2014/09/25
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City news,
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September 25,
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National Night Out - Updates and parade routes - page 2-3
A conversation with
Joseph Wiggs - page 4
November 4 election
information - page 3
All citizens are invited to attend a curbside recycling
guidelines meeting on Thursday, September 25 at the
Huntsville Public Library. The meeting will be held at 6
p.m. in the Library’s Community Room.
During the meeting, City staff including Public Works
Director Carol Reed will provide information on how to
participate in curbside recycling according to current
policy, and updates will also be presented on the new
“Greener Huntsville: Easy Recycling” campaign.
“All eight areas of the City have been integrated into
our curbside recycling program since January, and we
want to continue to work with all residents to make
sure its guidelines are well understood and easy to
follow,” Reed said. “Simple practices, like rinsing out
plastics and cans, flattening cardboard boxes and
refraining from bagging recyclables ensure that the
items our residents recycle can be processed in an
expedient and cost-effective manner.
“With the help of our residents, we can continue to
offer a successful curbside recycling program, and we
hope this and other community meetings will ensure
that outcome.”
In addition to recycling program information, Reed will
Recycling guidelines meeting: Tonight at 6 p.m.
State of the City
address
Tuesday, 10/21
Hosted by the Huntsville-Walker
County Chamber of Commerce
Join the City Council and City Manager
Matt Benoit and representatives from
each City department at the 2014 State
of the City address, hosted by the
Huntsville-Walker County Chamber of
Commerce.
The address will include information
about the City Council’s Strategic Plan,
current City initiatives and potential
developments.
The event will be held from 5:30 to 7:30
p.m. at the Walker County Storm
Shelter.
Saturday, 9/27 at SHSU Bowers Stadium
It’s not too late to get your team registered for the 2014
Walker County Heart Walk, an effort to raise community and
financial support for the American Heart Association.
Join Event Host Shannon Brown - Huntsville Memorial Hospital
CEO - and Event Chairmen Dana Hoyt - Sam Houston State
University President, Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Executive Director Brad Livingston, Walker County Judge
Danny Pierce and Mayor Mac Woodward at SHSU Bowers
Stadium beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 27.
Visit www.walkercountyheartwalk.org to register your team,
track fundraising efforts and learn more about cardiovascular
disease and stroke, two leading causes of death in America.
For more information about the Heart Walk, contact Karen
Bilsing at (936) 291-5499.
2014 Walker
County Heart
Walk
offer insight and updates on the “Greener Huntsville:
Easy Recycling” initiative, including the use of the
City’s Twitter page to help residents stay on top of
their garbage and recycling dates.
“By providing how-to guides, tips and reminders
about curbside recycling on our City’s existing Twitter
page, our hope is to make recycling a quick and
convenient part of our citizens’ daily lives,” Reed
said. “We plan to use Twitter to remind people to put
their blue or green carts at the street’s edge both at
the right time and on the right day, and also to
provide new and fun ways to take part in curbside
recycling.”
For more information, contact Esther Herklotz, Solid
Waste Superintendent, at (936) 294-5724.
2014 National Night Out - Tuesday, October 7
Event to include gathering in Target parking lot, neighborhood parades
The 2014 National Night Out event has been scheduled for Tuesday,
October 7, and the Huntsville Police Department has expanded the
time and scope of the event to encourage additional citizen
participation.
According to HPD Officers Kenneth Posey and Mark Jenkins, the
event will include a centralized presence in the Academy and Target
parking lot as well as several neighborhood parades.
“The National Night Out event is an annual opportunity for the
community to get to know the law enforcement agencies serving
Huntsville, and we are doing even more this year to make the event
accessible to all residents,” Jenkins said. “The event will kick off at 4
p.m. in the Academy and Target parking lots, and the agencies and
businesses represented there will stay until 7 p.m. – this will allow
those getting off work at 5 p.m. plenty of time to enjoy the event.”
