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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJulyJ ` 3 =i rlfi by Neslihan Tesno, Development Coordinator/Urban Forester Trees, of all kinds and sizes, are an in- tegral part of the West U landscape, pro- viding a natural accent to West U streets and in some areas an attractive canopy of leaves and limbs we have all come to recognize as a symbol of West U. Most of you know that the city is in the midst of a complete infrastructure reconstruc- tion; streets, water, sewer and storm lines are being replaced. You may won- der how can these two - trees and ma- jor infrastructure construction - coex- ist? Which one prevails? How can we preserve and protect our environment and still be able to provide running wa- ter, sewer & storm drainage, and have new smooth streets? These were questions that previous, current and future city administrators and staff have, and will deal with, on a daily basis. Nearly ten years ago the potential damage to our trees was rec- ognized, and a plan was developed to preserve the trees of West U during the construction process. This plan has grown as the years have gone by and 3a r; 4= J ~ 1 ~ The City of West U strives to protect and maintain a natural urban forest, which distinguishes our boundaries from that of Houston's sprawling metropolitan area. as we encounter different conflicts and various situations. The first step in each project area is to have the trees inventoried and com- pared to the engineered plans before construction starts. At this point many conflicts are recognized and resolved. Detailed plans for tree preservation are developed for each area. These plans indicate tree condition and treatments that trees require due to potential im- pact. Some of these treatments include: • Pruning - Removal of tree branches that may be hazardous, too low over the street or for the overall health of the tree. • Deep root fertilization - Recom- mended for trees that will be impacted by construction to ensure that the tree can withstand stress better. • Root pruning - Root pruning is a trench two feet deep, usually located at the edge of construction. This is done to protect the roots that are not in the construction area. Root pruning is per- formed in areas where roots are in con- flict with construction, and the tree is deemed to be able to tolerate the prun- ing-- Fencing - Areas are fenced to limit access and traffic. • Zero Curb Cutbacks - Zero curb cutback indicates that no area behind the curb should be disturbed during the street construction. Zero curb cut is uti- lized where trees are too large or too (Trees and construction - cont on p. 6) Calendar of evenlts...... g r.. &.a 3 Empl fee SpoVig . InsId-- Count 1 Chamnb,a ~ !2 Ordinance 4 Volume 29, No. 7 July 2002 Page 2 AO" ~P'1.42M ff4e70'1t1aVM 1 By: Mayor Linda Lewis Consider this month's missive a pot- pourri of information presented with a desire to keep you up to date on what is going on in your city. All things consid- ered, there is considerable activity, most of which I am happy to report is good. First, let's talk about the infrastructure. As you have probably observed, most of the area west of Poor Farm Ditch is complete, and now we are hard at work in the area east of the ditch. While the effort is underway, it is painful, but the end result is more than worthwhile. To lessen the pain, there is some associated good news. Recently, the City had the opportunity to refinance some of its bonds at a lower interest rate with a sav- ings of nearly $500,000. Additionally, the contract for Priority Area 9 was awarded a few weeks ago, and it, too, was al- most a half million dollars less than ex- pected. Together that is almost a million dollars that will not be added to our debt service, a real benefit to the taxpayer. The bridges at the dead ends of Robinhood, Tangley and Plumb are al- most complete. This joint effort between the City and Harris County is designed to enhance pedestrian friendliness in our community and to make access to the east and west sides more convenient. Some of you have wondered why the project has taken so long. The primary reason is the effort made to communi- cate with residents