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June 16 CITY CONNECTION Volume 12, Issue 9 June 2016 Calendar June 2016 1 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 2 - Planning Commission - City Hall at 12:00 p.m. 7 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 8 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 15 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 16 - Planning Commission - City Hall at 5:30 p.m. 21 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 22 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 29 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection July 2016 4 - Independence Day Holiday—City Closed 5 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 6 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 7 - Planning Commission - City Hall at 12:00 p.m. 13 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 19 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 20 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 21 - Planning Commission - City Hall at 5:30 p.m. 27 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste Submit requests for Heavy Trash pick-up before noon on Wednesday, the week prior to pick-up, at 294-5796. Learn more about City events at www.huntsvilletx.gov Welcome, Councilmember Paul Davidhizar The City of Huntsville welcomed its newest Councilmember after the May 7, special election for at-large Position 1. Mr. Paul Davidhizar is Headmaster of Alpha Omega Academy which he has faithfully led for 19 years, since the school began in 1997. He and his family have called Huntsville home since 1991. Mr. Davidhizar attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, and then completed his teaching degree at the University of Houston. Paul received his Master’s degree in Education Administration from Texas A & M in 1988. Paul’s wife, Nancy, teaches at Alpha Omega Academy as well and they have three children - Amy, Alan and Abigail, all graduates of Alpha Omega. All are married and have begun their own families. Paul and Nancy have five grandchildren. Paul served as the 2011 Chairman of the Board for the Huntsville-Walker County Chamber of Commerce. He and Nancy attend Fellowship of Huntsville Church where he serves as an Elder. “It feels good, I’m looking forward to getting up to speed so that I can contribute with the rest of the City Council and the Mayor and get some good work done for the City,” Davidhizar told the Huntsville Item on election night. “The next six months to me is going to be a real learning experience and I just want to educate myself as best I can so that I can contribute wisely to the discussion and the decisions that are made.” The election results became official after being canvassed by the current council during the May 17 City Council Meeting. Pictured is Councilmember Davidhizar being sworn in by County Judge, Danny Pierce, taken by the Joshua Yates. Residents Encouraged to Apply for City Boards and Commissions Applications are available for Huntsville residents interested in serving on a City board or commission, or to be considered for re-appointment to current positions ending August 31, 2016. Residents may submit applications to the City Secretary at City Hall, or online at http://huntsvilletx.gov/358/Boards-Commissions in the “Boards & Commission" section. The City anticipates the Council will handle most nominations in late summer. The City Charter sets that all nominations are made by the Mayor for consideration by the Council. Individuals interested in appointment or reappointment are required to complete an application so that the Council has an opportunity to review it prior to approval. For more information please call 936-291-5403 or email citysecretary@huntsvillletx.gov. CITY CONNECTION Page 2 City Council Workshop - A.J. Brown Wastewater Treatment Plant Condition Assessment At the May 3 City Council workshop, the Council received an in-depth presentation concerning the A.J. Brown Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Condition Assessment study conducted by Freese and Nichols. This treatment plant was built in 1982 and serves the north-east area of Huntsville, including SHSU, several TDCJ facilities and the bulk of the residential area. When raw sewage water enters the WWTP the first step it takes is to be run through a mechanical screen, which acts as a large rake to remove solid items from the wastewater. Removing the plastic, paper and metals prevents damage and clogging of the downstream equipment. The screen at the A.J. Brown WWTP is in working condition but when it needs repair the plant operators have to do manual screening since there is only one screen available. In addition, the inlet gate is hung on a rod supported by the handrails, and the manual bypass system poses serious safety issues since it is hard to access and has no handrails for stability for the operators. As a second step the grit removal system eliminates the majority of sand, gravel and other heavy inorganic materials from raw sewage water. The problems in this system are prevalent in the