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12-11 Connection CITY CONNECTION Volume 8, Issue 3 December 2011December 2011December 2011December 2011 Ronald Allen Ward 3 Email: citysecretary@ huntsvilletx.gov Joe Emmett Ward 1 Email: jemmett@ huntsvilletx.gov Tish Humphrey Ward 2 Email: thumphrey@ huntsvilletx.gov Clyde Loll Ward 4 Email: cloll@ huntsvilletx.gov Ronald is a native of Huntsville, born and raised in the Boettcher’s Mill area. He started a business at an early age and has continuously operated a business in Ward 3 with the exception of the period of 1967-1969 while serving in the U.S. Army. From May 1968 to May 1969, he served with the 1st Division as an infantryman in Vietnam. He has been married 40+ years to his wife Patricia and they have two married children and three grandchildren. Joe Emmett was born in Dallas in 1946 and married Judy Emmett in 1970, the same year he graduated from North Texas State University. He moved to Huntsville in 1972 and began work as a plumbing con- tractor. In 2006, he retired from the Windham School District. Emmett’s hobbies include hunting and fishing, and he is a member of St. Thomas Catholic Church. The Emmetts have one daughter, D'Anne Emmett, who is in the USAF, and they have two grandchildren, Samantha and Emmett Spence, who reside in Maryland. Councilmember Tish Humphrey was born in Sheldon, Texas and graduated from Sam Houston State University in 1981. She married Russell Humphrey in 1982, when she began a 20-year career with the City of Huntsville. Since 2000, Mrs. Humphrey has owned a Curves franchise in Huntsville. Humphrey has been involved with numerous organizations and boards in Walker County over the past three decades and is an HLI graduate. Tish and Russell are members of the Huntsville Church of Christ and have two children, Justin and Samantha. Councilmember Clyde Loll moved to Huntsville in 2005. He moved to New Waverly in the '70s and graduated from NWHS in 1972. He also attended Sam Houston State University. Shortly thereafter, his career path took him to Houston. Clyde is a Vice President and Officer of Nabors International, an oil and gas drilling company. Clyde and his wife Stacey have two children, Christopher, 29, and Alexis, 16. Clyde has enjoyed volunteering and serving with several local organizations and is an active mem- ber at University Heights Baptist Church where he serves on the Personnel Committee, Missions Council, and as a Bible study teacher. Meet your new Council members! Four new ward representatives elected November 8 Page 2 CITY CONNECTION City of Huntsville residential City of Huntsville residential City of Huntsville residential City of Huntsville residential customers: It’s time to “winterize” customers: It’s time to “winterize” customers: It’s time to “winterize” customers: It’s time to “winterize” your sewer chargeyour sewer chargeyour sewer chargeyour sewer charge Water meter usage for the months of November through February is used to calculate your new sewer average charge for the next year. Consciously reducing your water usage during these months could lower your sewer charge. Methods to reduce usage include limiting or completely eliminating outside watering. The new sewer average charge will be effective with the April billing (due in May). “Basically, the City of Huntsville would just like to advise resi- dents to curtail any kind of outdoor watering, such as wash- ing cars, in order to keep water consumption down during winter months,” said Jerri Weaver, City of Huntsville Billing and Revenue Manager. “Also, residents should be aware of any water leaks and make sure to have those repaired.” For more information, contact City of Huntsville Utility Billing at (936) 291-5431. It’s Winter Time. Let’s Recycle Antifreeze!It’s Winter Time. Let’s Recycle Antifreeze!It’s Winter Time. Let’s Recycle Antifreeze!It’s Winter Time. Let’s Recycle Antifreeze! Like many other residential customers, do you plan on replacing the antifreeze in your vehicle this winter? Do you plan on disposing of other kinds of liquids, including motor oil, peanut oil or cooking oil? Don’t run those materials down the drain – recycle them!recycle them!recycle them!recycle them! The City of Huntsville Solid Waste Services Department offers free, year-round recycling for these liquids as well as other items for residential customers at the Recycling Drop-Off Center, located at 590 I-45 North from 7:30 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Other items, including oil filters, are recycled in specifically marked collection barrels. As they are flammable, neither gasoline or diesel from lawn equipment nor vehicles will be accepted for disposal or recycling. If you have any questions, please call 936-294-5743. to our outgoing Council members: J. TurnerJ. TurnerJ. TurnerJ. Turner Mayor Dr. Tom ColeDr. Tom ColeDr. Tom ColeDr. Tom Cole Ward 1 Representative Jack WagamonJack WagamonJack WagamonJack Wagamon Ward 3 Representative Dr. Wayne BarrettDr. Wayne BarrettDr. Wayne BarrettDr. Wayne Barrett Ward 4 Representative The City of Huntsville Solid Waste and Recycling Division will