Tomball is a small town located near Houston in southeast Texas, which is a region that sees massive amounts of termite destruction. Several termite species inhabit southeast Texas, including the devastating and invasive Formosan subterranean termite. Tomball City Council members are currently holding meetings to discuss the town’s 2019-2020 budget, and as usual, the costs treating and renovating termite-damaged public buildings are central to these discussions. The Spring Creek County Historical Association has filed a request for nearly 60,000 dollars in local government funds that are needed to maintain the many historically significant structures and museums in the County. According to representatives with the historical association, 13,000 dollars of the request funds is urgently needed to eradicate drywood termite infestations within several buildings located within the Tomball Museum Center.
Tomball is home to many historically significant structures, and several museums have become established in the town in order to present residents and tourists with documented information concerning the town’s rich history. Unfortunately, drywood termites are now eating away at several important structures in the museum center, including a barn, the Theis house, the smokehouse, a log cabin, a corn crib and the Fellowship Hall, but more infestations may be found in additional structures. In addition to the drywood termite pests, subterranean termite infestations have also been found in a few of the buildings. Given how extensive the drywood termite infestations have become in the buildings, spot treating certain infested areas within the affected structures will not fully eliminate the termites, making full-structure fumigations necessary. Treating the buildings for drywood termite infestations will cost 11,000 dollars, while the subterranean termite infestations can be eliminated with only 2,000 dollars. A few residents are not enthusiastic about saving the buildings from termite destruction, but most residents find the funds request to be reasonable considering that the town’s total budget for the next year exceeds 60 million dollars. The request will likely be granted during the next city council meeting on September 3rd.
Would you want to see museums in your hometown saved from termite destruction if it meant paying slightly higher taxes?