on each of those streets to make sure the finished prod- uct would be as pleasing as possible to them. That, coupled with the bid pro- cess necessary to complete the job, is lengthy. After months of work by staff and citi- zens, the City has adopted a sidewalk policy and contracted with S WA Group for help in implementing the program. As we all are aware, this is not going to be an easy project, and there are likely to be many more questions to answer before all is said and done. The only way for this to have been a less cumbersome project would be for West U to be a bald prairie in the throes of development. Try- ing to improve the existing structure and meet ADA requirements is more com- plicated than anyone could have guessed. My hope is that the end result here is worth the associated pain. If you have been to Colonial Park, you will have noticed that the east end is under construction. Thanks to funds mostly raised by Friends of West Uni- versity Place Parks, the park will be a state-of-the-art play space with lots of open green area. Again, citizens greatly influenced the final plan which is the work of Parks and Recreation Board vol- unteers and consultant Jim Patterson with Knudson and Associates. Regarding drainage and flooding, there are no hard fast answers at the moment. ® rnowever, inanxs io the work or ivy ~i Farley and his committee and Ar,. r ► , Whitlock of the Zoning and Planning CIE SV Commission we are in-' forward by Councilman Marilyn Grim Three months ago I wrote of the prob- lems our firefighters have accessing the second and third levels of West U homes from the structure's side. As we are still waiting for the Zoning and Planning Commission to finish researching the is- sue, the West U Fire Department is fac- ing yet another hurdle to their ability to fully protect our homes. Thankfully, Council was given an education in ef- fective firefighting and an understand- ing of the impact our policy decisions have on our citizens. To begin our edu- cation, we were reminded that the West U Fire Department is still operating un- der staffing guidelines and procedures drafted in 1976. With that in mind, the first real prob- lem the firefighters face is the fact that the square footage of protected area of our residential construction has drasti- cally increased in the last ten years. [Translation: Homes are much larger (two to three times) in square footage than they were 26 years ago.] This in- creased fire load requires more avail- able water, which, in turn, increases manpower demands. Consequently, the decreased space between our homes merely exacerbates this fire load. Secondly, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ruled that fire de- partments are required to have a team of at least four fire protection personnel assembled before an interior fire attack can be made when the fire has pro- gressed beyond the incipient stage. [Translation: two firefighters may enter (Safety in numbers - cont. on p. 7) l'he Cis, g . Our efforts are being helped by a part- nership with Southside Place and Mike Talbot and his staff at the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD). If the issue of flooding is ever to be success- fully addressed, it requires all of the af- fected parties to be involved. I am very grateful to our neighbors and the folks at HCFCD for being amenable to work- ing together. In the very near future, West U will be hosting a public meeting to share with you the most current happen- ings and become more familiar with your concerns. Soon staff and council will begin the arduous process of developing the 2003 budget, never a task I look forward to. As we get further along, I will update you on the process. In the meantime, please share your thoughts about all the activity taking place in your city. i Lindha Lewi- Ciov, Council NIleinhe r P- like Fa?'icy (7 3.6 2.5i2 z 7,, R,1,Pe' Ly. ,_F-fl; (17 -1 3U-62_5898), Danny (713.662.5048), ID21i Dda ' e7z~,F 1 ~i Club- ee11ng, oracliivir notices shoal s iifor,, at-de [to Cil Ci!._ C;iiis, 9OQI -T _PO.t', 'e' is-., g `4' CSF. Uni~'GrSi j q ~d{C~S, z> 770057u~' iihc 10' oftac 121^?l h p eccc!:_ c - u.i','~i€ mn. Gcn 713.668. 4e -l -LY'~,terinZ 6C_H PAM iGag r c Lns.. Rosss. 