Council Member Dave Martin's

District E Newsletter

Issue 19

July 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,

 

After eight hours of extensive discussion and debate on June 18, the City of Houston's $5.2 billon operating budget for Fiscal Year 2015 was passed with Council Members Pennington, Kubosh and I voting no. The $5.2 billion FY15 budget, which begins today, July 1, includes the $2.2 billion tax-supported General Fund, maintains full funding of the $20 million Rainy Day Fund and achieves an ending fund balance above the preferred 7.5 percent level.  Pension payments from the General Fund will increase $45 million this fiscal year, or 21 percent more than FY14 estimates.  The most significant portion of this rise in pension contributions is attributable to a $28 million increase in required payments for fire fighters. 

 

Mayor Parker, my colleagues on Council and I considered 63 amendments to the Proposed FY15 City of Houston Operating Budget.  I offered a total of nine budgetary amendments, including five citywide items which would reduce expenditures and provide property tax reductions to all residents of Houston. Unfortunately, my amendments to reduce property taxes were rejected. However, I was unanimously supported in my amendment which caps spending and designates that any surplus revenues collected in FY15 be contributed towards the City's Fund Balance and not be appropriated for FY15. I also proposed a couple of amendments which I am dedicated to working with the Mayor's administration in the coming months to implement, including bringing Space Center Houston into the Hotel Occupancy Funds to increase tourism and promote economic development.  I am additionally proud to announce that for the second year in a row I will be designating a significant amount of my surplus council office funds to the Houston Police Department, specifically to the Kingwood and Clear Lake Substations, Lake Patrol and the K-9 unit. 

 

Other noteworthy amendments that were passed include a faster and more simplified method to quickly address minor neighborhood issues.  This amendment, authored by At-Large Council Member C.O. Bradford, establishes "Council District Service Budgets" amounting to $1,000,000.00 to be allocated to each of the 11 council district offices. These budges are intended to be utilized by district Council Members to address neighborhood needs and respond to constituent complaints within their respective districts. City Council approval would still be needed to spend these funds, and should any Council Member reject their respective allocation that portion shall be further divided on a pro rata basis among other supporting district Council Members. Issues which could be addressed efficiently by these new budgets include minor infrastructure repairs, mowing weeded lots, loose animals, neighborhood clean-ups and demolishing abandoned and dangerous buildings. Another noteworthy amendment authored by At-Large Council Member David Robinson allocates funding toward the Neighborhood Matching Grant Program (NMGP).  This program will match privately raised funds for neighborhood projects between $500 and $2500.

 

Moving forward, I will continue to serve as Vice-Chair of the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee and look forward to playing a key role in budget deliberations that the City of Houston will face throughout FY15 and into FY16.

 

If should you should have any questions related to the Fiscal Year 2015 City of Houston Operating Budget, please give my office a call at (832) 393-3008. 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Dave Martin

New Addition to District E Family

It is with absolute joy that our office would like to introduce the newest addition to the District E family, Wyatt Taylor Laake, the brand new baby boy of Lauren and Seth Laake. Both mom and baby Wyatt are doing wonderfully! 

Bay Area Coastal Protection Alliance Press Conference

On Wednesday, June 4, staff from Council Member Martin's office attended a press conference given by the Bay Area Coastal Protection Alliance (BACPA) regarding the proposed coastal barrier system for storm surge protection. A number of elected officials and community leaders attended and spoke at the event, held at the Sylvan Beach Pavilion in La Porte, including Bob Mitchell, Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership President, Vic Pierson, BACPA Vice President, Jack Morman, Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner, Dr. Bill Merrell, professor and researcher at Texas A&M University and the Texas Institute of Oceanography, Louis Rigby, Mayor of La Porte, Mark Henry, Galveston County Judge, and Larry Taylor, State Senator for the 11th District of Texas.