structure, with damaged railing, corroded bridges and walkways posing a safety hazard. The electrical motor is corroded and the mechanics of the system are at the end of their useful life and show corrosion as well. The raw sewage and sludge pump station houses eight pumps along with the motor control center. Several pumps leak which adds risk of electrocution from the electrical equipment and slipping hazards. Additionally the pumps and motors are frequently being removed from the station for service and repair. The electrical equipment is housed with the pumps creating a serious hazard. The electrical panel within the pump station is severely past its useful life and cannot be repaired since replacement parts are not manufactured for this equipment any longer, There are problems with flooding in the building that has caused corrosion on the equipment and exposure to dangerous working condition . At the A.J. Brown WWTP, two aeration basins exist to remove BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) and Ammonia through two mechanical aerators. There are several areas with problems in the aeration basins including the bearings that keep them moving frequently break and become very expensive to replace. When the operators must change them out it is an extremely dangerous task since they must stand between two aerators and essentially have nothing to hold on to while working on the bearings. The shafts which rotate the aeration disc are breaking due to vibration and corrosion which leads to less efficient treatment. The chlorination system at A.J. Brown is also lacking efficiency and safety. The chlorine tanks are stored outside exposing them to extreme heat and storms and there is no clear way to detect a leak since they are not housed with any monitors surrounding the tanks. There is a total of 22 sludge drying beds at this plant, all outside with no covering. This presents an issue when the area is under significant rainfall because the process of drying is lengthened, resulting in lack of efficient and timely removal of the sludge. The assessments are under review by the Huntsville City Council and staff. Councilmembers acknowledge and appreciate the hard work of the Public Works and Wastewater staff. The longevity of this plant is due to the commitment and knowledge of its operators. The City Council previously approved a number of studies and assessments to evaluate condition, capacity and related issues throughout the City’s infrastructure and facilities. It is expected that there will be an opportunity for significant improvement projects to be considered as a large amount of debt expires in the coming years. The City Council will continue to hold workshops and review the reports and seek the best solutions for the community. Huntsville Hero CITY CONNECTION Page 3 To further provide pedestrian safety in crosswalks, the City of Huntsville will be converting two street segments from its current 2-way traffic movement to 1-way traffic movement. The City is working with SHSU on this project to provide safer, slower one- way traffic on the designated segments. 1) Bearkat Boulevard (from University Avenue to Bobby K. Marks Drive) - traffic movement will be r restricted to eastbound only. 2) Bobby K. Marks Drive (from Bearkat Boulevard to Bowers Boulevard) - movement will be restricted to southbound only. The effective date for converting the two above street segments to one-way traffic movement are not available at this time. The work involved in converting the street segments to 1-way traffic, such as pavement striping and traffic sign installation, will begin at the end of May or early June and is expected to be complete by mid-July. In addition to converting from 2-way traffic movement to 1-way traffic movement, paid parking spaces will be provided along these two street segments. Be sure to follow our social media pages and website for updates on construction progress and dates! Traffic Changes Coming Soon Around SHSU Finding Your Way New wayfinding signage has been popping up all over Huntsville. There are 30 new wayfinding signs in 14 locations around the City. They are a great way to attract tourists and travelers to our many destinations. They also serve as a reminder to our residents how much there is to do in Huntsville. “I love the beautiful sign I pass off Highway 19 for Huntsville, they are superb,” said Matthew Lahey, a Huntsville resident. Have you seen any of the new signs? Share with us on social media your pictures of you #FindingYourWay in Huntsville. The City of Huntsville is very fortunate to have highly trained and skilled First Responders serving our community, who are also always willing to lend a hand to other communities in need. Our very own Firefighter/Inspector, Greg Mathis, is part of Texas Task Force 1 (TX-TF1), a statewide urban search and rescue team under the Texas Division of Emergency Management. TX-TF1, including Mathis, was deployed to the Houston area during the April flooding to assist with water rescues. The picture to the right is of Mathis comforting one-month old Lukas