Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutJuly~ ~ TUN Volume 26, No. 7 July 199 Priorities set for next two years The West U City Council established five strategic priorities during its team building and planning advance held on June 5. Priorities for the Council over the next two years are to enhance public safety, improve municipal services, maintain economic security, improve communications with residents and board members, and develop at least one new annual community wide event. Councilmembers also believe that they have an obligation to develop citi- zenship in the community and provide an interface between the community and the City staff. In order to address the priorities, the D0- wuo-% ever West U residents have spoken. e Over 2,350 households, about 42% of the total, responded to the recent community survey conducted with the assistance of Dr. Richard Murray of the University of Houston. Crime and public safety, streets and sidewalks, and controlling traffic and speeding led the list of issues residents want City government to focus on over the next one to two years. These is- sues accounted for more than 65% of the responses to an open-ended ques- tion that led the survey. While 63% of the respondents be- lieve crime is low or very low, 43% of the residents believe crime is increasing in West U. Over 70% of the respon- dents favor hiring three additional po- lice officers, even if it means that the local property tax rate would have to be increased. Over three quarters of the residents support increasing the number of street lights with 71% supporting the installa- tion of new pedestrian level lighting. Between 75% and 83% believe bro- ken and missing sidewalks are a prob- lem with 43% saying that the responsi- Council will: review police staffing lev- els, establish a lighting and sidewalk plan, develop partnerships between citi- zens and public safety employees, re- duce the infrastructure construction schedule by a minimum of three years, develop a long range plan for Colonial Park and the YMCA, leverage City funds with other funding sources, pre- pare and distribute an annual report of accomplishments, enhance the City's website and ability to access public in- formation and host at least three town meetings per year. Progress will be monitored quarterly and the status reported at City Council meetings. lave opinions bility for repairing or installing sidewalks should rest with homeowners and 39% saying the City should take over respon- sibility. (Opinions - continuedfrom p. 4) The erwelope s.®®® The Greater Southwest ot- " Houston Chamber of Com- merce honored June Begeman on June 16 by naming her West U Citizen of the Year. Begeman was one of 12 residents rec- ognized for their outstanding voluntary contributions to benefit their community. She currently serves as Historical Re- search Officer of the West University Place Historical Society and is an au- thor, genealogist, and historian who has resided in West U with her husband Sammy since 1988. She has previously written histories of the ferryboats in the Baytown area and the Exxon Baytown Refinery as well as authored numerous magazine articles on the history of West U. She has just completed her latest book Stepping Back in Time: History of West University Place. Congratulations, June Begeman on being named West U Citizen of the Year. Hot, hot, hot West U is the winner of the " I Inside Houston magazine's 1999 Reader's Choice Awards for Hottest Neighbor- hood. ® The June edition describes West U as a little taste of the suburbs, smack dab in the middle of the city. Its own city, the neighborhood streets are lined with a canopy of trees and colonial brick homes. Kids play in the yards, and neighbors know each by name. Stores, shops and restaurants are all within walking distance, and the free- way, downtown, the Galleria and Greenway Plaza are just a short drive away. Voted Houston's Hottest Neigh- borhood, West University is a testa- ment to the adage, "The more things change, the more they stay the same. " Thanks, Inside Houston. But we knew it all along. News some can use There is no requirement for homeowners to connect to new sewer and water lines in priority Area 6B un- til the project is completed. Comple- tion is scheduled for July of 2000. At that time, Edward Menville, the Direc- tor of Public Works, will send a letter to each resident advising them of this requirement. Each homeowner will then be allowed at least six months to make the transition. Priority Area 6B is bounded by Auden on the west, Bissonnet on the north, Edloe on the east and Georgetown on the south. o Calendar of eklento d ® City Life 3 m Employ Spotlight 4 Inside Council Chambers 2 ® Ordinance Spotlight 3 Police Blotter ® Senior Calender 7 Inside Council Chambers Page 2 Awn 5F~m em X"Id On a recent Saturday, Council mem- bers spent a day putting our heads to- gether to determine what ideas we shared and how we could consolidate those into an effective work plan for the next two years. I was pleasantly sur- prised that the five of us found it not too difficult to agree, and I would like to share with you the goals we set for this Council to accomplish. Our desires were influenced by input from neigh- bors during our individual campaign ef- forts, consideration of what our prede- cessors tried to accomplish, and infor- mation from the surveys which many of you answered. I hope, in reviewing our goals you will find one (or several) that satisfies your own area of