Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones conducted her third town hall of the year, held virtually on June 2 and featuring a panel of experts as well as questions from area residents. Interpreters were available to provide translations into Mandarin, Vietnamese and Spanish.

The meeting also featured six separate ten-minute break-out sessions with subject matter experts, to which online participants were randomly assigned. A group question-and-answer period followed. City of Katy Councilmember Gina Hicks was present at the meeting, along with representatives from the office of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Harris County Sheriff’s Office and other county departments and state representatives.

Briones opened the meeting by reviewing flood projects in the precinct, noting that there are more than 80 in progress, including alleviating drainage issues in the Addicks Reservoir watershed. She also provided an update on Places 4 People, an initiative through which Harris County Precinct 4 partners with cities, school districts, MUDS and other entities to strengthen infrastructure in the region. More than 50 projects with 28 partners are underway, representing a commitment of $250 million from Precinct 4 and its partners, she said. Pre-applications open for 2026 this month, Briones said.

Briones also highlighted projects affecting pedestrian safety for children walking to school. Sidewalks 4 Precinct 4 has invested $36 million for 75 miles of sidewalks in Katy ISD, Alief ISD and CyFair ISD – the last 25 miles of which will be completed before the start of the next school year. Additional requests for sidewalks may be submitted on the precinct’s website at https://cp4.harriscountytx.gov/sidewalks, Briones said. Crosswalks 4 Precinct 4 has improved over 100 crosswalks for over 30 schools across Katy, Alief, CyFair, Tomball, Houston and Waller ISDs, she said, ensuring safe crossings for more than 30,000 school children. “There are many more crosswalks that need our attention,” she said.

In the area of public safety, Briones said that the VIPER warrants task force, which puts the most experienced officers focusing exclusively on violent felony warrants, will soon go before commissioners court for an additional increase in resources.

In education, the precinct is working on an early childhood coalition which will connect families to resources and reduce delays and simplify requirements, Briones said. The STEAM 4 Kids program offers 3D printing, drones, robotics and financial literacy through free after-school programs and summer camps, and the Apprenticeship Advantage program – an “earn while you learn” initiative – has served over 1,800 precinct residents with 100% placement in trade jobs.

The precinct has been helping seniors through several projects – including “Cool 4 the Summer” distribution of 300 air conditioners to the most needy, and an air conditioning mandate for assisted living facilities, which requires facilities in unincorporated Harris County to install secondary power. The precinct also offers many free activities for seniors through its ten community centers.

Through the passage of the $2.5 billion Harris Health bond, Precinct 4 will get a new health clinic in the Alief area. Mobile units also provide services for dental and moms and babies at selected community centers.

Precinct 4 Chief Operations Officer Daniel Rodriguez was the next speaker, who outlined the precinct’s plans for storm preparation, including a recent “mock hurricane” practice session where plans were reviewed and tested. The precinct also conducts regular “table top” sessions in which the staff is challenged and questioned about challenges, lessons learned in past storms and continuous improvement.

Anne Sung, chief policy and innovation officer for the precinct, provided an overview of the county budget. Budget town halls will be conducted this summer, she said.

During the question-and-answer session, a resident asked what was being done to prevent the installation of the Magellan oil and gas terminal in Hockley. Harris County is limited by statue as to what it can do, but will continue to enforce all of the permitting requirements as allowed to by state law, a spokesperson said. Harris County cannot deny a permit when an applicant meets the legal standards, he said. The facility is near “sensitive land uses,” a school, a church and residential areas, which is concerning, officials said, but it is located beyond the 500-foot buffer. The county does not have zoning authority over the project, and the path forward is to continue to work with state leaders, officials said.

A second resident asked for a progress report on the sidewalk project at South Fry Rd. and Highland Knolls to Westheimer Parkway. The infrastructure and planning team said that initiative is actually two projects, the first of which involves a partnership with Nottingham Country MUD, building a segment from Highland Knolls to Westgreen Blvd. scheduled to begin in fall 2026. The next segment between Westgreen and Westheimer Parkway is on the list of sidewalks for consideration, but it was not on the final plan for this fiscal year, a team member said.

A CyFair ISD teacher asked about a more comprehensive plan for walkability, stating that more than 20 people had been hit after district cuts to school bus routes. A spokesperson said that the precinct had done an in-depth study of the “high injury network” where most pedestrian and bike accidents are occurring and is looking at which capital projects can be achieved quickly and easily. Immediate steps include 15 more crosswalks near schools and the addition of reflective paint to 300 stop signs. In Katy East, he said, seven high-injury intersections are being studied for design and feasibility on safety improvements which can be done quickly. The precinct will spend roughly $50 million on sidewalk and intersection projects, the spokesperson said.

The town hall video may be viewed in its entirety at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kY9QIWFMFI.