from the city of Brookside Village with us, as well as Mayor Pro Telm, Kevin Murphy. And we we want to take talk of the town on the road. And we're talking about one of our dear neighbors right here in the Pearl Land area, the Brookside Village. And so we wanted to invite them in and just talk about the great things that are happening there, their challenges, and just have a really great conversation with these two folks.

SPEAKER_01 0:47

Yeah, so um, real quick for those that are not familiar with Brookside Village, um, we're gonna kind of throw up on a map uh here on the on the screen. And then Glenda, kind of tell us a little about yourself, and then Kevin we can follow her up. But as people are looking at where is Brookside Village, it is north of Pearland. You got Makawa to the east, you got Stone Road to the west.

SPEAKER_02 1:10

You can still go north of Pearl Land and be in another city before you get to the Bell Lines.

SPEAKER_03 1:17

Yeah, but I wanted to show

Where Brookside Village Sits

SPEAKER_03 1:18

the building.

SPEAKER_01 1:18

But I wanted I wanted to show people who may not know where Brookside Village is, real quick.

SPEAKER_04 1:22

So well, I appreciate that. So many people think that Brookside Village is like a subdivision, and we're actually an incorporated city.

SPEAKER_01 1:30

Yep, right. Incorporated in 1959, same year as 1959, that's right.

SPEAKER_04 1:35

I think we were first.

SPEAKER_01 1:37

Maybe.

SPEAKER_00 1:37

Do you have your meeting an hour before the thing?

SPEAKER_04 1:40

I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 1:41

We like to point out it is the top city, the top city of the city. It is the top city.

SPEAKER_01 1:48

I like that.

How Glenda Became Mayor

unknown 1:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:49

So you got Glenda, tell us a little bit about yourself, how the where yeah, who you are, how did you get why did you decide to run for me? Anything. Just kind of tell us who you are.

SPEAKER_04 1:59

Well, um, I was a Paralyn girl most of my life. I I you know graduated, married my high school sweetheart from Paralyn High School. And do I have to say the year?

SPEAKER_03 2:09

No.

SPEAKER_04 2:10

Okay. A long time ago. Um, I'm a wife, I'm a mom of two grown children, and I am a grandmother, three grandchildren that I'm just in love with. Like as you're as grandparents, you all understand that. Um, I was mostly um I guess um I didn't have like administrative assistant most of my life. And um I started getting involved in the in the city as my kids got older and had more time on my hands, uh, because when they were younger, I was involved in the schools and volunteering. So I got involved in um doing the informed Brookside Village Citizens Group, which is now Friends of Brookside Village. And um anyway, I got on that and then um got on that board and and then there was an opening that came available on council. I got appointed to that. And then uh I don't know how how long ago, about four years ago, our previous mayor left office, and I um I went I came to the meeting that night as a council member and uh left as a mayor. I got appointed to that as well.

SPEAKER_02 3:19

So you got voluntole.

SPEAKER_04 3:21

I know voluntole. That's that's that's who I am, I guess. So um here we are.

SPEAKER_02 3:27

What a great story. Yes, yeah. You show up for a meeting, never know what might happen.

SPEAKER_04 3:31

And I that's right.

SPEAKER_02 3:32

Welcome to small town politics.

SPEAKER_04 3:34

Exactly. So I just got to work and started building a great team. I have great, you know, my mayor pro to meer. Uh we have a great council, and we've been just working really hard to to uh do great things in our little city first.

SPEAKER_02 3:47

And I've known Kevin Murphy for a long time. We've had uh great relationship together, uh attorney by trade, but uh great all-around uh good ya.

SPEAKER_00 3:56

So yeah, it's good to see you. Good to see you. We worked together when I was on the uh Paroland City, uh Pearl Land Chamber of Commerce. I was uh very proud to chair the Pearl Land Day. Yep, and uh that was those were good days. Um, but I've been in Brookside Village a little more than 10 years now, and uh Glinda has done great work. We're very proud to be part of the mayor's team. And uh it's uh it's been a lot of work, but a lot of fun.

unknown 4:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:27

Well,

Why City Progress Feels Slow

SPEAKER_02 4:28

I was gonna say if you're not having fun, then it is it, it is it it's horrible to go to a meeting if it's not fun. It's a hard job. It's it it it just made it's already hard kind of dealing with the complexities of municipal government and and public opinion and and all of those kind of things. And then if it's not fun on top of that, it you you you don't look forward to going to a meeting. But if you're if you're having fun, you're still accomplishing things, it can be incredibly rewarding.

