Dear residents,
The beginning of 2023 has flown by, we have successfully kicked off Houston Rodeo season and are now preparing for Spring Break with the annual kick off of our Lake Houston Safety Plan, reminding Lake Houston visitors how important it is to pay attention to where you are and #knowyourzone while enjoying Lake Houston. This safety plan identifies seven colored zones across Lake Houston allowing 9-1-1 dispatchers and first responders to identify and respond to emergencies more easily. The District E Office worked diligently with City of Houston Departments and Lake Houston residents to roll out the Lake Houston Safety plan over a year ago and we are excited to continue to learn of its success.
Since our initial kick off two years ago, Lake Houston Safety Plan Zone Maps have been placed at all public marinas, boat ramps, and docks as well as a private community-run boat ramps throughout the Lake Houston Area. Additional signage has been placed on the West Lake Houston Parkway Bridge and FM 1960 Bridge for boaters to be able to easily identify zones as they move through the water.
The District E Office continues to actively work with communities located around the lake to circulate and distribute resources related to the Lake Houston Safety Plan. I highly encourage each Lake Houston resident review the Lake Houston Safety Plan, and print out your very own map to keep handy around the house, on your boat, or jet ski!
The Lake Houston Safety Plan has made such an impact on the community it has been used as a model for emergency response for other large bodies of water in the City of Houston. I am extremely proud of this endeavor, if your community could benefit from a presentation on the Lake Houston Safety Plan, please do not hesitate to reach out to the District E Office by emailing districte@houstontx.gov or by calling (832) 393-3008.
Sincerely,
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Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin
900 Bagby, First Floor
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (832) 393-3008
The District E Team
Jessica Beemer
Chief of Staff
Dustin Hodges
Deputy Chief of Staff
Daria Glasscock
Constituent Outreach Representative and South Sector Manager
Demari Perez
Spring Intern
Yasmine Perez
Spring Intern
City Resources
Kingwood Community Center
(281) 348-2570
Community Resources
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Welcome Daria Glasscock to the District E Team! |
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Daria Glasscock graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Communication in the Fall of 2022 and is looking forward to taking on the role as Constituent Outreach Representative and South Sector manager.
Daria has spent the greater part of her life in the Clear Lake area so she has a special connection to the community she will be serving. She hopes to carry on Mark’s legacy and continue to take excellent care of the south side.
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Freeway Manor Park Construction Update |
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Freeway Manor Park construction began back in January of this year and is still on track to conclude by June 2023. The park is currently still closed for construction, and demolition has not yet started but will begin soon according to the Houston Parks Board.
The improvements at Freeway Manor Park will include resurfacing the parking lot, repairing the walking trail, replacing park benches, regarding the baseball field, updating the picnic areas, repurposing the existing tennis court to a soccer mini-pitch, and improving park lighting.
Construction activities will occur Monday through Friday, with occasional Saturdays, between 7:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Earlier starts might be required for any concrete pouring in case of high temperatures.
Residents should be mindful of the active construction site and not enter areas surrounded by orange construction fencing.
City Council has approved two agreements between the City of Houston and Houston Parks Board that underscored the commitment to this public/private partnership by appropriating almost $6.2 million from the City of Houston’s Parks and Recreation Dedication Fund and General Fund for this work to begin on the first 11 parks of the 50/50 Park Partners initiative.
Houston Parks and Recreation Department is providing the public funding commitment, reviewing, and approving plans, and providing ongoing operation and maintenance of the parks. Houston Parks Board is serving as the project manager and overseeing the private fundraising for the 50/50 Park Partners initiative in coordination with Greater Houston Partnership.
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Update on Recent Kingwood Traffic Signal Repairs |
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Houston Public Works Traffic Operations Division replaced the traffic cabinet at Kingwood Drive and W Lake Houston Parkway on Saturday, February 18. Traffic Operations staff investigated the Kingwood Drive & W Lake Houston Parkway intersection and found electrical damage throughout the cabinet. Over the last two months, Traffic Operations has completed significant repairs to this signal, Kingwood Drive & Valley Manor, Kingwood Drive & Forest Garden, Northpark Drive & Rock Creek Drive, and Northpark Drive & Hidden Pines.
The Kingwood residents who assisted in reporting these traffic signal issues affecting the Kingwood Area using the Houston 3-1-1 system helped tremendously to spur these repairs. The District E office understands and takes very seriously any traffic signal outages as they immediately impact the quality of life and create a possibility for safety hazards.
Please don’t forget, to contact Houston 3-1-1 by calling (713) 837-0311, anytime you come across an issue in the community (flashing traffic signal, pothole, downed tree, etc.) , writing down your service request number, and follow up by emailing the service request number to DistrictE@houstontx.gov. This is important as it establishes and supports a case history for the problem you are reporting which allows the District E Office to work towards bigger repairs, future projects, and higher prioritization of your resolution.
