\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNeed to catch up on local government and education news from March? Check out six stories that impact residents in Cy-Fair, Cypress and Jersey Village.<\/p>\n
This list is not comprehensive.<\/p>\n
Harris County looks to increase capacity of public defenders, assigned counsel in criminal courts<\/p>\n
As part of Harris County\u2019s ongoing goal to reform its criminal justice system, county leaders want to expand the capabilities of public attorneys who represent criminal defendants who cannot afford a lawyer, known as indigent cases.<\/p>\n
March data from the Public Defender\u2019s Office shows public attorneys have been appointed to about 15% of felony indigent cases and 30% of misdemeanor cases so far this year. However, county leaders want the office to be able to take on half of all indigent cases in the legal system.<\/p>\n
To do so, officials told commissioners they will need more funding for increased staffing and expanded services over the next several years. Both offices will develop strategic plans to present to Commissioners Court ahead of fiscal year 2026-27 budget adoption in September.<\/p>\n
Continue reading.<\/a><\/p>\n Harris County ESD 9 nears groundbreaking of new CFFD station in Settlers Village<\/p>\n The Cy-Fair Fire Department is on track to break ground on a new fire station near Settlers Village in April, project officials told the Harris County Emergency Services Department No. 9 board of commissioners March 26.<\/p>\n Station 15 marks the first of eight new fire stations the department plans to open over the next several years as part of its strategic plan to expand emergency services on pace with rapid population growth and development in the Cypress community.<\/p>\n ESD 9 commissioners unanimously approved a guaranteed maximum price of $12,858,338 for Station 15 construction during their March 26 regular board meeting.<\/p>\n The district budgeted just under $13 million through fiscal year 2026-27 for the Station 15 project, according to the district\u2019s five-year capital improvement plan approved last September.<\/p>\n Learn more.<\/a><\/p>\n Cy-Fair ISD officials discuss enrollment, state funding limitations ahead of June budget adoption<\/p>\n Preliminary budget projections show Cy-Fair ISD could end fiscal year 2025-26 with a shortfall of approximately $33.7 million, according to a March 2 presentation to the board of trustees.<\/p>\n While the projected shortfall is less than the initial $45.5 million shortfall shared in June 2025, officials said CFISD still faces challenges related to enrollment and limited state funding.<\/p>\n According to the presentation, the reduced shortfall is largely due to ongoing results of property value audits from the Texas Comptroller\u2019s Office, which allow school districts to protest the total taxable value of all property in their boundaries\u2014similar to a homeowner\u2019s protest.<\/p>\n Chief Financial Officer Karen Smith said the deficit will likely fluctuate as the district receives more information. CFISD is on track to conclude the fiscal year with about five months of fund balance if the deficit holds steady at approximately $33 million, she said.<\/p>\n The board will meet again April 9 and April 13 for its work session and regular meeting.<\/p>\n Dive deeper.<\/a><\/p>\n New Harris County policy allows labor unions to serve as consultants for county employees<\/p>\n Harris County workers will now have a seat at the table in discussions about workplace regulations, grievances and salaries after commissioners approved a new policy allowing labor organizations to advocate on behalf of county employees\u2014a first for a Texas county.<\/p>\n Commissioners Court passed the Harris County Consultation Policy on March 19 in a 3-1 vote, with Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey as the only dissenting voice. Judge Lina Hidalgo was absent.<\/p>\n Harris County employees will have the option to select a labor union organization to serve as a \u201cconsultation agent\u201d on their behalf. Organizations must receive signatures from 20% of eligible county workers to serve as an agent, County Attorney Jonathan Fombonne said.<\/p>\n See more details.<\/a><\/p>\n Harris Health gets green light to expand county-run Level I trauma hospital<\/p>\n Following an hours-long March 19 public hearing, Harris County commissioners unanimously approved the acquisition of 8.9 acres of Hermann Park for the expansion of Ben Taub Hospital, one of only two adult Level I trauma facilities in the county.<\/p>\n The long-awaited vote comes after months of contention about whether or not Harris Health\u2014the county’s hospital system\u2014should acquire the land by eminent domain, which grants local governments the legal power to use land for public use.<\/p>\n Commissioners authorized the condemnation March 19 after Harris Health officials confirmed that no “feasible alternative” exists for the $410 million expansion of Ben Taub’s campus, located in the Texas Medical Center. Patients from across the Harris County region travel to Ben Taub to receive care, and the hospital regularly exceeds its bed capacity, Community Impact previously reported.<\/p>\n