SPEAKER_00 4:56

Incredibly rewarding. I think one of the challenges that a lot of the folks that I'm on council with now, one of the challenges I have, I've I'm a construction attorney, and most of my clients, I was on the phone with a client this morning, they had a problem, there's a solution, and we're gonna pull the trigger on that solution, and that's what we do, right? And in the in the government world, particularly in the municipal government world, there's a problem, and then we need to talk about that problem, and we're gonna talk about that problem, and it's a little slower process, but um we've talked about we were talking about this before we came in that the mayor said, Well, I just feel like we haven't done anything, and then I started listing off achievements that she took over, and I said, Well, you've done all of these things, and she said, Well, I guess we have done some things, it just it may take, and as I know you've served in in local government for years, you know that thing where you say, What have we done? This thing's been on the agenda for yeah, you know. I'm I'm sick of it. I don't even remember why I put it on the agenda, but but then you get it done.

SPEAKER_01 5:57

Yeah, and uh since you bought it up, what are some of those achievements that you guys may be proud of to have happened?

City Wins And Facility Upgrades

SPEAKER_04 6:05

Well, um gosh, where do we start? Um we um we just improved uh everything uh internally and externally at City Hall. We bought um property. Uh, we we were greatly in need of a maintenance building. Um our equipment that we uh have, uh it may not be a lot, but it's you know been sitting out in the weather. So we were able to buy um uh the lot right behind City Hall and expand our footprint there. That's good and we'll be able to house our equipment there and so it can stop rusting. And we we'll have some office space that'll free up in City Hall because you know we're so small. Um gosh, we only have like eight total employees. That's my my sweet little town.

SPEAKER_02 6:57

I was gonna ask you, what's the pop what's the current population or estimate of Brooks?

SPEAKER_04 7:02

It's about 1600.

SPEAKER_01 7:03

Okay, yeah, I was gonna say the 2020 census had it about uh 1540, 1548. It didn't, yeah. So about that.

SPEAKER_04 7:11

Um then we sold some property right behind the vineyard. We're so proud of that vineyard that's in our town. It's beautiful. A lot of people use it for events and uh La Maison Blanc, and uh so we own the property right behind there, and uh, and now part of their parking lot, we sold that so they can increase their parking because it was for the greater good of you know the the city, and so that was kind of a wash on that expense for that property. We've gotten three grants um improving drainage, getting a master drainage plan. Right. Um we never had a comprehensive plan. We're gonna have comprehensive plans. Very good updating our you know, building codes and things like that. And um what else?

Fixing The ISO Fire Rating

SPEAKER_00 7:52

Gosh, um I I was really I was really pleased with the situation we had this summer where the insurance rating we had a an insurance rating. Let's talk about that. I know a little bit about that. Yeah, um it was it was a very uh and this was an example of uh what uh our mayor is uh Mayor Hundel is too humble sometimes, but one of her great strengths is she will build a team and she is tenacious and she won't give up. So the insurance service organization is a private corporation that sets an insurance rating for every city, and that's how when you get your homeowners' insurance, that's how they determine what the fire basically it's what the fire risk is. Yeah, real quick. So sometimes you you hear it referred to as ISO. ISO right, right, and so the ISO rating and every city gets a rating, and it affects things like your ability to get a loan, your ability if it's a high-risk neighborhood, you can't get insurance, or if you get it, your rate goes well. So Paraland, I think, is a one right now. It's a current one, which is because there's been a lot of investment and infrastructure to provide water and things. Brookside Village is still on well in septic for most of the city. We have a great volunteer fire department, but for a variety of reasons, we ended up with a rating of 10, which is no fire protection, and probably means most homes are not gonna, even if you can't get insurance, you're going to pay a high premium for that.

SPEAKER_03 9:23

Right.

SPEAKER_00 9:23

And so it was I was very pleased with the way the council came together, the way the mayor led that, because what we ended up with was getting a consultant involved, getting a team involved that included Representative Barry, outside consultants, city attorneys, working with people at the city of Parland to build this coalition. And I think our rating now is a three.

SPEAKER_04 9:43

Fantastic. Amazing. Yeah, I'm so I'm so thankful because I had called called you, Miracle, about that, and um, you know, dependent on your wisdom.

SPEAKER_02 9:53

And you know, I think I told you we're here to help.