Posey said the event will include representatives not only from HPD,
but also from the Huntsville Fire Department, the Walker County
Sheriff’s Office, Walker County EMS, the Department of Public
Safety, the Sam Houston State University Police Department, the
Texas Forest Service and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
The event will also include representatives from the SAAFE House,
Crossfit Stars and Bars and a pet adoption station sponsored by
PetCo and the Rita B. Huff Animal Shelter.
In addition to the gathering at Target, three caravans of law
enforcement representatives will drive several locations in the
Huntsville area to meet members of the public and encourage
the formation of new neighborhood watch chapters.
“We will commence three neighborhood parades at about 5:30
p.m.,” Jenkins said. “Route one will go through Montgomery
Meadows and three areas of Elkins Lake; route two will include
Magnolia Way, Chimney Rock, Smith Hill and the Villages of
Huntsville; and route three will include Avenue R, Avenue S,
Badger Lane and Tanglewood.
“We will have a detective or an officer stationed at each of the
stops on the parade routes in order to meet local residents and
answer questions. Whether citizens choose to come spend time
at the community event at Target or say hello during one of the
parades, we just hope everyone will take this opportunity to
communicate with a member of law enforcement face to face,
ask any questions they have and get to know their neighbors.”
Food and beverages will be provided during the event and
additional event features will be publicized as information
becomes available.
For more information, contact HPD at (936) 291-5480.
The November 4 Regular Election is fast approaching, and the
deadline to register to vote or make any changes to name or
address information is October 6. Early voting for the November
election will be conducted from October 20 through 31.
According to Diana McRae, Walker County Election Officer,
citizens may check and update their registrations by logging on
to www.VoteTexas.gov or by calling the Voter Registration Office
at (936) 436-4959.
"By preparing now, voters can help make sure voting goes
smoothly when it comes time for the election," said McRae. “As
photo identification is now required for voting in person, we also
hope to use the coming weeks to make sure our voters
understand the ID requirements and have all the information
they need to cast their ballots.”
Election officials would like to remind voters to bring one of the
approved forms of photo ID to vote in the election. An out-of-
state driver’s license, student identification card, employee
identification card or the voter registration card (unless an
exemption applies) will not be accepted to vote in Texas.
A voter will be required to show one of the following forms of
photo identification at the polling location before the voter will be
permitted to cast a vote:
(1) Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of Public
Safety (DPS); (2) Texas Election Identification Certificate issued
by DPS; (3)Texas personal identification card issued by DPS; (4)
Texas concealed handgun license issued by DPS; (5) United
States military identification card containing the person’s
photograph; (6) United States citizenship certificate containing
the person’s photograph; (7) United States passport.
With the exception of the U.S. citizenship certificate, the
identification must be current or have expired no more than 60
days before being presented at the polling place. Visit
www.VoteTexas.gov for more information about voting in Texas
and the new photo ID requirements.
This photo ID requirement is for voters casting a ballot in person,
not by mail. Voters age 65 and older may vote by mail.
Election information
The November 4 ballot will include City races for four at-Large
City Council positions, county and state offices, and other
potential items for consideration from Walker County, the
Huntsville Independent School District and other entities.
McRae said sample ballots will be available within two weeks
and available for viewing both at the Walker County Annex,
located at 1301 Sam Houston Avenue, Suite 101, and on the
Walker County Web site.
Early voting will be held from October 20-31 at the Walker
County Annex from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Extended hours will be
offered on Tuesday, October 21 and Tuesday, October 28, from
7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and weekend voting will be offered on Saturday,
October 25 and Sunday, October 26 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information on the November 4 election, visit
http://www.co.walker.tx.us/ and select the “Current Elections”
tab.
Information is also available on the City’s Web site,
www.huntsvilletx.gov. To reach the Elections page, scroll over
“City Government,” then “City Secretary” and select “Elections.”
November 4, 2014 election information
Deadline to register to vote, make name/address changes - October 6
NNO Parade
Routes
Use the maps provided
here to find the
National Night Out
parade route closest to
your home!
