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5-18-16 TWIH City news, features, and updates May 18, 2016 Th i s W e e k i n H u n t s v i l l e Welcome, Councilmember Paul Davidhizar The City of Huntsville welcomed in the 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, it’s a scary, but 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 results will become official after being canvassed by the current council at the May 17 City Council Meeting. Youth Leadership Institute Graduates Every year the Chamber of Commerce hosts students from Walker County to participate in the Youth Leadership Institute. The program consists of high school juniors and that participate from the fall to spring. It is modeled after the Huntsville Leadership Institute with the purpose of introducing the students to the numerous aspects of the community, while building their leadership skills to help them for their future growth. The group of students graduated from the program and were honored at the May 3 City Council meeting! The students are selected by the schools. Students have an opportunity to learn leadership skills during the Fall semester; they visited Huntsville Memorial Hospital, Sam Houston State University's Career Center and Visitor's Center, visited the SHSU Leadership program and Financial Services. They also visited First National Bank, Sam Houston's Museum, the HEARTS Museum and Texas Prison Museum. They benefited by making friends from all across Walker County as students come from all schools, including Huntsville ISD, New Waverly ISD, Alpha Omega Academy, Premier High School and home schooling. Students are exposed to "Dress for Success" and many facets of leadership. The group is lead by Carol Smith, Chamber of Commerce President. It is a difficult task to begin to define everything Public Works does for our City. They are the hard working men and women who devote their days to making sure Huntsville stays up and running, providing us with safe streets, clean water, a functional city and much more. In honor of Public Works Week, Stephanie Johnston, Editor in Chief at Public Works Magazine, put it this way. They serve as invisible guardians to protect and sustain our water, land, homes and roads of travel that are essential to the quality of life. They are an elite group of warriors who come from five tribes: The Ninjas oversee and protect new construction of community gathering places for learning and clear the way for future buildings. The Gladiators protect our lands and oversee plans for new villages. The Vikings are two tribes that work together as one protecting our water. Samurais guard our forest from intruders. Spartans ensure our land is clean and rich in nutrients for plantings. They choose to fight for a living and their weapons of choice include maps, trucks, trash cans and test kits to concur and protect! We are happy to celebrate National Public Works Week in Huntsville and we encourage all our citizens to thank a Public Works official this week. It may be your weekly recycling truck driver, the crew fixing a pothole on your street or the person reading your water meter. Be sure to thank them for keeping Huntsville beautiful and maintaining our quality of life. Ninjas, Gladiators, Vikings and More The City of Huntsville Solid Waste Drivers are presented with challenges and risks daily in their line of work. They drive city streets in the early morning hours maneuvering around parked cars, school buses, pedestrians, commercial parking lots and busy city traffic in order to pick up refuse and recycling from city curbs. The City Risk Specialist Telissa Murrillo, along with the Public Works Department has researched new and innovative ways to help minimize risk while keeping our drivers and citizens safe. On May 23, the City of Huntsville will begin a four month no-cost pilot with the Lytx Drivecam Program. The system uses a two-way camera that is prompted to record when triggered by hard stops, lane keeping, critical distance, speed, cell phone use and in the event of an accident/crash. This Drivecam provides evidence in the event City drivers are involved in an accident. Drivecams also give managers the tools to train drivers and correct any unsafe behaviors before they result in an accident. This system is currently being used by many business and cities across the nation. The Lytx Drivecam Program can play a vital role in keeping our drivers and our City streets safe. After the completion of the program it will be reviewed for the amount of effectiveness and Public Works will decide if they will be purchasing the program for future use. If you have any questions about the program, please contact Telissa Murillo, Risk Specialist, at 936-291- 5425. Drivecam Program Installed to Keep Our Drivers Safe Meet Our Public Works Gladiators The City of Huntsville Public Works Department is made up of 94 employees in five different divisions, water/wastewater services, streets and drainage, environmental services, fleet and garage, and solid waste/recycling. These men and women work every day to accomplish the goals established by the City Council and to keep our community running. This week we strive