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February 2015 City Connection CITY CONNECTION Volume 11, Issue 5 February 2015 Calendar February 2015 3 - City Council meeting at 6:00 p.m. 4 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 5 - Planning & Zoning Commission - City Hall at 12 p.m. 11 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 17 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 18 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 19 - Planning & Zoning Commission - City Hall at 5:30 p.m. 25 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste March 2015 3 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 4 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 5 - Planning & Zoning Commission - City Hall at 12 p.m. 11 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 17 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 18 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 19 - Planning & Zoning Commission - City Hall at 5:30 p.m. 25 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection Submit requests for Heavy Trash pick-up before noon on Monday, the week of the pick-up at 294-5796. Learn more about City events at www.huntsvilletx.gov Sign up for our digital newsletter, “This Week in Huntsville!” The City’s new bi-monthly, digital newsletter is really taking off, with new residents signing up and new features to keep everyone informed. Never miss an event again - sign up for your free This Week in Huntsville newsletter! Did you notice the disaster preparedness kit special issue on our Web site? Check it out! To subscribe, log onto the City’s Web site, www.huntsvilletx.gov, click “e- news Subscriptions” on the left-hand side of the page, enter your email address and select “This Week in Huntsville.” You’ll automatically receive a free, digital newsletter twice each month! Home Reconstructions Completed Ten qualifying homes in Walker County are being reconstructed with the assistance of Zelia Brown of the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) and Dr. Sherry McKibben, Director, and Lindsey Owings of the City of Hunts- ville’s Neighborhood Resources Department, and two more happy families received their keys on January 28. Olan and Deborah Johnson, thrilled to be getting into their new home on Birmingham, were very complimentary of all who aided the process, happily described contractor Drew Cheek of Tegrity Builders as “patient and kind” and telling City representatives, “You all did a beautiful job!” Present to celebrate were Mayor Mac Woodward and City Councilmember Ronald Allen. More excitement awaited as the group moved on to the end of Merchant Street, to congratulate Linda Pool and Jerrel Merchant, as family, friends, and neighbors began setting out a spread for a housewarming party. “Wow! It's fantastic!” exclaimed Linda, “We never thought we would own a home like this!" Family friend Janette Collier, was impressed. "This is the best house I've ever seen, and I'm 62 years old!" For more information on Neighborhood Services, visit the Department’s page on the City web site at www.huntsvilletx.gov. To learn more on the H- GAC Hurricane Ike Recovery program, visit http://www.h-gac.com/community/community/ike/. Left - Jerrel Merchant and Linda Pool with family friend Phyllis Gillaspie, ready to enter the new home. Right - Deborah and Olan Johnson with Councilmem- ber Ronald Allen. New Show at the Wynne Home Arts Center Citizenship Classes Available Citizenship Preparation Course Thursdays in April The Huntsville Public Library, in conjunction with the Sam Houston State Univer- sity (SHSU) Law, Engagement, and Politics (LEAP) Center, will present a free five- week Citizenship Preparation Course on Thursdays in April from 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., in the Huntsville Public Library Community Room. The course is designed to prepare immigrants for the U. S. Naturalization Test and will cover the application process, oral interview, and exam. All materials will be provided. The classes are taught by Mike Yawn, Political Science Professor at SHSU. Space is limited and registration is required, so sign up at the library ear- ly. For more information, questions, or to register for the class, please contact Mary Kokot, at 936-291-5912 or mkokot@huntsvilletx.gov, or Mike Yawn at 936-294-1456. Huntsville Public Library is pleased to host the Walker County Master Gardeners’ an- nual spring planting workshop on Friday, February 20, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., in the library’s Community Room. Learn different gardening styles, soil preparation, planting time, fertilizers, watering, drip irriga- tion, pest control, and how to transform almost anyplace into an overflowing, growing garden. Door prizes will be awarded and refreshments provided. Register online for this free workshop at www.MyHuntvilleLibrary.com. For questions or additional in- formation, call Denise Tilson at the library 936-291-5471. SPRING into Veggie Planting at the Public Library The Wynne Home Arts Center is presenting a new exhibit entitled “Dry Goods: The Quilts of Mary Laura Gibbs,” which opened Janu- ary 15. According to Linda Pease, Cultural Services Coordinator, this is a special opportunity to view the work of this talented local artist. “We’re happy to exhibit the quilts of Mary Laura Gibbs, who has created beautiful wall hangings with very intricate designs,” Pease said. “The exhibit will include in excess of 20 unique quilts, and some of the designs will be reproduced in cards that are suitable for framing and available for purchase.” According to the artist’s biography, Gibbs has been quilting since 1990 and has participated in the annual Airing of the Quilts every year since 2005. The Wynne Home Arts Center is located at 1428 11 th Street. For more information, call (936) 291-5424. The exhibit is open free of charge through April 15. City of Huntsville residential customers: It’s time to “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. Con- sciously 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 aver- age charge will be effective with the April billing (due in May). “Basically, the City of Huntsville would just like to advise residents to curtail any kind of outdoor wa- tering, such as washing cars, in order to keep wa- ter consumption down during winter months,” said Jerri Weaver, City of Huntsville Billing and Reve- nue Manager. “Also, residents should be aware of any water leaks and make sure to have those re- paired.” For more information, contact City of Huntsville Utility Billing at (936) 291-5431. The Best of Mae West...at the Library The Huntsville Public Library is pleased to present Mary Anne Burkhalter's "Tribute to Mae West" on Wednesday, February 11, from 2-3 p.m., in the Library's Community Room. Ms. Burkhalter has portrayed Miss