Vol. 3, Issue 13- 05.27.22
DISTRICT F NEWS
District F,

The last few weeks have been incredibly heavy for our nation and our local community. Before I could wrap my mind around the tragedy in Buffalo, New York, we were stopped in our tracks during Tuesday’s public session when Mayor Turner announced the shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

Thursday, May 26th,  I was alerted to another shooting on the district’s west side, which cost a 15-year-old his life; he was two days shy of his 16th birthday. We are inundated with these occurrences on the national and local news, and I fear we are all becoming numb to our circumstances. Please contact your U.S. Senators and demand they pass H.R. 8, which provides a background check rule – something has to change. Please save the date for our 2nd Annual Public Safety Town Hall on June 22nd, Tracy Gee Community Center, 6 p.m.

Now I would like to pivot to issues related to our work together; there are several significant construction, infrastructure, and maintenance updates by neighborhood below:

For Alief:
The Synott Rd closure between Westheimer Rd and Richmond Ave is anticipated to be completed by September 12th, and the roads are expected to be fully reopened by September 21st.

The Hackberry and Boone Park flood detention projects ($8M) are currently in pre-design, and the presentation will be shared soon, and public comments will be received at that moment.

Many of you have asked about the status of the NEW Alief Community Center. Meaningful updates should be ready after we meet substantial completion in June. Stay tuned for a detailed announcement for all to share soon.

For Westchase, Westmont and Tanglewilde:

  • Flood Project W147, aka “Baby Bayou,” was inspected on April 30th, and all drains were clear of debris and blockages in the Westmont neighborhood.
  • The new street signals on Westpark, Richmond, Meadowglen, and Westheimer Rd are being turned on and should be complete by Friday, May 27th.
  • The concrete replacement panel project on Richmond Ave/Kirkwood/Pallisides has reached substantial completion. The project started on May 17th and is complete.

For Carver Crest (Piney Point):
The sidewalk application is approved, and once the notice to proceed is ready, it will be shared and will include a start/stop date.

For Westmont:
Flood Project W147, aka “Baby Bayou,” was inspected on April 30th, and all drains were clear of debris and blockages in the Westmont neighborhood.

For Briarmeadow:
Per the May 3rd meeting, the Storm Water Action Team (SWAT) met with the contractor assigned to complete the drain upgrade project and established a timeline to repair damage from equipment. The expected deadline is June 13th (weather permitted). As shared in a follow-up email on May 17th and with your HOA, if there are additional issues, don’t hesitate to contact the project manager, Mr. [email protected] / 832-395-3077.

As we enter hurricane season, it is essential to remind you how your local drainage works. My office receives an incredible amount of photos, emails, and phone calls complaining about the amount of water on the street immediately after or during a rain event, such as a declared thunderstorm.

That is precisely how they are supposed to work.

The city streets serve as secondary detention for the drainage system – so the water does not flood your home. In addition to street flooding, it is customary to expect your drains and streets to recede between 6-12 hours unless we are expecting a declared hurricane or extended periods of rain. KPRC featured a story on Houston drains in 2019 with a recent update. The District F office created infographics in 2020 for resident education. (see below)

       

Suppose you see someone pouring cement into city drains. In that case, trash or landscape contractors leaving leaves and cuttings unbagged, please say something to minimize blockage and damage to our gutters, and remember always to call 311 and share the S.R. # with my office.

Hug your loved ones, enjoy graduation, and have a quiet weekend if you choose to. There is so much going on in the world, be kind to yourself, especially others.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend,


Councilmember Tiffany D. Thomas

WEEK OF MAY 16th
HOT SPOT TEAM HIGHLIGHT

Total Work Orders Completed: 37
Hotspot of the Week: 12700 South Drive (Recurring)
Total Man Hours Worked: 72
Tree Waste: 300 lbs.
Mattresses: 6
Furniture Waste: 11 pieces
Tires: 26
Trash Debris: 540 lbs.
Shopping Carts: 15
Bandit Signs: 129
Landscaping: none

 

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT UPDATE

Tree Waste Operations: May 26, 2022

Residents who receive 4th week Tree Waste collections, leave your debris at the curb.