to enhance the prestige of the often-unsung heroes of our society-the professionals who serve the public good every day with quiet dedication. Wastewater — Stacy Lawler, Wastewater Chief Operator. The City of Huntsville has 20 Wastewater employees. The Wastewater division provides collection infrastructure and treatment for our utility customers . We are proud to offer clean and healthy water for domestic and recreational use. Water— Joyce Hubbard, Water Superintendent. The 20 Water officials provide an adequate supply of safe, affordable and dependable drinking water in order to meet consumption, fire suppression and other community needs. Water production and treatment, water distribution and meter reading services are provided in accordance with standards established and governed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Texas commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Solid Waste/Recycling— Esther Herklotz, Solid Waste Superintendent. The Solid Waste/recycling division provides collection, disposal and recycling services to the citizens of Huntsville to keep our city clean! The City has a 24 person staff working to keep our City beautiful through the efforts of Solid Waste/Recycling. Streets and Drainage — David Welch, Streets Superintendent. The 15 person Street staff provides maintenance and construction of street infrastructure and the stormwater collection system. by keeping the streets and stormwater collection system clean of debris, the Citizens of Huntsville have a clean, safe and drivable transportation system. Fleet Services — Mike Clouds, Fleet Superintendent The 9 staff members of Fleet Services are responsible for maintaining safe, efficient, dependable vehicles and equipment for City departments. They review new vehicle and equipment specifications; and provide recommendations on vehicle and equipment replacement schedules. Environmental Services— Kimberly Kembro, Environmental Services Superintendent The City's laboratory provides data and industrial oversight to help make informed decisions, maintain regulatory compliance and protect public health and the environment. Carol Reed, Public Works Director Daryl Uptmore, Assistant Public Works Director Linda Hicks, Public Works Administrative Assistant PUBLIC WORKS, ALWAYS THERE. PUBLIC WORKS WEEK MAY 15-21,2016. Now on Instagram: CityofHuntsville http://twitter.com/HuntsvilleTexas www.facebook.com/HuntsvilleTX 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. a) Bearkat Boulevard (from University Avenue to Bobby K. Marks Drive) - traffic movement will be restricted to eastbound only. b) 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 Get Social! Location: Frank D. “Poncho” Roberts Aquatic Center With summer right around the corner, school coming to an end and the Texas heat is rolling in, it is the perfect time to announce the Frank D. "Poncho" Roberts Aquatics Center will be opening Saturday, June 4th at 10 a.m. The Aquatic Center is located adjacent to Eastham–Thomason Park at 912 Avenue N. The City of Huntsville is proud to offer many recreational programs at the pool including water aerobics, swim lessons and lap swimming. The pool is open Tuesday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The pool is closed every Monday but is available to rent for events. For this summer season the pool has received some beneficial updates including a new floor lining, new starting blocks and new LED lighting inside the pool. In order to enter the pool you must pay a day fee or buy a season pass. For a one day entry it is $2.50 for ages 2-11 and $4 for ages 12 and up. Families can purchase a summer pass for $100 for four and $20 for every additional person. For more information and times, fees and events happening at the Aquatic Center, call 936-291-5433. Don’t forget alongside the Aquatic Center is the City Splash Pad area and covered picnic tables! The splash pad is open daily from 9 a.m. through 8 p.m. May’s Park Spotlight is the Aquatic Center! Staff raises money for Socks & Undies Drive This year at the annual City of Huntsville staff picnic, employees raised $1,825 to donate to United Way of the Piney Woods and HISD’s Social Services Department for the Socks & Undies Drive. There are some children in the district who have never owned underwear that were not hand-me-downs, while others have none that fit. This is truly appreciated and will help many kids in our area. The organization focuses on local solutions to local issues supported by local donors. The proceeds were raised from a homemade dessert auction by City employees. The City of Huntsville loves helping local charities and this was a sweet way to do so! Find 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 throughout the city. 