Rosse after rescuing his family from the One Westfield Lake Apartments on Wednesday, April 20, 2016, in Spring. This was Lukas's first boat ride. “Anytime you see a member of your organization get the kind of training he has, to save lives, you are very proud,” said John Hobbs, Assistant Fire Chief. City of Huntsville Recycling Guidelines Direct questions to (936) 294-5712 Curbside recycling guidelines: 1. Rinse all plastics and cans to remove residue 2. Plastics 1-7 stamped with number and symbol accepted 3. Flatten items to save room inside of cart 4. Keep cart five (5) feet from all other objects including vehicles 5. Carts must be placed at the curb or street’s edge no later than 6:00 a.m. on the day of collection. Carts must be removed from the street’s edge by the end of the collection day (carts cannot be stored at the street’s edge) Items that cannot be placed in the City cart: Garbage, food waste, yard waste, loose shredded paper, glass/oil/filters, batteries, cell phones, electronics, Styrofoam, aluminum foil, or plastic bags of any kind. No plastic wrap, shrink wrap, or bubble wrap. No Styrofoam, even if it has a recycling number and symbol on item. Recycling Drop-Off Center Information: The Recycling Center accepts self-hauled recyclable items and is located at 590 I-45 North. The Recycling Center Attendant will be onsite to assist customers from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday - Friday. Drop-offs can still be made Monday - Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and holiday closings are posted. Recycling Drop-off Center Guidelines: Aluminum - Soda cans, beer cans: Flattened/unflattened. Keep aluminum cans separate from steel cans. NO FOIL, BAKING PANS OR FOOD TRAYS. Steel Cans - Food cans, pet food cans, aerosol cans: Rinse out the can, you can leave the label on. Aerosol cans must be empty. Newspaper - Whatever comes inside the newspaper can be recycled. Stack and put in paper bags or cardboard boxes. Throw away plastic rain sleeves and rubber bands. Magazines - catalogs, phone books: Keep separate from newspaper. Place in brown bags or small cardboard boxes. DO NOT place in plastic bags. Paper - White or colored paper, remove paper clips, rubber bands and staples if possible. Put in small boxes or paper stacks. Glass - Clear, green or brown only: Throw away lids, rinse out. You can leave the label on. Place glass in separate containers. NO window panes, light bulbs or dishware. Cardboard - Toilet/paper towel cores, food boxes, medicine boxes, shoe boxes, shipping/moving boxes, sugar bags, dog/cat food bags which include a recycling logo, paper bags. NO packing materials, plastic liners or foam. Plastics - Numbered 1-7: Recycling symbol and number are required. Milk Jugs and Water Jugs - Throw away cap/lid. Rinse with warm water and try to flatten. Keep these jugs separate from soda bottles or colored plastic. Other #1 and #2 Plastic Containers - Examples of other recyclable containers: syrup bottles #3, snap on coffee lids #4, cottage cheese containers #5, yogurt containers #6, and ketchup bottles #7 Drop-off Center also accepts: Used motor oil, oil filters, cooking oil & antifreeze. Visit www.huntsvilletx.gov for curbside recycling schedules, full list of acceptable curbside items, and more recycling information. Yard Waste Specifics Collection Service: 1st, 3rd, and 5th Wednesday of each month - No call-in required! Yard waste is classified as leaves, grass, pine needles, yard clippings and small brush, items referred to as “green waste.” The total number of paper compostable-bagged, canned, or bundled yard waste items is limited to twelve (12) per household per collection day. All yard waste materials must be placed within two (2) feet of street’s edge no later than 6:00 a.m. on the morning of the scheduled pick-up. Yard waste such as leaves, grass, pine needles or small clippings must be: (1) Bagged in paper compostable bags or placed in personal garbage cans (not to exceed 32 gallons); (2) Cannot exceed 50 pounds each; (3) City-issued garbage and recycling carts cannot be filled with yard waste. Tree limbs and brush must be: (1) No longer than four (4) feet in length; (2) Limbs no larger than four (4) inches in diameter; (3) Must be tied securely in bundles which cannot exceed two (2) feet in diameter and can’t exceed 50 pounds each. The following items and locations DO NOT qualify for Yard Waste pick-up: (1) Household garbage of any kind; (2) Anything other than green waste: NO flower pots, fertilizer, mulch, bags, dirt, potting soil, sand, rock, gravel, etc. (3) Commercial businesses or commercially generated yard waste. Bring your City utility bill showing that you pay for garbage service and dispose of your yard waste at the City Transfer Station free of charge. This excludes commercial customers, yard waste contractors, and any lawn service providers. The customer must be present with their current City garbage bill at the time of disposal. For more information on yard waste trimming collection services, contact the Solid Waste Services Division at (936) 294-5712.