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February 2006 City ConnectionIn the City’s Fiscal Year 2006 budget, the City Council unanimously ap- proved $165,000 to fund a comprehensive planning project. (CPAC) Mayor Turner has ap- pointed Councilmembers Evans, Tavenner and Woodward along with Dave Brinson and Jack Remeny from the P&Z to guide the project. As the project develops further, other members will be added. The CPAC is in the proc- ess of reviewing qualifica- tion submissions from four consulting firms who want to assist us with the project. Inquiries are also being made with previous municipal clients regard- ing their experience with each firm. And, inter- views have been sched- uled with the four firms to further explore their qualifications and deter- February 21 City Council Meeting @ 6:00 p.m. at City hall March 02 Sam Houston’s Birthday 02 Trade Expo @ 4:00 p.m. at Walker County Fair grounds 03 & 04 Council Retreat/Workshop @ 9:00 a.m. at Region VI 07 City Council Meeting @ 6:00 p.m. at City Hall 21 City Council Meeting @ 6:00 p.m. at City Hall City Connection February 2006 Volume 2, Number 5 www.huntsvilletx.gov Local Agencies Collaborate on New Technology In 2004 Walker County received a homeland secu- rity grant to develop a fiber network ring. Through interlocal agree- ments, collaborative meet- ings and much planning, Walker County, City of Huntsville, and Sam Hous- ton State University offi- cials pulled together to collaborate on a compre- hensive plan to establish fiber service in order to tie the agencies together to expedite and coordinate emergency response needs. In addition to emergency services and during non- tor, SHSU provided com- puter experience, and the City fulfilled general con- struction needs. Existing abandoned waterlines were utilized to begin de- velopment of a ring around downtown Hunts- ville, tying together the Walker County Court- house, City Hall, Sam Houston State University, and several public build- ings in between. Work continued through the December 2005 holidays by each agency and the subcontractor to success- fully meet the grant’s deadline of December 31, emergency times, the fiber will eliminate or reduce interruptions in regular ser- vice delivery, share data between agencies, and im- prove services overall to customers as well as im- prove efficiency levels for employees. The three agencies teamed up to put together a hardware and software package that was submitted to the 2004 State Homeland Security Program, Office of Domes- tic Preparedness Grant. The County received a total of $150,000 for the grant. The County actually applied for and was the administra- 2005. While plans are in the works to determine the level and type of data sharing and various secu- rity issues, each entity is already evaluating the project for expansion as funds allow. This project has been a shining exam- ple of how your local gov- ernment and educational institutions are using fed- eral funds to provide bet- ter service to you, the citizens. sbrim@huntsvilletx.gov Comprehensive Plan Project Begins mine which one best suits our needs. The CPAC will soon make a recommendation to the City Council as to which firm the City should con- tract with to provide the comprehensive planning advice and assistance to move this extremely im- portant project forward to produce a quality product over the next 12-to-18 months. The use of a qualified, ex- perienced consultant is essential to provide profes- sional planning services to include public participation strategies that lead to the development of the Hunts- ville Comprehensive Plan. They will assist the City in assessing and planning in such public services areas as public services/utilities, public safety, parks and recreation, economic de- velopment, housing, urban form and design, transpor- tation, growth manage- ment, intergovernmental coordination and compre- hensive plan implementa- tion. City elected and appointed officials are committed to this project, but the quality of the results we hope for will depend greatly on the active participation of our major institutions, busi- ness community, civic/ volunteer organizations and citizens to make the Huntsville Comprehensive Plan all it can be. This project is intended to be very inclusive and far reaching throughout our City. We invite every citi- zen to get involved and follow its progress. We intend to provide updates in this newsletter as well as the City web site and in The Huntsville Item. msevans@cox.net kevans@huntsvilletx.gov City Calendar “Q” & A Avenue Q Water Line Re- placement Project You may have noticed City con- struction crews working along Avenue Q between 11th and 15th Streets. This project is part of this years water Capital Improve- ment Program. The existing 2 inch water line was very old and had a poor maintenance history. The new 6 inch water line has been installed and service change over has begun. All water line work should be complete by mid February. Once all water line work is complete, pavement re- pairs will