SPEAKER_04 9:55

Yes, you did. You always told me that, and we are so grateful to the city of Fairland, and you know, always helping us in different ways.

SPEAKER_00 10:02

So but you're not afraid to knock on those doors. Right now, and and if they say, Well, we can't have well, you're gonna keep knocking.

SPEAKER_02 10:10

And I think what that what that should illustrate what we want to show people, whether you're in a uh a larger metro area, a small city, um, problems exist, things occur. And you you you you open the week on a Monday thinking you've got this this path for the week, and then you get that phone call, or you get that letter, you get that email on Wednesday that says, Oh, your ISO rating is a 10, and you go, What?

SPEAKER_04 10:42

Yeah, you saw and that's taught me dead in my tracks. I I I couldn't digest that. Um everything, I just everything just got fit on hold for, you know.

SPEAKER_02 10:51

You just freeze, and then how do you deal with it? And so, which which is important, and you you've heard Kevin obviously, you know, praising his mayor, but it takes a team, it takes a group of people coming together and saying, Okay, we know the problem exists, but how do we get out of this? What does it look like? Knowing that the answer might not be immediate, might not even be in sight. And not just this one, but I mean many others, right? That that just kind of come along uh down the pipe, right?

SPEAKER_04 11:22

It's very discouraging sometimes when people defeat it, and I hate that, but uh you just have to keep on plugging along and keep trying.

SPEAKER_02 11:29

And most people who run for local office and are in local office, their desire is to fix things, their desires to move the needle, their desire is is to have not a legacy, but to look back and go, I was part of that, and was part of that, and it's all positive. And then all of a sudden you look back and go, I don't want to be the mayor of of we're getting an ISO down the thin, which does drive you to go make those calls. Right.

SPEAKER_04 11:58

Well, you know, the the the main reason, I mean, I everything I do, I think about the people. You know, that's I went from having my own little household, now I've got, you know, 500 and somewhat, you know, homes to think about and those families. And I I do I'm a person of strong faith. And I it's important to me to serve with integrity and um humility and all that kind of thing because I'm I'm just a person and I think about them, they're my neighbors, right? Right, and what and we they all know where I live, right? And a lot of them have my phone number, right? But I'm very blessed to be able to have good, I have mostly good, you know, uh relationships with everyone, and I'm so proud of my city council. Right. We have such a good team and we all respect one another, and you know what uh let switch gears

Grants And The Drainage Roadmap

SPEAKER_04 12:53

a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 12:53

We you know, you talked about some of the grants that you received. So you apparently a grant uh for master drainage plan. So what is the the hope or the goal or the outcome that you're looking to achieve from uh from doing that drainage plan?

SPEAKER_04 13:08

The scope of work for that project or that that grant is to improve some drainage in three different areas of town. So, you know, we were awarded uh $1.5 million for that particular grant. And um, so we just had our pre-construction meeting that'll start some in the in the next few weeks, actually. And um then they'll the engineer will work on a master drainage plan. We never had that before. So I don't, you know, I I I've never I don't know what that looks like, but I'm excited about it. Okay. So it's a learning process. Uh the other thing that's difficult about being a small city is that I don't have a grants department.

SPEAKER_01 13:50

Right.

SPEAKER_04 13:50

Or, you know, right, right.

SPEAKER_01 13:52

Well, you like you said, you there's only eight employees.

SPEAKER_04 13:54

We, yeah. I you know, so it basically falls onto me, the city secretary, you know, and um it's just uh it's it's a lot of work.

SPEAKER_02 14:07

And for those that are watching or if you're listening to this online, you know, Brookside Village is just north of Parliament, just south of Houston, and the Beltway uh is just north of that, but it's also bound by Clear Creek. Right, so and and and and so the reason they're one of the reasons they're doing this master drainage plan is because uh Clear Creek uh has a tendency to come out of its banks from time to time when we have really major flooding events, and like Harvey, like Harvey, uh for those you know listening to this that you've around the Houston area during Harvey, you know that our area, you know, over four nights got about 50 inches of rain, devastating you know, homes and structures along uh Clear Creek. I know people personally that that that took on you know feet of water in their house. And so that's one of their uh uh issues that they've got to deal with. So I'm I'm quite sure that the master drainage plan is gonna be looking at how do you alleviate some of that, what are the rules and regulations around what you need to be doing, what other types of projects can the city maybe maybe look at? And I love the fact that um that you went into uh grant mode. Was that GLO grant dollars? Okay, uh, which which is exactly what you need to be doing. You need to know where we're going, rather than just going, well, I just let's go do this. Well, how do we know that this is gonna be impactful, right? And so hopefully the drainage plan will give you a roadmap.

