News

Anderson County Water War:  

Background:  Recently two different LLC corporations have submitted groundwater production permits to Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District (NTVGCD).  They are for the purpose of drilling  a total of 45 wells and pulling water from the Carrizo and Wilcox aquifers which supply Anderson and Henderson Counties (more detail is at https://palestineherald-cnhi.newsmemory.com/?token=7286120d95a7e4957e9a6f53b9475718_6844622d_4723d).  Our Dogwood Springs Water Supply Corporation has concerns that this activity compromises our community's water supply.  

Actions:  (1) The Anderson County Judge, Carey McKinney, has filed a request to NTVGCD to contest the granting of these drilling permits.  (2) Representative Cody Harris and Trent Ashby will work at the state level to propose and enact legislation that prevents exporting water resources out of a Texas County.  (3) NTVGCD needs to hear from as many of our HOA Members as possible to protest these drilling permits.  Specifically, they need to hear how these new wells will be detrimental to you in terms of access to water and impact to lakes, ponds, creeks or other water sources near you.  Every HOA member can complete the form below and email  it (manager@ntvgcd.org) or forward it by US mail to:  Neches & Trinity Valleys GCD, PO Box 1387, Jacksonville TX  75766.    This is time sensitive and all community responses are due to NTVGCD by June 19, 2025.

Next Steps:  NTVGCD allowed for public comment on this well permit request at their June 19, 2025 Board meeting.  They received over 2,000 written communications, and had standing room only at the meeting which represented five East Texas Counties.  All residents strongly encouraged the NTVGCD Board to reject the well permit requests.  The NTVGCE Board ended the meeting with an approved motion to pause their discussion for 90 days and allow each County to present environmental impact evidence on their respective County, businesses, and residents to the NTVGCD Board.  All of this information will be included as part of a mediation and dispute resolution engagement conducted by the Texas State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH; meeting date yet to be announced). 

You can find more detail reading the Palestine Herald Press article:  https://www.palestineherald.com/news/no-vote-on-well-permits-next-step-evidentiary-hearings/article_9f62f16b-40e8-4c97-96a2-b04caf4cf907.html 

East Texas Food Bank:  The East Texas Food Bank has opened a resource center in Tyler and looking for volunteer help.   It is located at 3201 Robertson Road and the phone number is 903-270-0162.  Volunteer opportunities are available on Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 am - 2:30 pm and 4 pm - 6:30 pm and again on Saturday from 8 am - 11:30 am.  You can sign up to volunteer online at:  http://vhub.at/TylerRC or www.trcpantry.org.  Questions can be directed to mbrooks@easttexasfoodbank.org.  

HOA Dues Increase Beginning 2025

We conducted a Special Members Meeting on October 12, 2024 and the proposal to raise HOA dues to $250.00 passed 52% For and 48% Against.  We want to thank our HOA Committee members for their due diligence in detailing maintenance work needed over a 5 year horizon for our physical assets (i.e., dam, lake, commons area).  We want to thank our HOA membership for your thoughtful questions and insights over the past several months on how best to care for our community.  

It is not lost on our Board that the vote was close and there is strong rationale to be FOR or AGAINST a dues increase.  Our Board's commitment is to be good stewards of your money, and ensure needed maintenance is staged and completed over the next five years.

The HOA dues increase will take effect in our next fiscal year, 2025-26.  We will keep everyone updated as maintenance begins on HOA assets starting in 2025.