7,S.£`i 61:le _4k :t 4. k.Yr CE..e L_ ~ CAty Life K h h ~~=-ate Li '-[9 nc Day l Parade and Pool Party Kids of all ages are invited to partici- pate in the Independence Day Bike Pa- rade to Colonial Park. Decorate your bicycles, tricycles, wagons, or strollers, and line up in front of West U Elemen- tary; 3756 University, at 9:45 AM on Thursday. July 4'. The parade will be- gin at 10:00 AM, proceed west on Uni- versity, turn south on Academy, and then west on Byron to Colonial Park Pool, 4130 Byron. After the parade, join us at Colonial Park Pool for a refreshing dip in the pool. Pool games will take place from 12:00 - 3:00 PM. There will be plenty of food, fun, and festivities for all! For more information, call 713.662.5892. r)cn't delay, for camp today Openings remain in Summer Camp 2002 (ages 5-10) - Session M III, July 8-18; Session IV, July 22 - August 1; and Session V, Au- gust 5-15. Openings in Racquet and More Camp (ages 7-12) remain in Ses- sion IV, July 15-25; and Session V, July 29-August 8. Registration is going on now at the Community Building, 6104 Auden. For more information, please call 713.662.5892. Songs and stories Enjoy an evening of songs and sto- ries on Wednesday, July 10 at 7:30 PM. Sl'mron Wyse, former Houstonian and author of the new novel, The Box Chil- dren, will present a program of song and stories, with readings from her novel and songs by Samuel Barber and Thomas Benjamin in accompaniment ~Vith pianist Rob Hunt. This special mmertime event will be held in Cullen Hall, 4001 Mount Vernon, on the Uni- versity of St. Thomas campus. For more information, please call Tom Overton, 713.525.3105 at the Univer- sity of St. Thomas Page 3 Class Date/Time Sea Ya' Later (Grades K-2) July 11, 9:00 -10:30 AM Smarty Plants (Grades 3-5) July 11 , 11:00 AM -12:30 PM Fee: $15/$25 NR Locati on: Community Building, Activity Room o `Read across Texas' Stop by the library, 6108 Auden, for a is the theme of this program flyer listing the various library year's Summer Reading Program. Chil- programs. July highlights include - dren-up to age 13-will enjoy magi- July 3 - Craft program cians, reptiles, sea animals, crafts, a his- July 10 -Author Melanie Chrisiner tory of trains, yarn spinning, and a spe- July 17 - Sea Center of Texas cial picture book reading by a local au- July 24 - Balloon magic thor. The program continues through July 31- History magician Julian Franklin July 27. Registration continues through program's end. School age programs begin at 3:00 PM. Children also have the opportunity to Preschool storytime will continue on earn a certificate and paperback book Tuesdays at 11:00 AM. after reading ten or more books at their The Summer Reading Program is spon- reading level. Prereaders may have their sored by the Friends of the West Uni- books read to them. A special end of versity Library and Harris County Pub- summer program, July 31, features his- lic Library Administration. tory magician Julian Franklin. Call 713.668.8273 for information. ` ~P ht uA 2002 Summer Swiff-hu Schedule Effective: July 155 - August 17 5:30m9: 00AM 9:00.11:30AM - - - 8:00.10:00pa klonday Adult Lap Lessons & 1 11:30 Am - 5:(10Pm/6pen S~sgsn Adult Lap Swim Swim Classes 530-9:00AM 9:00-11:30AM 11:30 A A1 - 8:06M S:m9 06T-F's 9:00.10:Oopm Tuesday Adult Lap Swim Lessons & Classes opea Swim Td Swim Adult Lap Swim Wednesday 5:30-9:OOAAS Adult Lap 9:00-11:3OAm Lessons & 11:30 aas - 8:0ol p t/op: n S+,.ia3s 8:00.10:OOras Adult Lap Swim Swim Classes Thursday 5:30 9:OOAiot Ault Lap 9:0011:30Awa Lessons & 11:361 A49 - S:666B-M S:€&O 9-Gop ; 9:00•10:00~t Swim Class es Opn,u slim Tri Sveim Adult Lap Swim Friday S Adult Lap Nt)" - 7:6DFu 7:00-9: Swim 6 pera Swim Family Swim i , Saturday ' 7:00.1O:OOAM 10 09-s-7 flv- . 