SPEAKER_04 15:43

Yeah, we're hoping so as well. Yeah, because that's we really uh are faced with that threat all the time. It's we never stop thinking about our clear creek.

SPEAKER_02 15:53

Right. Yeah, it it's uh it's there now. So what'll be interesting as a part of this, we'll have to report back, you know, when the when the study gets complete and done. Who's done the study by the way? The DV selected the firm.

SPEAKER_04 16:07

Oh, yeah, it's GC Engineering, and then DD uh, I mean, you know, D D4 has to approve all the plans that they do.

SPEAKER_02 16:13

Okay. Well I know the folks over at GC. So uh the the the interesting the interesting part will be the Clear Creek project, the federal project, right? Um, you know, after 60 some odd years, finally is in DC, is in design.

SPEAKER_04 16:30

So long as studied body of water, like in a watershed.

SPEAKER_02 16:33

It's in design and and it's never gotten to design, let alone construction. And so the good news is it's actually a project that will affect this particular area. And I'm excited to see what the effects of that's gonna be, not only for Brookside, but obviously Pearland and this northern you know part of Rosario County can have a an incredible positive effect uh on your structures uh under a major major flooding event. So I'm excited to see, and and this study may actually give you some insight that you know pre construction versus post-construction, what what the drainage looks like. That'd be good. Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_04 17:13

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 17:14

Yeah, yeah. Um, so let's talk about makawa.

Mykawa Road Widening And Traffic

SPEAKER_02 17:18

Obviously, makawa. So if anybody knows about Brookside Village, the the eastern boundary of Brookside is is Makawa Road all the way up to Clear Creek.

SPEAKER_01 17:31

Um growing up, it was always the blue signs. That's how I knew growing up that I moved from Pierre Lane to Brookside. Blue signs.

SPEAKER_02 17:42

But but the but the eastern boundary is makawa. Um western boundary isn't quite to Cullen. Right. It it's it's uh it's east of Cullen uh there. And then Brookside Road uh does run through, and that's kind of on the south boundary of the city, and then obviously Clear Creek on the north side. If you're in Paralleline and you're driving Micard Road uh east and west, Brookside Village for the most part is north of um of micard. I think there's one area that touches McCard, but the majority of the city is is is off in the card a little bit. So that'll kind of set you how many square miles?

SPEAKER_04 18:23

Um two.

SPEAKER_02 18:25

Two two square miles about, yeah. So again, not a big landmass, right? But but still, you know, it it it's a it's a great enclave. I call it kind of an enclave of there. Uh year like 2.07. There it is. And so so yeah, so Makawa is a is a project that the city of Pareland uh with textile is is widening. It it's been in desperate need of some attention for a while. So uh give negative, positive. What's makawa gonna do for uh for the city of uh Brookside Village?

SPEAKER_04 19:07

Well, um it's gonna be a for everybody, it's gonna be a mess during that construction. Always nobody likes construction.

SPEAKER_02 19:15

Um always your construction attorney, you never heard that, right? I like construction, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 19:21

The challenge we've had with with this is because it's all it's involved some property acquisitions, right? And and it's affected a handful of my my citizens, and it's been a that's always heart-wrenching thing, you know. Um so that's what you know, we're we're getting moving past all that. They've almost finished all the acquisitions and they just met with us the other day. And um anyway, I think it will help the traffic because sometimes it's such a bottleneck over there. Right. And then you have people that turn down my side streets, you know, and uh thinking they go around something.

SPEAKER_02 20:01

Oh yeah, it's yeah, and nobody out there has ever heard about cut-through traffic.

SPEAKER_04 20:08

Right. And they don't our speed limit all throughout the city is 30.

unknown 20:13

Right.

SPEAKER_04 20:13

So they don't when they're turning off the, you know, trying to get out of that bottleneck, they're never going 30. So um anyway, um, you know, that's I've got citizens that have kids, and yeah, you know, that's it's that kind of thing. So I think when that is corrected, you know, I think that will be good for everyone, yeah, including us. And I'm hoping that some of that drainage that they're gonna fit in that project will also help Brookside Village as well.

