Trained Staff and Administration are responsible for the day to day operation of the City. Mayor and Council are responsible for the policies and progress of the city. The elected officials do not office at the city and serve the city service in a part time capacity.
City Council meets at City Hall, located at One Troyan Drive, Meadows Place, Texas. Regular Council Meetings at are at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month unless there is a conflict with a holiday. The elected officials are as follows:
Audrey St. Germain, Mayor (Elected May 2024)
audrey.stgermain@cityofmeadowsplace.org
Audrey and her family fulfilled their dream of becoming residents of Meadows Place in November 2020. They were drawn by the small town feel, beautiful parks, and well planned community events. She and her husband, Evan, are long time public school teachers. They met in high school and were married in 2007. They have three growing daughters who all attend FBISD schools. The whole family is involved with the Meadows Marlins Swim Team. Audrey established the Pre-K program at Meadows Elementary school and was honored to be one of five Teacher of the Year Finalists for all of FBISD Elementary Schools in 2024. In addition to teaching she has a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and holds a school principal certification.
Audrey loves serving this community from the walls of her classroom and is honored to serve in the additional and broader capacity as Mayor of Meadows Place. She cares deeply about education, community safety, building and maintaining infrastructure, suitable systems, pursuing relationships, and keeping our “one square mile of wonderful” for generations to come.
David Mertins Sr., Alderman 1 (Serving since May 2021)
alderman1@cityofmeadowsplace.org
David and his wife, Linda, have been residents of Meadows Place since 1985. They have been married for 40 years and they raised their family here, proving the city’s slogan is true for them, “Your Place for Life”.
With their son, David, Jr., and his wife choosing Meadows Place as the place to purchase a home and to start their family, there are now 3 generations of Mertins residing in the city! Over the years, David has participated with Meadows Elementary PTO, Meadows Marlins Swim Team and served in leadership on the Swim Board. David volunteered as a Cub Scout Den Leader and later became involved in Boy Scout Troop 301. As an active member in his church, David serves in leadership as an Ordained Elder and as a 3rd Grade Bible Study Teacher. David has a Marketing Degree from the University of Arkansas and has held various advertising and marketing positions throughout his career. You may see David and Linda in the neighborhood bike riding or walking their dog.
Tia Baker, Alderman 2 (Serving since November 2020)
alderman2@cityofmeadowsplace.org
Tia has been fortunate to call Meadows Place home for over 30 years. She and her husband, Jeff, just celebrated 21 years of marriage and have two young children, Kevin and Olivia. Tia received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Houston in 2006 and currently works for a local civil engineering company as Manager of Client Relations where she oversees Business Development for the Greater Houston Region. She is heavily involved in many steering committees and advisory boards throughout Fort Bend and the Greater Houston area. She is a current board member serving on the Meadows Marlins Swim Team, where she swam as a child, as well as being involved in Cub Scouts Pack 301 and Meadows Elementary PTO. Tia is a proud graduate of the Central Fort Bend Chamber Leadership class of 2018, past Board Member of Society of Marketing Professional Services (SMPS), and current member of the Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council.
Rick Staigle, PE, PTOE, Alderman 3 (Serving since May 2014)
alderman3@cityofmeadowsplace.org
Rick has Bachelors and Masters degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Wyoming and is the First Assistant County Engineer for Fort Bend County. Rick joined Fort Bend County in July 2013 after previously being employed at Traffic Engineers, Inc. for eighteen years. Rick has served on various committees for the Institute of Transportation Engineers and was a Board member for the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce. Rick was active with Boy Scout Troop 731 as an Assistant Scoutmaster. Rick served on City Council from 2004 to 2011 and on the City’s Planning & Zoning Commission from 2001 to 2004 and from 2011 to 2014. Rick and his wife Heather have been residents of Meadows Place since 1998 and have two children; Brandon and Jacob.
Kurt Kopczynski, Alderman 4, Mayor Pro Tem (Serving since May 2019)
alderman4@cityofmeadowsplace.org
Kurt and his wife, Stacie, have been Meadows Place residents since 2014. You’ll often find him and his 3 young children enjoying the park and playground amenities in the city. Kurt received a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University in 2008 and spent several years working in the oil & gas industry. He has been a real estate Agent/Broker, house flipper, and real estate investor since 2015, focusing on Fort Bend and Harris Counties. Kurt is a supporter of the Meadows Elementary PTO, Meadows Marlins Swim Team, and Meadows PONY Baseball League. In his experience, Meadows Place is unmatched in its location, community-oriented mindset, and commitment to continual improvement. Kurt knows that this City is what it is because of its residents, so he has a passion for seeing people get involved – from volunteering with kids’ activities, to participating in active adult programming, to attending City Council meetings. There’s something for everyone!
Emily Merkley, Alderman 5, (Serving since May 2025)
emily.merkley@cityofmeadowsplace.org
Emily and her family moved to Meadows Place as renters in 2016, fell in love with the city, and bought their home in 2019. Although Emily was born and raised in Arizona, she has lived in eight different states and is happy to now call Meadows Place home. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Brigham Young University in 2009. Her family is deeply involved in many aspects of the Meadows Place community, and she can often be found in the baseball stands, at the pool, out on walks, or on the pickleball courts. Emily has served on the Meadows Marlins Swim Team Board of Directors since 2019, including as President since 2022. She loves to read, usually logging 200+ books a year. In 2024, she was the Meadows Elementary School Volunteer of the Year and also began serving as a Meadows Place Economic Development Corporation Director. Her day job is as an Administrative Assistant for a geotechnical construction company. Emily practices and competes with a Masters swim team and tries to spend all her free time in the water. Emily, her husband, Sam, and their five children consider themselves fortunate to be growing up and growing old in Meadows Place.