7:00.8:00, I Adult Lap Swim Cgen S 'in Adult Lap Swim I Sunday Adult Lap Swim -A i the Spotlight This month's employee in the spotlight shines on Bradley Neighbors, General Services Superintendent in the Public Works Department. Although new to West U, having joined the City team in February, Bradley is not new to the pub- lic sector. A former police officer with 23 years in law enforcement, Bradley continues to maintain a Master Peace Officer certification from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Of- ficer Standards and Education. Regard- less of his official tenure, Bradley also claims life experience, having followed, somewhat in between his father's foot- steps. With a city manager for a fathE Bradley grew up in and around city op- erations. In his current position, Bradley is re- sponsible for solid waste, recycling, fleet maintenance and traffic control. He enjoys the day to day challenges of hav- ing a variety of functions to watch over, emphasizing that "I feel blessed by hav- ing this opportunity and having a great bunch of guys who all do their jobs very well. I especially appreciate my crew leaders for the jobs they do."' Married with two sons, 20 and 16, Bradley and his wife are currently deal- ing with the challenges of 16 year-olds. Nevertheless, they still find time for outdoor projects and travel. According to Interim City Manager Michael Ross, "The City is fortunate to have found Brad for the General Ser- vices Superintendent position. Brad has hit the ground running and continues to make improvements in his areas of re- sponsibility" Page 4 ora~nclnce Time to clean oiit the cgara_~e ano get r iG of the of6i oofa or Stove? A gara,n-,e Sale io a bliea ivay to cAliopooe o yoLi eY- Geoo i 1veiitory of applianceo, t0 o s.oy'S or ciothif7P. Vh, I%oU aS'e i'2a~~r G Gleari our cLr Ja "ale koe',- (ci E `d[P cl °C'`: ? r v tl'iill, Vv t. L has ~G':?•1=`Lzl8 for con- i cductiri; a ar~s".G6 oale: Fire a dar rjv° ocie i5 ie"i1FleG ao . ; ihCr 'Ivit C< eU/1f lue Oi' ,;.?fYI' ?L' ;".%G~ i%( 58 0:'iL. .rf ^ G'~O /i! 'J 4 L`~✓ t=~~ rsilB rG ' i~3t~Ce: t.;i~!E4 ~:Y?i".:~ CU'9:✓G~. t ~_,G~ ?E..•l. y, T 12 h0 U I ~~7 `3 4- by Councilman Mike Farley The rationale for seeking a method to preserve certain housing units, particu- larly those cottages, bungalows and craftsman-style homes built before the 1960'x, is maintaining desirable demo- graphics within West U. Retention of older housing stock will ensure West U remains a small town where young couples with limited economic means can locate to raise families. Numerous studies of both large and small urban areas conclude that a broad population spectrum of age and socio- economic means contributes to the area's health by ensuring a certain percentage of residents will spend a goodly portion of their lives within that community. West U is in danger of loosing the starter home population element needed to keep the community stable and vibrant. As an in- dividual family grows in number and in earning ability that family will seek a larger and pricier residence within the city. Continuing loss of starter homes will en- sure the ongoing shift in West U demo- graphics away from a desirable bell curve to a skewed curve of higher incomes and older residents. Furthermore, preservation of older homes maintains some of the distinctive architecture that characterizes West U and contributes mightily to the city's ap- pearance. The dominant building trenO- today reflect uniformity both in outwL appearance and within the structure. While this is a matter of homebuyer taste, it is useful to note that within cer- tain urban areas such as Atlanta's Buckhead and New Orleans' Uptown areas, the distinctive differences in housing style have contributed to their appeal and high real estate value. Lo- cally, the Heights neighborhoods are a model. Perhaps we are undermining the fu- ture value of West U intrinsically by not providing the means to retain older homes. West U has millions of dollars invested in parks and recreation for young chil- dren. It has the lure of West University Elementary School. The community is known for its sports programs. The cur- rent trends in housing may price the consumers of these community assets out of the market. Without action, West U may reach the tipping point of becoming a community of corporate nomads whose transient interests and needs are not necessary' what makes a healthy communi:, (When I moved to West U in January 1997 it was our family's expectation to be in and out within three years. We (Preserving... - cont on p.6) Police Blotter Ty, 2002 Forced entry into residence. As a re- i figures. suit of suspect apprehension inside, sev- Those who died ranged from relatively ; eral other home burglaries were solved. new patrol officers to chiefs of police. 