Houston-Galveston Area Council Newsletter June 2022 |
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May Board of Directors Meeting |
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Towards the end of the meeting, the board authorized the Elections Committee to begin proceedings to fill officer vacancies in the wake of Commissioner Clark's passing and the departure of Chair William King III, whose term as mayor pro tem of Dickinson, Texas, expired at the end of May. Under the order of succession, Vice-Chair Sally Branson, Friendswood city councilmember, now presides as board chair. The Elections Committee will take nominations for the open positions of vice-chair and chair-elect, and the board will vote on them at a future meeting.
Additionally, the board approved new appointments to the Aging and Disability Advisory Committee, the Regional Air Quality Planning Advisory Committee, the Transportation Advisory Committee, and the Transportation Policy Council.
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Next Board Meeting: Tuesday, June 21
The next board meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m., Tuesday, June 21. If there are any scheduling or location updates to this meeting, we will notify the public immediately. For more information on H-GAC's Board of Directors, past meeting agendas or minutes, or to find dates for future meetings, visit the Board of Directors website.
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H-GAC Program Spotlight: 2045 Regional Transportation Plan Update |
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At its May meeting, the H-GAC Board of Directors listened to a spotlight presentation about the outreach efforts of the 2045 Regional Transportation Plan update. The Regional Transportation Plan outlines the investment priorities for the multimodal transportation system that connects people to places where they live, work, play, and efficiently moves goods from, to, and through the region. The plan is updated every four years in coordination with the state, transit providers, local public agencies, freight interests, and public and private community organizations.
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For the first time ever, H-GAC released a survey to collect feedback from more members of the public and stakeholders. The survey remains open until July 31.
H-GAC also brought the conversation directly to residents by hosting in-person public meetings in every county of the 8-county metropolitan planning area. A virtual meeting was held on June 2 for residents as well. A recording of the meeting will be posted online very soon.
In addition to the survey and public meetings, H-GAC has a comment map where residents can highlight a particular sidewalk, street, intersection, or other area in their community they feel is in need of improvement.
We invite residents, leaders, and other stakeholders to take the vision survey, if they have not already, and share it with their friends, family, and constitutents.
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Allie Isbell
Title: Assistant Diector
Contact Phone: 713-993-2411
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Mike Burns
Title: Principal Planner
Contact Phone: 713-993-2474
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H-GAC Welcomes New COO Onyinye Akujuo to the Leadership Team |
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Register Today for H-GAC's Annual Workshop for Newly Elected Officials on June 29 |
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Join us for the 2022 Newly Elected Officials Workshop on Wednesday, June 29 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This highly informative, interactive workshop will provide an opportunity to learn from experts in their fields about how to effectively perform as a public servant in government or education. It will be held in person at the H-GAC office (3555 Timmons Ln.) in the second floor conference rooms, and it will focus on the following topics:
- "Texas Open Meetings Act State Certification" ** by Chris Nichols
- "Financial Management and Budgeting" by Chris Breaux
- "Presiding with Confidence!" by Kay Crews
- "Effective Communications" by Meagan Coughlin, APR
- "Leadership and Teamwork" by Ron Cox
**Must be present by 8:30 a.m. to receive Texas Open Meetings Act certification.
Visit the event page on h-gac.com for more information and to register. For questions, contact Cynthia Jones at 713-993-4591.
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Mark Your Calendars for the TML Region 14 Fall Meeting and Workshop Aug. 5-6, 2022 |
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Save the dates! The Texas Municipal League (TML) Region 14 Fall Meeting and Workshop will take place Aug. 5-6, 2022 at Moody Gardens Hotel in Galveston, Texas. Event details and registration information will be posted soon. Click the graphic below to download and save a copy of the event flyer. |
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Hurricane Season is Here. Prepare Now with H-GAC's Zip Zone Maps, Evacuation Maps, and Resources for People with Special Needs |
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June 1 marked the beginning of hurricane season. With forecasters predicting another active season, now is the time to prepare your homes and your loved ones.
Visit TogetherAgainstTheWeather.com for tool kits and strategies on preparing your home and family for a hurricane or severe storm. The page also contains helpful materials for those caring for small children, individuals with disabilities or special needs, and those with health conditions.
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H-GAC Seeks Information on Conservation Projects in the Region |
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As part of our Regional Conservation Initiative, H-GAC will actively assist with preparing grant applications, convening stakeholders, and otherwise supporting the implementation of priority conservation projects across the region.