Residents are
encouraged to take part
in the parades, meet
their neighbors and
address any questions to
law enforcement
representatives.
Director reflects on 15 years with City of Huntsville
After 15 years with the City of Huntsville, Joseph Wiggs has moved up from a seasonal
parks crew laborer to the director of his department. Transitioning into a full-time
position, becoming a crew leader and being exposed to different sets of responsibilities,
Wiggs had the opportunity to get to know each facet of the Parks and Leisure Services
department through personal experience. During that time, his love of working with the
community and serving local youth has remained a pivotal motivator.
How did you get your start with the City of Huntsville?
“After serving in the Marine Corps and working in California as a recreation center
supervisor, I started with the City in 1999 as a seasonal laborer on one of our parks
crews. I worked for one year then moved from seasonal to full-time, and I was named
Employee of the Year soon after,” Wiggs said. “From that point, I worked another three
years and became a crew leader, given the responsibility of supervising a crew of six
employees. I was again honored as Supervisor of the Year.
“I remained a crew leader, switching from a parks focus to maintaining all of the athletic
fields in Huntsville. This experience brought me back to my element of coaching, working
in athletics and being around kids, and I enjoyed it until 2008, when I was made the
Operations and Contracts Manager for the City. This gave me even more of an
opportunity to get to know the community as the position required communicating with
local sports organizations on the use of City facilities.
“Finally, in 2010, I was promoted to Parks Superintendent, which allowed me to work
directly with then-Director Matt Lumpkins and learn more about the administrative side
of the department. I served in this capacity until June 2014, when I was promoted to the
Director of Parks and Leisure Services.”
What is your greatest strength as a director?
“My employees – they are the ultimate staff. You could not want, by any means, a better
group of people to work with, from the newest guy here to our most senior staff member,
John Agey. Everyone in this department, from the Huntsville Public Library to the
Huntsville Aquatic Center can call on the other for support, and that’s what makes us strong,” Wiggs said.
What motivates you to work in Parks and Leisure?
“I truly enjoy working with the community and with its young people. When I was growing up, I was fortunate enough to be in an area
where the older gentlemen mentored us to keep us on the right path,” Wiggs said. “Today, I see so many of our young people that don’t
have those figures in their lives to go to, so I like to do as much as I can to provide that kind of environment and support.”
What are some of the community partnerships your department is a part of?
“One of my goals as a director was getting our department more involved with other organizations, and the Huntsville State Park has
been one of our biggest partners. Because of our Outdoor Explorer program, we as the City are able to bring residents out to the park to
enjoy hiking, biking and water sports, and that has been a big bonus for us. The park’s administration has really been there for us any
time we’ve needed them, and having that resource really allows us to expand the services we offer,” Wiggs said. “We are also in the
process of starting a summer program for physically challenged youth. Through a partnership with the Sam Houston State University
ACE Program, led by Dr. Joyce McCauley, we hope to have the program put together by next year, and we’re very excited about what a
service like that could do for the community.”
Joseph Wiggs is a Huntsville Leadership Institute graduate and past board member. He is also affiliated with the National Recreation
and Parks Association, Fidelity Lodge #221, Texas Amateur Athletic Federation, and the Texas Recreation and Parks Society.
Joseph Wiggs discusses growth in Parks and Leisure Department, current efforts
Housing program yields repaired home
Thanks to the Houston Galveston Area Council’s Hurricane Ike
Disaster Recovery Program, Huntsville resident Opal Archie’s
home repairs to damages sustained during the 2008 storm.
Pictured from left are HGAC representatives Zelia Brown, Brandi
Davis and Melony Hawkins, as well as City Council members Joe
Rodriquez, Andy Brauninger, Mayor Mac Woodward and Council
member Joe Emmett.. The front row includes Linda Mitchell,
Gloria Turner and homeowner Opal Archie.
The group took part in a special ribbon cutting ceremony in
September.
Photo by Lindsey Owings, City of Huntsville