SPEAKER_02 20:42

Right. I mean, you you're it's a great spot, access to the beltway. I mean, commuters, you know, that's a that's a great, you know, piece to to be able to get out of Brookside, out of Perramin, out, you know, and move north into into uh into the Houston area. You can go out makawa straight up and keep going, uh, or you can hit the beltway. Obviously, the other direction, you can hit Cullen and and and go straight up into Houston as well. So you've got great access points. You're right. I think Makawa is exacerbated because there's a there's a part of that roadway uh once it's built, is gonna be in in both cities a little bit. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 21:29

Yeah, it's still kind of gonna be an interesting up in the air, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:34

Yeah. So if you have an accident, are you in Fairland? Are you in Brookside?

SPEAKER_03 21:38

And yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 21:41

It's gonna make an interesting law school hypothetical coming to for some life. Yeah, yeah. For somebody's final exam. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:52

So um just I'm going through your website right now as we're sitting here talking, and and we talked about the drainage um construction. It actually begins. Today, August 17th, according to your website. So that'll be pretty cool.

SPEAKER_03 22:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:05

And then um, I do like how transparent your website is just because here reading about the McCallowa Road Project, it says, however, we're this not in this not technically done by Brookside, it's done by the City of Barrel and Text Dot. We are closely monitoring, having discussions, giving input. So as residents of Brookside can actually go onto your website and see you're transparent about it all up front. So do appreciate that. I mean, transparency and government. You know, where who's ever heard of that before?

SPEAKER_02 22:36

So let's

Transparency With A Tiny Staff

SPEAKER_02 22:37

talk about that. What does transparency and accountability mean to both of them? In government, yeah. In government.

SPEAKER_04 22:45

Well, um just we honesty for one, you know, and just openness. And I'm I'm always an open book. Um sometimes um it's hard to meet all those requirement deadlines and all that kind of thing. Right. You know, so sometimes you're scrambling around trying to make sure this is posted that date and all that kind of thing. That that's very important to us, and we take that very seriously. And um, you know.

SPEAKER_02 23:13

So so let's talk about talking about transparency and then the accountability side of things. You talked about the uh ISO rating. So describe for anybody that's watching this when you got the bad news, you know, how how did you how did you let the residents know what you guys were talking about?

SPEAKER_04 23:36

Well, it would we put it on agendas, and I don't have um I didn't I didn't explain it because I didn't know what it wasn't gonna take effect yet.

SPEAKER_03 23:47

Right.

SPEAKER_04 23:48

Right. So we had to figure we had to navigate that. There was a I'm sure there's a few people in town if they they look at our agendas, you know, if they knew what that meant. Um But I we don't we have very low attendance at our our council meetings because we talked about it openly in our council meetings because it was an agenda item, of course. Um I didn't have a town hall about it or anything because we were we hired a we hired a consultant. Okay, you had to learn we were trying to figure it out, you know.

SPEAKER_02 24:19

You don't know what you don't know until you know, right? What's the problem and how do we fix it, right?

SPEAKER_04 24:23

Yes. So um, you know, we just went through through it that way. I don't it's hard. Um it's not I'm not I don't mean it that it's hard to have a town hall, it's just that when we've had town halls in the past, people don't come to anything, you know. So um I will try to update them on our Facebook page. I'll write little updates here and there, right? You know, you see those things that come out. And um it's just hard with such a small staff. It is, you know, really. I mean, you're just I'm I'm meeting myself coming and going all the time, you know. And uh there are days when I mean people will call the city hall and I answer the phone and they'll say, uh, can I speak to the mayor? And I'll say, speaking, and they'll say, Really?

SPEAKER_03 25:08

That's never happened before.

SPEAKER_04 25:09

I don't ever get to talk to a mayor, you know. Um, and and to me, I'm just a worker that I'm not there for that title. I'm just working, you know, and and serving. So um, you know, I always tell everybody I have an open door policy, they're I'm there all the time. They can come if they don't understand something or have questions, always come sit in my office or call me. Um, and and I do a lot of that. A lot of citizens come and speak to me. But uh, I would like to see us have more town halls, but it's hard.

SPEAKER_02 25:42

It's hard. It's hard to do.

SPEAKER_04 25:44

It's hard.

SPEAKER_02 25:44

It's an orchestrated thing, and then you gotta just have people that show up and even a city the size of Parliament, having a town hall, unless it's something very, very specific, but just having them the way that we did. Um, attendance was was tough. I mean, um, so that's why we we moved to the monthly, you know, online version of it, because we were actually reaching more people that way than we were with with physical.