To guide our efforts, we are collecting information about planned conservation projects from local governments and nongovernmental organizations and categorizing the projects in a priority list. There is no funding associated with this project priority list, but selected projects will be eligible to receive H-GAC staff assistance.
See the current priority project list and learn more about our work online. The list is updated quarterly. Staff encourages you to submit your conservation projects by Thursday, July 14. For questions, email conservation@h-gac.com.
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Learn How Drones Can Help with Environmental Enforcement at Solid Waste Workshop on July 14 |
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Brandon Karr, chief pilot and UAS program coordinator with the Pearland Police Department, will discuss the rules surrounding drone use and how they are used in environmental enforcement.
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Applications for H-GAC Solid Waste Management Grants Close June 22 |
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H-GAC receives a portion of the money collected as tipping fees at landfills across the state as pass-through funding from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to fund solid waste grant projects throughout the region.
For more information about the grant program, the call for projects, or to be added to an email list to receive future solid waste grant notifications, contact Erin Livingston.
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Caney Creek Watershed-Area Residents and Stakeholders Invited to Discuss Water Quality Issues at June 9 Meeting |
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The meeting is open to the public and will be at Caney Creek MUD, located at 405 County Road 298, Sargent, Texas, 77414. It will discuss water quality issues affecting Caney Creek. H-GAC will review a new impaired section of Caney Creek and the status of the Caney Creek Implementation Plan. Additionally, ongoing implementation in the area will be presented.
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David Fink Discusses No-Cost Tow and Go Program on Around H-Town Podcast on 104.1 KRBE |
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David Fink, safety and regional incident management program manager at H-GAC, recently appeared on 104.1 KRBE's Around H-Town community affairs podcast. In the episode, which aired on May 22, Fink discussed the Gulf Coast Regional Tow and Go Program, which provides no-cost towing service to stranded vehicles on all camera-monitored freeways in Harris County, Jersey Village, Bellaire, La Porte, and Humble, Texas.
Learn more at towandgo.com. To contact Tow and Go for assistance, call 713-881-3333.
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Five Commute Solutions to Help You Save Money on the Road |
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The recent hikes in gas prices have forced commuters to rethink the way they commute. Here are five alternate commuting options that help save money:
- Carpool with a colleague to share the cost of your commute and save wear and tear on your vehicle. Carpooling also gives you access to the HOV lanes, which may shorten your drive to work.
- Vanpool with your colleagues or with others from nearby employers. This option is similar to carpooling, but your costs may be lower based on the number of riders assigned to your group.
- Transit options are available throughout the Greater Houston area with both local (bus or rail) and commuter (park-and-ride) choices.
- Bike or walk to work if you live two miles or less away from your employer. You will save money on gas, and it’s a great cardio workout.
- Telework is a great alternative to saving on daily commuting costs. Did you know that your car insurance may be cheaper based on your lowered usage from teleworking?
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Livable Centers Study Plays Role in City of Houston RAISE Application |
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The project, if funded, would include several safety improvements, including adding or enhancing bike lanes; improving sidewalks and crosswalks; converting traffic lanes to more pedestrian-friendly spaces; and connecting similar projects north and south of the project. This planned project fills the gap between The Harrisburg Redevelopment and Gulfgate Redevelopment authorities’ projects to create a 5-mile multimodal thoroughfare between the Hobby Area and Houston’s East End (reported by Chron.com).
Among other recommendations, the Livable Centers study highlights increasing sidewalk width, adding protected bike lanes, providing two drive lines and a center turn lane where possible, increasing pedestrian areas (including seating), and adding street trees, shade, and other placemaking elements along Telephone Road.
H-GAC's Livable Centers Program works with local communities to reimagine auto-focused infrastructure, policies, and programs to be more multimodal-friendly.
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U.S. Department of Transportation Hosting Free Informational Webinars on Safe Streets and Roads for Grant Opportunities in June |
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The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is hosting informational webinars for Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant opportunities. These webinars will be recorded and will serve as a resource for prospective SS4A applicants.
The webinars will feature information to help potential applicants learn about the SS4A grant program and what they need to know to prepare an application. They will take place at the following dates and times:
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Home to more than 7 million people, the Houston-Galveston region is one of the fastest-growing and most diverse regions in the country. Making sure the region remains one of the nation’s leading places to live, work, and prosper doesn’t just happen - it takes planning and partnerships.
If you are looking for a career where you can help make a difference in urban, suburban, and rural communities, H-GAC has exciting opportunities for you. For more information or to apply for a job, visit the careers page on H-GAC's website.
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