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February 5, 2021 Issue 98 |
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Dear District E Residents,
Last month kicked off the start of the Texas Legislature's 87th session. The Senate was gaveled to order by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, where four new Senators were welcomed into the 31-member body by their colleagues. Senator Brian Birdwell of Granbury was elected by his peers as President Pro Tempore of the Senate and will assume the Constitutional duties of Governor when both the Governor and Lt. Governor are out of state. New requirements were also approved mandating a COVID test for Senate staff at the beginning of each week and before entering any committee hearing or the Senate Chamber. Senators will be required to be tested for COVID before entering the Chamber or a committee hearing room. Of note, a new Senate Committee on “Local Government” that is chaired by Senator Paul Bettencourt.
Representative Dade Phelan of Beaumont was elected Speaker of the House by a vote of 143-2. The House did not impose any requirements for COVID testing but will mandate facial coverings in the Chamber and hearing rooms. The House did not change any provisions for the general public to offer virtual testimony at committee hearings, instead opting to allow each Chair of a committee to designate witnesses of their choice to testify virtually. However, the rule changed to allow for electronically submitted written testimony from any member of the public. To accommodate spacing requirements for the pandemic, secure voting terminals will be installed inside the House Chamber and perimeter for the Representatives.
These changes in the Texas Legislature remind us we are now nearly one year in to the COVID pandemic, continuing to remain vigilant and cautious. The City of Houston continues to encourage residents to mask up, stay home when possible, and socially distance when out and about. Vaccinations at the City's appointment only events has been smooth and could only be improved by increasing the amount of doses and appointments available. We are working closely with our state and federal partners to increase capacity for these events, but they are entirely supply based.
I urge residents to continue to be patient as the City of Houston does the best it can with the doses it is provided from the State. Please do keep in mind the state is distributing doses and there may be vaccine located at a local health provider or pharmacy within your community. Currently the best way to stay on top of those distributions is to visit the Texas Department of State Health Services website and use their COVID-19 Vaccination site for the most up to date information.
Additionally, if you are not already a subscriber to AlertHouston, I strongly recommend you register today. This alert system has been utilized in providing vaccination registration information for our most recent City of Houston Vaccination events and following up to schedule second dose appointments.
Thank you all for continuing to support the District E Office and allowing us the opportunity to serve you.
Sincerely,
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Mayor Pro Dave Martin
900 Bagby, First Floor
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (832) 393-3008
The District E Team
Jessica Beemer
Chief of Staff
Katherine Cunningham
Deputy Chief of Staff
Dustin Hodges
North Sector Manager
Mark Mitchell
South Sector Manager
City Resources
Kingwood Community Center
(281) 348-2570
Community Resources
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Mayor Pro Tem Martin welcomes the latest interns in the District E office, who were placed through the University of Houston Civic Houston Internship Program (CHIP).
Andrea Ellis is a sophomore at the University of Houston, majoring in Political Science and Computer Science. Andrea plans to attend graduate school, seeking a Law degree and a Masters in Information Systems, so she can dedicate her life to public service.
Ahmed Keshta is a senior undergraduate student at the University of Houston, majoring in political science with a minor in national security studies. Ahmed is a dedicated student, and a civic minded citizen who is curious about anything and everything. Ahmed hopes to pursue a graduate degree in political science, and put his knowledge and experience in the field of politics in service of the public domain and his fellow citizens.
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Roadway Pavement Replacement: Surrey Square |
Mayor Pro Tem Martin would like to make south sector residents aware of a Roadway Replacement project on Surrey Square Street. This is part of the Street and Traffic Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for the Roadway Pavement Replacement Program.
The scope of the work will include concrete curb, and concrete pavement replacement, inlet and manhole grade adjustments and limited driveway, sidewalk, and storm sewer reconstruction. Approximately 2,000 LF of roadway pavement will be constructed on Surrey Square St.
Work is expected to begin on Surrey Square St. on February 8, 2021. The contractor will be removing one lane of roadway and leave the other lane open for traffic flow. There will be temporary access to each driveway along Surrey Square St and there are no anticipated interruptions on public utilities. This project is expected to be complete by July 26, 2021, weather permitting.
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The City of Houston, through its contractor DRC Emergency Services, LLC (DRC), performed mechanical dredging of the mouthbar throughout last year. The total cost for this project is $40 million, which is funded through a combination of City of Houston Harvey Disaster dollars provided by Governor Greg Abbott, grant dollars from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), and funding from the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) Bond Program. DRC is completing the scope of work for dredging activities in two distinct phases. This phased approach will obligate the full grant funding before the 87th legislative session in 2021.
Phase I Dredging
The first phase will remove accumulated materials near and at the mouth bar on the West Fork of the San Jacinto River. During phase one of this project it is expected that a minimum of 400,000 cubic yards (CY) of material will be removed. To date, DRC has removed approximately 385,000 cubic yards of material from the mouthbar.
