Waxahachie City Council passes resolution opposing MUDs

The Waxahachie City Council unanimously adopted a resolution during its April 3 meeting opposing municipal utility districts in Waxahachie and its extraterritorial jurisdiction.

MUDs, a type of special district authorized by the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality, provide infrastructure and services like drainage, water and sewer in places where a city cannot provide it.

Council member Chris Wright explained to the audience and those watching online what MUDs are during the closing comments.

“Basically, they’re (MUDs) outside our city limits, and they use our school districts, sometimes our water, our police sometimes have to go,” Wright said. “There’s things they draw from city services that they don’t pay a dime for, and then they overtax our systems. They don’t have any rules or regulations as to density … .We would greatly appreciate your support in us fighting these.”

“As we’ve talked about a number of times, we really are becoming overrun with municipal utility districts, in particular, (and) special districts in and around Waxahachie,” city manager Michael Scott said. “There are a number of efforts afoot to combat these municipal utility districts, which by all accounts are not good for local government. There’s really not an upside to them. Unfortunately, the state has seen it clear to approve them pretty haphazardly, so the effort here is to really become unified with our fellow jurisdictions around the county.”

Scott shared with the council that Midlothian, Ferris and Ellis County have already passed similar resolutions.

“Ennis is prepared to do the same,” Scott said. “We have initially a unified front.”

The city report noted that the resolution “does not carry weight of a formal limitation on the formation of such districts” but states the city’s stance and “concern.”

“MUDs impact on the existing infrastructure and environment does not appear to be considered in the current approval process, leaving the cities and counties to deal with increased wastewater and drainage runoff, flooding impacts, school overcrowding, crime and other strains … ,” the resolution reads.

The resolution asks the Texas Senate Committee on water, agriculture and rural affairs to change the way MUDs are created.

Following the resolution’s approval, copies of the resolution will be sent to representatives and committee chairs “to make sure that our voice is heard in Austin,” Scott said.

“You never know about anything until it hits in your backyard,” Ernie Martinek said during the public comments section. “About 128 days ago, we got notice that there’s 181 acres (where they’re) putting 811 houses on with a wastewater treatment plant on Shankle Road. We’re fighting it. At the end of the month, we should have 1,000 people (in) the group, and we’re going to be 1,000% supportive of your resolution tonight.”

Martinek is a part of a group called Citizens against Ellis County MUDs.

Originally published April 7, 2023 - https://www.waxahachiesun.com/business/waxahachie-city-council-passes-resolution-opposing-muds/article_009a060e-d50a-11ed-bff3-f378fe74f093.html