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2-12 Connection www.huntsvilletx.govwww.huntsvilletx.govwww.huntsvilletx.govwww.huntsvilletx.gov CITY CONNECTION Volume 8, Issue 5 February 2012February 2012February 2012February 2012 Calendar February 2012February 2012February 2012February 2012 1 Yard Waste Trimming Collection 2 Planning & Zoning Commission - City Hall at 12 p.m. 7 City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 1212 Avenue M 8 Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 15 Yard Waste Trimming Collection 16 Planning & Zoning Commission - City Hall at 5:30 p.m. 21 City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 1212 Avenue M 22 Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 29 Yard Waste Trimming Collection March 2012March 2012March 2012March 2012 1 Planning & Zoning Commission - City Hall at 12 p.m. 6 City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 1212 Avenue M 7 Yard Waste Trimming Collection 14 Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 15 Planning & Zoning Commission - City Hall at 5:30 p.m. TENTATIVE 20 City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 1212 Avenue M 21 Yard Waste Trimming Collection 28 Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste Submit requests for Heavy Trash pick-up before noon on Monday, the week of the pick-up at 294-5796. Both members of the City of Huntsville City Secretary’s Office reached a career milestone last week when they received their Texas Registered Municipal Clerk certifications. City Secretary Lee Woodward and Deputy City Secretary Kristin Edwards have worked since September 2009 to receive their certifications, completing four col- lege-level courses and exams and attending a total of nine seminars held in vari- ous Texas cities. The Texas Municipal Clerks Certification Program is offered through a partnership between the Texas Municipal Clerks Association and the University of North Texas. Individuals are eligible to participate in the program if they are employed by a mu- nicipal government. The program covers finance, public relations, elections, local government law and public administration and has been completed by just over 650 applicants. “This program was an excellent tool in our training and will enable us to serve the public with a comprehensive knowledge base,” Woodward said. “We have benefit- ted immeasurably from the experience of working and studying with others in TMCA and anticipate continued learning opportunities in the years to come.” Woodward said previous City Secretaries Ruth DeShaw, Danna Welter and Stepha- nie Brim, as well as previous Deputy City Secretary Staci McGinty, were also gradu- ates of the program. Mayor Mac Woodward said that the certifications Woodward and Edwards earned are a credit to the City. “Earning these TRMC certifications was a real accomplishment, and our communi- ty is sure to benefit from the knowledge and skills Ms. Woodward and Ms. Ed- wards gained from this process,” he said. “The Texas Municipal Clerks Association is a very professional organization, and I feel like they will be a great ‘best practic- es’ resource for our City Secretary’s Office.” According to Dr. Joyce Snay, TMCCP Education Director, the Certification Program is recognized and endorsed by Section 22.074 of the Local Government Code, Vernon's Texas Codes Annotated. In 1984, the College Board selected the Texas Municipal Clerks Certification Program as one of sixty-four exemplary professional development programs in the United States. Texas Registered Municipal Clerks are recognized for their achievements and con- tributions to effective, efficient local government by their mayors, city administra- tors, city councils, and the citizens of their communities. Huntsville City Secretaries earn certificationHuntsville City Secretaries earn certificationHuntsville City Secretaries earn certificationHuntsville City Secretaries earn certification Both office members become Texas Registered Municipal Clerks Pictured above: Mayor Mac Woodward; Deputy City Secretary Kristin Edwards, TRMC; City Sec- retary Lee Woodward, TRMC; Former Mayor J. Turner at January 19 graduation ceremony. Page 2 CITY CONNECTION The Huntsville Public Library and the Walker County Genea- logical Society will host a three-day Genealogy Weekend from March 2-4 in the newly renovated and expanded library, and the public is encouraged to attend. According to Denise Tilson, Adult Services & ILL Coordinator with the library, the Genealogy Weekend events will include roundtable discussions, virtual presentations and breakout segments appropriate for new or experienced genealogy re- searchers. Also, a special collection of children’s activities will be held on Saturday, March 3 to inspire a new generation of genealogy enthusiasts. “We want to encourage everyone to participate in our first annual Genealogy Weekend,” Tilson said. “This is a rare op- portunity to hear from a wide range of genealogy experts, not only from the Walker County Genealogy Society, but also from the Family History Library, the Texas General Land Office, and the Texas Prison Museum and the Sam Houston Memorial Museum. “We will be here from March 2 through March 4, and we’ll be ready to help anyone at any level utilize our wide range of genealogy resources.” Throughout the weekend, members of the Walker County Ge- nealogical Society will share their expertise on how to navi- gate the range of resources available. Friday, March 2 Genealogy Weekend will begin with a registration and wel- come period at 2:30 p.m. in the expanded library, which is now located at 1219 13th Street. At 3 p.m., Dr. Madhusudan Coudhary with the Sam Houston State University Biology Department will present “The Gene in Genealogy,” a discussion of the scientific aspects of family lineage including genes, chromosomes and DNA. At 4 p.m., a short break and tour of the new library facilities will be offered. From 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., a resource roundtable discussion will be held to help “springboard” genealogical research. “During the resource roundtable, a group of accomplished individuals will share their local historical and genealogical knowledge,” Tilson said. “This segment will be an excellent tool for attendees and should start the weekend off on a posi- tive note. “The roundtable will be followed by a period of exclusive use of our Genealogy Room for weekend participants only. From 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., the genealogical society will provide a light supper and be available for consultation, while our at- tendees will be free to work on their own personal research.” Saturday, March 3 The weekend’s activities will resume Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. with a FamilySearch Virtual Networked presentation by David Dilts, Senior Reference Consultant and Instructor at the Family History Library, entitled “Family Search Overview.” “The presentation, which will be held in the Library’s new com- munity room, will center on the FamilySearch Library, Library Catalog and Family History Centers,” Tilson said. “For over 100 years, this organization has provided free genealogical re- sources and services through their Web site, www.familysearch.org, and we hope attendees will use these features in the future. “At 11:15 a.m., Dilts will give a second networked presentation entitled ‘Getting Over Brick Walls,’ which will help people over- come roadblocks in their research. Each will be followed by a question and answer session.” After a lunch break, two concurrent sessions will be offered – one at the library and one in City Hall, located at 1212 Avenue M. “At 2:30 p.m., we’ll have a third virtual presentation entitled ‘Challenges of African American Research,’ which will address some key strategies in tracing African-American lineage in America,” Tilson said. “At the same time, Kevin Klaus, an Infor- mation Specialist from the Texas General Land Office (TGLO), will discuss the genealogical resources available through TGLO including land titles and grants, county clerk records, court of claims files, German immigration contracts and more.” That evening, the Genealogy Room will again be open exclu- sively for weekend participants until 8 p.m. Children’s Activities A full day of children’s activities for “Genealogy Detectives” will begin with registration at 9 a.m. in the Children’s Room in the expanded library. Children may register for morning only, afternoon only, or a full day of workshops. The recommended age range for the activities is 7 to 16-year- olds, and children under 12 must be accompanied by a par- ent. Children are asked to bring family pictures for use throughout the day. Beginning at 10 a.m., two workshops entitled “Genealogy Gumshoeing 101” and “Living Family Tree Craft” will be held, followed by a free lunch of corn dogs and chili dogs at 1 p.m. At 2:30 p.m., the young participants will be taken on a walking tour of Oakwood Cemetery, led by the Walker County Historical Commission. “The tour of the cemetery will be a great opportunity for young genealogy researchers to find out about the rich history in Huntsville,” said Janelle Valera, Children’s Coordinator for the library. “From 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., they’ll even learn the art of tombstone rubbing, including the essential ‘do’s and don’ts’ for this essential genealogy researching strategy.” Children’s activities will conclude with an opportunity to share the day’s findings and artwork with family at 5 p.m., during Genealogy Weekend at Huntsville Public Library Citizens invited to attend first major event in newly renovated, expanded space See Genealogy, page 3 Page 3 February February February February 2012 CITY CONNECTION which lemonade and cookies will be served. Immediately following the sharing time, a Detective Award Ceremony will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. “All of our fearless ‘gumshoes’ will be awarded with Official Genealogy Detective Badges from the Huntsville Public Li- brary and the Walker County Genealogy Society,” Valera said. “We have a limit of 36 students for the day, so we en- courage parents to get their children registered as soon as possible.” Sunday, March 4 The weekend’s activities will conclude on Sunday with two more breakout sessions, “’Mining Texas Prison Records’ and “Treasure Hunting in County Courthouses.” Registration will be held at 8:30 a.m. “Sandy Rogers, a Collections Registrar with the Texas Prison Museum and the Sam Houston Memorial Museum, will dis- cuss the unique prison records available for people with rela- tives who may have had a scrape with the law while in Tex- as,” Tilson said. “The session will begin at 9 a.m. and will include time for questions and answers.” “Treasure Hunting in County Courthouses” will be presented by James Patton, who served as Walker County Clerk for over 32 years, beginning at 10:30 a.m. “People don’t realize how many types of records are availa- Valentine Card Contest Winner: Valentine Card Contest Winner: Valentine Card Contest Winner: Valentine Card Contest Winner: Lydia HendersonLydia HendersonLydia HendersonLydia Henderson Age 7Age 7Age 7Age 7 Genealogy, continued from page 2 The City of Huntsville, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Sam Houston State University, SHSU Small Business Development Center and Walker County have formed a partnership and will be sponsoring the 16th Annual Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Vendor Show. The HUB/Vendor Show will be held in the Walker County Storm Shelter located at 455 State Highway 75 North, Huntsville, TX on Tuesday March 27, 2012 beginning at 9:30 am and concluding at 12:30 pm. There will be a vendor training session prior to the show between 8:00 am and 9:30 am. The training session will provide detailed information on how to do business with government entities. The main objective of the show is to assist HUB's in the Huntsville area on how to increase their