District K Newsletter May/June 2022

 

Hello District K Friends,

 

Happy June! May was pretty busy in our city and community. We had a packed house at the May 4th District K Redistricting Townhall and CIP Update meeting! Residents were able to field questions and concerns, while city officials provided valuable information about upcoming projects for the district. If you missed the meeting, you can view it here:

 

Last week, in a 15-2 vote, we passed the FY 2023 $5.71 billion operating budget. My two budget amendments passed unanimously and I’m looking forward to the City of Houston adding weekend code enforcement officers for additional enforcement on weekends. Having code enforcement officers working throughout the city on weekends will lead to more opportunity for compliance as well as flexible work schedules that may attract additional employees to fill our vacant positions. The City of Houston will also study the opportunity to add 5 additional passport offices to our Houston Public Libraries. The additional revenue generated through our current passport offices is a little over $1M. We must continue looking for revenue generating services that meet needs for Houstonians. Travel is now back to pre-pandemic levels and travelers need more options to access passports quicker. I’m hoping to have one of those passport offices in the newly constructed Dr. Shannon Walker Library in District K.

 

This year’s budget includes employee pay raises, operating expenses for new facilities and a healthy budget stabilization fund for economic uncertainties. Fire fighters will gain a 6% increase, police will gain 4% and municipal workers will receive a 3% increase.

 

Your District K Team and I have enjoyed joining residents at your in-person and virtual community meetings. If we can be of any assistance to you and your neighbors, do not hesitate to reach out to us at 832-393-3016 or email us at DistrictK@HoustonTX.gov.

 

Here are a few comments we have received from residents this month:

 

“Thank you to your team and office for clearing up the gravel, trash and tires at the end of 15550 Vandalia Way. I was truly happy and amazed at such a quick response.”

 

“I am elated to report the trash has been removed. The community is grateful for your assistance and we are happy with the service provided by Melvin and the staff. They are an asset to our community.”

 

We look forward to continuing our work together to make District K and Houston better every day!

 

In service,

Martha

For years, residents along W. Bellfort have been asking for help to curb speeding. While unfortunately, we are experiencing speeding throughout the entire city, this particular stretch of road has a bump at Mullins, that should be traveled over slowly. Although signs, speed trailers and even constable patrol helps temporarily, there have been several deaths to occur along this stretch of roadway.

 

Residents have had motorist damage their yards, trees and our city esplanades. After several meetings with residents, public works has installed raised pavement markings, painted “BUMP AHEAD” signs on the street and narrowed the lanes to encourage drivers to slow down in this area. As you travel from Hillcroft Ave. towards Atwell you will see the changes recently made utilizing the District K Council District Service Funds. Thank you to each of the residents who participated in these discussions and advocated for these improvements. It is our hope that these markings will slow drivers down and eliminate the accidents in this area of our community.

You do not want to miss the celebration of our District K Gateways on June 9th at 7:30pm. Everyone is invited to join us for our District K Gateway Reception and Sunset parade this Thursday. Come check out the new lights, painted columns, landscaping, cleaner underpasses, freshly painted mini murals, better drainage and new signage. This $1.1M project spans from Hiram Clarke Rd. to Fondren Rd along Hwy 90/Main. This is also a great opportunity to learn more about the new Community Collective (formerly The Power Center). We will keep working to ensure our community is one we can all be proud of. Come join the parade and let us showcase our new illuminated Gateways!

Congratulations to District K residents Geralene Randolph and Traveon Rogers for graduating from the Department of Neighborhoods Complete Community University 2022 class!

 

The Department of Neighborhoods (DON) announced the graduation of 30 emerging leaders. Collectively they represent all City Council districts and Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Complete Communities neighborhoods of Alief-Westwood, Fort Bend Houston, Gulfton, Near Northside, Kashmere Gardens, Second Ward and Sunnyside. 

 

The graduates were presented certificates of course completion at a graduation ceremony held at City Hall. The program featured comments by CCU staff and City Council staff representatives, including congratulatory messages from Council Districts C, D, F, and K.

 

CCU is an 8-week online training course for emerging leaders committed to making a positive impact in their communities. Course topics include leadership development through civic engagement, volunteerism, and voter education; how city and county government function and impact neighborhoods; and how to effectively navigate City services and local resources. CCU are conducted by DON staff with expertise in civic engagement and knowledge of Houston neighborhoods. The classes feature presentations by subject experts with City departments and partner organizations. 

 

We hope to see more District K residents in the next cohort.

Congratulations Willow Meadows Civic Club (WMCC) Board Members on your recent Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) awards!

