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Residents of District E,
It is hard to believe that we have already welcomed 2020. This new year brings a wealth of changes to City Hall, and I am excited to be able to be a part of it. Last month voters across the city took advantage of exercising their right to vote by casting their ballot in the December 14 runoff election. I look forward to continuing to work with Mayor Turner and advocating for District E, ensuring our fair share of capital improvement (CIP) dollars for projects across the council district. I also look forward to continuing to work alongside Controller Chris Brown and know he will continue to do a fine job overseeing the city's finances.
I would also like to congratulate all returning council members, and a special welcome to all of the new At-Large and District Council Members that took their oath of office this week:
Mike Knox (At-Large 1)
David Robinson (At-Large 2)
Michael Kubosh (At-Large 3)
Letitia Plummer (At-Large 4)
Sallie Alcorn (At-Large 5)
Amy Peck (District A)
Jerry Davis (District B *Interim)
Abbie Kamin (District C)
Carolyn Evans-Shabazz (District D)
Tiffany Thomas (District F)
Greg Travis (District G)
Karla Cisneros (District H)
Robert Gallegos (District I)
Edward Pollard (District J)
Martha Castex-Tatum (District K)
We have many pertinent issues facing our city that we will have to address over the next four years together, and I look forward to working collaboratively to do what is right for not only District E but all Houstonians.
To all of my outgoing colleagues, I appreciate the time being able to work with you over the past years. Each of you has served the city commendably, and I wish you nothing but the best as you transition into the next role in your careers.
Finally, I am excited to announce after yesterday's inauguration, Mayor Turner nominated me to be the City of Houston's Mayor Pro Tem. During a vote by Houston City Council yesterday, this nomination was confirmed by my colleagues.
I will continue to be a staunch advocate for residents in my final term as the District E Council Member, while serving as the chair for the City's Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee, and adding the new role of Mayor Pro Tem to my responsibilities. Mayor Pro Tem is a leadership role that encompasses serving as acting Mayor for the City of Houston when Mayor Turner is unavailable. In this new role, I look forward to providing unique insight to City issues including budget, flood risk reduction, and infrastructure.
My goal is to show the City of Houston that even though Mayor Turner and I do not always agree, we have the ability to work through our differences and collaborate to achieve great projects.
I would like to offer congratulations to the City's new Vice Mayor Pro Tem, District K Council Member Martha Castex-Tatum. I would like to extend gratitude to my colleagues for providing me with this opportunity and I look forward to working together during his last term.
As always, my office staff and I are available to you. Please contact us with your questions, concerns or comments at (832) 393-3008 or districte@houstontx.gov.
Thank you again for trusting in me to serve you for another four years. I wish you and your families a very happy new year!
Sincerely,
Dave Martin
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The District E Office
900 Bagby, First Floor
Houston, TX 77002
Contact Information
Phone: (832) 393-3008
Fax: (832) 393-3279
District E Team
Jessica Beemer
Chief of Staff
Katherine Cunningham
Deputy Chief of Staff
Clarissa Perez
South Sector Manager
Dustin Hodges
North Sector Manager
City of Houston Contacts
(713) 837-0311
Mayor's Citizens
Assistance Office
(832) 393-0955
Kingwood Community Center
(281) 348-2570
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District E Welcomes New South Sector Manager
With the new year comes changes in the District E office. District E South Sector Manager, Jordan McGinty, has accepted a new role as Chief of Staff for At-Large 5 Council Member Sallie Alcorn. While we will miss her greatly on the District E team, we are excited for her and know she will do wonderfully serving in her new role. We trust that she will be great asset continuing to advocate for District E residents working in the At Large 5 office.
With Jordan's departure, we are happy to announce the reassignment of Clarissa Perez, who previously served as the North Sector Manager for District E. She will now be transitioning to a new position within our office as the South Sector Manager.
Clarissa graduated from the University of North Texas (UNT) in May 2018 and received two Bachelor of Arts degrees from the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. Her first degree is in International Studies, with a concentration in Humanitarian Studies and Development, and the second degree is in Spanish Language and Literature.
While at UNT, Clarissa became very involved on campus and maintained various leadership roles such as President of the Rho Beta Chapter of Sigma Lambda Gamma, Director of Philanthropy and Service of the Greek Community Board, and Event Coordinator and Secretary of This Ends Now. During her time in undergrad, Clarissa also worked to enhance her professional experience serving as an intern with the Pearland Chamber of Commerce and the Ross Law Office, a criminal defense firm.
Clarissa is thrilled to utilize her experience and education to now serve the South Sector of District E.