observe Christmas on Friday, December 23, 2011. Due to the Christmas holiday, , , , there will be nononono garbage or recy- cling collected residentially or commercially on that date. Only on the following Monday or Tuesday collection days will excess garbage outside of the residential garbage carts be collected. Businesses with a Friday, December 23, 2011 collection day and who have commercial dumpsters, roll-offs or compactors will be collected on Thursday, December 22nd or Monday, De- cember 26th. The Solid Waste Disposal and Recycling Facility will be closed to the public on Friday, December 23, 2011 and Saturday, Decem- ber 24, 2011. The Disposal Facility will be re-open on Monday, December 26, 2011. The Recycling Drop-Off Center, located at 590 IH-45 North, will also be closed to the public on Friday, December 23, 2011, Saturday, December 24, 2011 and Monday, December 26, 2011. Citizens should also be aware of garbage and recycling collec- tion on and around New Year’s Day. The City of Huntsville Solid Waste and Recycling Division will be open for business on Friday, December 30, 2011, Saturday, December 31, 2011 and Monday, January 2, 2012. If you have any questions about the garbage collection, the Sol- id Waste Transfer Facility, or the Recycling Drop-Off Center, please call the Solid Waste Division at 936-294-5723. Holiday Garbage/ Recycling Collection The Street and Solid Waste Departments will pick up The Street and Solid Waste Departments will pick up The Street and Solid Waste Departments will pick up The Street and Solid Waste Departments will pick up Christmas trees (not artificial) at the street’s edge every Christmas trees (not artificial) at the street’s edge every Christmas trees (not artificial) at the street’s edge every Christmas trees (not artificial) at the street’s edge every weekday from Monday, January 2, 2012weekday from Monday, January 2, 2012weekday from Monday, January 2, 2012weekday from Monday, January 2, 2012 to Friday, Janu-to Friday, Janu-to Friday, Janu-to Friday, Janu- ary 6,ary 6,ary 6,ary 6, 2012 only.2012 only.2012 only.2012 only. According to Jenine Dean, Solid Waste Assistant Superin- tendent, citizens who wish to have their trees collected should have them at the street’s edge and ready for pick- up no later than Monday, January 2Monday, January 2Monday, January 2Monday, January 2ndndndnd.... “The Streets De- partment will begin picking up trees on Monday, January 2nd, and they will sweep the entire City from one side to the other that point on,” Dean said. “However, once they have gone through these areas of the City, they will not be able to return to those same locations. “Therefore, we’re asking that everyone have their trees out by January 2nd so we can ensure they will be removed during the pick-up week.” City residents may also take their Christmas trees (not artificial) to the Solid Waste Disposal Facility, free of charge with their current City of Huntsville residential utili- ty bill, during regular business hours. Christmas trees (not artificial) must be unloaded at the brush pile only. If you have any questions about the garbage collection, the Solid Waste Transfer Facility, or the Recycling Drop-Off Center, please call the Solid Waste Division at 936-294- 5723. Christmas Tree PickChristmas Tree PickChristmas Tree PickChristmas Tree Pick----Up: January 2Up: January 2Up: January 2Up: January 2----6666 Page 3 December December December December 2011 Calendar December 2011December 2011December 2011December 2011 1 Planning & Zoning Commission - City Hall at 12 p.m. 6 City Council Meeting- 1212 Avenue M 7 & 21 Yard Waste Trimming Collection 13 City Council Meeting - 7 p.m. 14 & 28 Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 15 Planning & Zoning Commission - City Hall at 5:30 p.m. 23-26 City Closed January 2012January 2012January 2012January 2012 2 City Closed 3 City Council Meeting - 1212 Avenue M 4 & 18 Yard Waste Trimming Collection 5 Planning & Zoning Commission - City Hall at 12 p.m. 11 & 25 Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 16 City Closed 17 City Council Meeting - 1212 Avenue M 19 Planning & Zoning Commission - City Hall at 5:30 p.m. Submit requests for Heavy Trash pick-up before noon on Monday, the week of the pick-up at 294-5796. CITY CONNECTION The City of Huntsville was recognized for its second consecutive year as a National Main Street City in November thanks to the work of the entire Huntsville Main Street Program. The recognition, awarded by both the Texas Historical Commission (THC) and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, was based on a detailed annual report of 10 selection criteria. It makes the program eligible for additional grant funding and benefits. According to Kim McAuliffe, Main Street Coordinator, being named a National Main Street City acknowledges that a program has achieved a standard of excellence and/or progress as recognized by both the National Main Street Center of the Na- tional Trust for Historic Preservation and the Texas Main Street Program. “I worked on the final report over several months; it’s something you prepare for through