interest. Council's mission is to keep West U a livable urban community of fami- lies, enjoying the small town virtues of neighborliness, safety and commu- nity pride with a well-managed, re- sponsive government that plans for the future. To accomplish that, we plan to focus on enhancing public safety, Ved By: Mayor Linda Lewis maximizing municipal services, maintain- ing economic security and improving communications. As time goes on, we will elaborate on all these areas; for now, let me share with you where we are. Public Safety - Already we have be- gun the process of establishing protocol for reviewing and analyzing traffic prob- lems such as speeding and cut through traffic. Councilmember Dr. Bertini has agreed to champion efforts in this area, and so far he has done a wonderful job of collecting data and coordinating ideas. A citizen task force is working with him and staff to design and implement pro- cedures. Municipal Services - Council, staff and consultants have agreed that speed- ing up infrastructure improvements is not only possible but desirable. If all goes well, that project should be completed in the next four years thus eliminating more than three years from the original plan. Councilmember Ballanfant is our cheerleader for this effort. Also in this area, Council recognized the need for long range parks planning and has authorized the Friends of West U Parks and the Parks and Recreation Board to proceed in that effort. Plans will be paid for with funds from the Friends. Communications - June 21 we held the first of our Town Meetings which we hope will become an effective fo- rum for sharing ideas. No matter how hard we try to improve communications, our efforts will mean nothing if our neigh- bors don't participate. Better communication with our vol- unteers is a priority and to that end, each Council member will act as a liaison with appointed boards and commissions to ensure that Council and volunteers are headed in the same direction. As you can see, our plate is full, and we are excited about moving forward in ways that reflect the wishes of our neighbors. Our success depends on you, so help us out by responding and keep- ing informed. -.1;iructu re ri r e fc- L! by Council Member Burt Ballanfant On November 7, 1995, the citizens of West U overwhelmingly approved a $63 million bond referendum to finance the replacement of the deteriorating water, sanitary sewer, drainage and street sys- tems. Previous projects addressing emergency situations in the City had been necessary before that. Recently we had to appropriate emergency funds to address a sewer failure in the Tangley-Plumb area. This failed sewer situation underscores the wisdom of the voters' action in 1995 of addressing a deteriorating infrastructure in a proac- tive fashion, rather than in a reactive manner. lion expenditure to initiate this project, due to lower interest rates, tax value added by new construction, and higher property valuations that the tax rate needed to amortize the infrastructure and pay for ongoing city operations will top out at $0.47 or $0.48 per $100.00 valuation. The city taxpayers have greatly benefited from underlying na- tional and local economic trends. After the recent city election, the newly elected Mayor and Council re- quested the city staff to determine whether the infrastructure project could be accelerated and at what cost. The staff and consulting engineer reported (Infrastructure - continued on p. 6) The infrastructure project was based on recommendations at that time of a Bond Committee appointed by City Council. After reviewing several con- struction schedules, the original Bond Committee selected a 10-year sched- ule to end in mid-2008. The Bond Com- mittee anticipated that $5 million dollars in accumulated reserves would initially be spent before bond money would be used. Based upon that premise, the Bond Committee proposed that tax in- crease would top out at $0.58 per $100.00 of assessed valuation. By vote of prior Councils, the greater proportion of the $5 million was spent on other city projects. Now it appears that even af- ter absorbing the unanticipated $5 mil- The City of West University Place, Texas Mayor Linda Lewis (713.662.5801) City Council Members Burt Ballanfant (713.662.5847), John Bertini (713.662.5808), John K. Grubb (713.662.5848), Bill May (713.662.5889) City Currents welcomes your contributions. Forward material to City Currents, 3800 University Boulevard, West University Place, TX 77005, by the 10th of the month preceding publication. General Information: 713.668.4441® City Manager Sherman Yehl: 713.662.5810; e-mail: syehl@ci.west-university-prlace.tx.us Visit us on the World Wide Web at <www.ci.west-university place.tx.us> City Life Summer Ca and Class Information We still have off.