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District E Welcomes Dustin Hodges as North Sector Manager
Council Member Martin is happy to welcome the newest District E Team Member, Dustin Hodge as our new North Sector Manager. Dustin graduated from Texas Tech University in 2012 with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology. In 2018, he graduated from the George Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University with his Master's degree in Public Service and Administration.
Before pursuing his Master's degree, Dustin spent nearly 5 years working for his hometown of Bay City as the City's Public Information Officer and Chief of Staff to the Mayor. During his time with City of Bay City he served as Education Chair of the Matagorda Local Emergency Planning Committee, Chairman of the City's Charter Review Commission, and was an active member of the Bay City Lions Club.
After graduating with his Masters, Dustin and his wife, Meghan, moved to Houston to start their family. He enjoys trips to the park with his dog Finley, road tripping around Texas and exploring all the great things Houston has to offer. He is excited to join the District E team!
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Special Meetings Scheduled: Lake Conroe Temporary Lake Lowering Strategy
Due to an overwhelming response, the San Jacinto River Authority's (SJRA) Board of Directors will hold special meetings January 21, 2020, at 6:00 P.M. and February 20, 2020, at 6:00 P.M. at the Lone Star Convention and Expo Center located at 9055 Airport Road, Conroe, Texas 77303 to hear public comment on the temporary flood mitigation strategy of lowering Lake Conroe on a seasonal basis.
The lowering of Lake Conroe one foot in the spring and two feet in the fall is intended to provide flood mitigation benefits for downstream residents by increasing capacity to catch rainfall and runoff in the lake. The strategy is reviewed annually and is currently authorized by both the SJRA Board of Directors and the City of Houston as the two entities each own water rights in Lake Conroe.
The SJRA Board of Directors will receive a presentation from staff at the January 21st special meeting and any vote on the strategy would take place at the February 20th special meeting. The special meetings are exclusively for addressing the lake lowering strategy. No other items are planned for the special meeting agendas, and the board does not intend to consider the lake lowering strategy at its regular board meetings in January or February.
SPECIAL MEETING DATES, TIME, AND LOCATION
The SJRA Board of Directors will hold a
Special Meeting at 6:00 P.M., Tuesday, January 21, 2020, at Lone Star Convention and Expo Center located at 9055 Airport Road, Conroe, Texas 77303.
The SJRA Board of Directors will hold a
Special Meeting at 6:00 P.M., Thursday, February 20, 2020, at Lone Star Convention and Expo Center located at 9055 Airport Road, Conroe, Texas 77303.
The SJRA Board of Directors welcomes input regarding the seasonal lake lowering strategy via email as well. To contact the Board please visit:
https://www.sjra.net/about/board/ or email
floodmanagementdivision@sjra.net.
The District E office is in full support of the continued seasonal lowering. Council Member Martin has submitted a
letter of support to the SJRA on December 11, 2019. We have been happy to have this partnership as it has proven to be helpful during the rainy seasons.
For more information about the Seasonal Lake Lowering plan please visit
www.sjra.net.
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North Featherwood Drive Panel Replacement Scheduled
Council Member Dave Martin would like to announce Houston Public Works crews will begin a pavement repair project on North Featherwood Drive, just east of its intersection
with the Gulf Freeway, on Monday, January 6, weather permitting. The scope of work includes replacing a panel along the 12400 block of North Featherwood Drive. The work is anticipated to be completed by Thursday, January 16.
Crews will be on site Monday through Saturday, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Lane closures have been scheduled to occur outside rush hour times, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. As a result of the construction activities, please be aware of flagmen and orange traffic cones that will be put in place on site to help with traffic flow through the construction zone as temporary lane closures are expected. Residents will have access to driveways and sidewalks at all times, and may experience an increase in noise levels due to trucks and equipment in the area.
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Leadership Lake Houston Government Day
On Tuesday, December 10, Mayor Sylvester Turner and Council Member Martin had the opportunity to speak to the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class 9 as part of their Government Day. Following the productive conversation on how City of Houston government works, Leadership Class 9 had the chance to stay and be recognized at Public Session in City Council Chambers.
Thank you to the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce for partnering with our office to help educate the leaders of our community.
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Family Promise of Lake Houston Groundbreaking Ceremony
On Wednesday, December 11, staff from Council Member Martin's office had the opportunity to present a certificate to Family Promise of Lake Houston for the official groundbreaking of their Promise House project.
The facility will allow Family Promise of Lake Houston to expand their program reach and capacity to transform more lives in the Lake Houston area.
Thank you to Family Promise of Lake Houston for including us in this momentous occasion and congratulations!
