Council Member Dave Martin's

District E Newsletter

 Issue 15     

March 2014 

 

 

Dave Martin

Council Member

District E 

 

 

Contact:

 

900 Bagby

First Floor

Houston, TX 77002

 

17629 El Camino Real

Suite 415

Houston, TX 77058

 

 

Office: (832) 393-3008

Fax: (832) 393-3279

 

[email protected] 

 

 

  

Allie Smart 

Chief of Staff 

 

Lauren Laake

Deputy Chief of Staff

Evan Austin
Administrative Assistant

 

   

 


City Contacts

City of Houston 311
(713) 837-0311

Mayor's Citizens Assistance Office
(832) 393-0955

Kingwood 
Community Center
(281) 348-2570

Department of Neighborhoods
General Services

For other City of Houston departments and projects, please visit the city website.

 
District E Community Contacts



 
 


Clear Lake Super Neighborhood


Residents of District E,

 

I want to thank everyone who attended one of the two joint Capital Improvement Project (CIP) and town hall meetings held in the district over the last two weeks. Nearly 200 residents attended to learn more about CIP projects in their communities and to voice their concerns and suggestions. 

 

During the meeting, constituents in attendance from the Kingwood, Southeast Houston and Clear Lake areas heard updates from City of Houston representatives. Presentations included an update from the Finance Department; an overview of Rebuild Houston from the Public Works and Engineering Department; project updates from the Parks and Recreation Department, as well as the General Services Department. Also, as part of the town hall portion of the meeting, Houston Police Department Captain's Mattew May and Mark Fougerousse from both the Kingwood and Clear Lake sub-stations spoke to the attendees about crime, staffing and helpful safety tips to help prevent crime in our neighborhoods. I want to offer my sincere appreciation to all of the department representatives that took the time to address the District E community.

 

After presentations concluded, Council Member Martin opened the floor to residents of the district to give them an opportunity to voice their comments, questions and concerns. During this time Council Member Martin expressed how important it was for the public to be engaged and offer suggestions about projects they would like to see occur in District E.

 

Once again, I appreciate every one that attended this series of community meetings. We will be hosting our annual Fall town hall later this year and I encourage you to attend. My office will send out dates and information as that time approaches.  As always, please never hesitate to contact my office to offer your feedback or recommendations on what topics you would like to hear at the next round of community meetings.   

 

If you were unable to attend these meetings please feel free to contact my office at (832) 393-3008 or by e-mailing [email protected] for more information or to submit at CIP request. Additionally, you can view the both meetings in their entirety online at www.houstontx.gov/htv.

 

As I mentioned at the conclusion of these meetings I feel blessed that I have the privilege of serving the fine folks of District E. I look forward to continuing to work together for the betterment of our district and the entire City of Houston.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Dave Martin

Houston Permitting Center Clear Lake Satellite Office Planned

During the Houston City Council meeting on Wednesday, February 26, a lease agreement between the City of Houston and Cole Regents Park, Ltd. was passed for the Houston Permitting Center (HPC), authorizing the HPC 1,175 square feet of office space at 1335 Regents Park Drive, Suite 130. The new office space will be utilized as a new HPC satellite office in Clear Lake to serve the business owners and constituents of Council District E.  

 

During Fiscal Year 2014 discussions, Houston City Council Member Dave Martin presented an amendment to Mayor Annise Parker's Administration to reassign two Houston Permitting Center employees to a Clear Lake Permitting Center to serve the growing permitting needs of the community.  

 

Since passing the budget last summer, Council Member Martin's office has been working with the Administration to bring this budget amendment to fruition. After months of scouting potential locations and looking at demand,  the Public Works and Engineering Department has chosen a new location in Clear Lake. It is Council Member Martin's goal that this satellite office will provide excellent customer service while aiding customers in achieving their goals and complying with city requirements."      

 

Council Member Martin's office will continue to keep the community updated regarding when the public can anticipate the doors of the new office to open.  

 

For additional information contact the District E office at (832) 393-3008 or [email protected].

Save the Date: Clear Lake BOPA

The City of Houston and Council Member Martin are holding a Batteries, Oil, Paint (latex only), Antifreeze (B.O.P.A.) and Electronic Recycling Collection event on March 29, 2014, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Ellington Airport Neighborhood Recycling Center, Highway 3 at Brantley Avenue, Houston, Texas 77034. The event is free and open to all City of Houston residents. A valid Texas driver's license or other proof of residency will be required. This is a rain or shine event. Business waste will not be accepted.