monthly and quarterly reporting, so it’s very much an ongoing documenta- tion of what the Huntsville Main Street Program is all about,” she said. “This recog- nition will be a huge benefit to Main Street, because it helps us with Main Street related grants as an indication that we’re worthy of the grant funding. Plus, it’s a pretty big deal to be recognized at a national level, and our program will be acknowl- edged a National Main Street event this spring.” The 10 criteria included in the report were support, vision/mission, work plan, preservation ethic, board/committees, budget, manager, training, reporting and National Main Street membership. McAuliffe said documentation was submitted for each item to prove how the Huntsville Main Street Program fulfills the facets of each one. “For each of the criteria, we provided documentation to prove how our program is supported,” McAuliffe said. “For instance, for the support criteria, we had to list who our board and committee members are, what types of partnerships we have with other community organizations and how we recruit volunteers and orient them to our program.” Main Street Program receives Main Street Program receives Main Street Program receives Main Street Program receives national recognitionnational recognitionnational recognitionnational recognition The regular General and Special Election held on November 8 brought significant changes to the City of Huntsville. Mac Woodward, former Mayor Pro Tem and Ward 2 repre- sentative, was elected Mayor. As well, four new Council members – including Joe Emmett, Tish Humphrey, Ronald Allen and Clyde Loll – were elected, each of which will repre- sent one of the City’s four wards. (See page one for profiles on the new Council members.) Two propositions also passed – one approving a park land exchange and one authorizing the City Council to adopt a resolution approving the issuance of bonds by the Trinity River Authority for water plant expansions. As the proposition for the issuance of TRA bonds passed, several steps now lie in front of both TRA and the City of Huntsville in order for construction to begin. “With the results of the election, we have approval from the voters to issue bonds which will pay for the expansions on the TRA plant,” said Carol Reed, Public Utilities Director. “Now, we have to wait for approval from the Texas Commis- sion on Environmental Quality on the expansion project plans and specifications. “The City has met with TRA and Alan Plummer and Associ- ates, the engineering firm, to review the designs and make sure everyone is on the same page. November 8 Election results in new Council members, TRA water plant expansionNovember 8 Election results in new Council members, TRA water plant expansionNovember 8 Election results in new Council members, TRA water plant expansionNovember 8 Election results in new Council members, TRA water plant expansion “We approved the proposed design and it was forwarded to TCEQ. As the engineer sent the plans in November and it’s supposed to take about three months to hear back, we hope to have our ap- proval by February or March.” Following the return of TCEQ approval, the City and TRA will work together to determine how the bond placement and funding will take place. “While we’re waiting on TCEQ approval, Alan Plummer will be get- ting everything ready to go out for bid, and we hope to advertise and open bids during the month of March,” Reed said. “Given TCEQ approval, that month should also include City Council ap- proval of the bond resolution.” After Council issues the bond resolution, Reed said the next move would be for the TRA Board to approve the bond resolution, award the construction contract and take any other necessary legal measures. “We hope to begin construction in June 2012, and it will take about a year and a half to complete the expansion,” Reed said. “We’re very gratified that the voters appreciated the need for the expansion of the TRA plant, and we appreciate the support for the project. “We feel this decision represents our citizens investing in water for future generations of Huntsville residents.” Page 4 CITY CONNECTION City Council approved the expansion of curbside recycling to begin in Area #4 on Friday, January 6, 2012. This area includes customers within the Fish Hatchery area, Spring Lake subdivision and Pine Shadows subdivision. For map details, please visit www.huntsvilletx.gov under City News. Blue recycling carts will be issued to customers within area #4 after Thanksgiving. Please remember the blue recycling cart is for recyclables only and will not be serviced until January 6, 2012. Once the program begins, garbage pickup will be on Tuesdays and recycling pickup will be on Fridays. Recycling Guidelines meetings are being held at the Walker Edu- cation Center at 1400 19th Street on Thursday - December 8, 2011 @ 6:00PM and Thursday - January 12, 2012 @ 6:00PM. There will be a speaker presenting information on how to recycle, please join us. If you have any questions, please call the Solid Waste & Recycling Division at 936-294-5743. 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