Greetings Residents of District D,
Welcome to the February edition of The Boykins Briefings
February was a month full of action for the District D Office as we continued to connect with constituents throughout the community. We also took time to celebrate Black History Month and honor the accomplishments of notable African Americans, including many of those who reside in the heart of District D.
This past month Council Member Boykins hosted his first Capital Improvement Meeting (CIP) at Cullen Middle School. It was an honor to represent the citizens of District D and host my first town hall CIP Meeting in the neighborhood that raised me. Well over 100 residents from the community, including those from Sunnyside, Southpark, Third Ward and Southbelt Ellington, gathered at Cullen to discuss developments in the community critical to enhancing the quality of life for residents.
Representatives from The City of Houston Finance Department, General Services Department, Public Works and Engineering Department, Rebuild Houston, Houston Police Department, Mayor's Citizens Assistant Office, and Parks and Recreation Department provided a wealth of information to residents of the community and answered questions pertaining to street construction, traffic congestion, and park safety, to name a few.
Rebuild Houston was a hot topic of discussion during the CIP meeting. "Things are changing because of Rebuild Houston and we will see some dramatic improvements as time moves on," said Dale Rudick, Deputy Director of Rebuild Houston Executive. Sources of funding utilized to repair streets and drainages in the City of Houston, include Drainage Utility Charges, Developer Impact Fees, Ad Valorem Taxes (property taxes) and Third Party Funding (Metro and TxDot).
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Capital Improvement Meeting (CIP)
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 (pictured from left to right) Daniel W. Krueger, Director of Public Works and Engineering, Dale A. Rudick, Deputy Director of Rebuild Houston, Richard Vella, Representative from The General Services Department, Jennifer Olenick, Representative from The Finance Department, and Mark Ross, Representative from The Parks and Recreation Department |
 Community Activist Mr. Tracy M. Stephens discusses concerns in the District D community during the CIP Meeting. |
Coffee and Conversation With Council Member
As we uphold our promise to remain a community driven office we have established "Coffee and Conversation with your Council Member." Any resident from the community is welcome to host a Coffee and Conversation with your Council Member once a week. It is a great way to have one-on-one discussions with your council member to address issues in our community.
If you would like to sign up for Coffee and Conversation with our Council Member please contact the District D office at 832-393-3001 and ask for Dee Cleare.
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 Thank you Ms. Brown and Ms. Lewis for hosting the first Coffee and Conversation with Council Member. |
Congratulations to The Four Trails of Houston
This month I had the special privilege of presenting The Four Trails of Houston a Certificate of Recognition from Mayor Parker and the City of Houston as they embarked on their annual trail ride. The Four Trails were established in 2005 and consist of four notable riding clubs including The Prairie View Trail Riders Association, Southwestern Trail Riders Association, Northeastern Trail Riders Association and Southwest Trail Riders Association. Beginning on February 22nd, I rode as a guest with the Southwest Trail Riders Association on a 120 mile ride from Ft. Bend County through Needville and Angleton, Texas.
Congratulations Four Trails of Houston! Keep up the good work!
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Buffalo Soldiers National Museum
I joined my colleague, Council Member Costello, for the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum First Annual Third Ward Clean-up Day. I look forward to working with the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum, during my term on City Council and I thank them for the invitation to the well-attended event.
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 Woodson K-8 National Jr. Honor Society
I was honored to present certificates to eleven outstanding students from Woodson K-8 Leadership Academy as they were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society. During the induction ceremony, Ariel Venzor, Valedictorian of Jack Yates Senior High School, provided the audience with words of encouragement and her brother, Amari Venzor, MLK Jr. Oratory Contest 1st Place Winner, delivered an immaculate speech on what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would say if the March on Washington were held today. It is great to witness many trailblazers and scholars in the District D community. |
 TSU Student Wins Second Place in Verizon Wireless National Competition On February 15, Nathaniel Harris III, TSU's Homecoming King, was
recognized for his second place win in the Verizon Wireless National Ultimate Reign Competition
. To be considered, Homecoming Queens and Kings of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) submit 1- to 2-minute videos showcasing how they will use Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE technology and devices to promote their community platforms.
Nathaniel was awarded $5,000 towards his community service initiative, a $2,500 personal scholarship and a Motorola 4G LTE tech pack for his efforts in creating the Freshman First App, which supports incoming freshman throughout their first academic year at TSU. This marks TSU's second time winning The Ultimate Reign Competition in second place.
