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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJulyffi® WEN UNIVEQ(51TY R Volume 24, No. 7 July 1997 L dorect R, mnf,7,~# servo What started as a suggestion from a resident a year ago is now West U's latest service. Despite a few road blocks along the way, DirectLink is operational. This new alarm registration program allows residents to connect directly to the Police Dispatch Center. "We completed initial testing of the system in May," said Police Chief Steve Griffith. "Now we're ready to provide a real value-added service for our residents." After surveying current alarm permit holders last summer to assess interest in this program, staff was gratified at the overwhelming positive response. "Over 90 percent of those responding to this survey told us they wanted to have their home alarms connected to the City's dispatch system," recalled Lt. Gary Brye. However, while public response was _ ! a choice in either using phone lines or a radio transmitter to report alarm con- ditions. Finally, a local independent alarm dealer was placed under contract to provide technical support. All of the alarm equipment and soft- ware have been installed. Through the assistance of a local marketing expert, the City has named the program DirectLink to reflect the most impor- tant feature - a direct connection to the people who are providing you with po- lice, fire and emergency services any- way, your West U Police and Fire De- partments. positive, there were problems to resolve in getting this program operational. An unexpected problem emerged in late 1996 when bids for equipment were solicited. Not a single dealer or distribu- tor in the Houston metropolitan area re- sponded. To everyone's surprise, only one out-of-state company submitted a proposal. In reviewing the single bid, staff believed the proposal to be exces- sively high. It was time to go back to the drawing board. With some additional planning, re- search, and assistance from the alarm industry in states where governmental alarm monitoring was already accepted, the City purchased alarm receiving equipment and central station software. The City also decided to offer residents 1 Council O-J-T City Council members spent a recent Saturday touring municipal facilities and operations. Here, Deputy Director of Public Works Jerry Burns (center) is explaining how waste water is treated and processed. Also pictured, from left to right, is Patrick Walters, plant manager; Edward Menville, public works director, Cindy Neal and Cindy Sparkman, council members; Teresa Fogler, Mayor; Burns; and Tony Davis and Patrick Starich, council members. Continued on page 4 - Thanks, Friends 0000000000000000000 Judson Park, located at 4242 Judson, is currently undergoing a complete facelift. Construction be- gan at the park on May 15, 1997, and is expected to be completed by September 1, 1997. Improvements include new playground equipment, a wooden deck, landscaping, picnic tables, and benches. Funds for the approximately $250,000 in con- struction and design costs have been raised and donated by the efforts of the Friends of West University Place I Parks. Citizen Work Order 7 City Life ..................................3 o Community Bulletin Board 8 Employee Spotlight 4 © Inside Council Chambers..... 2 G Police Blotter 5 Senior Caiender 7 Inside Council Chambers 7wm ff4e XtVn 1d. Ved By: Mayor rea-e4u Footer Rumors are fascinating. They can be funny, sad, true, untrue, painful or in- nocent, but they are always insidious. I heard a rumor, a bit of "unverified information of uncertain origin usually spread by word of mouth," about my- self a couple of weeks ago. I heard that I am opposed to the City of West University Place acquiring the property currently owned by the Southwest YMCA. That fascinated me because it is the antithesis of my position on the issue. Certainly this piece of hearsay fits the above definition of a rumor it is of uncertain origin (though I would love to know...), was spread by word of mouth (at least to me), and is definitely unverified. No one who knows me and has asked me my opinion on this issue would have uttered this bit of buzz. Yes, it is a rumor, and in this case the rumor is somewhat funny, decidedly untrue, and probably innocent, but still insidi- ous. Falsely attributing an opinion to a per- son in a position to have an impact on a particular issue can be harmful in any number of ways. In this instance, the most worrisome harm, although quite extreme, could be the loss of interest on the part of YMCA executives in nego- tiating with the City, if and when the property in question does become avail- Rage 2 able for purchase. So to avoid that ca- lamity, let me here and now state un- equivocally that I am very much in fa- vor of purchasing the YMCA property, if and when it becomes