 

In addition to the BOPA, the city is pleased to announce electronic scrap such as computers, monitors, keyboards, cell phones, microwaves, VCRs and TVs will be collected.  Residents may also drop off scrap metal and large appliances. Large appliances include stoves, refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners.

 

Many common household materials are considered hazardous and need special disposal. When Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) is disposed of in the trash, it can contaminate landfills and subsequently our groundwater. This event provides a free and safe alternative for residents to rid their homes of potentially dangerous chemicals. Below is a list of acceptable and non-acceptable items for the March 29th collection event:

  • ACCEPTED ITEMS: only residential waste, rechargeable household and automobile batteries, motor oil and filters, LATEX paint, antifreeze, large appliances and scrap metal.       Used motor oil will be limited to 15 gallons. All liquids are required to be in sealed, non-leaking containers that are labeled as to contents.
  • ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED: business, medical and agricultural waste; oil-based paints, solvents, flammables, pesticides, herbicides and other similar hazardous materials.

For more information, please contact Council Member Martin's office at (832) 393-3008.  

Epicurean Evening

On Thursday, February 6, the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce held their annual Epicurean Evening, "A Taste of Space" at Space Center Houston. The popular and always delicious event serves to promote the NASA/Clear Lake area and its various food and beverage establishments. This year, Council Member Martin and his Chief of Staff, Allie Smart, happily returned to judge food from over 40 eateries in the community. Council Member Martin thanks the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and all sponsoring organizations for making this evening possible, and he congratulates all of the award-winning establishments recognized at the event. 
BAHEP Meet the Candidates Forum

The Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership hosted their second "Meet the Candidates Forum" on Wednesday, February 5, at the Lakewood Yacht Club. Candidates running in the Congressional District - 36 race had the opportunity to introduce themselves to a crowd of nearly 150 and address several issues impacting the community such as space exploration, the economy and transportation. Council Member Martin helped kick off the event by leading the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance and Texas State Pledge, and thanks BAHEP's Harriet Lukee for inviting him to be a part of the program.
Meadowcreek Village Construction Update

Last November, the city's Public Works and Engineering Department began construction on street overlays in the Meadowcreek Village neighborhood with a total of 15.64 miles of roadways being improved from their current condition.

The overlay of two inches of asphalt overlay of the project began on Monday, February 24. Barring no inclement weather, the overlays are expected to take another estimated four to five weeks. Council Member Martin thanks the public for their patience while the Public Works and Engineering Department completes the work in their neighborhood and looks forward to seeing these improvements.   
South Belt Ellington Chamber of Commerce's Annual Installation Banquet

The South Belt-Ellington Chamber of Commerce celebrated 30 years of success during their annual Installation Banquet held on Thursday, February 6, at Golf Crest Country Club. In addition to the presentation of the Business/Volunteer Award and the induction of the 2014 Board of Directors, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett also addressed the chamber members as the keynote speaker. Council Member Martin's Deputy Chief of Staff, Lauren Laake, attended the banquet on behalf of the District E office. 
Kingwood Traffic Study Begins

On Tuesday, February 18, Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone #10 and the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority, in cooperation with the City of Houston and Council Member Martin's office, began a comprehensive traffic study in Kingwood based on comments received from residents and the community's expected growth in the foreseeable future. Since Kingwood's last mobility study in 2004, the community's population, commercial development and traffic volume have increased markedly and continue to expand on a daily basis. The current study intends to develop short, medium and long range projects to promote better mobility in light of this growth.

 

Over a two to four week span, traffic counts will be collected by devices, such as cameras and road tubes, located on all major thoroughfares throughout the area. After these counts have been collected, engineers at Gunda Corporation, LLC, will evaluate the data and develop potential solutions to mitigate traffic congestion, which will then be presented to the community during a public meeting this summer. Throughout this process, Council Member Martin will take all constituent comments into consideration and will work to ensure that all proper data is obtained and evaluated before a final traffic improvement plan is chosen. He looks forward to working with the residents of Kingwood and the organizers of the study to produce a solution that will improve mobility in the area for years to come.

Northpark Construction

Beginning in mid-February, the City of Houston's Public Works and Engineering Department started construction on a dedicated right turn lane at the intersection of Northpark Drive and Woodridge Parkway/Hidden Pines to help accommodate large volumes of traffic and to mitigate traffic flow in the area. Construction will take place Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is expected to be completed by May 5, 2014. During this time west bound traffic will be reduced to one lane from 2200 to 1900 block of Northpark Drive. Council Member Martin's office is following the progress of the construction and will update the community should the schedule of the project change. 