 

Collectively, speakers highlighted the threat posed by storm surges resulting from hurricanes and expressed support for a coastal barrier system to protect the region. Hurricane Ike, considered an indirect hit to the Houston area in 2008, caused massive destruction and imposed over $35 billion in recovery costs. Presenters warned the crowd that a direct-hit hurricane may result in much graver damage and create an economic and national security threat to the United States if it affects the Houston Ship Channel's many industries. To protect against this threat, Dr. Merrell developed the coastal barrier system concept based on flood protection systems from all over the world. An economic impact study of the project, currently underway at the University of Houston, should be complete by early 2015. Advocates then plan to pursue Congressional support to fund the coastal barrier system.

 

For more information on the Bay Area Coastal Protection Alliance and the coastal barrier concept, please click here

Clear Lake PIP Meeting

On the evening of Tuesday, June 17, Council Member Martin attended the Houston Police Department Clear Lake Division's Positive Interaction Program meeting at Memorial Hermann Southeast. Officer Richard Buitron, who leads HPD Clear Lake's Positive Interaction Program, opened the meeting with remarks and was joined by Sergeant Gregory Countie and Captain Jerome Stevens. Council Member Martin then had the opportunity to join State Representative Carol Alvarado in recognizing Mr. James Muecke for his dedicated service to the community in working with state and city government to get a variety of issues resolved in the southeast Houston area.  Following Mr. Muecke's recogniton, Deputy Edwin Chapuseaux gave a presentation and answered questions on the topic of human trafficking in Houston. Council Member Martin thanks Officer Buitron and the entire HPD Clear Lake Division for holding the monthly PIP meetings, and once again congratulates Mr. Muecke on his much deserved recognition for the selfless service he has provided to the residents of southeast Houston in District E. 

Rotary Club of Space Center Officer Installation Meeting

On Monday, June 23, staff from Council Member Martin's office attended the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Space Center at the Bay Oaks Country Club in Clear Lake. At the luncheon, the club's 2013-2014 officers turned over their positions to the new officers-elect, who received pins denoting their new offices and were confirmed for installation by the general members of the club in attendance. Speakers included outgoing President Sheryl Berg, who reflected on her time leading the club, and incoming President Scott Rainey, who laid out some of the goals he has for the Rotary Club of Space Center in the coming year. Mr. Rainey additionally shared lessons he and other members of the club learned at the Rotary International Convention in Sydney, Australia which they attended from June 1 - June 4 of this year. Council Member Martin congratulates Mr. Rainey and all of the recently installed officers on their new leadership positions, and commends the Rotary Club of Space Center for continuing to provide invaluable community service to the Clear Lake area. 

Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's General Membership Luncheon

On Wednesday, June 25, staff from Council Member Martin's office attended the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's monthly General Membership Luncheon at the Lakewood Yacht Club in Clear Lake. The featured speaker at this month's luncheon was Arturo Machuca, Manager of Business Development for the Houston Airport System, who gave an update on the state of the Houston Spaceport project which aims to make Houston the center of the emerging commercial spaceflight industry by achieving spaceport designation for Ellington Airport. Mr. Machuca highlighted the many benefits this project would bring to the Clear Lake area, including an influx of aerospace companies desiring to participate in commercial spaceflight activity, while also highlighting Ellington's perfect fit for the project as an airfield with ample space for development and a highly-skilled workforce nearby. Mr. Machuca also emphasized that commercial spaceflight operation out of Ellington Field would not cause any additional noise or hazards to the area as the proposed type of spaceflight does not involve rockets or vertical takeoffs but rather the same horizontal, jet-engine takeoffs already used for commercial aviation. 

 

Currently, the Houston Airport System is completing its application to the Federal Aviation Administration to acquire spaceport designation for Ellington Airport. The city expects this application to be received by the FAA by the end of the summer, with a response coming around six months later. The Houston Airport System will also be reaching out the Clear Lake area community in the coming months for feedback on an environmental assessment currently underway. For questions about the Houston Spaceport project, please contact the District E office at 832-393-3008. 