2700 Talbot - May 20. Forced entry;sheriffs; and directors of agencies. The into residence. No items removed. youngest was 21, the oldest 78: eleven 6500 Mercer - May 28. Forced en-' were female. Their uniforms were blue, try into residence. Stereo, jewelry and brown. gray, or white. Their badges were other items stolen. of various shapes. The one thing they had in common is their dedication to service Credit Card Abuse/Forgery to their community and the belief that they were engaged in an honorable endeavor The irronian of Taay was National Police Animal Bite struction. 1 Month. with May 15'}' Police Cfl7cer Me- ~ 6500 Buffalo Speedway - May 24 mortal Day. This `,'Par's cere nionies in 3700 Georgetown - May 19. Resi- Forced entry into house under construc- Washin gton D.C. vet - all the more poi- dent bitten by cat. tion. Lumber stolen. gtiant duc ~o the horrific events of Sep- 2700 Sunset - May 24. Ash boards ( ieraber 11, 2001. During Yri;y i v enty-seven Auto Theft/Attempted Auto 'T'heft stolen from garage at house under con- years in the law enforcement profession, struction. I have lost friends and co-workers and 6100 Wakeforest - May 7. Vehicle 2600 Tangley - May 27. Plywood have attended funerals of officers I did stolen. Suspect located key in mag-® r. stolen from house under con- not know, but mourned their loss as mem- " " netic key box stored on vehicle. _ struction. hers of my f l . In 2001, we lost 215 6200 Auden - May 28. En- 'y) members ofth s_tlyone of the worst Criminal Mischief try gained into church. No items ' ' , 3700 R d b h 1 M te currc n iss c u t ~ D taken. - j er i<a Es 3:~3 Dt f et c V~~ u: in o oo . - ay : . . , Graffiti written on vehicle. u'o f-ca, ors n c ` s urglary of a Motor Vehic° h a 4000 Villanova - May 2. ,c_cr chi s Vehicle door scratched. 2700 Bissonnet - May 12. o-~ 4200 Bellaire - May 10. Sharp ob- Forced entry into vehicle in business as 'Yv nom- e ject used to damage vehicle door lock. parking lot. Purse and stereo equipment ot° o 'site d" `is~'- 3UI-V~ s Entry not gained. stolen. a oho to.,_ ~ls ~ooi y 5800 Kirby - May 27. Suspect ap- 4100 Dartmouth - May 17. Forced ; ' `e ,s --mac- the lase act a ' ` E.I ' prehended while attempting to flee af- ``'alizaiion iii+t the then Inc entry into vehicle. Stereo stolen. t~'. T ter attempt to gain entry into business. 4200 Milton - May 22. Purse stolen a.cflen loo ru, bac, s?o; r.rc no IcnlyQr 100 Wroxton - May 31 Vehicle win- .'s -s soy " e! "sL os from vehicle arked in ara e . -w broken. g p g . z. yes _ „i ,1`, m urglary of Residence J i _ o E Clrti Esti tlaicss Burglary of a Building -C ~7 rn i ~ ~tas~a o, C~e, k .~s . 3100 Duke - May 3. Camera and 2900 Carnegie - May 6. Plywood money stolen from residence. Entry or ciiZens, stolen from house under construction. gained through unsecured side gate. in accieL'Ats in in- 3300 Robinhood - May 14. Bicycle clement v - wafter c'=1d sortie were killed 6500 Buffalo Speedway - May 7 stolen from unsecured building. . Money stolen from residence. Entry delib,,,ratc?ly by miotor vehicles. The sec- 6500 Buffalo Speedway - May 22. and atost common cause of death was gained by removing window pane Plywood stolen from house under con- . 3500 Rice - May 9. Money and other gunshot v,;ounds. Many officers were :items stolen from residence. Entry ambushed or shot while performing rou- L_ jgainedthroughunsecureddoor. Mine duties, Of course the incidents of y 2700 Carolina Way - May 15. September 11 figl~red promine~~tly in the The City is offering a Rape AHrescion Defense: (RAD) class for 4~ie,-rrien of all ages. RAD, risk- reduction and self-defense training prrgrm, teaches realistic self-defense cacti"s and techniques. The RAD system is a comprehensive course that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and avoid- ance, while progressing on to the basics of hands-on defense training. However, RAD is not a Martial Arts proggram. The four class course will be taught by Joe Klinuovsky, Rosemarie Valdes, and Alisa Talley, certified Basic RAD Instructors through RAD Systems, Inc., from the City of West U. The course will be offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday, July 12 -19 from 6:00 - 9:00 Pm in Municipal Building. Additional classes will be scneduled throughout the year. The cost is $35 for residents/$45 for non-residents. Interested in attending or for more information, contact Officer Joe Klinkovsky at 713.662.5869 or jklinkovsky@wesiu.org. 3400 Albans -May 6. Resident's per- sonal information used in attempt to obtain telephone service. 