Kings Creek Development Update

Kings Creek is a planned first class, mixed-use development off of Highway 59 at Sorters McClellan Road and Kingwood Place Drive, located in Kingwood, Texas. Kings Creek is designed to include retail, office buildings, apartments, hotels, and restaurants. With riverfront views, 1,000 luxury apartments will be built with full amenities such as indoor theater, a park with hike and bike trails, swimming pools and fitness centers. 750,000 square feet of Class-A office space, and two Tier-One Hotels consisting of over 150 rooms each, will be complimented by retail space, including restaurants and financial services. The sound and elegance of water features will be located throughout the development, creating added ambiance to out door living. Some of the highlights located in close proximity to Kings Creek are the Kingwood Medical Center and Kingwood Lone Star College, as well as the New Methodist Hospital to be built. Anticipated to deliver developed lots and acreage in the Fall 2014.

Project development is by David Development Group and Welty Building Company.
YMCA Bridgefest

On Saturday, February 1, the Lake Houston Family YMCA held its 22nd annual Bridgefest 5K Fun Run and Walk, an event which began over 20 years ago as a celebration of the opening of the Lake Houston Parkway Bridge linking Kingwood, Humble and Atascocita. This year, Council Member Martin had the honor of delivering the opening prayer for the run, and participated in the 5K event alongside runners of all ages and abilities racing to raise money for the Lake Houston and East Montgomery County YMCA Partners scholarship. This scholarship enables families in the Lake Houston and East Montgomery County areas to participate in YMCA programs. Council Member Martin would like to thank the Lake Houston Family YMCA and all participating sponsors for making the event possible, and thanks all who came out for providing financial support to ensure that all members of the community can benefit from the invaluable services provided by the YMCA.

Vine Clean Up Day in Kingwood

Last month, the Kings Forest Community Association met with City staff and expressed concern about the overgrown vines throughout various medians on Kingwood Drive. After options were discussed, it was decided that the best solution would be to hold an event allowing members of the community to team up with Council Member Martin and representatives from the City of Houston to tackle the problem. On Saturday, February 15, volunteers from the Kings Forest Community Association and staff from the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department worked in the medians for the "Vine Cleanup Day". The event was a big success, and Council Member Martin would like to thank all the volunteers in attendance and the City of Houston Forestry staff for their efforts towards cleaning up the medians.  

Kingwood Service Association Public Safety Meeting
 

On February 7, Council Member Martin attended the Kingwood Service Association Public Safety Committee's monthly meeting at the South Woodland Hills Community Room. Houston Police Department Captain Matt May and several of his officers from HPD's Kingwood Substation, as well as a representative from the Harris County District Attorney's office, were present to answer questions from members of the community regarding crime in the Kingwood area. Council Member Martin found the meeting informative, and thanks all of the law enforcement officials present for taking the time to address the concerns of Kingwood residents. He urges all members of the Kingwood community to be attentive, set house alarms and report any suspicious activity to the Houston Police Department immediately. HPD's non-emergency number is 713-884-3131.

Humble ISD Livestock Show Luncheon

Council Member Martin was in attendance at the Humble Independent School District's 67th Annual Livestock Auction on February 7,  at the Humble Civic Center. Approximately 1,000 community members showed their support for Future Farmers of America students by bidding on show animals and participating in the Buyer's Barbeque. In total, the event raised a remarkable $258,350 worth of revenue. Council Member Martin thanks the Humble ISD FFA organization for putting on the event and all who attended for supporting agricultural education in the district.  

Concern Over City's Lack of Budget Integrity

Last month, during both the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee and regularly scheduled City Council meetings, Houston City Council Member Dave Martin expressed his strong disapproval of the city's budget process and lack of budget integrity following a presentation given by the city's Finance Director. Director Kelly Dowe reported that the Houston Fire Department will exceed budget allocations by $8.5 million to cover personnel costs and an additional fire fighter class of the amount of $700,000 that was not previously accounted for in the approved Fiscal Year 2014 budget.

 

This oversight in the HFD budget clearly violates a budget amendment that was offered by Council Members Martin and Pennington last year that read any excess revenue the city receives should not be spent and rather go towards paying down existing debt or creating a fund balance for future obligations.

 

As a result, council members gathered again for a special called Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee meeting on February 20 to discuss a vote on a resolution that would require "excess revenues received by the city to be deposited into the fund balance and not appropriated for current fiscal year purposes; expressing the sense of the committee that the Houston Fire Department should reduce its overtime liability by decreasing the amount of overtime authorized prior to the end of FY2014 or other means so that the department does not have a budget overrun at the end of the fiscal year." The resolution was passed 7-3 and was sent to the Administration.   