South Shaver Road Construction Project Update

Council Member Martin is pleased to provide an update on the status of the $13.5 million South Shaver Road Reconstruction project initiated in Summer 2013 by the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDoT). In March of 2014, work was completed on the water and sanitary sewer lines along South Shaver road. Installation then began on the utility lines running on the side streets adjacent to South Shaver and along Almeda Genoa road. As of June 2014, the overall completeness of the project's sanitary water line installation is 80%, with sanitary sewer line installation reported to be 65% complete. Storm sewer work is approximately 55% complete and the major paving component of the project has been reported at 25% completeness.

 

Council Member Martin's office will continue to follow progress on this project and keep the public updated of any changes. Please contact Council Member Martin's office at (832) 393-3008 should any questions arise.

Arlington Heights, Freeway Manor Capital Improvement Projects

Council Member Martin is pleased to report that areas in need of infrastructural improvement in the Arlington Heights and Freeway Manor subdivisions within District E have been included on the recently proposed FY 2015-2019 Capital Improvement Plan as a part of the ReBuild Houston program. The proposed projects, Storm Drainage CIP # M-410006 for Arlington Heights, and M-410008 and 410010 for Freeway Manor, provide for Right of Way acquisition, design and construction of storm drainage improvements, necessary concrete paving, curbs, sidewalks, driveways, and utilities to mitigate flooding and drainage problems in the two neighborhoods. The pre-engineering reports filed for both projects additionally call for the replacement and repaving of area streets.

 

Over $2 million of funding has already been appropriated for the Arlington Heights drainage and paving project, with additional funding proposed for appropriation from FY 2015-2019. Total funding for the Arlington Heights CIP project, #M-410006, will amount to $35.743 million. The drainage and paving effort in the Freeway Manor subdivision will be separated into two projects: one south of Edgebrook Drive, M-410008, totaling $15.433 million, and one north of Edgebrook Drive, M-410010, totaling $20.511 million. Funds for both sections of the Freeway Manor CIP project will be appropriated from FY 2015-2018.

 

Council Member Martin's office will continue to keep the public updated as these exciting CIP projects progress in the coming years. For more information on these and other projects featured in ReBuild Houston's Capital Improvement Plan, please click here

Illegal Dumping at Ellington Airport/Clear Lake Recycling Center

Council Member Martin's office was recently notified by the Solid Waste Management Department that trash is being illegally dumped at the Ellington Airport/Clear Lake Recycling Center located at Ellington Field. Items accepted at this facility include: ad inserts, aerosol cans, aluminum cans, cardboard, catalogs, glass bottles and jars, magazines, newspapers, plastics #1-#5 and #7 (toys, packing materials, flower pots, styrofoam, or plastic furniture are not accepted), steel cans, telephone Books, and tin cans. Junk waste, tree waste and garbage are not accepted at the Ellington Airport/Clear Lake Recycling Center - for more information on the proper disposal of these types of waste, please click here. Illegally dumping waste in violation of city rules may result in a $2000 fine.

 

Council Member Martin encourages all District E constituents and residents of the City of Houston to properly dispose of all types of waste through the channels specified by the Solid Waste Management Department. He also encourages residents to report observed littering and illegal dumping. For questions, or to report violations, please contact our office at 832-393-3008. 

Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce's Summer Creek BizCom Meeting

On Thursday, June 12, staff from Council Member Martin's office attended the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce's quarterly BizCom meeting at Summer Creek High School (SCHS) which serves to provide updates from business leaders, school officials and community organizations in the area. At this quarter's meeting, Rick Yarbrough, Director of Land Development for McCord Development, Inc., provided an update on Generation Park, the new 4000 acre commercial development moving to the Summerwood area. In addition, Trey Kraemer, Assistant Superintendent of Humble ISD, gave an update on Summer Creek High School and highlighted student accomplishments from the past school year. Highlights include 1st division ratings for the SCHS band, choir and orchestra, a Best of Show award at the TAJE state conference for the SCHS newspaper, a One Act Play production heading to the regional competition for the first time in school history, and a variety of athletic accomplishments including district champsionships for Boys and Girls Track and Fotball, a co-district 19-4A championship for Girls Basketball and many other team and individual recognitions.