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Abandoned Home Demolotion
My staff and I joined the Department of Neighborhoods for the demolition of an abandoned house off of Calhoun Road. I would like to recognize Ms. Katherine Herron for advocating over 14 years for the demolition of this home. I will continue working to ensure the time for this process is reduced. If abandoned homes blighted your community please contact 311. |
Jesse H. Jones High School Community Meeting
On Tuesday February 7th, I attended the community meeting at Jesse H. Jones High School and discussed the proposed closing of Jesse H. Jones High School and re-zoning of of students to either Worthing or Sterling High School, due to significant under-enrollment. It was great to witness residents from the community voicing their concerns, questions and gathering important feedback regarding the future of Jesse H. Jones High School.
I believe shutting down schools closes communities. It is vital that we have community input as the HISD Board of Trustees makes a decision of this nature. The historic high school is a pillar in the neighborhood and assisted in the upbringing of many notable individuals in the City of Houston. Furthermore, many members of my family attended Jesse H. Jones High School.
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Vehicles for Hire
- On February 25th, 2014, the Public Safety & Homeland Security committee and the Transportation, Technology, & Infrastructure Committee held a joint meeting regarding vehicles for hire.
- Mobile Dispatch and Mobile Rideshare Car Services, such as Uber Black, UberX, and Lyft, are requesting entry into the Houston industry, which has sparked intense debate throughout the city.
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These services employ smartphone applications to dispatch vehicles for hire and have a pricing structure based on time and distance. Uber Black drivers would be current City of Houston licensed limousine drivers who meet city requirements for permitting and insurance.
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The concerns voiced by council members included questions about public safety, services for disabled and elderly residents, and the impact new entrants will have on existing taxi cab and limousine operators who operate under city permits and regulations.
- During the discussion, Council Member Boykins expressed his thoughts. "I'm all for competition, but not to the detriment or hurting an industry... that's been good to Houston residents."
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A Place to Call Home
- Council Member Boykins had an informative meeting with Housing and Community Affairs Director, Neal Rackleff, on February 13th.
- Discussions centered on resources for new home construction, dangerous building demolition, and multifamily renovation projects in District D.
- Council Member Boykins is a strong proponent for single-family homes, which "enable hardworking families to realize the dream of responsible home ownership."
- The Department is investing approximately $2 million for high quality design and construction of homes built on LARA Lots.Close to $200,000 has gone into District D for the demolition of dangerous buildings to "improve the community's safety and quality of life."
- Council Member Boykins will continue to effectively collaborate with the Housing Department to ensure District D residents have safe and affordable housing options.
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Safety First
- On Thursday, February 20, 2014, Council Member Dwight Boykins advocated for the safety of citizens and voted in opposition to a proposed resolution by the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee.
- Due to budgetary concerns, the resolution sought to deny additional funding to the Houston Fire Department, which would have required the department to reduce critical fire staff at fire stations in times of emergency.
- The Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association and city officials continued to negotiate and ultimately reached a tentative agreement on an interim contract that will effectively prevent the removal of fire staff and units from operation.
- The agreement asks for removal of guaranteed holidays through June 30, 2014 and other changes designed to control overtime costs in the future. The interim pact also indicates that all fire trucks will remain in service, with the provision that there are no more than 35 unscheduled absences per day.
- "I am committed to advocating for public safety in District D," said Council Member Dwight Boykins. "I am pleased we were able to avoid the removal of fire units through good faith efforts and I look forward to continued negotiations, which will prevent a crisis of this nature from occurring in the future."
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My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Hanq Neal, Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church Minister of Music
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City Hall Annex
900 Bagby, First Floor
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: 832.393.3001
FAX; 832.393.3201
E-Mail: [email protected]
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Meet the District D Team
- Jessica Kemp, Chief of Staff
- Shavonda Johnson, Deputy Chief of Staff
- Chelbi Mims, Communication and Special Projects Coordinator
- Dee Cleare, Scheduler
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For other City of Houston departments and projects, please visit the city website.
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HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HOME AND NEIGHBORHOOD
- Always give the impression that someone is home
- Keep some lights on in the front and interior of the home, at night.
- Install a home security system, and display the security company's sign
- Keep shrubbery and trees trimmed so as not to obscure your residence from the street
- Keep valuable property locked inside your home, and in places burglars would not suspect valuable are hidden
- Use common sense! If you see something - say something. Keep an eye on your neighbor's properties and report ANY suspicious activity to law enforcement
The tips are courtesy of Crime Stoppers
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Upcoming Events
Health Fair at Sunnyside Multiservice Center
4605 Wilmington St. Houston, TX 77051
Thursday March 13, 2014
9 am - 12 pm
Walgreens "Way to Well" Health Tour with National Urban League.
March 17th, 2014 10am-3pm
8106 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Houston, TX 77033
Sagemont Civic Club
2nd Tuesday of the month
Sagemont Community Center
7:00-8:00 pm
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