available, to add much needed amenities for our youth sports organizations and the Parks and Recreation Department. If anyone tells you otherwise, please set him or her straight. As to the bigger question of rumors in our fair city in general, let me offer this answer: Ask. Verify. Make certain. Before passing it along. Anyone living in the public eye will thank you. The million dollar question By: Council Member Cindy Neal It is with great anticipation and a sense of excitement that I assume my position on City Council. The new council has emerged unbruised from our uncontested "election", perhaps be- cause of late there has been no single issue to stir up more citizens' involve- ment. One month into our tenure, how- ever, a proposal to build an "Assisted Living Facility" within the city limits of West U has provided our first con- troversy, and I am reminded of the im- portance of communication-both GIVING and RECEIVING informa- tion. Everyone is busy, with every minute scheduled. Though West U is a peace- ful place to live, we all spend lots of time "going places" and "doing things", and it is clear that very few of us read any more-perhaps magazines, seldom the newspaper, hardly ever a book! Short of putting West U's own public service announcements on TV during Oprah, we may never get certain infor- mation to you. What if we have some- thing really important to say? Each month, the City Currents con- tains information that is relevant to West U residents. While many of us read the Village News, just as many of us leave it in the yard until trash day. And did you know there are announcements printed on our monthly water bills? After four years of publicizing changes in the recycling program, though, I know that not everyone is paying atten- tion. How can we reach you? I ask this question, not rhetorically, because I think open, two-way communication is an important key to the city's, and City Council's, success. We don't operate in a vacuum! As I meet people and talk about issues in West U which are im- Continued on page 6 - Mayor Teresa Fogler: 662.5801 Tony Davis: 662.5808 Cindy Neal: 662.5847 Cindy Sparkman: 662.5848 Patrick Starich: 662.5889 Or you can contact them via e-mail. The addresses use the city's domain name (ci.west-university-place.tx.us) with the user name. For example, mayor Teresa Fogler can be reached at <tfogler@ci.west-university- place.tx.us). Council Members can be reached at the following addresses: Patrick Starich <starich...>, Cindy Sparkman <cdspark...>, and Cindy Neal <ckneal...>. Council Member Tony Davis will be on line soon. City Currents is published monthly by the City of West University Place, Texas Mayor Teresa Fogler City Council Members Tony Davis, Cindy Neal, Cindy Sparkman, Patrick Starich City Currents welcomes your contributions. Forward material to 3800 University Boulevard, Houston, TX 77005, c/o Thelma Lenz by the loth of the month preceding publication. Geperal tnformatiou: 66 jJt CIt r .nager Sher€n .nom 66 581QP e Mail sF€hl@ g wes university-hlaee.i7.€IS d"'Oty Life Page 3 Back to School Luau c r Don't forget to mark your calendars for the August back to school luau. The teen dance/swim party for grades six through nine will have pool games, prizes, refreshments, a DJ, and more on August 23rd at Colonial Park. Notice of meeting chap The City Council will meet on the third and fourth (18th and 25th) Mon- days in August in lieu of the regularly scheduled second and fourth Mondays. D E3 2 D D 'I i_"; a E E t t' '-"t` J t 'r'r? l ~r`Fa e r g E~[ G E t o' e Cz TCt7?b' l/tltillC.S' to a KttyiizE3nd <n Gretta Jle.iderson fol' purchasing apui'pavei- and contributin )300 to the 6 1,17. U Pt l*s PitFTd e For a cost of >300 per paver, yoza too ca zz o become a C9'est U Paid; Paa-f;zer. For ruor e _M o ormauon, call atar R. Sprasllin,, e n 62 , ` C E- E E E E E, .'D E E Qd El L: 3 Become a West Volunteer If you are interested in serving your community, volunteer to serve on one of the various boards, commissions or committees that aid our city govern- ment. We are now taking applications. So if you are asking yourself what you can do to become more involved, here is the answer. To obtain an application, or to find out more, call City Secretary Kaylynn Holloway at 662.5813. ® - ® Many questions and comments were received in response to the Citizen Sur- vey mailed out early this year, so we have decided to publish a few each month. Question: Are there any ordinances which fine/punish homeowners who do not maintain their property? If not, there sure should be! Answer: The City actually has three codes of ordinances that regulate the condition of property and structures. The Standard Housing Code sets the minimum standards for occupancy of a residence. Chapter 6, Subchapter E, Dangerous and Hazardous Buildings, deals with buildings that become run- down and decayed