The times, they are a changin’ according to Bob Dylan. Happy October, Bentwater. Lots going on in your world these days and, despite some anxiety over that anticipated “October surprise” that somehow magically seems to appear in too many election years, most of what’s going on here in our little bubble of Texas is good, even if it feels uncertain.
In grampa’s day it was known that the only guarantees in life are death and taxes. We don’t have much control over the first one, but the second one we can at least try to influence at the ballot box. And that starts with being informed. For example, you’ll soon be asked to vote on Proposition A which has to do with funding myriad aspects of the Montgomery Independent School District. Regardless of the position you think you might have on this Proposition, knowledge matters. If you missed the presentation by Dr. Mark Ruffin, Superintendent of MISD at the recent NSRW luncheon, relax. I have it on good authority, thanks to Larry Edwards whose son, also Larry, teaches at Lake Creek High School explained there are upcoming informational sessions, also hosted by Dr. Ruffin, scheduled for the two district high schools. The first will be on October 7 at Montgomery High School, followed by another at Lake Creek High School on October 9.
If you’d like more information, you can contact Dr. Amy Busby at the district administrative office. Staying on the subject of taxes, it might surprise you to hear that the tax rate for MUD 18 will actually drop for 2024. Of course, though the rate is going down, the actual dollar amount will still be calculated on the taxable value of your home and most homes in Bentwater have experienced an increase in value. Even so, your MUD Board members are working on for you so be sure to acknowledge their efforts with a sincere “thank you” when you next see them. Meanwhile, our property tax rates are increasing in Montgomery County. Even though the growth in number of new homes has increased the tax base, that growth has also brought with it a corresponding need for infrastructure. Covering that need calls for a new tax rate of $0.3790 per $100 of home valuation. Though it’s the first tax rate increase in five years, it was still slightly below the threshold that would have called for a voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE. While no one gets giddy over tax increase surprises of any sort for any reason, if you’re one of those always looking for the silver lining, you might note that the total property tax rate for Bentwater continues to hover right around 2% which is markedly below most other communities, particularly those newer communities, across Montgomery County. Yay.
Yet another reason to be thankful to live in Bentwater. And while you’re in a thankful mood, be aware that the November edition of Bentwater Life will be saluting our veteran community, and all those who served are invited to be part of a group cover photo being taken at the Conroe Regional Airport on October 7th at 5:30 PM. Dress code is whatever makes you comfortable, whether casual attire or full uniform. Most simply prefer hats or shirts touting their branch of service. The setting for this year’s photo will include Blackhawk helicopters in the backdrop, and that’s about as gung ho as it gets. It’s also a special opportunity to connect with other veterans of the Bentwater community. Oorah! Hooah! Hooyah! Ask a vet. They’ll explain.
Send Bentwater news and fun tidbits to Bruce@TheLakeConroeGroup.com
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