SPEAKER_04 26:11

And that's that's what we're gonna we're working towards that.

SPEAKER_02 26:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 26:15

Um, we are updating our website, and uh the ARPA grant allowed us to that's good uh increase, you know, like better our equipment, right, for our for our meetings, and we're still not quite there, but soon we hope to have our meetings, you know, online and we can probably do some online stuff.

SPEAKER_02 26:32

And the good thing about even a Facebook Live event is it it's captured its video and it can be seen at any point in time. So people can still get the information. They don't have to be live, they don't have to be there in person. Right, they could even watch it three days after the fact. They're still getting the information, and that's what's good about the mediums today. So, and and I would I would think even a Facebook Live event, you know, could be very inexpensive. Right, you know, it's it's because again, that's the other side of things that you have to look at is we can't afford communication staff, we can't afford this, we can't afford that. And so having but having the ability to reach out and talk to residents and and give them, you know, be candid and here's the information because they're not showing up for meetings, but at the same time, they need to get the information, and so it's tough, it's tough. And so it what that illustrates is that it doesn't matter if you're in a city of 130 plus thousand people or a city of 1600, having communications with residents is a challenge.

SPEAKER_04 27:37

It really is.

SPEAKER_00 27:39

They they tend to show up when there's an issue that directly affects them. It's there's the old saying um nobody cares about local government until their ox gets gored. Right. My I grew up in a small town where my dad ran the feed and supply. Yeah, and so oftentimes there was a literal ox being gored that he was talking about. But that's but that is when people show up, and sometimes they're not uh again aware of what it takes to get something done.

SPEAKER_02 28:05

And there will be people in Brookside, there will be people in Parliament that the day cones go up on Makawa will be the first they've ever heard of. Yes, crazy, right? Yeah, even though you've been talking about this project for a long time, the the this is the first I've heard about it. Right, and so and and yet you talk about it and you you're out there and all those kind of things, and I just shake my head sometimes when you know when that happens, it's like, well, I don't know what to say.

SPEAKER_04 28:40

Doing the best I can here, but yeah, yeah. Um yeah, so yes, I it would I think it must be nice to have um a a larger staff to help with things, and but I think that we do need to improve with our do the Facebook Live things and we're I think we're close to to being better at that, you know, and improving that.

Budget Priorities And Basic Services

SPEAKER_02 29:02

So it's budget time. Speaking of money, it's budget time. Uh most all cities operate on a on a fiscal calendar that starts October 1. And so, you know, coming up in August and then in September, you know, every city in the greater area is, you know, in the midst of budget. So how is how does budget look this year for the city of Bookside?

SPEAKER_04 29:27

I mean, we've had two budget workshop meetings, and um I I felt like they went through going pretty well.

SPEAKER_00 29:34

Um I I think we're in a good place where the uh it's it historically it has not been a uh a council that spends a lot. It's been careful, so we actually have the benefit of being able to spend a little more, doing things that are just uh that we all agree we need to do. We want to make sure that our law enforcement have up updated equipment. We want to make sure that you know that the city building got built and finished out. We want to make sure that the uh that we're patching with potholes get filled, right? Really basic stuff, and we have the money for all the and then some improvements that need to be made. So I'm yeah, I'm excited about it. It's still, I feel like we're we're very careful. We treat this like it's our money. We're very careful to spend it. Right.

SPEAKER_04 30:26

But we are very modest, and you know, um, we're just counting every penny, you know.

SPEAKER_02 30:36

So that's good.

SPEAKER_04 30:38

It's it's it's uh huge responsibility, and we all uh we have such a good group and we all feel the same way that we take that responsibility that it you know the taxpayer dollars very seriously.

SPEAKER_02 30:49

So if you were the opportunity and we want to promote this, you know, once we get this and and and this is is going out there, we want to be able to promote it, you know. So put it out on Facebook, put it out there so people can see and hear. Um, if you could tell the people of Brookside something, what would you tell them today?

SPEAKER_01 31:11

It's a good question.

SPEAKER_04 31:14

Just anything?

SPEAKER_01 31:15

Yeah, message from the mayor. Message from the mayor.