and are considered a nuisance or health hazard. Chapter 12, Subchapter B, Condition of Private Property, regulates the accumulation of trash and debris, weeds and grass, and standing water. Steve Salyer, Health Inspector Comment: Need stop sign at corner of Rice Boulevard and West Point, es- pecially now that streets are smoothly paved. Response: The City has criteria for establishing multi-way (4-way) stops that are based on State of Texas Guide- lines. We will conduct a traffic count to see if that intersection qualifies for a multi-way stop. Stephen Griffith, Police Chief Question: Will you provide more in- formation regarding large trash pick- up service? What is available and how do residents use the service? Do chari- ties ever ask the City for garage sale items? Answer: The City does not have the capacity to pick up large household items, construction debris, etc. Respon- sibility for disposing of such items rests on the resident. The majority of the time, residents opt to have the compa- nies they are dealing with haul the ma- terial or item away as the project con- cludes or when an appliance is replaced. If residents become stuck with mate- rial for one reason or another, we sug- gest they look in the Green Sheet for light hauling or contact a charitable or- ganization for possible pickup. Charitable organizations have become particular about what they will pick up, but if the machine or appliance is still functional, they will respond. The City does have two cleanup days each year for heavy trash pickup. If a resident can store the items, they can bring them to 3700 Milton in April (last Saturday) and October (last Saturday) for disposal. If you need more information, please call 713.662.5839. Jerry Burns, Deputy Director of Public Works Get with the program Registration for Session III of the Streamline Stretch Fitness class is be- ing accepted. This one-hour class is the ideal three-way body workout. It works all major muscle groups using Asana (Yoga) stretching, conditioning floorwork exercises, and an abdominal workout. Session III begins August 4 and ends September 10, Monday and Wednesday 10:00 - 11:00 A.M. or 7:00 - 8:00 P.M. Class will be instructed by Marlena Groomer at a cost of $45/$50NR. Sports a more ca There's still time to reg- ister for Sessions IV (July 14 -25) and V (July 28 - August 8). Camp is from 8:30 A.M. to 1:30 P.M., Monday-Friday. All two-week sessions will consist of a variety of sports, including soc- cer, baseball, kickball, golf, floor hockey, football, wiffleball, and more. The cost is $125/$135rix. Call 662.5892 for more information. 4 EwLoYEE SPOTLIGHT West U schools once i district it own Kathleen Jones works in the Police Department as the Alarm Coordinator and Records Secretary. Although she is a relatively new employee, she feels that she is "at home" working for our community. A few years ago, Kathleen worked for Channel 13 across the street from West U. Her husband, Don, still works in the production department. She is the mother of two children, Donall and Kelinda and is an avid "Scouter" hold- ing positions of responsibility in both Boy and Girl Scouts. To the Police Department, Kathleen brings years of previous experience as a credit manager. "Kathleen has shown exceptional ability with computer sys- tems and filing structures" said Police Chief Steve Griffith. "We consider our- selves fortunate to have her services." Kathleen's primary responsibilities include setting up the administrative record system for Direct Link (the new alarm-monitoring program), maintain- ing the residential database in the new software, and coordinating the sched- uling activities of our alarm consultant. Kathleen is also responsible for all alarm permits, whether it be through the City or an outside service. As if that wasn't enough for any one person, Kathleen also does the every- day, run-of-the-mill work. She coordi- nates monthly billing activity and man- ages the myriad of reporting that serves Children of the first homeowners in West U attended the Platt School, which was part of the Harris County School system. In the early 1920's, there were about 30 students in grades 1 through 7. The school was located on a narrow shell- topped road called 1 lth Street just east of Reynolds Drive. Eleventh Street was renamed Bissonnet Drive and Reynolds Drive was renamed Kirby Drive. The old school building still stands, and is now the home of the Live Oak Veteri- narian Clinic. In 1924, the West University Place Independent School District was orga- nized. WUP residents passed a $55,000 bond proposal to build a school, and the school building closest to the corner of Edloe and University Boulevard was built in 1925. There were 50 children attending the school in the first year. By 1928, there were 250 students, and this necessitated building a second school just to the