begin and will be com- plete approximately 2 weeks after all water line work is complete. This entire project is expected to be finished by the end of Febru- ary. FEBRUARY 2006 CITY CONNECTION PAGE 2 City of Huntsville Health Inspections CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING Lead poisoning remains a prevent- able pediatric environmental condi- tion in the United States. High lead levels in the body can cause prob- lems with the brain, kidneys, and bone marrow (the soft tissue inside bones). Symptoms of high lead levels can include abdominal pain, headaches, vomiting, confusion, muscle weakness, seizures, hair loss and anemia. Improper levels of lead in the body can cause prob- lems like trouble paying attention, behavior problems, learning difficul- ties, and a drop in the IQ of young children. Lead is especially bad for children age six years and younger because their small bodies absorb it so easily. In What Ways are Children Ex- posed to Lead? More than 4% of children in the US have lead poisoning. Rates of lead poisoning are even higher in large cities, among people with low in- comes and in minority populations. The most common cause of lead poisoning today is old paint with lead in it. Lead has not been used in houses since 1978. However, many older houses and apartment buildings (built before 1978) have lead-based paint on the walls. It is usually in the paint underneath more recently painted lead-free coats. Toddlers explore their world by put- ting things in their mouths. There- fore, young children who live in older buildings are at a higher risk of getting lead poisoning by chew- ing on pieces of peeling paint, by swallowing house dust or soil that contains tiny chips of the leaded paint from these buildings. Window seals are a common place toddlers chew paint off. Lead can also be in the air, water, and food. Lead levels in the air have gone down greatly since lead was taken out of gasoline in the 1970’s. Lead is still found in the water pipes of some older homes. Lead can also be found in food (such as candies from Mexico), juice stored in foreign-made cans or improperly lead glazed ceramic pot- tery from Mexico. Lead can also be brought into the home or family vehicle on parents shoes and clothing from work or hobbies. Environments that can pro- duce lead are: automotive repair, welding, battery maintenance, valve and pipe fitting, housing and bridge construction, industrial mechanical equipment, firing ranges, reloading of bullets, making fishing weights, pottery, brass or copper manufactur- ing, making stained glass, refinishing furniture or burning lead painted wood. Change clothing and shoes before leaving work and wash clothes separately to the family laun- dry. Contaminated articles should be stored separately until laundered such as in a plastic bag. How Can I Lower The Risk That My Child Will Get Lead Poison- ing? Here are some things you can do to lower your family’s risk of lead poi- soning: ♦ If you live in a house or apart- ment built before 1978, ask your doctor about blood level testing for your child and keep your child away from peeling paint. The peeling paint needs to be removed from all surfaces up to 5 feet above the floor. It is best to have professional con- tractors provide lead paint abatement. If homeowners de- cide to do this themselves, tight- fitting dust masks and gloves should be worn when sanding layers of peeling paint. Seal off the rooms that are being worked on. For example, put heavy sheets of plastic over doorways or at any entrances to the work area. Keep children away when repairs are being made. ♦ Repaint rooms with today’s lead free paint. Do not cause lead dust unnecessarily. ♦ If you are around older houses in your neighborhood being remod- eled, take your shoes off before going into your house. This will lower the chance of tracking soil with lead into your home. ♦ Wash you child’s hands and face before meals. Keep children’s toys clean. ♦ Parents can purchase inexpen- sive lead test kits (such as swabs) over the internet for test- ing surfaces in the home. What Will My Doctor Do If My Child’s Blood has a High Level of Lead? During well child check-ups for your baby, toddler or preschooler, your doctor will ask you questions to find out if there is a chance that your child might be at risk for lead poi- soning. The doctor will test your child’s blood for lead if symptoms are present. Medicaid patients have required testing since they are at higher risk. If your child’s lead level is above the acceptable range, your doctor will provide you information on how you can lower your child’s lead level. Fortunately, only a small number of babies and children have high enough levels of lead in their blood that they need treatment. If your child’s lead level is very high, your doctor will treat your child with medicine to lower the amount of lead in the blood. If you have further questions about your child’s lead level, ask your physician. More in- formation for parents on preventing lead poisoning (in English