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. The City of Huntsville is proud of the hard work and dedication of our First Responders! Huntsville Hero Get Prepar d Hurricane Preparedness Week is May 15-21 ,take the time to get prepared before hurricane season arrives . It only takes one storm to change your life and community. Hurricanes are among nature’s most powerful and destructive phenomena. Areas well away from the coastline can be threatened by dangerous flooding, destructive winds and tornadoes from these storms. The National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center issue watches, warnings, forecasts, and analyses of hazardous tropical weather. Hurricane Preparedness Week (May 15-21, 2016) is your time to prepare for a potential land- falling tropical storm or hurricane. Learn how with the tips below and related links. Share these with your friends and family to ensure that they're prepared. 1) Determine your risk: Find out today what types of wind and water hazards could happen where you live, and then start preparing now for how to handle them. Hurricanes are not just a coastal problem. Their impacts can be felt hundreds of miles inland. It’s easy to forget what a hurricane is capable of doing 2) Develop an evacuation plan: Identify someone, perhaps a friend or relative who doesn’t live in a zone or unsafe home, and work it out with them to use their home as your evacuation destination. Be sure to account for your pets, as most local shelters do not permit them. Put the plan in writing for you and those you care about. 3) Assemble disaster supplies: You’re going to need supplies not just to get through the storm but for the potentially lengthy and unpleasant aftermath. Have enough non-perishable food, water and medicine to last each person in your family a minimum of one week. Electricity and water could be out for at least that long. 4) Strengthen your home: If you plan to ride out the storm in your home, make sure it is in good repair and up to local hurricane building code specifications. Many of these retrofits do not cost much or take as long to do as you may think.. Remember, the garage door is the most vulnerable part of the home, so it must be able to withstand the winds. 5) Identify your sources of information for a hurricane event: National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center are your official sources for hurricane forecasts and the issuance of hurricane watches and warnings. 6) Write your hurricane plan: The time to prepare for a hurricane is before the season begins, when you have the time and are not under pressure. Take the time now to write down your hurricane plan. Know where you will ride out the storm and get your supplies now. Be sure to check out the National Weather Service for details and great resources to keep you and your family safe in the event of a hurricane. You can find this valuable information and much more at http:// www.nws.noaa.gov/com/weatherreadynation/hurricane_preparedness.html Learn a New Language at the Huntsville Public Library Did you know your public library offers access to Rosetta Stone, the world’s most popular and most advanced program for learning a new language? The library provides access to learn nine different languages including Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish. "It is our goal to provide the public with the tools necessary to further their education, including learning a new language," Assistant City Librarian Anne Sparks said. "We have the headphone and microphone set that makes learning to speak the language correctly that much easier." Ricardo Gil Mico, a foreign exchange student from Spain, spent weeks at the Huntsville Public Library learning English from Rosetta Stone. Check out their Facebook page to see his testimonial about the HPL Rosetta Stone program. Whether you want to learn a new language before taking a trip or just exercise your brain, the Huntsville Public Library can help you! Don’t Worry, FEMA Will Remind You There are a ton of things competing for our attention in real life and online, and each one of us has different ways to stay organized and on-track with to do lists. For some, it’s a new sheet of paper every day or a bullet journal. For others, it’s tons of sticky notes strategically placed around the desk. And for the digitally inclined, it’s the latest organizer app. Your to do list may look something like this: Go grocery shopping, pay the bills, call Mom, take the dog to the vet, check smoke alarms. Wait, what? Check smoke alarms? That last item may not be on your to do list, but it’s something that is very important to firefighters and emergency managers because they want you to be safe. FEMA added a new reminder feature to the their app. In addition to testing your smoke alarm, you can receive reminders to practice your fire escape plan, replace the batteries in your smoke alarm and review the items in your emergency kit. The reminders come up at different intervals. Testing your smoke alarm appears monthly and practicing your fire escape plan comes up every 6 months. Like changing the oil in your car, these tasks aren’t a “one and done” type of deal. It’s important to do it periodically and FEMA wants to help you remember. If the reminder pops up at a moment that isn’t convenient, you can tap the snooze button until you can check it off the list. When you download the new version of the App, the reminders are turned on by default, so you don’t need to do anything; FEMA reminds you when it’s time. This article was written by Shayne Adamski, FEMA Digital Engagement.