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Evonne and Ney Street SWAT Project Updates |
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Evonne Street SWAT (Storm Water Action Team) Project Phase 1 commenced on December 5, 2022, and is still on track to be completed on April 4, 2023. The scope of work includes removal and replacement of reinforced concrete storm sewer inlets on and near Evonne Street and El Buey, as well as the replacement of the storm sewer south of El Buey Way. The asphalt is also being milled and overlaid to establish proper drainage from Wayman Street south to El Buey Way.
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Free Microchipping Events in District E |
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Mayor Pro Tem Martin is happy to announce free microchipping events in District E this month. The first event will be on Saturday, March 11 at the Kingwood METRO Park & Ride and is sponsored by Xfinity. The second event will be on Saturday, March 18 at the Ellington Recycling Center.
Pre-registration for this event is not required, and microchipping services will be available from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. each day on a first come, first serve basis, and as supplies for the chipping last. No vaccination documentation is required to be shown at the event, and all animals need to have a collar and a leash, but do not need to be brought in a carrier. It is recommended however, that if a pet owner has a carrier, they bring their pet in one.
In January 2022, City Council approved the requirement that all dogs and cats be microchipped. However, there was a year-long grace period allowing residents to have the time to get their pets chipped. A City pet license will still be required; however, rather than issuing a physical metal tag for the pet’s collar – which can easily be lost or damaged – BARC will use the microchip number as the proof of licensing. This change will allow BARC Animal Enforcement Officers to scan and return a pet to its owner while the officers are in the field, eliminating the need to bring the animal back to the shelter for intake.
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KINGWOOD - SATURDAY, MARCH 11 |
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CLEAR LAKE - SATURDAY, MARCH 18 |
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Solid Waste Management Delays |
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Mayor Pro Tem Martin is teaming up with Trees for Houston to replant 500 plus tress along the project boundaries. The replant will be in two phases. Phase I will begin this winter/spring and will have 250 trees planted. Phase II will take place in the winter/spring of 2024. Phase will take place after Mayor Pro Tem Martin is out of office, but he has dedicated funding to this project to ensure the trees will be replaced.
As planning going further along, list of native tree species that will be planted will be available, and well as the opportunity to sign up to volunteer to help with the replant. Trees for Houston recently completed a survey of the area and next steps include a review of that survey with the community. Mayor Pro Tem Martin looks forward to continuing to partner with Trees for Houston and collaborating with the community on the reforestation of the roadway.
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OEC Group Ribbon Cutting Ceremony |
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On February 16, Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin awarded a proclamation to the OEC Group at their ribbon cutting ceremony. This event was hosted at their brand-new office location in Clear Lake Texas.
OEC Group provides freight transportation, logistics, and information services to over 50,000 customers through a network of offices in North America, Europe, Asia, South America, Australia, and the Middle East. Today, OEC Group has grown into one of the leading logistics providers in the world.
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University of Houston CHIP Program |
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On February 17, Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin met with Hobby School Civic Houston Interns to share his public service journey and duties as Mayor Pro-Tem. The District E office regularly hosts Hobby School interns in the office, where they get a ground-level perspective working in local government. The spring cohort represents the most academically diverse group of majors.
The Hobby School of Public Affairs Civic Houston Internship Program (CHIP) offers government internships to University of Houston students each fall and spring semester. Since its inception, the program has placed over 1,400 students have come through the CHIP program. Numerous students have had the opportunity to change their status from part-time intern to full-time paid staff member.
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Traffic Safety Improvements Planned for
Kingwood Drive Near H-E-B
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Houston Public Works will be installing traffic safety improvements in the Kingwood Dr median to the east of W Lake Houston Pkwy and west of the Kings Crossing traffic signal. The project is still pending an official start date but is expected to commence in late May 2023.
This Kingwood Dr median opening has been the site of numerous very serious vehicle accidents. The planned improvements are expected to greatly improve safety. The most noticeable change to residents will be no longer having access to go straight across this median cut through. Instead residents exiting the shopping centers on the north and south of Kingwood Drive will need to utilize the signalized intersections at Kings Crossing Dr or W Lake Houston Pkwy. For those residents traveling east bound on Kingwood Drive there will be direct access to the north shopping center through a left turn lane in the median. No other approaches will be permitted through the median.
Once a construction date has been set and plans are finalized the District E office will provide an update through press releases, social media, and future newsletters. The cost of the project will be covered by Mayor Pro Tem Martin's Council District Service Fund.