and Span- ish) can be found at www.dshs.state.tx.us/lead/ parents.shtm For Questions Regarding this Article Please Contact: Deven Merchant (936) 294-5711 or Ree Slovin (936) 294-5771 rslovin@huntsvilletx.gov Visit the City booth Thursday, March 2 4:00 - 8:00 pm Chamber of Commerce Trade Expo Walker County Fairgrounds FEBRUARY 2006 CITY CONNECTION PAGE 3 NEED MULCH? Please visit the City of Huntsville Solid Waste Disposal Facility located at 590 I-45 North Mulch is Free to the Public! Please come prepared to load the mulch yourself. cblaylock@huntsvilletx.gov MEN’S CHURCH STATE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT The City of Huntsville Parks and Recreation Department will host a, Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF), Men’s Church State Basketball Tournament for the second year in a row. T.A.A.F. is a non-profit organization established in 1925, incorporated and dedicated to develop and perpetuate interest in amateur sports and to further the spirit of sportsmanship in Texas. The tournament is scheduled for March 3-4, 2006, Friday through Satur- day. The site of the tournament is Mance Park Middle School Gymnasium. Fourteen teams from north, south, east and west of the state, participated in last year’s state tournament. This year the department is expanding the advertisement and should receive more teams for the tournament. Local churches are welcome to participate in the state tournament through a local church tournament playoff to see which church will come in first and second, respectively. The department is looking for non paying volunteers for the state tournament. All City of Huntsville employees and members of the community are invited and encouraged to call, send e-mail, or come by our office to communicate your interest in volunteering. Thank you and we’ll see you on the court. rblack@huntsvilletx.gov FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOUR CITY SERVICES! Trash Bash On Saturday, March 18, the City of Huntsville and Walker County Proud Committees will hold the 10th Annual Trash Bash. The Trash Bash is a special event created to help clean our neighborhoods, our roadways, and the river and creek embankments in our community. So if you know of a roadway, a yard in your neighborhood, etc. that needs some spring cleaning, take advantage of the free dump day at the city’s disposal site. The disposal site will be open for free dumping between 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Do your share for a cleaner community! Yard Waste Collection Schedule As of October 5, 2005, the City of Huntsville Residential Solid Waste Division began collect- ing yard waste by call-in requests only. This change is due to the increasing price of fuel, which has more than doubled in the past year. In order to allow for route planning, please call no later than the preceding Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. for collection on Wednesday of the same week. All other yard waste call-in requests after the preceding Tuesday will be placed on the list for the following week for collection on Wednesday. The number of call-in requests will determine the number of residential trucks that will be collecting residential yard waste per Wednesdays, so the time of day for pick ups may vary from week to week. Please call 936-294-5796 for call-in requests and any questions or concerns pertaining to the City’s new yard waste collection schedule. cblaylock@huntsvilletx.gov The source of funds is hotel motel tax revenues; therefore, proposals must show how the proposed project will promote tour- ism and the convention and hotel industry in Huntsville. Some of the organizations that have had funding this year are Ballet Folklorico de Huntsville (see photo- graph), Airing of the Quilts, Sam Houston Folk Festival, Friends of Old Town Theatre, Huntsville Heritage Chorale, and HEARTS Veterans Mu- seum. A workshop to guide pro- spective applicants will be held at City Hall, 1212 Avenue M, on Monday. February 27, at 5:15 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend. Application pack- ets will be available at the workshop. Meanwhile, for additional information, please call 291-5424, or Huntsville Arts Commission To Accept Proposals check out the City website at www.huntsvilletx.gov lpease@huntsvilletx.gov The Huntsville Arts Commis- sion is one of the City Com- missions appointed by the Mayor with City Council ap- proval. The Arts Commission is comprised of nine ap- pointed members whose charge includes hearing ideas for programming in the arts and determining the annual budget for the arts, subject to the approval of City Coun- cil. May 1, 2006, at end of busi- ness day, is the deadline for the submission of proposals for worthwhile cultural pro- jects for the upcoming fiscal year. The determination of recipients for funding is de- cided through a competitive process. Any non-profit organization is eligible for assistance. Indi- viduals may apply for funds, but in some cases must apply under the umbrella of a non- profit