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Council Member Martin Receives Spirit of the Chamber Award
On Friday, December 13, Council Member Martin had the honor of receiving the Spirit of Commerce Award from the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce at the annual Elected Officials Reception.
Council Member Martin is tremendously grateful to the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce for this special recognition and honored to have accepted this award alongside his good friend, State Representative Dan Huberty.
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Christmas Tree Recycling
City of Houston residents can recycle their Christmas trees by dropping them off at one of twenty-five free, drop-off recycling sites located throughout Houston. The program will run through
January 26, 2020. To find a location nearest to you,
click here.
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Bay Area Boulevard Panel Replacement
Houston Public Works crews have recently completed a panel replacement in the Clear Lake area, along Bay Area Boulevard, just south of its intersection with Middlebrook Drive. The scope of work included replacing 162 linear feet of concrete panels in the southbound lanes.
In Fiscal Year 2018, I allocated $65,500 of my Council District Service Funds to help provide a smoother ride for those traveling this heavily utilized major thoroughfare.
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Mouth-Bar Dredging Update
As a follow up to our
press release sent out on November 4, the City of Houston submitted a new project worksheet to FEMA. This project worksheet was submitted on November 8 and is currently under review. The project worksheet submitted and supported by all
federal elected officials from the Lake Houston Area is to address complete removal of the mouth-bar. Once this project worksheet is approved our office will provide notification to the community. Thank you to Congressman Brady, Congressman Crenshaw, Senator Cornyn and Senator Cruz for their persistence and support for removing the mouth-bar.
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Hamblen Road Resurfacing Project
As many residents are aware, Hamblen Road is plagued with many potholes and poor road conditions. Council Member Martin has been fighting for a more permanent project to fix these issues since his first term in office. As a result, the District E Office has officially been awarded a project to proceed with a mill and overlay of Hamblen Road from Loop 494 to Lisa Lane. Milling consist of removing the current pavement which will be followed by an overlay, the application of a new layer of pavement.
The District E Office has met with Houston Public Works to discuss the preliminary design and provide feedback on behalf of the surrounding communities to consider as they finalize design logistics. Houston Public Works has also been asked to evaluate the open ditches along Hamblen Road. Please note this project is a street resurfacing, and not an expansion by any means.
Residents should look for project notification from the District E Office in early 2020 with an anticipated project start date in the spring.
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Samuel Lane Roadway Work Completed
Houston Public Works crews have recently completed the removal of the grassy area within the cul-de-sac on Samuel Lane, and installing new asphalt pavement on the 12800 block of Samuel Lane.
Council Member Martin allocated $13,618.14 of his Council District Service Funds to address the concern of several Samuel Lane residents.
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Kingwood B.O.P.A. Event
On Saturday, November 16, Council Member Martin and the Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) hosted the Kingwood Batteries, Oil, Paint and Anti-Freeze (B.O.P.A.) Collection Event at the Kingwood Metro Park and Ride. Approximately 17,919 pounds of recyclable materials were collected from residents over the course of the event. Volunteers from Keep Kingwood Green aided in the effort, which ended up yielding 1,585 pounds of batteries, 1,600 pounds of used motor oil, 11,281 pounds of latex paint, 352 pounds of antifreeze and 3,101 pounds of scrap metal.
Council Member Martin thanks the Solid Waste Management Department for coordinating the successful event and all the hard-working volunteers who helped collect the recyclable materials.
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Save the Date: Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's Epicurean Evening 2020
On Thursday, January 30, the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its 2020 "A Taste of Space" Epicurean Evening at 6:30 p.m. at Space Center Houston. Those in attendance at the event will delighted by tantalizing food samples from over 40 area food establishments and entertained by a variety of musical treats.
Each ticket includes tastes from the best of Clear Lake/Bay Area Houston, two drink tickets, free parking, and access to shop the mobile auction. Children's tickets also include access to the Kids Space Place. For more information on Epicurean Evening 2020, and to purchase tickets, please click
here.
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Gulfpalms Street Project Scheduled
A drainage project being conducted by the Storm Water Action Team (SWAT) along Gulfpalms Street, from Berry Bayou to Palmsprings Drive, has been rescheduled due to issues with the contractor. The project originally scheduled to begin on Monday, December 9, will now mobilize on Thursday, January 2, 2020. The scope of work for this project includes clearing and grubbing of the offroad drainage channel along this portion of Gulfpalms Street.
Crews will be on site working Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m, and the work is expected to be complete by end of January 2020, weather permitting. The crews plans to start work at Berry Bayou and will work south towards Palmsprings Drive. One lane adjacent to the work zone may be closed during construction. Moderate noise can be expected as clearing and grubbing will require the use of mowers, chainsaws, and other small equipment.