SPEAKER_04 31:20

Well, I'm always humbled to represent them. And uh I love I love our city, I love our citizens. We're yeah, I have a great team. We most of you most of all the people do know

Solving The Trash Pickup Problem

SPEAKER_04 31:35

that I've worked hard to improve things. You can I had a lady come in city hall the other day and she said, I just want you to know that since you became mayor, the whole city looks different, and I appreciate that. Well, you know, I I appreciate that people notice that, and I and I've heard that a lot, but there are some things that still need improving, and we're still working on those.

SPEAKER_03 31:56

Right.

SPEAKER_04 31:57

One of them being our trash issue, right? Okay, you knew about that. Um so um, Mayor Cole, you came to our uh joined us at a council meeting one evening, you heard the issues going on with that. We've been trying to somehow another years ago, um, waste management stopped servicing workside village, and um all of a sudden, you know, you have five, six trash companies that because we don't have water bills, um, we don't you know most of your trash billing from a city comes into your water bills, and so our trash is individual contracts with the citizens. So um we have trash cans out on the road. It's it's terrible, it's a terrible situation, but we are fixing it.

SPEAKER_03 32:49

We're fixing it.

SPEAKER_04 32:50

And um, yeah, and it's taken it's taken a while, and I think sometimes my council probably thinks, golly, because I will put things on the agenda until they are done.

SPEAKER_00 33:00

This is one of those issues.

SPEAKER_04 33:01

This again, this good, but uh anyway, we just reselled, we went out for RFP uh to have one trash carrier, okay, and we uh had one that was a high high score, and we're uh I got council authorized me to enter into negotiations with them. And uh we're working that's where we're at right now. Okay, so I would like to tell my citizens that I mean, and most of them when I've because I speak to them at these potlucks, we have a monthly potluck, and I always speak to them, and and most of them are very supportive of that.

SPEAKER_03 33:36

Right.

SPEAKER_04 33:37

Because what other city do you see trash cans out on the road every day but Sunday? This is not an efficient way to run a city, right? And it's bad for our roads and you know the whole thing. So um we're getting closer to having that resolved.

SPEAKER_02 33:52

That's good, that'll be a milestone.

SPEAKER_04 33:54

And the and the pricing's gonna be great for it's gonna be they're gonna pay less, yeah, and we're gonna have more service.

SPEAKER_02 34:00

So so is it will they bill everything through the city or they bill directly?

SPEAKER_04 34:07

It'll be it's still the individual contract.

SPEAKER_02 34:09

Okay. But you're gonna negotiate a single contract for basically, yeah. That's good. That there should be some power in the volume.

SPEAKER_03 34:16

Yes, right.

SPEAKER_02 34:17

Um, even even a even a city the size of Brookside should be able to negotiate a volume, a volume deal very rather than a homeowner one-on-one with someone. Right. So, and the the the fact that you can now have uniformity of a pickup, hopefully they can pick it all up in one day. So you see, then don't have trucks five or six days a week. You have them, you know, at one time. So I there's a lot of advantages to to doing that.

SPEAKER_04 34:46

I just think it's yes, so many advantages. Just gonna be uh even to the those that aren't so excited about it. And so um, I think that, and I'm I'm hoping that they'll see the advantages of that, and that the city it'll be just a much better. Nobody runs a city like that. Yeah, you know me, or or is there one that I don't know of besides us?

SPEAKER_02 35:08

You know, I you know, there's basics. Uh, you don't have a water and service system because people are well and septic. You know, I look at I look at city services. If the trash gets picked up when it's supposed to, right, if the water works, yeah, and the toilet's flush, and a cop shows up if you need it, then that's kind of the basic services. Those are the things you need to get. Right.

unknown 35:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:30

Anything above that one. Kind of important. And and obviously with ISO, fire's important.

SPEAKER_04 35:36

It's very important, yes.

SPEAKER_02 35:39

Important. It's very important. And so um, you know, I I I hope people, well, if you if you don't know where Brookside is, please go, Billy, please go visit if you have the opportunity to go by the vineyard and places like that. It's uh it's a beautiful, beautiful setting of the beautiful venue, lots of weddings and and other types of um uh events happen happen there. Uh the vineyard itself is gorgeous to walk out there. And you don't know that literally, I think you can see the beltway through the trees back over there.

SPEAKER_04 36:11

But the wind's bothering.

SPEAKER_02 36:13

Yeah, just right. But but it it's a beautiful setting and it and it's right there. It's the the pace of life in in Brookside is different than you feel in Carolyn, or you feel in in other parts of the uh of the area, certainly different than just across the beltway. Right. I mean it's amazing that you can throw a rock across the beltway and be in a completely different setting.