organization. All pro- jects submitted for assistance must have a local applicant. PAGE 4 CITY CONNECTION FEBRUARY 2006 Bailanderos Las ninas Ballet Folklorico de Huntsville Hurricanes Gone, but Paperwork Remains… In September 2005 the City began service as a primary Red Cross shelter “hub” for disaster relief for the Gulf coast area, and responded to emergency needs from two back-to-back disasters, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. When the New Orleans area was evacuated after Hurri- cane Katrina, the Huntsville area sheltered approxi- mately 700 evacuees. At the height of Hurricane Rita, the Walker County and City of Huntsville Emergency Management Coordinators estimate that there were well over 12,000 displaced persons from Louisiana and southeast Texas in our com- munity in shelters (over 7,000), hotels or private homes. Immediately following and since the storms, the City and County have coordi- nated efforts for the tempo- rary housing and provision of food, transportation, and protection for evacuees, and housing for those who this number should be even lower.) As of print date, the City has received $101,217.89 from FEMA in reimbursements for employee overtime, materi- als purchased, equipment used, and costs associated with FEMA’s public assistance housing program as related to Hurricane Katrina. The City’s responsibilities as a public assistance provider with federal housing public assistance program will end as early as February 28, 2006, although families in this housing program that have not transitioned to the individual assistance program will continue to be housed, and the City will continue to receive reimbursements for this program. The City has additional reim- bursement requests for ex- penses related to Hurricane Rita pending approval and payment from FEMA. sbrim@huntsvilletx.gov wished to stay here instead of returning to their own devastated community. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimburses costs for overtime, equipment use, and direct assistance through local jurisdictions that are established as pub- lic assistance providers, such as the City of Hunts- ville and Walker County. At the height, the City and County made housing avail- able to over 30 displaced families. Some of these families have chosen to stay in Huntsville as their new permanent home, some are planning to stay for a year or two until their own com- munity is more stable, and some have chosen to relo- cate elsewhere or return to their former community. Currently there are fewer than 10 families in tempo- rary housing (hotels), and almost all of them are awaiting housing in another location. (By print time, Trees—A Lifetime Gift You can help beautify Huntsville and give a gift that will last many life- times—plant a tree. A tree can be given in memory of or in honor of a loved one, in honor of a birthday or an individual’s invaluable service to the community or organi- zation. Donating a tree is an excel- lent way to commemorate anniversa- ries, reunions, graduations, retire- ments and other special occasions. The trees will be planted in city parks or other public areas. Trees will be selected that will be suitable for the planting site and blends into the overall landscaping theme. If a par- ticular type of tree is preferred, the site will be matched to the tree. The Woman’s Forum, a member of the Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs and the General Federation of Woman’s Clubs, began this program as a beautification project in 1990 with the planting of a crepe myrtle in honor of a member of Girl Scout Troop 8051. Since that time, trees have been planted for Earth Day, National Hospital Week and Arbor Day, as well as in memory of loved ones and in honor of special people. Pecan trees, live oaks, crepe myrtles, water oaks and magnolias have been planted in city parks such as Kate Barr Ross, Eastham-Thomason, and Town Creek. The City of Huntsville Parks and Rec- reation Department has participated in the program by planting the trees and continuing maintenance. The Forum has joined with the Keep Huntsville Beautiful committee to continue efforts to beautify our com- munity with the planting of trees. You may donate $25.00 to a fund, which will be used to purchase trees or you may donate the cost of a par- ticular tree. City staff has made an effort to plant native trees when pos- sible to keep maintenance require- ments low. To donate, please stop by the City Service Center located at 448 High- way 75 North, Huntsville, Texas 77320 to complete a donation form. A card will be sent to the donor ac- knowledging the gift and one to the honoree or his/her family. Please consider this opportunity to add lasting beauty to our community for years to come. hbelcher@huntsvilletx.gov This publication is brought to you by the City of Huntsville Communications Committee. If you have any questions, comments, or sugges- tions regarding this newsletter, please contact the City Secretary’s Office at 291-5413 or City Hall, 1212 Ave M, Huntsville, TX 77340.