west, called Pershing Junior High. The new building housed 7th, 8th and 9th graders. Residents, uneasy about financing the school district, voted in late 1928 to dis- solve the WUP Independent School Dis- trict, and give the two buildings to the Houston Independent School District. By 1948, the two schools were burst- ing at the seams, with 1,730 students en- rolled. In the following year, the new Pershing Junior High School opened on Braes Boulevard, and the campus on University Boulevard became an el- ementary school. For information about joining the West University Place Historical Soci- ety, call June Begeman at 666.5721. Direct Link - continued from page 1- In addition, according to Griffith, the City is going to provide its customers with an open and honest relationship. "We will never lock out a system," said Griffith. "Any resident who chooses to have his or her alarm moni- tored by an outside company is free to do so." Griffith was referring to a common industry practice of installing a lock out code in the alarm panel. These codes are a series of numbers that prevent the owner of the alarm panel from chang- ing monitoring companies. The system will be priced to allow the city to cover initial capital and ongoing operational costs. City Council is com- mitted to reviewing these costs annu- ally and permit fees will be adjusted accordingly on an annual basis. a critical function of the police depart- ment - for example, offense, arrest and activity reports. If you want to utilize our Direct Link program for your home alarm system, you will have the opportunity to talk with Kathleen @ 713.662.5860. Finally, the City's goal is to provide the best service possible. By respond- ing directly to a call, the City can offer a service that no other alarm company can match. To date, the City has spent about $125,000 on new equipment and back- up systems to get the program opera- tional. Monthly permit fees for the di- rect link will be $25.00 in addition to any equipment that a homeowner will need to purchase for home security. How do you get DirectLink? Griffith is encouraging residents to be patient. "We've had a tremendous response to our initial mailing," said Griffith. The City's plan is to do small phased mailings to residents over the next sev- eral months. With only one contractor available to review existing systems, it is impossible to handle a large number of requests at one time. Of course, if you have a unique situa- tion such as a new home or an immedi- ate need to establish or change service,`., we will handle those requests. For information, call Kathleen Jones at the DirectLink hotline at 713.662.5860. Police Blotter Page 5 May, 1997 ® 7 0. Failure to stop and give information 4100Amherst- May 30. Residents discovered that their 1995 Buick was hit by an unknown vehicle while parked in the street. Case still pending. 5800 Kirby-May 17. Resi- dents leaving a business wit- nessed a vehicle hit their car then leave the parking lot. The resi- dent wrote down the license plate number of the vehicle and later contacted the owner. 2600 Centenary-May 8. Resident discovered that someone had struck his car while it was parked in the street. No witnesses or suspects. Criminal Mischief 6600 Rutgers-May 21. Residents discovered vehicle's rear window bro- ken. Nothing of value taken. No sus- pects or witnesses. 4000Anzherst--May 9. Resident ob- served an unknown white female drive into the neighbor's driveway. A few minutes later, the resident noticed the same female walking around the neighbor's backyard and then heard glass breaking. After investigating the noises, it was discovered that many pot- ted plants were broken and several ap- peared to have been thrown at the house, breaking a window. Case is still pending. 6700 Vanderbilt-May 9. Residents discovered a flat tire on their vehicle and noticed that the tire had a cut on the sidewall. No witnesses. 6200 Edloe-May 6. Resident dis- covered a broken passenger side win- dow on vehicle. Nothing of value was taken. No suspects or witnesses. Aggravated Robbery 6500 Fairhaven-May 24. Resident was walking north on Fairhaven when three Hispanic males in a a dark col- ored vehicle stopped and demanded his wallet. They were dressed in dark cloth- ing and also had ski type hats on. The suspects left east on Riley going toward Weslayan. Theft 2600 Fenwood-May 29. Resident reported parking a bi- cycle on the front porch of resi- dence, unsecured, and discov- ered it missing early the next morning. No witnesses or sus- pects. 4200 Swarthmore-May 27. Resident reported leaving a lawn mower outside for the Salvation Army and discovered that it was taken before the Salvation Army was able to pick it up. No sus- pects or witnesses. 