West across the coun- try for over 20 years, bringing rare songs and material to the show, and takes great pride in keeping the comedi- enne's work alive in her "Tribute to Mae West." Her com- edy carries over into the audience, as she employs a unique brand of walk-around humor and involves audi- ence members in on -stage comedic skits. Mae West rose to international stardom, and in 1932 was the highest-paid woman in America. Ms. West was noto- rious for her snappy wit and controversial characters, and notable for writing all her own material. Mary Anne Burkhalter was raised in Houston, where her first role was playing Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz at the Alley Theatre. She has since performed from coast to coast and overseas, and is currently writing and perform- ing more than a dozen musical shows. The Huntsville Public Library is located at 1219 13th Street. Contact Denise Tilson at 936-291-5471 for more information. HPD Accepting Applications for 2015 Citizen’s Police Academy The Huntsville Police Department is inviting citizens of Huntsville to participate in the 2015 Citizens’ Police Academy, a unique opportunity for participants to learn about police operations firsthand. The CPA is a 13-week program that will meet from 6–9 p.m. at the Huntsville Police Department on Monday nights. According to HPD Senior Officers Mark Jenkins and Kenneth Posey, the deadline to apply for the program is March 23, and those approved to take part in the program will attend sessions every Monday from April 13 to July 10. “If you have ever wondered how a Huntsville police officer is trained, how the SWAT Team operates, or what it’s like to go on a night-shift ride-along, the Citizens’ Police Academy promises to be an engaging, one-of-a-kind experience,” Pos- ey said. “Participants will have the opportunity to see and hear about the overwhelming curriculum recruits must master before becoming part of the HPD. “Instructors will be real police officers who will take you on accelerated overview of various operations of our department. It is our goal to increase understanding of police work and develop effective partnerships between the Huntsville Police Department and our community.” Citizens will hear HPD officers and employees discuss their roles and responsibilities within the department. There will be guest speakers from other criminal justice agencies within Huntsville and Walker County, including juvenile and adult probation and the District Attorney’s office. Citizens will tour the County Jail and the Communications Center, ride with a police officer, and explore the Firing Range. The HPD strives to make this class hands-on and enjoyable while educating the participants about the police depart- ment and the local criminal justice system. According to Jenkins, the ideal candidate for the Citizens’ Police Academy is any local citizen with interest in the department or in law enforcement in general. “Join us and be part of this important effort – the only investment on your part is three hours of your time for 13 weeks,” he said. “What our participants will learn will not only benefit them. When they share their experiences with family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers, we believe that it will have a significant impact on the Police Department and on community relations." More information about the Citizens’ Police Academy is available on the HPD website at www.huntsvillepolice.com, in the Community section. Those interested in applying for this year’s CPA should download and complete an application and release and deliver both to the Huntsville Police Department located at 1220 11 th Street. The deadline to submit applications is Monday, March 23, 2015. For questions, please contact Senior Officer Mark Jenkins or Senior Officer Kenneth Posey at 936 -291-5480. City of Huntsville Recycling Guidelines Direct questions to (936) 294-5743 Curbside recycling guidelines: 1. Rinse all plastics and cans to remove residue 2. Only plastics 1-7 stamped with number and symbol 3. Flatten items to save room inside of cart 4. Keep cart five (5) feet from all other objects including vehicles 5. Carts must be placed at the curb or street’s edge no later than 6:00 a.m. on the day of collection. Carts must be removed from the street’s edge by the end of the collection day (carts cannot be stored at the street’s edge) Items that cannot be placed in the City cart: Garbage, food waste, yard waste, shredded paper, glass/oil/filters, batter- ies, cell phones, electronics, Styrofoam or aluminum foil. Recycling Drop-Off Center Information: The Recycling Center accepts self-hauled recyclable items and is located at 590 I-45 North. The Recycling Center Attendant will be onsite to assist cus- tomers from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday - Friday. Drop-offs can still be made Monday - Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and holiday closings are posted. Visit www.huntsvilletx.gov for Area curbside recycling schedules and more recycling information. Yard Waste Specifics Collection Service: 1st, 3rd and 5th Wednes- day of each month - No call-in required! Yard waste is classified as leaves, grass, pine needles, yard clippings and small brush, items referred to as “green waste.” The total number of bagged, canned or bundled yard waste is limited to twelve (12) per household per collec- tion day. All yard waste materials must be placed within two (2) feet of street’s edge no later than 6:00 a.m. on the morning of the scheduled pick-up. Yard waste such as leaves, grass, pine needles or small clippings must be: (1) Bagged (bags not to exceed 30 gallons) or placed in personal garbage; (2) Cannot exceed 50 pounds each; (3) City-issued garbage and recycling carts cannot be filled with yard waste. Tree limbs and brush must be: (1) No longer than four (4) feet in length; (2) Limbs no larger than four (4) inches in diameter; (3) Must be tied securely in bundles which cannot ex- ceed two (2) feet in diameter and can’t exceed 50 pounds each. The following items and locations DO NOT qualify for Yard Waste pick-up: (1) Household garbage of any kind; (2) Anything other than green waste: NO flower pots, fertilizer, mulch, bags, dirt, potting soil, sand, rock, gravel, etc. (3) Commercial businesses or commercially generated yard waste. Bring your City utility bill showing that you pay for gar- bage service and dispose of your yard waste at the City Transfer Station free of charge. This excludes commercial customers, yard waste con- tractors and any lawn service providers. The customer must be present with their current City garbage bill at the time of disposal. For more information on yard waste trimming collection services, contact the Solid Waste Services Division at (936) 294-5743. Upcoming Solid Waste- Recycling Events - Don’t miss them!