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Today We Pause...
Remembering Our Fallen Heroes
 Exactly 3 years ago today, the Southwest Inn fire took the lives of four of our Houston Fire Department heroes. They were stationed at Fire Stations 51 and 68 in District J. Please take the time to reflect on their sacrifice and to remember all of the public safety personell who have passed away while in the line of duty.
City Council, working with Mayor Turner, unanimously passed the Fiscal Year 2017 $2.3 billion Operating Budget this past week. Facing an estimated $160 million budget deficit, all stakeholders were able to come together to strengthen the fiscal health our City.
I was pleased that two of my Budget amendments passed as well. The first amendment proposes to create a program that addresses abandoned shopping carts citywide. As many of you may know, District J initiated a pilot program to study the effects and costs of a shopping cart retrieval program. In the 3 month period of funding the program, the City retrieved approximately 800 shopping carts from public areas in District J including sidewalks, esplanades, bus stops, drainage ditches and more. Such a program on a citywide level would be beneficial to our quality of life. My budget amendment helps to paves the way for a shopping cart retrieval program.
The "Clean It or Green It" Land Bank is an amendment which proposes to establish a program designed to transform flood prone properties into flood mitigation and green space designated areas. While this idea has not been entirely fleshed out, I am hoping the passage of this amendment jumpstarts the conversation for how we can plan for and incentivize conversion of flood prone areas.
Finally, the Council District Service Fund Budget Amendment passed, which will provide $750,000 to the neighborhoods of District J to fund needed local improvement projects. Many of our neighborhoods have already begun to see construction of sidewalk and ADA curb cut improvements - improvements the City does not typically fund - from our use of Council District Service Funds. I am very pleased this funding will continue to be available for infrastructure upgrades in our communities.
Congratulations to the Mayor, my fellow City Council Members, and my staff for their hard work during this budgetary process!
Thank You,
-Council Member Mike Laster, District J
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Sharpstown CERT Training
CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training is a free 24-hour disaster preparedness training that is geared to the public, but taught by professional first responders and subject matter experts. Sharpstown Area CERT training will take place at the HPD Midwest Patrol Station at 7277 Regency Square, Houston, TX 77036.
Training is free and open to the public. Adults and responsible youth invited.
Classes will be held on Saturday mornings from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm beginning June 18 and ending August 13, 2016 (no class July 2). To register e-mail Charmaine LeBlanc or call 281-687-1323.
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Free MFAH Youth Programs
The Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH) will be offering multiple free programs to children and families this summer! Please click on the above link for a complete look at the programs offered. |
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Campo Del Sol Summer Camp
This free summer camp offered by the City of Houston will be offered to youth aged 10 - 17 who reside in the 77081 zip code. For information, click here for English and Spanish flyers. |