 

Council Member Martin thanks Summer Creek High School for hosting the informative meeting and all presenting speakers for providing updates. The last remaining meeting of the Lake Houston Area Chamber's BizCom Group series this summer will take place at Kingwood High School on August 7.

Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce's Third Tuesday Luncheon

On Tuesday, June 17, staff from Council Member Martin's office attended the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce's monthly Third Tuesday luncheon at the Lake Houston Golf and Country Club. At the event, FMC Technologies Treasurer, Richard Clark, provided an update on the first phase of the company's move to the new mixed-use Generation Park development along Beltway 8 and the Lake Houston Parkway. FMC Technologies, a provider of subsea equipment and services to the oil and gas industry with 3,700 employees in the Houston area, was the first company to purchase commercial land within Generation Park back in 2012. In the first phase of its move, FMC Technologies will consolidate its western region subsea services operations group into one 70-acre Generation Park campus, more than doubling the group's subsea services capacity.  The new FMC Technologies campus represents the first major commercial development within Generation Park, whose 4,000 acres of mixed-use land and state of the art facilities promise to bring considerable economic growth to the Lake Houston area. Council Member Martin thanks Mr. Clark for providing the update on the exciting development occurring in the region and the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce for hosting the informative monthly luncheons.

Save the Date: United States of America Track & Field National Junior Olympic Championships

From July 21-27, the United States of America Track & Field National Junior Olympic Championships will be held at Humble High School's Turner Stadium, located at 1601 South Wilson Road in Humble. Participating athletes will be divided into different age groups, ranging from boys and girls ages 9-10 to men and women ages 17-19 and will compete in a variety of track and field events including short and long distance races, heptathlon and decathlon, high jump, shot put, discuss, and many more. 
 
To view a full schedule of events and for more information on the USATF National Junior Olympic Championships coming to the Lake Houston area, please click here.
Lake Houston Economic Development Partnership

To further pursue its organizational goal of promoting business and economic development in the Lake Houston area, the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce recently launched a new initiative: the Lake Houston Economic Development Partnership (Lake Houston EDP). The partnership serves to attract prospective business partners and residents to the Lake Houston area by providing a wealth of information on the economic and quality of life benefits of the region. Some of these regional advantages, as highlighted by the Lake Houston EDP, include proximity to thriving Northeast Houston communities, excellent access to major transportation corridors and George Bush Intercontinental Airport, nationally recognized K-12 schools and institutions of higher education, and many more. For more information on economic development opportunities in the Lake Houston area, visit the Lake Houston Economic Development Partnership's new website: http://www.lakehoustonedp.org/

 

Prayer Service in Memory of Fallen Firefighters

On Saturday, May 31, Mayor Annise Parker, Houston Fire Chief Terry Garrison and members of the Houston Fire Department held a prayer service in memory of fallen fire fighters Captain Matthew Renaud, Engineer Operator Robert Bebee, Firefighter Robert Garner, and Probationary Firefighter Anne Sullivan. The service, held at the headquarters of the Houston Firefighters' Relief and Retirement Fund, comes on the anniversary of the tragic Southwest Inn Fire last year. Council Member Martin offers his deepest condolences to the families and friends of the fallen firefighters who will be forever remembered by all Houstonians as heroes.  