SPEAKER_04 36:36

We're just rural and people feel like they're in the country. We have bigger, for the most part, bigger lots. And right it's it is that village feel, and we love it. It's a great place to to raise children, and uh, we like our quiet little little village. And um I mean it's I always say we're a tiny city with a big, huge heart.

SPEAKER_01 36:58

There you go. I love that. I love that. And for your residents that are watching, they don't already know your council meetings on the first and third Monday of every month. Oh Wednesday. Yeah. So you said Monday. First and third Wednesday at seven o'clock. Let me say that again.

SPEAKER_04 37:12

We'd love for you to come.

SPEAKER_01 37:14

Join us, come be a part of yeah, come part of the process, come be, yeah, come give your your feedback to what we want to see in your city. Uh, I want to personally thank both of you guys for being with us today. Uh, any last thoughts or words or anything like that?

Neighbor Cities Helping Each Other

SPEAKER_01 37:30

You think?

SPEAKER_04 37:31

I just want to, Cameron and Miracle, just want to thank you for having us. Thanks so much. Yeah, thank you very much. And we really appreciate the everything that Pierre Land does to help our little town. Um, you know, it's good to have a good big sister.

SPEAKER_02 37:47

I can I can I can say uh I can I can say with authority that you've never not picked the phone up. I mean, if if if I need something or called you or texted you, uh we we we've gotten response. Um I think the responsibility of a city like Parland goes to our sister and neighboring communities. I think we have an obligation to help uh the Brooksides and even Mamble and Alvin and even I'll call me. So we've had major events, pick the phone up, everything good over there. Uh, what do you need? Do we need to send somebody to help? Um I think it's important. That's neighbor helping neighbor. Um, I tell people all the time, if you really want strong community, just love your neighbor. Just love your neighbors. 100%.

SPEAKER_04 38:35

Exactly. It's it's like not that hard. It's like that's that's just how I'm built.

SPEAKER_02 38:40

But go check on them. Yeah. And and and that goes for cities, helping your neighbor, helping your neighboring city, go check on them, make sure things are uh are in a good spot. And if they need help, send help. Um, you know, I remember um and I'll say this and we'll move on, but I uh Deer Park, about two and a half years ago, major tornado came through, and in fact, that tornado came down just north of you guys, right on top of us, coming right through here. Could have been could have been devastating for your city, but was on the ground in in Deer Park, and Mayor Mouton called me and I said, What do you mean? I mean, it was just what do you mean? You know, and we we literally sent a public works crew in a truck to help pick up debris a week or two weeks. We didn't expect payment. Go help. Why? Could have been us. Could have been us, and they would have been there to help us, right? That's part of you know, cities and and elected officials, and you guys know this, they have great camaraderie with each other because again, big or small, you deal with the same issues, and and it's real, might just be on a bigger scale or a smaller scale, but it's important to the community. And uh elected officials working together neighbor to neighbor uh helps all of us. And so uh while I'm not elected today, I'm here to help. I'm here to to offer uh expertise, where, where, what, and how. I mean, I still have a Rolled X and uh those kind of things. And so we want to be here to help and assist and point you in the right direction if you need something. Um, but I can't thank you enough for accepting our invite to come in and talk about Brookside Village and the days and months and years to come. Look forward to a drainage uh study that you guys are doing. Hopefully, that will be a great roadmap for the future for people who may not even be in Brookside today, but who might live here 10 years from now. Right.

SPEAKER_04 40:45

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 40:45

That's the fun part about that is you get to affect that future.

SPEAKER_04 40:49

That's right. I always say we're planting trees.

SPEAKER_02 40:51

That's it. That's it.

SPEAKER_04 40:52

I may never see that shade, but somebody else will.

SPEAKER_01 40:54

That's it. Oh, yeah, that's it. Well, Mayor Hundel and Mayor Proton Murphy, we thank you for being with us today. Uh, hope you guys enjoyed our conversation with these guys today, uh, Brookside Village. Uh, again, follow us on Facebook, social media, any kind of uh podcast platforms, like, subscribe. Uh join us next week as we bring in another local leader from the area, as uh we bring in Mayor uh Matheny from Liverpool. So he'll be with us next week. So again, we're here bringing local leaders, local stories, and local impact. I want to say thank you and have a blessed day.