Phase II Dredging
The second phase of dredging will focus on removing accumulated materials in the East Fork of the San Jacinto River and other locations in Lake Houston. DRC completed their assignment in the East Fork last month, having dredged approximately 5,000 CY and clearing floatable debris. DRC is now dredging in the area immediately north of the mouthbar and has removed 50,000 CY of the approximately 260,000 CY expected before finishing the remaining section of the mouthbar.
The grant funding for Phase I & II was made possible thanks to State Representative Huberty through the passage of Senate Bill 500.
Long-Term Maintenance
Additionally, during phase two of the project City of Houston, Harris County, HCFCD, SJRA, and Coastal Water Authority (CWA) will develop and execute a plan for the City of Houston or CWA to assume long-term dredging operations on Lake Houston. Mayor Pro Tem Martin and State Representative Dan Huberty (District 127) are working diligently during the current legislative session on a bill that will establish the Lake Houston Dredging and Maintenance District for the first time in the history of Lake Houston to address annual maintenance. This District will allow for sediment and floatable debris to be removed throughout the year, which will improve capacity and flow through the river and lake year round. Currently the bill is in the final editing stages and we hope to be able to provide a Bill number during our next newsletter.
Mayor Pro Tem Martin, again, would like to offer a very special "Thank You" to State Representative Dan Huberty for his commitment to seeing this project through and his dedication to the long-term maintenance activities on Lake Houston. Representative Huberty has been a champion for his residents and a great ally in seeing these additional dredging efforts come to fruition.
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Houston Parks Board 50/50 Program:
Freeway Manor Virtual Community
Listening Session
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Houston Parks Board 50/50 Program will be holding the virtual community listening session for Freeway Manor Park on February 23, 2021 at 6:30pm. All interested residents that would like participate, please save these details:
Topic: Freeway Manor Park Virtual Community Listening Session
Time: Feb 23, 2021 06:30 PM Central Time
Dial In Number: 346-248-7799
Enter Meeting ID: 972 6897 4741
To register, visit houston5050parkpartners.org and click “Upcoming Community Listening Sessions.” For more information about the 50/50 Parks Partner Initiative please visit their website.
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Preparing for the 2021 Hurricane Season |
District E and the City of Houston are working hard to prepare for the 2021 Hurricane Season. Earlier this year, Houston Urban Forestry identified trees for removal, based upon declining health and danger, along the major thoroughfares in Kingwood. The Dangerous Tree Removal Program started in November and have completed W Lake Houston Parkway and Northpark Drive with Kingwood Drive remaining. The cost of this project is $50,678 and funds are provided through Mayor Pro Tem Martin's Council District Service Funds.
The trees being marked for removal are dead, extremely unhealthy, and/or the most dangerous. Work order(s) will then be generated by block then issued to the City's contractor, Prime Trees, to schedule removal of the dead and most dangerous trees. 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 the project will require one lane closure. Two-way traffic will be maintained at all times. Businesses and 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.
The City of Houston is doing its part to update its emergency plans for Hurricanes and the possibility of evacuations to include COVID-19 procedures. The City has updated emergency preparedness resources to include PPE (gloves/masks/hand sanitizer) and has also integrated these precautionary measures into developing a plan for socially distanced disaster shelters.
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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 near completion. The City of Houston has submitted the cost-benefit analysis to FEMA and is reviewing the comments received. 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 an extension if needed.
Houston Public Works and Coastal Water Authority are working together under the direction of Chief Recovery Officer Stephen Costello to plan a public forum to discuss the progress of the gates early this year. 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 Mayor Pro Tem Martin's Facebook Page.
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Uvalde Revitalization Project Community Clean Up |
On Saturday, January 23, Mayor Pro Tem Martin joined Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia for the Uvalde Revitalization Project Community Clean Up Day. During this event, volunteers cleaned up litter and debris from the median and sidewalks on Uvalde Street, in Northshore, from I10 to Granada street.
Mayor Pro Tem Martin extends his gratitude to all the community helpers including Commissioner Adrian Garcia, Judge Joe Stephens, Houston Parks and Recreation, Houston Solid Waste Department, Keep Houston Beautiful, Constable Eagleton’s Office, Harris County Sherriff’s Deputies and residents of the North Shore community. The event was a huge success. Mayor Pro Tem Martin also thanks Ms. Kristina Zatopek for bringing the community all together with this great idea.
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Construction Underway for the San Jacinto
Bayou Greenway Project
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The Houston Parks Board recently began construction on the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway Project. Houston Parks Board has been working in close partnership with the City of Houston, Harris County Precinct Four, Harris County Flood Control District, community groups, and partners to plan a new San Jacinto Greenway.
The 2.6-mile greenway will feature a hike and bike trail, wayfinding signage, benches, trash cans, recycling bins, wildflower plantings, and more. It will eventually connect to the Spring Creek and Cypress Creek trail systems on the west end via Ross Road through the future Precinct Four Edgewater Park. It will also connect to the Kingwood trail system on the east end via Woodland Hills Drive, giving access to hundreds of miles of trail systems on both the east and west ends built by other partners.