George Bush Intercontinental Airport Celebrates 45 Years

On Saturday, June 7, a public reception was held to commemorate George Bush Intercontinental Airport's (IAH) 45th year serving the greater Houston area. Joining the Houston Airport System in 1969, IAH has since grown to become a premier global gateway with nonstop flights to 122 destinations in the U.S. and nearly 70 abroad. Following a unanimous vote by Houston City Council in 1997, the airport was renamed after the 41st President of the United States, George H.W. Bush.

 

In recent years, IAH has continued to expand its presence as an international hub for air travel. Three new international airline carriers were introduced to the airport in 2013: Turkish Airlines, Air China and Korean Air. In April 2014, Houston Airport System Director, Mario Diaz, additionally introduced plans to expand Bush's Terminal D, which houses the airport's growing number of international flights. For monthly newsletters and updates on current projects underway across the Houston Airport System, please visit: http://www.fly2houston.com/

TPC Group's Mark of Excellence Scholarship Luncheon

On Wednesday, June 11, the TPC Group held its annual Mark of Excellence Scholarship Luncheon, a yearly event which serves to highlight recipients of the company's Mark of Excellence Scholarship. Staff from Council Member Martin's office was in attendance, and presented certificates of recognition on behalf of the City of Houston to the four 2014 recipients from Cesar E. Chavez high school: Roberto Covarrubias, Cristian Torres, Victor Celedon, and Francisco A. Chacon. Remarks were made by Sara Cronin, Director of Corporate Communications for the TPC Group, in addition to TPC Group CEO, Michael McDonnell. Former recipients of the award also addressed the crowd to relay the educational and professional opportunities available to them resulting from the scholarship.

 

Council Member Martin would like to thank the TPC Group for supporting education in the greater Houston region, as well as Genesys Works for cosponsoring the awards and providing underprivileged students in the city invaluable professional training and internship opportunities.  He congratulates this year's four recipients on their accomplishments and wishes them the best of luck in all of their future endeavors. 
Houston Realty Business Coalition Breakfast

Council Member Martin attended the Houston Realty Business Coalition (HRBC)'s monthly breakfast on Thursday, June 19 at the Junior League of Houston where Texas State Senator Glenn Hegar, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Fiscal Matters and candidate for Texas Comptroller, spoke as the featured guest. The HRBC holds its signature breakfast meetings on the third Thursday of each month to afford public officials and candidates the opportunity to share their insights and learn about timely subjects on the topic of real estate and development. Founded in 1967, the HRBC aims to promote dialogue between Houston's elected officials and leaders in the real estate industry including appraisers, commercial and residential brokers, architects, engineers, contractors, developers, home builders and more. Council Member Martin thanks the Houston Realty Business Coalition for putting on the monthly event and for its work facilitating communication between Houston's business community and its public officials.  

Parks and Recreation Department's 10th Anniversary Celebration for Director Joe Turner

On Friday, June 20, Council Member Martin was present as the City of Houston's Parks and Recreation Department threw a surprise party to celebrate Joe Turner's 10th year as the department's director. Mr. Turner, a native Houstonian and graduate of the University of Houston, was appointed by Mayor Bill White and approved by City Council to serve as the Director of the Houston Parks and Recreation Department in July of 2004. Over the course of his decade-long tenure with the City of Houston, Director Turner has been responsible for overseeing the city's many urban parks and greenspaces, public sports facilities, and variety of recreational programs. He has also been charged with managing the department's budget and staff of approximately 800 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees. Council Member Martin congratulates Director Turner on this impressive milestone and thanks the director for his dedicated service to the City of Houston over the past decade. 

Emergency Management Workshop

On Tuesday, June 24, Council Member Martin had the honor of giving opening remarks at the Crisis: Prepare, Endure and Prosper in the Houston-Galveston Region Emergency Management Workshop held at the South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center. In his remarks, Council Member Martin highlighted his understanding as a native New Orleanian of the catastrophic effects natural disasters can impose and underscored the importance of collaboration in the unfortunate event of a crisis.