 

I am so pleased to share that Neighborhood USA awarded Willow Meadows Civic Club second place in the printed newsletter category of the NUSA Awards. Community newsletters are an effective communication tool to share news about your city, community and neighborhood. A well-designed newsletter can spark an interest in neighborhood involvement, increase neighborhood association membership and spur volunteerism. Willow Meadows Civic Club’s printed newsletter, The Willow Meadows News, is stellar. Thanks to all the volunteers who work to make sure your neighbors are kept up to date.

 

Stephen Polnaszek of Willow Meadows was selected as the NUSA “Who’s Who Neighbor/Volunteer of the Year.” The Who’s Who in America’s Neighborhoods award was created to recognize those individuals whose work mirrors the mission of Neighborhoods, USA: to build and strengthen neighborhoods associations; to encourage neighborhood involvement in the decision-making process in local governments; and to promote productive communications and collaborations between neighborhood associations, local governments and the public/private sector. It is an honor to work along Stephen and his neighbors in District K.

 

Visit NUSA web page for information on “building stronger communities” and for award opportunities for your neighborhood projects: NUSA.

Good news for District K residents! Marian Park and Community Center, located at 11000 S Gessner Rd. offers Free WiFi in the Park and High Speed Internet in the newly renovated computer center that is accessible to the community.  The center has desktop/laptop computers and tablets for Seniors. We are using computers to uplift our community by working together to make digital tools accessible to everyone. 

 

The computer lab is also a space for people from different backgrounds to come and connect with each other. There are people living in the community that don’t have access to a computer in their homes. They can now drop in to take care of their online needs as well as receive instructions on how to use different computer programs.  

 

The Free WiFi in the Park allows internet access in places where people congregate. Individuals and families are heading outdoors not only to seek relaxation or healthy activities but also to find ways to remain connected within their communities and with each other.

 

Thanks to Vice Mayor Pro Tem Castex-Tatum, Council Member Pollard, HPARD, Bridging the Digital Divide and Johnny Molock, AT & T, Comcast and other community partners for doing their part to help bridge the digital divide. 

 

Below is the link to Channel 2 news tour/interview 

The Planning and Development Department is proposing amendments to the Sidewalk Ordinance to create a complete sidewalk network in the city, and we want your input.

 

The public comment period for the proposed Sidewalk Ordinance amendments starts at 3 p.m., May 23, 2022 and will end at 5 p.m., June 23, 2022. For more information and to share your comments visit http://www.houstontx.gov/…/sidewalk-ordinance…

We are Houston and District K proud of Three Brothers Bakery! They were featured on Good Morning America (GMA) “Rise and Shine” series, Friday, May 20, 2022. The GMA team could not resist the Three Brothers Bakery’s pecan pie!

 

Enjoy viewing Three Brothers Bakery (At the 2:40 mark). What a great segment about our amazing city!

 

District K residents the Power Center has a beautiful new exterior paint job! If you’ve been wondering what’s happening with this community space, check out the latest article in the 5 Corners Management District newsletter. A group of new owners has renamed it The Community Collective For Houston.

 

A modernization project is well underway at the former Power Center. The new look is a hint of many enterprising things to come at the high-profile intersection of South Post Oak Road and South Main Street. The newsletter is full of valuable information about the Community Collective for Houston, its new owners and more.

 

Click here: 5 Corners Newsletter

CenterPoint Energy’s Power Alert Service (PAS) can notify you, family and friends of an outage, restoration progress and when power is fully restored. Watch the short video to see how PAS can benefit you.

 

Thanks to their recent upgrade, you can now easily add up to five text, five emails and five phone numbers – 15 contact points – to each electric account you manage to receive power outage alerts.

 

See more at: CenterPoint Energy Power Alerts

Enjoy a bike ride through the Keegan/Brays Bayou Trails! Join the Friends of Marian Park, for the 2nd Annual Bayou Trail Bike Ride, Saturday June 11, 2022.

 

Information and Registration: Bayou Trail Bike Ride .

Additional funding has been approved for Phase III for Construction and Additional Services for the Hillcroft Ave. and Court Rd. Extension, which includes the Fort Bend Parkway Frontage Roads (northbound and southbound) between the existing toll road ramps (approximately 4,350 linear feet each) and extension of Court Road from Quailynn Road east to proposed southbound Fort Bend Parkway frontage road, with concrete curbs, sidewalks, street lighting, storm sewer system and underground utilities.

 

Project location: W. Fuqua St. (N), McHard Rd. (S), Blue Ridge Rd. (E), Hillcroft Ave. (W)

 

Did you know that many of your concerns and questions can be answered by reaching out to 311?

 

Below are some helpful 311 links: