April 2013 Connection
CITY
CONNECTION
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www.huntsvilletx.gov for www.huntsvilletx.gov for www.huntsvilletx.gov for www.huntsvilletx.gov for
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Volume 9, Issue 7
April 2013April 2013April 2013April 2013
Calendar
April 2013April 2013April 2013April 2013
2 City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m.
3 Yard Waste Trimming Collection
4 Planning & Zoning Commission -
City Hall at 12 p.m.
6 Electronic Recycling Day - See p.3
10 Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste
16 City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m.
17 Yard Waste Trimming Collection
18 Planning & Zoning Commission -
City Hall at 5:30 p.m.
24 Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste
May 2013May 2013May 2013May 2013
1 Yard Waste Trimming Collection
2 Planning & Zoning Commission -
City Hall at 12 p.m.
7 City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.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.
22 Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste
29 Yard Waste Trimming Collection
Submit requests for Heavy Trash pick-up
before noon on Monday, the week of the pick-
up at (936) 294-5796.
The City of Huntsville Finance Department has received two significant awards for
their work in budget presentation and transparency this year. The first, the 2013
Gold Leadership Circle Award from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, was
received in March, and the second, the 26th Distinguished Budget Presentation
Award from the Government Finance Officers Association, in February.
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts ---- Recognizing transparencyRecognizing transparencyRecognizing transparencyRecognizing transparency
The City of Huntsville Finance Department received its fourth consecutive Gold
Leadership Circle Award from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The award,
which recognizes cities for “setting the bar with their transparency efforts,” is large-
ly focused on the material made available through the City’s Web site which pro-
vides a clear, consistent picture of spending and shares information with the public
that is easy understand and follow.
“This is an important recognition for the City, be-
cause it shows that our Finance Department is
working continually to be transparent and provide
financial information to interested citizens,” said
Steve Ritter, Interim Finance Director. “This year,
we met all of the major criteria and a majority of
the minor criteria required by the Comptroller, earn-
ing us an overall score of 18 out of 20 possible
points. We’re very proud of this accomplishment
and look forward to improving further.”
According to the Texas Comptroller’s Web site, the
City of Huntsville is one of only a handful of cities
that received the Gold designation this year, and it is part of an even smaller group
with consecutive Gold awards.
“This award is not just about our budget documents,” said Laurie O’Brien, Finance
Administrator. “It’s about making every check issued posted for viewing, having our
credit cards, monthly reports and financial reports online, and making our invest-
ments and even fuel costs available and easy to navigate. Our score has increased
in large part because we developed a more user-friendly format, utilizing elements
of our expanded Web site, www.huntsvilletx.gov.”
Looking ahead to a potential fifth Gold designation, Ritter said the department will
be focused on providing budget documents in a “raw format.”
“The first year we received this designation, it was more about having financial re-
ports and credit cards, and then we expanded to include check registers, and just
kept going from there,” he said. “Where we go from here is putting the budget out
there in a format that can be downloaded and opened in a spreadsheet format,
what they call a raw format budget.”
Budget documents, financial reports, tax information and other documents are
available on the City’s Finance page. From the home page, scroll over
“Departments,” then over “Finance,” and proceed to the desired link.
Government Finance Officers Association Government Finance Officers Association Government Finance Officers Association Government Finance Officers Association ---- Budget preparation and availabilityBudget preparation and availabilityBudget preparation and availabilityBudget preparation and availability
The City of Huntsville received its 26th Distinguished Budget Presentation Award
from the Government Finance Officers Association in February, and the recognition
has given the City ample credit for its accomplishment and ideas for improvement.
According to Becky Rowley, City of Huntsville Budget Manager, the award is granted
based on the City’s efforts to make budget documents available electronically and
easy to understand for both financial experts and the average citizen.
The City’s full budget for fiscal year 2012-13 is available for viewing on the City’s
Web site.
“We are very proud of receiving this award,” Rowley said. “We received several out-
standing ratings, indicating that our documentation and formatting could be used
as a model for other municipalities around the country. Over time, we hope to im-
prove our ratings even more, with the goal of keeping all citizens well-informed
about our budget and the financial considerations we make.”
City Finance Department earns distinguished
awards from Texas Comptroller, GFOA
To continue reading, see FINANCE, page 2
Sam Houston State University Performing Arts Center
1900 Avenue I, Suite 200
Registration: 7 a.m. • Event: 8 a.m.
SPEAKERS INCLUDE:SPEAKERS INCLUDE:SPEAKERS INCLUDE:SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
May 10, 2013May 10, 2013May 10, 2013May 10, 2013
Tickets are available online at
www.chickfilaleadercast.com for $65, and both
breakfast and lunch are provided with admission.
Sponsorships are also available.
For more information, call (936) 294-2274 or email
Dr. Kristy Vienne @ klv002@shsu.edu or
Rebekah Filson @ rif001@shsu.edu.
April April April April 2013 Page 2 CITY CONNECTION
“SIMPLY LEAD”“SIMPLY LEAD”“SIMPLY LEAD”“SIMPLY LEAD”
Mike Krzyzewski
Head men's basketball coach,
Duke University and
Team USA
As head coach of the Duke Blue Devils for over 30
years, Basketball Hall of Famer coach Mike Krzyzewski
has made a career of motivating people both on and off
the court. Affectionately known as "Coach K,"
Krzyzewski coached both the 2008 and 2012 U.S.
men's national teams to back-to- back gold medals in
the Olympics. During his tenure as the head coach of
Team USA, Coach K amassed an astounding 62-1 and
returned U.S. men’s basketball to dominance on the
world stage.
Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State (2005-2009)
Exclusive Simply Lead video
interview with John C. Maxwell
Condoleezza Rice is currently the Denning Professor in
Global Business and the Economy at the Graduate
School of Business; the Thomas and Barbara Stephen-
son Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institu-
tion and a professor of Political Science at Stanford Uni-
versity. From January 2005-2009, Rice served as the
66th Secretary of State of the United States, the second
woman and first African American woman to hold the
post.
Historically Underutilized Historically Underutilized Historically Underutilized Historically Underutilized
Business show a successBusiness show a successBusiness show a successBusiness show a success
The March 19 HUB show at the Walker County Storm
Shelter drew a substantial attendance of 71 vendors,
with 111 individuals representing those vendors, and
more than 150 additional attendants.
City Purchasing Manager Billie Smith was one of several
agency representatives to present current purchasing
information. The other entities who participated include
the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Sam Houston
State University, the SHSU Small Business Development
Center and Walker County.
Photo by Kim McLerran, SHSU SBDC
According to a GFOA press release, governmental entities
who receive the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award
must satisfy “nationally recognized guidelines for effective
budget presentation, assess[ing] how well an entity’s
budget serves as a policy document, a financial plan, an
operations guide and a communications device.”
Rowley said some of the highest ratings the City received
pertained to budget presentation.
“Not only is our budget available electronically, but our
scoring also indicated that it is easy for non-financial view-
ers to comprehend,” she said. “Basically, we present our
budget in multiple formats, using graphs and charts for
visual understanding and laymen’s terms for those who
are not coming from a financial background.”
Rowley said the GFOA scoring provided two distinct areas
where the City can improve further.
“One of our goals for 2013-14 is to provide long-term in-
formation, incorporating plans, goals, missions and obsta-
cles,” she said. “We already include some of those items,
but we want to expand on that information to earn an
‘outstanding’ rating. We also want to place more empha-
sis on the continuous operational costs the City faces af-
ter project completions.”
For more information, contact Ritter at (936) 291-5486 or
Rowley at (936) 291-5476.
FINANCE, continued from page 1
The Huntsville Main Street Program has a busy month planned
for local residents, with the weekly Main Street Music Series
kick-off and a silent auction in the second annual Wine Down,
Shop Small event both scheduled in April.
Main Street Music Series Main Street Music Series Main Street Music Series Main Street Music Series –––– Begins April 5Begins April 5Begins April 5Begins April 5
The Spring 2013 Main Street Music Series will begin April 5,
once again bringing free, live performances of local bands and
musicians to the downtown square.
The weekly events will be held weekly through May 10 from 6
p.m. to 9 p.m. on the Walker County Courthouse lawn.
“We held a five-week music series last fall, and it was very well-
received, so we immediately started planning to continue with a
spring and fall music series this year,” said Kim McAuliffe, Main
Street Coordinator. “I love live music, and I especially love that
we have so many great musicians in Huntsville that are willing
to share their talent with the community.
“I really believe our local residents and families as well as stu-
dents will enjoy these concerts, and I can’t wait for them to get
started.”
The spring series will begin on Friday, April 5 and will feature
The Anthemeers, a post-folk rock band, at 6 p.m. and The Gyp-
sy Davies, a folk/blues duo, at 7:45 p.m. On April 12, Zachary
Keane Crocker, a folk singer, will perform at 6 p.m. and folk
singer Mary Brett will take the stage at 7:45 p.m.
Tom & Gary, a rock duo, will play on April 19 at 6 p.m. and The
Shades, a folk trio, will play at 7:45 p.m. Then, on April 26, The
Neighbors, an indie/country band, will play at 6 p.m. and rock
band Singlewide will play at 7:45 p.m.
For the first show in May, Elixir Kid, an alternative rock band,
will play at 6 p.m. on May 3 with The Last Great Assault, an
alternative rock band, at 7:45 p.m. The series will conclude on
May 10 with The Broken Hinges, a rock/country band, at 6 p.m.
and Werewolf Tea Party, a progressive/folk duo, at 7:45 p.m.
Snacks and drinks will also be sold to benefit the Main Street
Program and help keep the concerts free. Collectible t-shirts
and posters will also be available. Attendees are encouraged to
bring lawn chairs or blankets as a limited number of chairs will
be available.
For more information, contact McAuliffe at (936) 291-5920, visit
the program Web site, www.huntsvillemainstreet.com, or check
the program Facebook page, www.facebook.com/
huntsvillemainstreet.com.
Wine Down, Shop Small silent auction Wine Down, Shop Small silent auction Wine Down, Shop Small silent auction Wine Down, Shop Small silent auction –––– April 27April 27April 27April 27
The Huntsville Main Street Program will hold a special silent auc-
tion on Saturday, April 27 in conjunction with the annual Down-
town Business Alliance “Wine Down, Shop Small” event, and the
public is encouraged to attend.
The silent auction, as well as the main WDSS event, will be held
on from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the downtown area. Several stores in
the downtown will be participating in late night shopping, and
some will have local artists demonstrating and displaying art.
Selected stores will have a unique winery and restaurant in their
shop, and maps and signage will be available to direct attendees.
“The Main Street silent auction will feature approximately 10 to
12 items, and the proceeds will benefit further beautification of
downtown Huntsville,” said Kim McAuliffe, Main Street Coordina-
tor. “We plan to make wine tours and tastings, gift certificates to
area wineries, gift baskets from several downtown merchants, a
one-night stay at Smither Bed and Breakfast and other items
available for interested attendees to bid on.
“We’ll announce the winners around 8:30 p.m., giving everyone a
chance to pick their favorite items and enjoy the rest of the
event.”
Tickets for the event are on sale for $30 at Main Street and at
several downtown businesses. On the day of the event, the price
will increase to $40.
“The Wine Down, Shop Small event is unlike any other event we
have in Huntsville,” McAuliffe said. “It’s something truly special
and not to be missed by anyone, especially wine enthusiasts.”
For more information on any of the items above, contact
McAuliffe at (936) 291-5920.
The Huntsville Downtown Farmers Market will begin its 2013
season on May 4, and both interested shoppers and potential
vendors are encouraged to mark their calendars.
According to Kim McAuliffe, Main Street Coordinator, the first
few weeks of the market will feature tomatoes, cucumbers,
peppers, squash, and baked goods, and there is still space for
additional vendors to come share their produce.
“We invite anyone who has an interest in selling food, plants or
hand-crafted items to participate in this year’s Downtown
Farmers Market,” she said. “We’d love to see more people sell-
ing homegrown produce – even local gardeners are encour-
aged to participate and sell extra plants they may have.
“The kick-off for the Farmers Market will be on Saturday, May 4
in conjunction with the Airing of the Quilts, Truck & Tractor
Show and Cinco de Mayo Festival, and the market will be held
every Saturday through July 27 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.”
For more information, call Main Street at (936) 291-5920.
Main Street Music Series, silent auction planned for AprilMain Street Music Series, silent auction planned for AprilMain Street Music Series, silent auction planned for AprilMain Street Music Series, silent auction planned for April
Every Saturday Every Saturday Every Saturday Every Saturday ---- May 4 through June 27May 4 through June 27May 4 through June 27May 4 through June 27
Farmers Market coming soon!Farmers Market coming soon!Farmers Market coming soon!Farmers Market coming soon!
Page 4 CITY CONNECTION April April April April 2013
The City Parks and Leisure Department had
another very successful Beautification Golf
Tournament this year, resulting in more than
$2,000 raised for the purchase of wildflower
seeds and new trees.
This year marks the tenth annual tournament,
and according to Penny Joiner with the Parks
and Leisure Department, attendance has
steadily increased since the event began.
The wildflowers paid for by the tournament
proceeds can be seen in locations all over the
City, including Eastham-Thomason Park, City
Hall, the Wynne Home Arts Center, Founders’
Park and Sallie Gibbs Park.
Be sure to take the camera and check out your
City’s natural beauty, and visit
www.huntsvilletx.gov for a collection of photos
of current wildflower patches.
Wildflowers in bloom throughout the City!Wildflowers in bloom throughout the City!Wildflowers in bloom throughout the City!Wildflowers in bloom throughout the City!
Bright spring colors in Eastham-Thomason Park, Sallie Gibbs Park, Wynne Home and more
Zumba Zumba Zumba Zumba ---- April/May class scheduleApril/May class scheduleApril/May class scheduleApril/May class schedule
The City of Huntsville Recreation Services department will be temporarily changing the class days for Zumba.
Until May 8, 2012, Zumba will be held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at Huntsville Intermediate School in the fifth grade
gymnasium at 5:30 p.m. This change will also be posted on the City’s Web site, www.huntsvilletx.gov.
The cost to participate in Zumba is $2 per class. Participants also have the option to purchase a punch card with twelve
classes for $20. For more information, contact Recreation Services at (936) 294-5725.
Water Aerobics Water Aerobics Water Aerobics Water Aerobics ---- Beginning April 22Beginning April 22Beginning April 22Beginning April 22
The City of Huntsville Recreation Services will hold Water Aerobics classes Monday through Wednesday 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
and Monday through Thursday 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. from April 22, 2013 through September 19, 2013. Participants must be
18 years or older and are required to fill out a registration form and pay a fee of $55 for the year. The fee covers as
many classes in a week as the participant is able to attend. There is also the option to pay $4 per class. Registration is
available at the City of Huntsville Service Center, or upon arrival at each class.
For more information, call Natalie Reid, Recreation assistant, at 936-294-5725 or visit the City’s Web site,
www.huntsvilletx.gov and scroll over “Departments” and “Parks & Recreation” to access the Recreation Services page.
Outdoor Explorer Outdoor Explorer Outdoor Explorer Outdoor Explorer ---- Beginning April 20Beginning April 20Beginning April 20Beginning April 20
Join us at the Huntsville State Park as we partner with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to learn basic safety for
biking, hiking, and kayaking. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon by exploring the State Park with bikes and kayaks provided
by the City, free of charge. Class sizes are limited to twenty and pre-registration is required. Program dates include April
20, May 25, June 22, July 27, August 24, and September 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants twelve and under must
be accompanied by an adult at all times. Entry fees to the park are $5 for adults and ages 12 and under are free.
For more information or to register call Natalie Reid, Recreation assistant, at 936-294-5725 or visit the Recreation Ser-
vices Web site.
Recreation Services offering spring/summer programsRecreation Services offering spring/summer programsRecreation Services offering spring/summer programsRecreation Services offering spring/summer programs