The Woodlands Township's 2027 budget cuts more than $1.5 million from the Alpha & Omega mounted patrol contract. About $1.3 million shifts to a potential mounted unit run by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office (MCSO).

The Board of Directors approved the budget at its Thursday, Sept. 3, meeting. The move would replace Alpha & Omega's private courtesy patrol with commissioned deputies who can detain suspects, make arrests and access law enforcement databases. Alpha & Omega's current contract expires Dec. 31.

As Community Impact first reported, residents on both sides spoke at the Sept. 3 hearing.

Michelle Knuckles urged the board to make the switch, saying sheriff's deputies "cost less and can provide more real protection … They can make arrests."

Teresa Kenny spoke in favor of keeping Alpha & Omega, calling the mounted patrol an organization that has shown "an extraordinary commitment to this community through years of service."

No agreement with the Sheriff's Office has been finalized. The township said in an official Q&A that only preliminary cost estimates have been provided for budget planning. A complete MCSO proposal will be presented at a future public meeting. One-time startup costs would be funded in partnership with the Sheriff's Office.

Alpha & Omega personnel are licensed private security officers, not commissioned peace officers. When they observe criminal activity, law enforcement must be contacted through 911. Under a sheriff's model, mounted deputies would have full arrest authority and direct access to dispatch.

The existing Alpha & Omega contract funds 387 patrol hours per week, equal to about 9.7 full-time positions. Alpha & Omega submitted its 2027 proposal on May 8 requesting more weekly hours at a higher cost while continuing the same courtesy patrol model.

The township also flagged liability concerns. Key Town Center property owners have not signed license agreements required for Alpha & Omega to patrol private property. Alpha & Omega personnel generally ride personally owned horses, adding another layer of liability the township wants to resolve.

Under the sheriff's preliminary cost structure, the township would pay only for expenses actually incurred and receive full documentation. Alpha & Omega charges hourly rates that include overhead and profit margin, according to the township.

No public statement from Alpha & Omega on the budget change appears in township records.

Board Chairman Brad Bailey, in the township's Sept. 3 Q&A, said the program is "not going away" and that the board is "evaluating how to make it stronger, more capable and more accountable to the community we serve."

In an Aug. 20 statement released after four days of budget workshops, Bailey was more pointed: "No company is entitled to taxpayer dollars simply because it has held a contract for many years," he said on Hello Woodlands.

The board also set the 2026 property tax rate at $0.1694 per $100 of taxable value, down from $0.1714 in 2025. The debt service rate passed 7-0. The maintenance and operations rate passed 6-1, with Director Shelley Sekula-Gibbs casting the lone dissent.

Vice Chairman Craig Eissler said he was initially hesitant about the new rate but is now comfortable, noting the township draws only 30% of its revenue from property taxes. He said the board will need to watch how property tax reform plays out in the Texas Legislature.

Township staff expects to bring a proposed MCSO agreement to the board at a future public meeting, where directors will vote on whether to proceed.