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Dead and Dangerous Tree Removal Update |
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District E and the City of Houston are working hard to prepare for the 2023 Hurricane Season. Throughout the Fall, Houston Urban Forestry identified trees for removal, based on declining health and danger, along the major thoroughfares in Kingwood. The Dangerous Tree Removal Program started in January and to date has removed 173 trees. This includes 105 trees removed on Kingwood Drive, 22 trees along W Lake Houston Parkway, and 23 trees along Northpark Drive. There are still 41 trees along Northpark Drive, 20 trees along Kingwood Drive, and 9 trees along W Lake Houston Parkway remaining that will be removed in the next few weeks. The cost of this project is $73,521.00 and funds are provided through Mayor Pro Tem Martin's Council District Service Funds.
The trees marked for removal are dead, extremely unhealthy, and/or the most dangerous. The trees marked for removal also include ones that are diseased or have structural issues with their roots posing a risk for failure. Work order(s) are generated by block and then issued to the City's contractor, Prime Trees, to schedule the 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 may be put in place on-site to help with traffic flow through the construction zone as the project may require one-lane closures in certain locations. 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.
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BAHEP Economic Outlook Luncheon |
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District E staff attended Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership's annual luncheon on economic outlook for Metro Houston on February 23. The guest speaker was Patrick Jankowski, Senior Vice President, Research Greater Houston Partnership. He is responsible for overseeing the research department which provides information gathering, data analysis, and economic forecasting for Partnership's 10 divisions.
Jankowski discussed the economic growth, stagnation, and his current outlook on the probability of a recession in 2023. He compared this year's statistics to past years dating all the way back to World War II. Jankowski said based on his evidence, he predicts a 30% chance of a mild recession, a 50% chance of a near miss, and 20% chance of a deep protraction. To learn more visit the Greater Houston Partnership website here. |
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Utilizing 3-1-1 to Report Issues |
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Residents can help be additional eyes and ears on the streets and soon you'll be able to report a pothole, broken traffic signal, or drainage issues while on the go. Houston 311 is in the process of launching a new smartphone app that makes reporting issues like these easier than ever. The app will use GPS to identify your location and also allow you to snap a photo to add to your service request. Reports are automatically sent to the City’s 311 system and routed to city departments for resolutions.
You can still alert the City of Houston of issues by dialing 3-1-1 or 713-837-0311 of potential problems in your community. Houstonians can also access this helpful service via an e-mail to 311@HoustonTX.gov. A self Service Request (SR) form is available online at www.houston311.org. Once you've reported a problem please follow up with the District E office by emailing your case number and information on the issue to the District E office at districte@houstontx.gov so that we can help make sure the problem is addressed in a timely manner.
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City of Houston Suspends Sister City Relationship |
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Mayor Turner stated, “In Russia today, however, dialogue has become nearly impossible. Russia has blocked the people’s access to social media and global news outlets, cracked down on protests and any form of discontent, and criminalized public opposition to the war. It is clear that we have lost the ability to have an open dialogue. Therefore, I have decided to suspend Houston's Sister City relationship with Tyumen and Houston's long-standing partnership agreement with Moscow until free and open dialogue can resume.
Mayor Pro Tem Martin supported and encouraged the decision to suspend the Sister City relationship with Tyumen as District E residents reached out over the past year advocating for ending the relationship.
In Houston, the official city-to-city relationships are supported by the Mayor’s Office and volunteer associations to promote people-to-people diplomacy and encourage citizens to develop mutual trust and understanding through commercial, cultural, educational, and humanitarian exchanges and interactions. If you’re interested in learning more about Sister Cities of Houston please visit their website.
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Lake Houston YMCA BridgeFest 2023 |
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District E Upcoming Monthly Events
Please refer to Mayor Pro Tem Martin's District E website for location, time, and more event details for City of Houston Events. Email the District E office (districte@houstontx.gov) if you would like us to include your upcoming event in future newsletters!
March 08 – KSA Public Safety Committee Meeting
March 09 – HPD Northeast Division Positive Interaction Program Meeting
March 09 – Meadowcreek Village Civic Club Meeting
March 11 – BARC Microchipping Event - Kingwood
March 15 – Kingwood Super Neighborhood Council Meeting (Zoom)
March 18 – BARC Microchipping Event - Clear Lake
March 20 – HPD Eastside Division Positive Interaction Program
March 21 – HPD Clear Lake Division Positive Interaction Program
March 21 – HPD Kingwood Division Positive Interaction Program
March 21 – Edgebrook Super Neighborhood Council Informational Meeting
March 25 – Clear Lake BOPA
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See a pothole, report it by calling (713) 837-0311 |
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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 to HTV Houston to watch live and recorded City Council and Committee Meetings.
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