customer base to include government entities. Each level of government has slightly different bidding requirements and this can be daunting to the vendors. One of the goals of the show is to inform vendors how to do business with different entities in hopes of expanding our vendor base while increasing HUB participation. Purchasers and end- users from the sponsoring entities will be on hand to allow the HUB's to showcase their products and services. There will be space for 100 vendors for this year's show. There is no registration fee to attend the show or training session. For more information please contact Billie Smith with the City of Huntsville at (936) 291-5495 or to register your company please call Lani Maness with TDCJ at (936) 437-7061. ble in any courthouse, or that they are free to make appointments to look through the information,” Tilson said. “Patton will discuss the entire process and share an overview of the information avail- able in the Walker County archives.” Tilson said attendees are welcome to participate in portions of Genealogy Weekend or the entire event, and her hope is that all present will become more comfortable utilizing the resources available. “From physical records to digital resources, we have an extremely diverse range of genealogical research material that will help any- one find more information about their family,” Tilson said. “Not only do we have records from Texas and other states, but we also have unique collections like the ‘War of the Rebellion,’ a compila- tion of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies from the U.S. War Department. It’s out-of-the-ordinary collections like that one, as well as the Leonardo Andrea Collection - a goldmine for anyone doing research on South Carolina - that will help citizens who may be at a stopping point in their research. We’re excited and willing to assist however possible.” For more information or to register for Genealogy Weekend, please leave a message with Tilson at (936) 291-5471 or (936) 291-5472. Pre-registration for the event is encouraged, but not required. Additional information is also available at www.myhuntsvillelibrary.com. Historically Underutilized Business (HUB)/ Vendor Show - March 27 Page 4 CITY CONNECTION Yard Waste SpecificsYard Waste SpecificsYard Waste SpecificsYard Waste Specifics Residential yard waste collection service is provided two to three times per month: The 1st, 3rd and 5th Wednesday of each month, this is automatic and there is no call- in required. Yard waste is classified as leaves, grass, pine needles, yard clippings and small brush (green waste). The total number of bagged, canned or bundled yard waste is limited to twelve (12) per household per collection day. All yard waste materials must be placed with- in 2 feet of street's edge no later than 6:00 AM on the morning of the scheduled pick- up. Yard waste such as leaves, grass, pine needles or small clippings must be: (1) Bagged or placed in 30 gallon container gar- bage cans, (2) Can not exceed 50 pounds each, and (3) City-issued garbage carts can- not be filled with yard waste. Tree limbs and brush must be: (1) No longer than 4 feet in length, (2) Limbs no larger than 4 inches in diameter, (3) Must be tied securely in bundles which cannot exceed 2 feet in diameter and can’t exceed 50 pounds each. The following items and locations DO NOT qualify for Yard Waste pickup: (1) Household garbage of any kind, (2) Any- thing other than green waste: No flower pots, fertilizer, mulch, bags, dirt, rock, grav- el, etc., or (3) Commercial businesses or commercially generated yard waste. Bring your City Utility Bill showing that you pay garbage and dispose of your yard waste at the City Transfer Station for FREE. This excludes commercial customers, yard waste contractors and any lawn service provid- ers. The Customer must be present with a current City garbage bill at the time of dis- posal. The yard trimmings must not be bagged. For more information, contact the Solid Waste Services Division at 936-294-5723. Stats for December 2011Stats for December 2011Stats for December 2011Stats for December 2011 Fire:Fire:Fire:Fire: Police:Police:Police:Police: Calls for service: 4298 Accidents investigated: 73 Animal Control complaints investigated:48 Calls for service:110 Main alarm calls:22 City of Huntsville residential customers: It’s time to City of Huntsville residential customers: It’s time to City of Huntsville residential customers: It’s time to City of Huntsville residential customers: It’s time to “winterize” your sewer charge“winterize” your sewer charge“winterize” your sewer charge“winterize” your 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 low- er your sewer charge. Methods to reduce usage include limiting or com- pletely eliminating outside watering. “Basically, the City of Huntsville would just like to advise residents to curtail any kind of outdoor watering, such as washing cars, in order to keep water consumption down during winter months,” said Jerri Weav- er, City of Huntsville Billing and Revenue Manager. “Also, residents should be aware of any water leaks and make sure to have those re- paired.” Weaver said the new sewer average will appear on bills issued in April. “We will bill for February usage in March, and those bills will reflect last year’s sewer average,” she said. “The new charges will actually appear on the bills that come out in April, and those bills will be due in May 2012.” For more information, contact City of Huntsville Utility Billing at (936) 291-5431. Police/Fire: Police/Fire: Police/Fire: Police/Fire: Upcoming Solid Waste/ Recycling Events Each to be held at the City of Huntsville Disposal and Recycling Facility - 590 I-45 North Trash Bash - Saturday, March 3 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. E-Recycling Day - Saturday, April 7 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Noon) If you have any questions, please call the Solid Waste & Recycling Division at 936-294-5743 or visit www.huntsvilletx.gov.