 

Council Member Martin will continue to work with the Administration and his council colleagues to ensure transparency in all financial matters and to uphold budget integrity in all workings of city government.

City Council Adopts Stricter Game Room Regulations

During the City Council meeting on Wednesday, February 12, Houston City Council members voted to approve enforcing stricter regulations on illegal game rooms throughout the city. Under a new law passed by the Texas State Legislature last session, county's are now given the ability to regulate game rooms with nearby cities cooperatively working with them with enforcement. New regulations include at locating at least 1,500 feet from schools, churches and residential neighborhoods, applying for a permit through the Harris County Sheriff's Office, banning memberships, etc. Penalties will increase form a $500 fine to up to $10,000 and possible jail time.  
Houston First Orientation

On Wednesday, February 12, Houston First invited Council Member Martin along with his colleagues on City Council to attend the Houston First Orientation, which served as an introduction to the organization and its role in the city. Houston First is a local government corporation formed in 2011 in charge of managing more than 10 city-owned buildings which constitute some of Houston's most important cultural assets and valuable convention spaces. These include the George R. Brown Convention Center, Hilton Americas-Houston Hotel, Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, Miller Outdoor Theater and many more. As the managing corporation, Houston First is responsible for the maintenance, licensing and operations of these properties as they host a variety of conventions, trade shows and theatrical performances which enhance the lives of Houstonians and attract economic activity to the city. Council Member Martin thanks Houston First for giving him the opportunity to learn about its service to the city and commends the corporation for helping to make Houston a more prosperous and culturally vibrant place to live.

Greater Houston Partnership's Annual Meeting

In February, the Greater Houston Partnership celebrated its 25th anniversary working towards making the greater Houston area a thriving and prosperous place to live and work. On February 5, Council Member Martin was in attendance alongside leaders from Houston's business community as GHP celebrated this anniversary at its 2014 annual meeting. The event, held at the Hilton Americas downtown, featured remarks from Founding Partner and Chairman of the Board Paul Hobby as well as President and CEO Bob Harvey, who both reflected on the impressive accomplishments the Greater Houston Partnership has been able to achieve over its first quarter century in existence and outlined the organization's priorities moving into the future. Council Member Martin congratulates the Greater Houston Partnership on facilitating 25 years of inspired business leadership in the Houston region and is confident the GHP will oversee more success as the city and its surrounding counties continue to grow in the coming years.

Tour de Houston

Registration is now open for the 2014 Tour de Houston Presented by Apache Corporation. Ride with Mayor Annise Parker and Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis on Sunday, March 16, 2014 at City Hall, 901 Bagby, Houston 77002. Funds benefit the RE-Plant Houston Program managed by the Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD).  

 

With three distance options, the Tour de Houston Presented by Apache Corporation is the perfect outdoor event for all cyclist levels, from the leisure rider to cycling competitors and is a recommended BP MS150 training ride. The distance options include a 60-mile route starting at 7:30 a.m., a 40-mile route at 8 a.m. and a 20-mile route at 8:30 a.m.  

 

Early-bird online registration fee is $30 for adults until midnight, February 17, 2014. After February 17th, the fee increases by $5. From February 18 through March 12 at 5 p.m. online registration is $35. Children 12 and under are $20 for the duration.  Deadline to register online is Wednesday, March 12, 2014, at 5 p.m.

 

On-site registration on the day of the event is $40 and will begin at 6 a.m. Only cash will be accepted on-site.   

 

For more details on the bike ride, including registration and packet pick-up locations, visit www.tourdehouston.org .  For more information about HPARD, visit www.houstontx.gov/parks.  

Upcoming Events 
   
Please refer to Council Martin's District E website for location, time and more event details. Email the District E office if you would like us to include your upcoming event in future newsletters! 

 

City Wides

March 1 
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade

March 1
Conoco Phillips Rodeo Run

March 4
Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee Meeting

March 4-23
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

March 16
Tour de Houston

 

 

Kingwood

March 1
E-Waste Pick-Up at the Metro Park and Ride


March 6
Kingwood Service Association's Parks Committee Meeting

March 12
Kingwood Service Association's Public Safety Meeting

March 22
Kleenwood sponsored by the Kingwood Chamber of Commerce

 

 

Southeast Houston/Clear Lake   

March 1
Bay Area Alliance Crazy Krewe Run

March 5
BayTran Monthly Luncheon featuring Port of Houston Authority Commissioner John Kennedy

March 20
South Channel Region Chambers Luncheon featuring Commissioner Jack Morman