4200 Case - May 5. Suspect appre- hended after attempting to collect scam money. 3000 Jarrard - May 20. Resident's cancelled credit card account informa- tion used to establish credit and make Page 5 to make a positive impact on humanity. Thev will be sorely missed. purchases. 2800 Jarrard - May 21. Resident's debit card account used to purchase items. Resident knows suspect. 3500 Carnegie - May 25. Bogus bank account established using resident's per- (Crime up close - cont on p. 7) Page 6 mot` y C = Do you know how to call for help when you have an emer- gency? Whether you need the Fire De- partment or the Police Department, the easy thing to do is call 9.1.1. Several times during the year, people drive up to the fire station with a patient instead of using the telephone to call for help from their home. Unfortunately, this has the potential of delaying care, since the fire- men are not always there. During the work shift there are fire hydrants to test, fire inspections, prefire planning ofbusi- nesses, training classes, and emergency responses, which cause the firemen to be away from the station. Also, did you know that using your cell phone to call 9. 1.1 could have a small delay. The call will go to a Harris County operator first before it is transferred to our dispatch- ers. Therefore, try to use your home phone, if it is safe to do so. When using your home phone or a neighbor's, your phone number and address show up on the screen in the dispatch office. This allows help to be sent even if you are unable to speak. We need help finding you if you have an emergency. Make sure your address is visible from the street. Sometimes bushes, potted plants, or porch decora- tions block house numbers. If your ad- dress is located on the curb, parked cars can block it. So make sure your house numbers are large enough, a con- trasting color, and close to your front door. The city building code requires that the numbers be at least 2.5 within two feet of the primary entrance, and vis- ible from the street. For more informa- tion, contact the West U Fire Depart- ment at 713.662.5835. ~ _ 77 7, by Friends of West University Place Parks Fund, Inc. The Friends of West University Place Parks Fund, Inc. are proud to announce their new membership program. To join the Friends, visit www.westuparks.org and sign up to receive fun membership benefits including a neighborhood news- letter. Also available on the website is the Friends' new estore where you can purchase parks items and make dona- tions in memory or in honor of a friend or family member. You can find out more about upcoming events and how to remember West U parks in your es- tate planning, as well. The Friends has appointed CeCe McCann as Chair and Leah Ragiel as Co-Chair of the Park Lovers Ball 2003, which will be held at the Westin Galle- ria (note the hotel change!) on Satur- day, February 8, 2003. The theme will be "Park Avenue" so...start spreading the news!! It will be an awesome event, which will raise funds for area parks. Construction at Colonial Park began in June. Be sure to remind your chil- dren, neighbors, nannies and babysitters so they are not surprised by the tempo- rary mess, which will metamorphose into r 7 ~J, T ]4, ~ , 0 by David Cole, West U Fire Marshal's Office a new park and play area. Donations and underwriting of items are still being accepted - email Joni Fichter, Friends Chair at cptemps@aol. com or visit www.westuparks.org to do so. (Trees and construction... - cont. from p. close to proposed construction and IV , not tolerate the lime stabilization of the ground. • Boring of pipes - Pipes are bored underground in some areas when open trenching is not a viable option. Very few roots are disturbed when pipes