 

The workshop, presented collectively by the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, CenterPoint Energy, the U.S. Economic Development Administration, and the International Economic Development Council, served as an opportunity for business leaders, elected officials and emergency management experts to get together and discuss crisis preparedness, response and resiliency in the greater Houston region. An array of public officials, corporate executives, and emergency managers from the Houston-Galveston area and across the United States were present at the event, and contributed to the dialogue through panel discussions and interactive exercises. Council Member Martin thanks Bob Mitchell with the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership and the organizers of the event for the invitation to speak, and for putting on what was a productive workshop benefitting the future safety and preparedness of the Houston-Galveston region. 

Houston Contractors Association's 3rd Annual Developers Forum Luncheon 

Council Member Martin attended the Houston Contractors Association's (HCA) 3rd Annual Developers Forum Luncheon on Thursday, June 26 at The Junior League. The Developers Forum is a yearly event held by the HCA which brings together a group of local developers for an open forum on the state of home construction in the Houston Area. At this year's luncheon, speakers included Aaron Alford of Woodmere Development Co., Doug Goff of The Johnson Development Corporation, Fred Caldwell of Caldwell Companies, Ted Nelson of Newland Companies, and Leo Denslow of Coventry Corporation. Council Member Martin thanks the Houston Contractors Association for putting on the informative event and this year's speakers for providing valuable insight into Houston's real estate industry. 

Harris County Mosquito Control Division

Summer is mosquito season in the City of Houston, and Council Member Martin would like to point out the resources available to Houstonians through the Harris County Mosquito Control Division. A branch of the Harris County office of Public Health and Environmental Services, the Mosquito Control Division monitors and posts alerts on mosquito-borne disease activity, manages a dead bird reporting hotline, undertakes Ultra Low Volume spray activities where mosquito-borne disease is present and provides educational and outreach activities to schools and community organizations in Harris County. 

 

For complete access to the resources provided by the Harris County Mosquito Control Division, please click hereTo contact the Harris County Mosquito Control Dead Bird Reporting Hotline, please call: (713) 440-3036.

Independence Day and Freedom Over Texas

Council Member Martin would like to notify the public of Houston's official 4th of July celebration, Freedom Over Texas, which will be held at Eleanor Tinsley Park on Buffalo Bayou from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Independence Day. The 28-year-old outdoor celebration, presented this year by Southwest Airlines, will feature live music by Grammy award-winning country music singer Jennifer Nettles in addition to a variety of family activities and a fireworks extravaganza. Tickets can be purchased online at www.freedomovertexas.org  and will cost $8 per person from June 1 - July 3 and $10 per person at the door. Children age five and under can enter free. All City of Houston offices will be closed on the 4th in celebration of the national holiday. 

Save the Date: Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan Amendment Open House

On Tuesday, July 8, the City of Houston's Planning and Development Department will hold an open house to discuss proposed amendments to the 2013 Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan (MTFP) from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the United Way Community Resource Center on 50 Waugh Drive, Houston, Texas 77007. The purpose of the open house is to provide members of the public with information about all MTFP amendment requests.

 

The Planning and Development Department is reviewing eight applications for a total of 58 proposed amendments to the 2013 MTFP. A list of applications and information relating to each amendment request can be accessed at www.houstonplanning.com. This information can be found by selecting "Major Thoroughfare Amendments" under the "Key Initiatives" section.

 

Further, a public hearing before the Planning Commission for the amendment requests is scheduled for Thursday, July 31, 2014 at 2:30 p.m. in the City Hall Annex Building, Council Chambers, Public Level, 900 Bagby Street, Houston, Texas, 77002. After the public hearing, PDD will prepare final recommendations for presentation at the following Planning Commission meeting. The Planning Commission is expected to vote on each amendment and forward its recommendations to City Council by September 1, 2014.