Construction is expected to take 12 months, weather permitting. Crews will be operating between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
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. Two-way traffic will be maintained at all times. Residents will have access to driveways at all times, and may experience an increase in noise levels due to trucks and equipment in the area.
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Northpark Drive Overpass Project Progressing |
The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority, also known as the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 10 (TIRZ), has continued to work diligently on the Northpark Drive Overpass Project.
Preliminary engineering and the Northpark Drainage Study are nearing completion while the overall project design is 90% complete. Phase I of the project is expected to go out for bid this summer. A visual of the existing design can be seen here.
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.
As a reminder, TIRZ meetings are open to the public and usually held on the second Thursday of each month with the next meeting on February 11th at 8:00 a.m. For more information on the Northpark Drive Overpass Project, you can visit the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website.
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Bayfield Lift Station Improvements Update |
Mayor Pro Tem Martin would like to update Clear Lake residents on the Bayfield Lift Station Force Main Renewal and Replacement project.
Phase I should be completed by February 8, 2021, weather permitting. Phase II is scheduled to start immediately after Phase I, and is expected to be complete by June 24, 2021, weather permitting. Project details can be found here.
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COVID-19 Testing and Vaccine Information |
Houston’s latest 14 day average positivity rate is 16.9%. It is up to us to stop the spread of COVID-19. Residents should continue frequent hand washing, social distancing, and wearing masks. Find free, fast, and safe testing sites here.
The Houston Health Department will focus its latest COVID-19 vaccine allocation on people at the highest risk for severe illness and those in vulnerable communities during the week of February 1, 2021. The department received 9,000 additional doses last week and will prioritize approximately 5,300 for its Area Agency on Aging, 2,400 for providers in vulnerable communities, and 1,300 for previously scheduled appointments.
Health department appointments are currently full based on supply. People are urged not to contact the COVID-19 call center about first dose appointments because no slots are currently available.
People can register for the HoustonRecovers subscription of AlertHouston to learn about new Houston Health Department appointment opportunities through email, text message, voice call, or mobile app push notification.
People who received their first dose from the health department will be contacted and scheduled for second doses. People do not need to call the department about a second dose unless they have not been contacted 48 hours before Moderna's recommended 28-day due date.
Please check voicemails, text messages and emails frequently for second dose scheduling information and alert the COVID-19 call center at 832-393-4220 if contact information has changed since receiving the first dose.
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TeamUP for Houston's Youth |
In collaboration with the Houston Health Department and the Houston Health Foundation, Bloomberg Associates guided the partnership in the creation of TeamUP for Houston’s Youth in 2017 to utilize the power and influence of sports to help develop youth in underserved communities. The program equips youth with professional skills and experiences in the sports industry, driving motivation to pursue college or a career path.
Since its inception, the program has expanded to additional high school campuses across the city, sport partners within the esports and sports industry, and institutions of higher learning. It is collaboratively working to serve Houston students attending feeder pattern high schools in and nearby Mayor Sylvester Turner's designated Complete Communities neighborhoods and My Brother’s Keeper feeder patterns.
The inaugural TeamUP initiative was launched with the Houston Marathon Foundation and Sugar Land Skeeters. Expanding in the 2018-2019 school year, the Harris County Houston Sports Authority and the Houston Dynamo & Houston Dash joined the program to enhance the programs' reach and impact.
In 2021, TeamUP will "take the field" with new TeamUP Clubs “Starting Five” partnerships:
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Campus Partners: Austin, Kashmere, Lamar, Madison, Milby, North Forest, Sam Houston, Scarborough, Sharpstown, Washington, Westbury, Wheatley, Wisdom, Worthing, Yates High Schools (Houston Independent School District); YES Prepartory – Gulfton; and Legacy The School of Sport Sciences (Charter)
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Education Partners: Houston Baptist University, Prairie View A&M University, Rice University, Texas Southern University, and the University of Houston
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Sports Partners: Chevron Houston Marathon, Harris County Houston Sports Authority, Houston Dash/Dynamo, Houston National Society of Black Sports Professionals, Houston Outlaws, Houston Rockets, Houston Sabercats, Houston Texans, HTX Sports Tech, and the Sugar Land Skeeters
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Concession Partner: Whataburger
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Corporate Partner: AT&T
AT&T is the first TeamUP for Houston program sponsor, partnering with Mayor Turner’s Hire Houston Youth program by subsidizing internships with sports organization partners.
Throughout the program, partners will host "Discovery Days," consisting of monthly, one-hour workshops. Front office executives and sports figures are invited to the virtual classroom to expose youth to educational and career opportunities within the sports industry, provide professional development workshops, and offer career pursuits.
The TeamUP Program will kick off on Thursday, February 4, and is limited to select Houston area high school campuses listed above.
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See a pothole, report it by calling (713) 837-0311 or use a Smartphone App.
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Get the latest on COVID-19 including locations of active testing sites can be found here.
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Tune in to HTV Houston to watch live and recorded City Council and Committee Meetings.
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