are bored. Tree protection treatments are recom- mended based on proximity to construc- tion, species tolerance to construction, tree size and ultimately how much of the tree's critical root zone will be impacted. Trees and their protective treatments are monitored during and after construction. A professional consultant is available on call in case of conflicts. Trees will be impacted due to the large-scale construc- tion projects. However, due to the cur- rent plan, we have minimized the impact and believe these trees will continue to provide shade and enhance the natural beauty of West U for future generations. (Preserving... - cont. from p.4) had lived a peripatetic life before, alight- ing two years here, two there. We axe here for the duration now and we h seen a number of good friends come a ho go since.) The West U Building and Standards Commission and Chief Building Official Dennis Mack have been kind enough to offer their expertise in perhaps tweak- ing some regulation or code to help make this happen. - _ te Do you have an old computer that is collecting dust? Eagle Electronics Resources, Inc. and the West U Recy- r cling and Solid Waste Reduction Board will be accept- ing computers and monitors at the West U recycling center, RecycleXpress, 5004 Dincans, on Saturday, July a 13 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Eagle Electronics Re- sources, Inc. will also have information regarding com- puter disposal for businesses. This is a trial collection event. If it proves successful, we hope to expand the program in the fu- ture. Did you know that one monitor has four to six pounds of lead and that out of 175 million computers disposed comes a laundry list of toxins in- cluding 650 million pounds of lead, 987,000 pounds of cadmium and 231,000 pounds of mercury? Over 95 percent of landfilled computer mate- rials are reusable, from the disk drive and memory to gold and silver used .1 the circuit board wiring. Disposing of these materials properly now will be`i efit future generations - creating a safer environment and reducing fu- ture costs. We look forward to seeing you there and remember that it is up to us to protect the environment for future generations. r > r ; Wed Page 7 Join us for our annual Hot Dog Party. Special guest, George Wash- ington will tell the tale of U.S. Inde- pendence, emphasizing the patrio- tism, heritage and freedoms that the forefathers (and mothers) fought for. Afterwards, enjoy grilled hot dogs with your favorite fixings. 11:00 Ann - 1:00 PM. $4.00. ! Visit the Houston Center for Con- temporary Craft, a studio for sev- eral artists, showcase for traveling shows, and gift shop. Expected view- ing - Michigan artist's glass imita- tions of ancient ceramic. Other art- ists will be available for questions and answers. 10:00 - 12:30 PM. Free. l ® Wednesday, July 17* • Tuesday, July 9 I E I : , J ~ Don't miss the IMAX feature presen-` Cation, Ocean Men, for a sea diving adventure. Time to be announced. $4.00/$4.50. r f'Il f°~'~f 1~>~T°'- s o(j ffal °`r~ Learn Self Hypnosis to lose weight, -~3 induce sleep, or lessen anxieties. 10:00 -11:00 Ann. Free. ,.:,afety in numbers - cont. from p.2) sible for providing coverage to their area I (Crime up close - cont. from p. S) the structure while two must remain outside to perform rescue.] I must note, that the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) reminds us that new technologies and materials used in con- struction and furnishings are more com- bustible and toxic than those in use 25 years ago, but the critical tasks that must be performed at the scene of a struc- tural fire remain unchanged despite available technology. The Fire Depart- ment Evaluation System developed in 1991 dictates that a total of 15 person- nel and one chief officer must be present for an initial fire attack. West U cur- rently relies on five personnel from West U, five personnel from Bellaire, and four volunteer personnel from Southside (when available) for a total of 14 total manpower. With the new enforcement of the third requirement below, West U now only has three firefighters from West U., three from Bellaire, and two- four from Southside Place for a total of ;ht to ten to address an initial fire at- __ck. This is well below the safety stan- dards set by OSHA. Thirdly, the Texas Department of Health EMS Provider Guidelines man- date that all 911 providers are respon- tai ~cJ.is 11 , July 3 Friday, July 12 ® Wednesda ay ` Today's guest, author of Extraordinary Encounters and former West U resident, will share his views on volunteering, charity, graceful aging, and true hap- piness. The presentation also in- cludes heart warming stories about people he's met. Copies of his book will be available for purchase. 