6400 Mercer-May 18. Resident dis- covered several lawn ornaments miss- ing from yard. The side chain link fence was cut, allowing someone to reach through the fence and take the lawn decorations. No suspects or witnesses in this case. 3700 University-May 14. Resident discovered secured bicycle gone from a bike rack at the school. No witnesses or suspects. 2700 Werlein-May 12. Resident re- ported that checks ordered were never delivered to her address. None of the missing checks have been passed at this reporting. No suspects or witnesses. Burglary of a Motor Vehicle 3500 Georgetown-May 23. Resident reported that car was broken into and a cellular phone was taken. The driver's side window was broken. No witnesses or suspects. 2600 Bissonnet-May 13. Local busi- ness employee reported that his car was burglarized. There were no signs of forced entry into the vehicle. An Al- pine AM/FM compact disc player was removed from the dash and the contents of the glove box were also removed. No suspects or witnesses. 2700 Nottingham-May 12. Resi- c ' sC Recently one of the most serious crimes that we have had the misfor- tune of experiencing in West Univer- sity Place occurred. A couple of people were followed home and as they were getting out of their car, two sus- pects ran up their driveway and robbed them at gunpoint. Our detectives have caught one ofthe suspects and charges have been filed. But that is not the end of this story.' Thanks to the tenacity of one of the residents involved in this incident, Laurie Gobillot, we are getting an op- portunity to look at what we can do to reduce crimes such as this one. City Council has appointed a crime preven- tion task force to study the issue, de- fine the problem and determine a pro- cess for finding solutions. Our thanks to Laurie and the City Council. Steve Griffith, Chief of Police) dent reported that vehicle was broken into and a small amount of change was taken. No suspects or witnesses. 6400 Rutgers-May 7. Resident re- ported that while picking up her child in school, she left her purse unsecured in her vehicle and discovered it miss- ing when she returned. No witnesses or suspects. Forgery/Credit Card Abuse 3800 South western-May 31. Resi- dent reported not receiving a bank Visa card after receiving a call from the bank which inquired about a transaction on the account. Case is still pending. 2700 Wroxton-May 8. Resident re- ported not receiving a replacement credit card after the old one expired. The resident called the credit card com- pany and was told that the card had been sent and that a large purchase was charged to the account. Case is still pending. At the same location, another resident reported not receiving a re- placement credit card, and learned that Page 6; Police Blotter - continued from page S- it also had been used for numerous pur- chases. Case still pending. 3100 Georgetown-May 6. Resident reported ordering two boxes of checks from the bank but only receiving one box. Resident also discovered that 5 forged checks had already been written on the account. Case is still pending. 6400 Belmont--May 2. Residents re- ported that the bank called to advise about several overdrawn checks. The residents discovered that the bank sent a new box of checks to their address, but the checks were never received. Case is still pending. 3900 Oberlin-May 5. Resident called bank to inquire about check or- der. The same day the resident received a call from a mall merchant inquiring about a large purchase. The store em- ployee advised that a black male left the location without any merchandise. Case is still pending. 4200 Lehigh-May 8. Resident re- ported not receiving replacement checks that were ordered several weeks before. The resident discovered that one of the checks was cashed at a local business. At this reporting, case is still pending. On the same block, another resident reported checks not delivered and someone had written several checks on the account. This case is pending. 3800 Riley-May 28. Residents re- ported never receiving checks after they were ordered from the bank. Residents discovered that the account opened was already receiving forged checks back. Case is still pending. Burglary o Habitation 4200 Swarthmore-May 27. Resi- dent reported that a bicycle was taken out of garage. The resident's garage was left open and the bicycle was not secured inside. No suspects or wit- nesses. 4100 Rice-May 26. Resident re- ported that a bicycle was taken from an attached garage. The resident re- ported leaving the garage door open while in the backyard. The bicycle was not secured inside the garage. No sus- pects or witnesses. 4000 Villanova-May 22. Resident returning home discovered a broken window in the bedroom and computer equipment missing from a desk. This case is still pending. 2700 Wroxton-May 20. Resident discovered back door kicked in. The wooden frame of the door had been shattered. Several items of value were taken from the house. A book of checks, a VCR, compact disc player, cordless phone/answering machine, and other miscellaneous items were missing. No witnesses or suspects. 