Liftoff Houston! Business Plan Competition

Attention all District E startup business owners and entrepreneurs: the City of Houston's Office of Business Opportunity is holding its annual Liftoff Houston! Business Plan Competition this summer. Houston-owned and operated for-profit businesses less than a year old and that have earned less than $10K in revenue are welcome to apply. Eligible individuals interested in participating will be required to RSVP for one of six orientation sessions held on dates throughout July at a Houston Public Library branch location. After the orientation stage is complete, competitors will participate in workshops, mentoring sessions and the business pitching portion of the contest. Ultimately, finalists will be selected for the chance to win a $10,000 prize in one of three categories: "product" based business plans, "service" based business plans, and "innovation" based business plans.

 

For more information or to RSVP for a required orientation session, please visit: www.liftoffhouston.com

Keep Houston Beautiful's 30th Annual Proud Partner Awards

Keep Houston Beautiful is now accepting entries for its 30th Annual Mayor's Proud Partner Awards, which recognize individuals who exhibit leadership and commitment to building a cleaner, more beautiful environment for Houston. Examples of eligible entries include beautification and landscaping installations, neighborhood cleanup efforts, environmental education programs, volunteer park improvements, waste minimization attempts, litter prevention and deterrence initiatives and other similar service projects. Entry applications for the Mayor's Proud Partner Awards are due Monday, July 21, 2014. To apply, please click here
CenterPoint Hurricane Preparedness Tips

Hurricane season has officially begun, and Council Member Martin would like to present some important pre-storm and post-storm hurricane preparedness tips from CenterPoint Energy. Residents with electric service should prepare for storms by following these pre-storm tips: when a major storm is forecast, prepare to be without power for an extended period of time. For a Category 1 hurricane, this means 7-10 days on average. For a Category 5, prepare to be powerless 6-8 weeks. If you or someone in your residence requires electricity for life-sustaining equipment, make alternative arrangements for the possibility of a storm. When evacuating or if you expect flooding, turn off electricity at the circuit breaker. Also unplug sensitive electrical appliances such as your computer. For customers with natural gas service, CenterPoint recommends NOT turning off gas at the meter in the event of a storm so that proper pressure is marinated in gas piping. If turning off gas is necessary, turn it off at the appliance.

 

After a storm has hit, follow these post-storm tips from CenterPoint: stay away from low-hanging or downed power lines or any lines that may be in contact with standing water. Please report any such power lines to CenterPoint at 713-207-2222. During the first few days of a storm, limit calls to CenterPoint to only true emergencies to keep the phone lines clear for response to emergent situations. If water has risen above electrical outlets, contact a licensed electrician before turning on the main circuit breaker. If you observe problems with your weatherhead, which connects overhead power lines to your home or business, contact a licensed electrician. If you smell gas upon returning to a property, leave the area immediately and do not turn on any lights, smoke, strike a match, use a cell phone or operate anything that may create a spark. A gas leak may be present, and you should call CenterPoint immediately after getting to a safe distance away from the area. 

 

The above represents an important but incomplete list of things to consider before and after a hurricane hits. For more information, please visit: www.centerpointenergy.com/stormcenter

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

July 4
Freedom Over Texas

July 8
Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan Amendment Open House 

July 16-20 
Houston World Series of Dog Shows 

Kingwood
July 2
Pain Management Workshop at Kingwood Community Center

July 3
Kingwood Service Association's Parks Committee Meeting

July 9
Kingwood Service Association's Public Safety Committee Meeting

July 10
"Christmas in July" Papercrafting Class at Kingwood Community Center

July 15
Kingwood PIP Meeting 

*No Kingwood Super Neighborhood meetings until 9/17

Southeast Houston/Clear Lake    

July 15 

Clear Lake PIP Meeting 

 

July 21

Eastside PIP Meeting

 

July 30 
Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's General Membership Luncheon

 

July 30

Community Associations Institute's Guide for Community Practitioners Workshop (RSVP at http://www.caihouston.org/)