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Willis ISD Pays Conroe $299K for Utility Fees

Conroe, TX – The City of Conroe and the Willis Independent School District (ISD) have officially settled their year-long dispute over utility fees, with Willis ISD agreeing to pay the city nearly $300,000 for water and sewer services. The agreement, approved by the Conroe City Council on June 26, resolves outstanding charges accumulated since the city altered its utility billing policy last summer.

Willis ISD is set to pay a precise $298,995.10 to cover utility services rendered between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. The full amount is due to the City of Conroe by September 1, 2023. This resolution marks the end of a period where the city’s new billing structure for governmental entities faced significant pushback.

The contentious situation began on July 1, 2022, when the City of Conroe transitioned from a long-standing policy of abating – or significantly reducing – utility fees for governmental organizations, including school districts, to charging standard commercial rates. City officials cited escalating operational costs for utility infrastructure and the necessity for increased revenue to sustain critical city services as the primary drivers behind the policy shift.

Willis ISD was not the only educational entity to challenge the updated fee structure. Neighboring Conroe ISD also initially resisted the new charges but reached an earlier settlement with the city. Conroe ISD ultimately paid approximately $1.3 million for its utility services covering the same fiscal year period, demonstrating the broader impact of Conroe’s policy change on the region’s school districts.

The settlement between Conroe and Willis ISD successfully averts what could have become protracted and expensive litigation for both parties, a sentiment echoed by city leaders. However, the decision was not met with unanimous approval on the city council. Councilman Harry Hardman, for instance, publicly stated his “reluctant approval” of the agreement during the June 26 meeting. City Attorney Gary Scott further highlighted the potential for “similar legal discussions down the road,” suggesting that while this immediate dispute is resolved, the underlying policy or its interpretation might continue to be a point of contention for other entities or in future billing cycles.

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