3700 Plumb-May 20. Resident dis- covered that rear French doors had been kicked in. Resident noticed silver miss- ing from a kitchen drawer and also some jewelry missing. No witnesses or suspects in this case. Park Lovers need your help The Friends of West U Parks have begun planning for the 1998 Park Lover's Ball and need your help in lo- cating a wine vendor. If you or some- one you know could recommend a reputable wine vendor, please give Theresa Atwell a call at 713.667.0466. U G 3 G G C 0 0 0 E 3 C: G 0 3 0 0 0 3 0 U _'tirfz r G _ a. r: a 0 0 0 a 0 0 3 G G L C. 0 G 0 0 0 O Q z Cindy Neal - continued from page 2- portant to me, I am often surprised at how little they know. During my ten- ure on City Council, I will do what I can to spread information, get people excited, and encourage involvement. I have always found that people are in- terested, and do care, when they have enough information. What can be done to reach people more effectively? Please let us know your ideas. In fact, use the voice mail and e-mail numbers from the second page. We look forward to hearing from you. 8_• As we promised, it's tough getting around town these days. As part of the infrastructure improvement project, streets are torn up and traffic rerouted Currently, University Boulevard ai Auden (pictured) are under reconstruc- tion and will be for most of the summer. Be patient - a smoother pavement is in your future. Page 7 I LL F-Al ® July 2, Wednesday ® July 11, Friday Some traditions just can't be overlooked. It's the annual Hot Dog Party. There'll be entertainment and, of course, hot dogs with all the trim- mings. We might park at the elementary school and ferry everyone over by van. 11:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. $4. ® July 9, Wednesday Today we are beginning a four part se- ries on flower arrangement. Each seg- ment will focus on one of the following styles: Oriental, European, American, and Junk Yard Dog (found objects). Not only will there be audience participa- tion, but one of the arrangements will be raffled off as a door prize. Other -lates for the series are July 16, July 23, ad July 30. 10:30 A.M. - ' NOON. $5 for each session. If possible, please pay for all sessions up front. In continuing with our antique trek around town, today we will visit Carolyn Thompson's An- tique Center of Texas. Located just off Old Katy Road, this is one of Houston's largest centers with over 200 dealers and a lunch counter! 9:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.m. ® July 22, 'T'uesday Our informative Temple Tour will en- hance our knowledge of world religions. This morning we will tour the 2600 year old Jain Society. After lunch in Pearland, our travels will take us to the Hindu temple, Sri Meenakshi. 9:30 A.M. - 4:30 P.m. $15. ® July 23, Monday For a change of pace, we will go way out Westheimer to check out the re- cently opened Coomer's Craft Mall. If you are interested in crafts, this is a trip you won't want to miss. If the group desires, we'll stop for lunch. 10:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M. Free. Please call 713.662.5895 for more information or to make reservations to attend any of these events. City Currents has new editor Thelma Lenz, Administrative Secretary in the City Manager's office, is the new editor-in-chief of City Currents Former editor, Police Chief Steve Griffith, did an outstanding job during his years as editor and his assistance in the transition has been greatly appreciated. Thanks, Chief! The S Page R Sunday Monday Tuesday rvednesday I hursday k riday Saturday Friends W. U. @ 6:30 i f C Building & Standards -a,, 4th of July Bike P.M. n on erence Commission @6:30 .Patade and Pool Room. P.M. in the Conference Party Room Parks Board @ 7:30 City Offices P.M. in Conference Closed 1 Room 2 3 4 5 Seniors Flower Zoning and Planning Senior's trip to Arrangement Series, Commission @7:00 CarolynThompson's Part I P.m. in the Conference Antique Center o Room Texas, 9:30 - 1:30. 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Council Workshop Seniors Flower Zoning Board of @ 6:30 Pm Arrangement Series Adjustment @6:30 P.M. Conference Room Part II in the Council Chambers. Council Meeting @ 7:30 PM 13 Council Chamber 14 15 16 17 18 19 Seniors Flower Cardboard Recycling Seniors Temple Arrangement Series Drop-off, 8:00 AM to Tour, 9:30 - 4:30. Part III NOON, behind Police Station 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Council Workshop Seniors Flower @ 6:30 PM, Arrangement Series Conference Room Part IV Council Meeting @ 7:30 PM 27 Council Chamber 28 29 30 31 City of West University Place - 3800 University Boulevard Houston, Texas 77005 BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 600 Houston, TX