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Progress on the Lake Houston Spillway Dam Improvement Project (Flood Gates)
In August of 2019 the clock for Phase I of the Lake Houston Spillway Dam Improvement Project (Flood Gates) started with the award of a Hazard Mitigation Grant through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) in the amount of $47,170,953 for the City of Houston Lake Houston Spillway Dam Improvement Project (Federal Share $35,378,214.75, Non-Federal Share $11,792,738.25). This award is pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Section 404, and 44 CFR Part 206.434.
The first phase of this project is currently underway and includes the City of Houston working with Harris County Flood Control District, as a partner, to procure a consultant that will provide for the design, permitting, environmental, hydraulic and hydrologic analysis. The first phase of this project is expected to be completed by Fall 2020 but extensions may be necessary depending on results of environmental analysis and impact studies. The City of Houston will front all costs for the Lake Houston Spillway Dam Improvement Project and submit reimbursement requests to the Texas Division of Emergency Management on a monthly basis.
Once Phase I of the project is complete the City of Houston will renew the cost benefit analysis and submit to FEMA for their review. Upon their review of the completed cost benefit analysis after Phase I completion, the additional funds provided to the state of Texas for this project will be made available for reimbursement to the City for completion of Phase II construction. The two phases of the Lake Houston Spillway Dam Improvement Project are expected to be completed within 36 months, with the possibility of extension if needed.
As updates for this project become available the District E Office will notify residents utilizing the office newsletter and social media platforms. If you do not already, please follow
@cmdavemartin on Twitter and like the
Council Member's Facebook Page.
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TIRZ Drainage Study
The Lake Houston Area Redevelopment Authority (TIRZ 10) has contributed $100,000 to assist the Harris County Flood Control District in completing a big picture drainage study of the Kingwood area, known as the
Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis (F-14) and is part of the Harris County Bond that was passed in 2018.
The intent of the Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis is to evaluate the existing drainage level of service for the open channel drainage network and where needed, identify drainage infrastructure improvements to improve the drainage level of service.
In September 2019, engineering consultant Neel-Schaffer began a 9-month analysis of 32.3 miles of open channels within the greater Kingwood area. This is expected to be completed by Summer 2020.
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Houston Mitigation Public Hearing
The Texas General Land Office has recently posted The State Action Plan for $4,297,189,000 in Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has been released for public comment.
The 45-day public comment period will take place from Friday November 22nd, 2019 until Monday January 6th, 2020.
The plan has been published for public comment on the GLO's recovery website
here.
All public comments received prior to 5:00 p.m. on January 6th, 2020, will be considered. The GLO will respond to these comments in the final submission of the document to HUD for approval. Public comments can be submitted via email at
cdr@recovery.texas.gov.
In addition, the GLO will host a public hearing during the public comment period:
Houston Public Hearing
- December 11th, 2019
- 6:00pm-9:00pm
- Texas Southern University EDU Auditorium
- 3100 Cleburne Street, Houston, TX 77004
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Save the Date! TIRZ Northpark Drive Overpass Project Open House
The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority, also known as the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 10 (TIRZ), will be hosting an Open House for Kingwood residents and businesses to learn more about the upcoming construction of the Northpark Drive Overpass Project.
This informational Open House will take place at the Kingwood Community Center, 4102 Rustic Woods Drive, on Thursday, February 6, 2020, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
At the Open House, residents will have the opportunity to visit information tables addressing specific areas of the project, ask questions of project team members, and submit public comments. The format of the open house will be come and go with a brief presentation at 6:00 p.m.
The Northpark Drive Overpass Project will reduce congestion, improve mobility and enhance safety in the Kingwood area by expanding Northpark Drive from four to six lanes between I-69 and Russell Palmer Road, and adding a
grade-separation at Texas State Loop 494 and the Union Pacific Railroad crossing.
This project was identified as a clear priority in the 2015 Kingwood Area Mobility Study commissioned by the Authority. The project is currently in the design phase and is expected to be completed by 2023.
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Upcoming Events
Please email the District E office if you would like us to include your upcoming event in future newsletters!
City Wides
January 20
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - City Offices Closed
Kingwood
January 4
Kingwood Electronic Waste Recycling
January 15
Kingwood Super Neighborhood Council Meeting
January 21
Kingwood PIP
January 25
FamilyTime Hearts of Gold Gala
Southeast Houston/Clear Lake
Clear Lake Electronic Waste Recycling
January 21
Clear Lake PIP
January 24
BAHEP Quasar Awards
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