10:00 -11:00 Ann. Free. twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The providers can not rely on `mutual aid' to fill the minimum staffing requirements. The providers can not rely on using a firefighter to fill the EMS vehicle and can not use an EMS pro- vider to fill the firefighter staffing at any time. [Translation: West U must staff two men that provide only EMS services 24/7, and the fire department is subse- quently staffed with only three remain- ing employees available on every shift.] Based on our newly acquired educa- tion, I feel that increasing firefighter staffing in West U must be addressed immediately. If we continue at our cur- rent staffing, we will merely shift the burden of attempting to maintain the expected level of service to the firefighter at the expense of his/her own safety. Consequently, as was pointed out in our last council meeting, by Council- man Farley, the IAFF reminds us that regardless of the level of fire protection chosen by the citizens, neither they nor their elected representatives have the right to jeopardize the safety of the em- ployees providing life a.nd'fire protection services. Ju Julv v, July 24* .1 Virginia McNeely, Estate Sales Management, will elaborate on the disposal of unneeded items -whether mov- ing, downsizing or just getting rid of "stuff". 10:00 -11:00 Ann. Free. • Thursday, August 1 Visit the Museum of Printing His- tory. Expected showings include WWI posters and military printing, women in the visual and literary arts, and guest Columbian artist. A do- cent-led tour will guide you through permanent selections. 1:30 -4:00 PM. Donations accepted. Friday, August 2* sonal information. 5500 Weslayan - May 26. Suspect apprehended while attempting to cash forged check at store. Found Property 3900 Oberlin - May 16. Ceiling fan found at construction site. Property placed in storage at police department. 3800 University - May 22. Scooter found in yard. Property placed in stor- age at police department. Hit and Run Vehicles struck while parked on the street - 2600 Nottingham - May 12; 2600 Bissonnet - May 15; 4000 Bellaire - May 20; 2900 Bissonnet - May 24; 4200 South Judson - May 28. Theft 3000 Plumb - May 21. Saw stolen from construction site. 3100 Quenby -May 31. Plywood sto- len from front yard at construction site. Domestic Disturbances - one. City of West University Place 3800 University Boulevard West University Place, 'T'exas 77005 PRSRT STD USPOSTAGE PAID HOUSTON, TX PERMIT NO 6270 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday h~~~ ciav Friday Saturday Public Safety Board Friends of West U Parks @ 6:30 PM City Hall @ 6:15 PM City Hall Conference Room. Conference Room. Parks Board @ 7:30 PM l- City Hall Counri( 1 2 Chambers. 5 6 Council Meeting Recycling and Solid The Building and Adult Services Board j 6:30 PM City Hall. Waste Reduction Standards Commis- Meeting @ 2:00 PM Board @6:30 PM sion @ 6:00 PM in the Community Building Public Works Lunch C Room. ity Hall Conference Zoning and Planning P Room. Commission @ 6aA5 M 7 141 1; Council Meeting @ 6:30 PM City Half. t 21 22 br t 28 29 Public Safety Board @ 6:30 PM City Hall Conference Room. 41 51 City Hall Conference 9 Room 11 Zoning Board of Ad- justment @ 6:30 PM City Hall Conference Room. Good Neighbor Team @ 2:00 PM City Hall 6 A Conference Room-18 Neighborhood Watch X' ; Block Captain Meeting I ® 1 e c Tai `j @ 6:00 PM City Hall Council Chambers M n~G4~l[t~'l "fit f 25 The Building and Standards Commis- sion @ 6:00 PM in the ;City Hall Conference Room. 30 Aid Friends of West U Park @ 6:15 PM City Hall Conference Room. Parks Board @ 7:30 PM City Hall CounRil 6 Chambers. 8 121 13 20 27 U _fy