The Executive Committee of The Woodlands Township has authorized the hiring of a consultant to study the top organizational structure for the special district.

The decision to hire a consultant was made Friday. It was the second time in a week that the four-member committee made key decisions for the township without consulting the full 11-member board. Chairwoman Nelda Luce Blair said the four executives for the township also serve as the personnel committee and can authorize contracts up to $100,000.

"We will hire a consultant to see what we look like at the top of for merged organizations now and two years in the future," Blair said.

When asked why the decision would not be brought before the entire board, Blair responded, "Because it's the executive committee's job. It's our responsibility to do."

Blair said two consultants have been interviewed for the position and a decision on the contract is expected within two weeks, just days before the June 25 board meeting.

"I think it (should) be discussed with the full board," said Tom Campbell, a newly elected board member for the township. "Are we still TCID (Town Center Improvement District, the predecessor agency to The Woodlands Township) or are we working as the township?"

On June 2, the executive committee appointed two vice presidents and a consultant to serve as interim co-managers of the special district for 90 days. The announcement came in the wake of the resignation of Frank Robinson, who served as the president of the township and TCID since its inception in 1994.

Without the consent of the full board, the committee authorized Steve Sumner, vice president of operations and public safety; Nick Wolda, vice president of marketing and public affairs, and Brian Pate, former vice president of finance and administration, to run operations on a day-to-day basis. Pate currently works for Jefferson Wells as a consultant to the township.

The new executive committee of the board includes Blair, Vice Chairman Lloyd Matthews, Secretary Alex Sutton and Treasurer Vicki Richmond. The board for the township, which includes five members elected for the first time by the community at large, was just seated at the May 28 meeting. Blair was the only one of the executive committee elected in May.

The Woodlands is in the process of transitioning from a governance structure managed by homeowner/business association groups to a single special district, which will collect property taxes and fund all municipal type services in 2010. In the meantime, the township and the Community Associations of The Woodlands remain separate entities that will combine in two years.

Matthews, who serves on both the township and The Woodlands Association, said he sees nothing wrong with the executive committee making these two decisions, adding that the final say on the issues will lie with the entire board. The issues have become more pressing because of the departure of Robinson, who will stop working on a day-to-day basis here June 16. Robinson will be available to the district by phone through the end of his contract on July 22.

Robinson has taken a position as city manager of Apple Valley, Calif. Under his contract, he is required to give 60 days notice of his departure to the board.

Matthews also said the initiative to hire a consultant had started before Robinson announced his resignation.