Residentes que reciben 4a recolecciones de Arboles, por favor dejen sus despojos en la acera.

For more information, visit the Neighborhood Depository/Recycling Center web page or call 3-1-1. You may also use the following resources.

Facebook – Updated daily
Link: City of Houston Solid Waste Management – Posts | Facebook

HTX Collects- an app used to update you about your service in real-time. You can also use the link on the website to get an update.

Link: https://www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste/htxcollects.html

On Tuesday, May 25th, Council Member Thomas presented a proclamation to Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. to honor their 25th Anniversary of Delta Day at City Hall.
There was great discussion, recommendations, and community representation at the May 17th District F Redistricting Town Hall and CIP Meeting. If you were not able to attend, take a look at the video by clicking here.
District F is home to another upgraded SPARK park! Council Member Thomas contributed $15,000 to support Alexander Elementary in enhancing their park. Children and neighbors can now enjoy more outside activities.

On Thursday, May 26th, Council Member Thomas joined other elected officials to celebrated the completion of the Brays Bayou Federal Flood Damage Reduction Project, known as Project Brays. This project is the largest flood damage reduction program undertaken by the Harris County Flood Control District to date with more than 75 individual project components.

Learn more here.

Did you see the news? Council Member Thomas was featured on KPRC Ch. 2 about her public safety initiatives. Take a look at her interview here and learn more about each initiative at the June 22nd District F Town Hall on Public Safety.
Congratulations to District F Intern Tommy Wan and Na’Shon Edwards, Sr., Director of Constituent Services, for being highlighted during Public Service Recognition Week. Read more about their achievements here.
CELEBRATE THE BEUTY OF DISTRICT F BY VISITING LOCAL CUISINE IN HONOR OF AAPI MONTH AND AFRICA DAY

CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS

DISTRICT F COUNCIL ITEMS

May 17th 

Item #27 Ordinance consenting to the creation of Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 255. 

Learn more here.

May 25th 
Item #6 Approval of final contract amount of $15,496,027.46 and acceptance of work on contract with BRH-GARVER CONSTRUCTION L.P., for Chelford City Diversion Package No. 1. 

Item #33 Oridnance to award a Construction Contract to Reytec Construction Resources, Inc. for Westpark Drive Paving and Drainage: Wilcrest to Dairy Ashford and appropriate funds.

Learn more here.

COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS MAY 18th COUNCIL SESSION POP-OFF
To View City Council Agendas
To Watch Videos of Previous City Council Meetings
COMMUNITY NEWS
SUBSCRIBE TO NEIGHBORHOOD UPDATES

Phone messages in English and Spanishnotify residents about city services,new programs & civic engagement opportunities

Voice/text messages a convenient servicefor residents without easy access to internet sources
The Department of Neighborhoods (DON) invites residents to subscribe to Neighborhood Updates to receive brief voice or text messages in Spanish or English about essential services and resources.  The messaging service is for everyone, especially for seniors and others who may not have easy access to online information, persons with disabilities who need information in audio or written format, and residents who prefer notices in Spanish.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS
Register here.
HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS
Summer Reading Program
June 1 – August 15, 2022
There are Oceans of Possibilities with the Houston Public Library’s Summer Reading Program!

HMRC Presents: Julia Ideson Building Tour
Wednesday – June 15, 2022
12:00pm – 1:00pm
Join us for a tour of the historic Julia Ideson Building. Formerly Houston Public Library’s “Central” Branch, the Julia Ideson Building is a beautiful Spanish Renaissance Revival-style building in the heart of downtown. Learn about the history and use of the building, the renovations and additions, as well as the significance of its art and architecture.

Summer Reading with Jerry Craft!
Thursday –  June 30, 2022
10:30am – 12:00pm
Join us as we welcome Newbery Medal winner himself, Jerry Craft, for our Summer Reading Author series! Jerry will be sharing his journey as an author as well as fun facts about his books and writing process along with a special illustrative demo!