Vol. 2, Issue 27 – 07.15.21

NEW NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS DEADLINE:

Have an item that you would like to included in the District F newsletter? Submissions for consideration are due every Wednesday at noon.

The Thomas Telegraph is produced and distributed bi-weekly.

Submit to [email protected].

DISTRICT F OFFICE

Job Seekers Register HERE

Employers Register HERE

CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES

The recent infrastructure bill that was passed by the House earlier this month includes funds for water and wastewater projects.

The initial $2.3 trillion infrastructure proposal, authorizes additional spending for roads, bridges, highway safety, electric vehicle charging stations, rail, transit, drinking and wastewater infrastructure. It is critical that our elected officials fight for Houston to receive its fair share.

When our City Council approved the recent needed water rate increase we also approved an amendment that would allow us to review the increase by using federal infrastructure dollars to relieve the burden on taxpayers.

The representatives for District F are Congressman Al Green and Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher.

Find your representative here, Find Your Representative | house.gov

Letter of Support (sample) here .

Little Libraries Come to Alief ISD Campuses

Reading is fun and young readers now have access to free books at Little Libraries located in select Alief ISD schools. These small decorated book “boxes” are set up around the community at 37 campuses – there are 5 campuses that will have their Little Free Libraries installed in the fall. The district is in the process of stocking them with books and the philosophy is that community members can take the books for free anytime.

If you want to donate books, you can drop them at any of the Little Free Libraries.

The actual Little Libraries boxes were built by students at the Alief Career Center and then painted by students and staff across the district. The project is funded by the Alief Education Foundation

THIS WEEK’S COUNCIL MEETING

CITY COUNCIL MEETING July 7, 2021

Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas tagged ITEM #10. The ordinance was to approve various agreements between the City of Houston and several staffing agencies. She led the discussion on needing to have conversations with these agencies and get better clearance on what exactly these agencies would implement in ensuring that there are communication plans, especially in areas with a high unemployment rate, in order to reach the public. CM Thomas has plans to speak with each agency to talk specifically about their programs and opportunities. Item was removed for follow up consideration.

To view the entire meeting CLICK HERE.

Pop Off Comments for July 7, 2021

CITY COUNCIL MEETING July 14, 2021

At last week’s City Council meeting Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas tagged then ITEM #10. This item was on the agenda this week as ITEM #27. The ordinance was to approve various agreements between the City of Houston and several staffing agencies.

CM Thomas along with other council members discussed the importance of communicating with the agencies to make sure that they are continuing to have specific plans of distribution of city job opportunities to the public. These agencies must show outreach efforts and recruiting plans especially in the areas of the city with a high unemployment rate. The City Director of Human Resources was able to deliver an update and answer Council questions. After addressing the concerns and agreeing to move forward this item passed.

To view the entire meeting CLICK HERE.

Pop Off Comments for July 14, 2021

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

NOW HIRING

Office of Councilmember Tiffany D. Thomas Councilmember Tiffany D. Thomas is looking for a dedicated and motivated individual to join the District F staff. As a vital member of our office, you will learn about the inner workings of a city council office and have the opportunity to work directly with residents to grow and improve the City of Houston.

Position Title: Constituent Services Aide

For a full description and qualifications CLICK HERE

CONSTITUENT UPDATES

ERCOT Unveils Roadmap to Improving Grid Reliability

Comprehensive operations changes already underway

AUSTIN, TX, July 13, 2021 – The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has delivered the “Roadmap to Improving Grid Reliability” to Governor Greg Abbott, members of the Texas Legislature and the Public Utility Commission (PUC). The Roadmap is a comprehensive plan that addresses operational improvements to the Texas power grid, including important legislative changes, objectives outlined in the Governor’s letter issued July 6 and other reforms.

“Change is required for ERCOT to continue to reliably serve the millions of customers and businesses that depend on us,” said ERCOT Interim President and CEO Brad Jones. “We have extensively reviewed our processes to better serve Texans and will continue to work very closely with the PUC to ensure we’re aligned in these efforts. These changes will benefit all Texans and support continued economic growth for the state of Texas.”

The 60-item Roadmap is available on ERCOT.com and will be updated regularly through the end of the year.

Conserving water has benefits beyond lowering bills, it ensures clean water for generations to come. Houston Water’s Conservation team is committed to offering tools, programs, and resources to help customers conserve one of our most precious resources – water.

Water Saving Tips

Water at Dusk or Dawn (when the sun is not shining)

Set sprinklers to water plants & grass twice a week between the hours of 7PM and 5AM.

Email questions about the Smart Utility Check-Up to WaterConservation@houstontx.gov.

The Greater Houston Partnership is engaging businesses and nonprofit organizations across the region to participate in the first-ever Equity & Inclusion Organization Assessment, which will provide industry benchmarking and help organizations assess their progress on workforce diversity, supplier spending, and 15 best practice categories.

Companies/organizations do not have to be Partnership members to participate. They just need to be operating in the 12-county Houston region and have at least 5 employees.

The assessment closes on July 30, 2021. The assessment is geared to assist colleagues and grantee partners that are looking for a robust tool to assess DEI progress. The tool is designed for all organizations including those owned by people of color.

For more information visit the Greater Houston Partnership website.

HOT TEAM UPDATE

Our Hot Spot Team has put in a lot of effort keeping our district clean. Total Work Orders Completed: 29
Hot Spot of the Week: 12018 High Star (recurring)
Total Man Hours Worked: 72
Tree Waste: 1100 lbs.
Mattresses: 10
Furniture Waste: 17 pieces
Tires: 25
Trash Debris: 540 lbs.
Shopping Carts: 0
Bandit Signs: 326
Landscaping: 0 sq ft

PEOPLE’S CHAMP

INTERN SPOTLIGHT

Tommy Wan is a Rising Senior at The Village School. He is an Intern in District F for Council Member Tiffany D Thomas, he says “the internship is great, lots of opportunities to network and learn about the inner intricacies of local government.”

He hopes to study aerospace engineering and political science in college, possibly going into aviation law. He is working on the Youth Conference for District F, taking constituent phone calls, and helping out in events. In his spare time he plays classical saxophone and likes to fly planes and his favorite thing about Houston is the diversity.