- , openings in Summer Camp 1999 Sessions IV and V, Racquet and More Camp and Sports and More Camp. Register now at the Community Building, 6104 Auden. If you need additional information, please call 713.662-5892. Summer Camp 1999 (ages 5-10) Days/Time: Monday - Thursday 8:30 AM -1: 30 PM Sessions: IV: July 12-22; V: July 26 - Aug. 5 Fees: $125/$135NR Racquet Ec More Camp (ages 7-12) Days/Time: Monday - Thursday 8:30 AM -1: 30 pm Sessions: IV: July 12-22; V: July 26-Aug. 5 Fees: $125/$135NR Sports More Camp (ages 7-12) Days/Time: Monday - Friday 8:30 AM -1: 30 pm Sessions: IV: July 13-17; V: July 27- Aug. 6 Fees: $1401$150NR Independence Day i Parade and Pool Party 47 i Decorate your bi- ~r cycles, tricycles, mini- cars and strollers. Chil- dren of all ages are in- vited to participate in the Independence Day Bike Parade to Colonial Park. The parade will line up in front of West U. Elementary on University Boulevard at 9:45 AM Saturday, July 31. The parade will begin at 10:00 AM, proceed west down University, turn south on Academy and then turn west on Byron to Colonial Park Pool, 4130 Byron. After the parade, join us at Colonial Park Pool for a refreshing dip. Pool games will begin at 12:00 Noon. There will be plenty of food, fun and festivi- ties for everyone! For more informa- tion, please call 713.662.5892. Page 3 This month's ordinance spotlight is.. Not exactly the Bermuda 1 ~ Houston's summertime heat and humidity encourages amazing growth spurts in most plants and bushes. Keeping bushes and trees trimmed is for many a time consuming task. However, before you begin procrastinating about trim- ming the greens, please note that West U has a few rules which may provide you with the urge to reach for the shears: ® It is unlawful for any person to plant, grow or maintain any plant, except a tree, within a visibility triangle, if the plant has (or probably will have) a height greater than three feet above the street gutter flow line. ® It is unlawful for any person to plant, grow or maintain a tree which has branches or foliage within or above a visibility triangle at a height lower than fifteen feet above the street gutter flow line. ® The City has authority to remove prohibited growth in the visibility triangle. In case you were wondering, a visibility triangle is the area at a street cor- ner lying within a triangle beginning at the precise intersection point of the curbs of each of the two streets forming the corner and extending twenty feet along each curb line away from the curb intersection point. The third side of the triangle is formed by drawing a straight ' line connecting the ends of the twenty foot extensions Relax with Yoga Yoga provides a way for students to develop flexibil- ity, strength and mental focus. The class alternates postures and relaxation, allowing students to work at their own pace. Yoga also works on internal or- gan health and the nervous system. Students will leave class with more en- ergy and in a relaxed state of mind. Register for Yoga class at the Commu- nity Building, 6104 Auden. For more information, please call 713.662.5892. Day: Tuesday Time: 5:30 - 6:55 PM Session: July 13-August 31 Fees: $55/$65NR Location: Senior Room Instructor: Sharon Siefert Park Lovers Pall 2000 The Friends of West University Place Parks Fund, Inc. are proud to have Ayse and Grant McCracken as co-chairs of the Park Lovers Ball in February 2000! Join the fun! Committees are now forming for invitations, decorations, auction solicitation and auction check out! The ball raises over $100,000 a year for the refurbishing of old parks and purchasing new greenspace. Get involved, meet people and he a part of this fabulous event. For more information call fti5torically ~Spoaking.. .Since the West U Historical Society began in 1993, it has been accumulating historic items for its archives. Long-time residents have been generous in sharing old photographs, deeds, old newspapers and other memorabilia. The City of West U has also donated hundreds of old pho- tographs. Historical materials have been displayed at three Historical Exhibits sponsored by the Historical Society over the past six years. In the near future, the Historical Society will coordinate with the City in a permanent display of old photographs and other memorabilia in the City Hall and Community Center. The space to store the historical ar- chives has long been a problem for the Historical Society. The Public Works Department donated a portion of their climate-controlled storage building two years ago. As the collection grows, the need for storage increases. Recently, area resident Peter Morris donated stor- age space in his new self-storage facil- ity, BullsEye Storage, located on High- way 59 between Kirby and Greenbriar. The storage unit is climate-controlled, en- suring that the archives will be safe- guarded against Houston's treacherous summer heat and humidity. We greatly appreciate Mr. Morris' generosity. If you have something of historic value you wish to donate to our archives, please telephone Archive Officer Gail McKinnon at 713.668.6372. Page 4 SPOTLIGHT This month's Employee in the Spot- light is Sergeant Kenneth Macha. Ken joined the West U police department in July 1988, beginning his career as a patrol officer. After spending a few years on the street, he was assigned to the detective division. In August, 1998 Ken was promoted to Sergeant and is currently in charge of the detective di- vision. What interests Ken most in his cur- rent position is the "variety of cases that I get to investigate." Ken says that the most rewarding part of his job is "when a case gets solved, you know you re- ally accomplished something. It's re- ally nice to be able to tell the complain- ant that the suspect is in jail or that their property has been found. The citizens really appreciate it." Recently, Ken has been working with other law enforcement profession- als throughout the state on apprehend- ing Rafeal Resendez-Ramierz. Ken resides with his wife and son in Fort Bend County. When not consumed with work, Ken enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf and target shooting. "It is wonderful to have an individual like Ken working in the police depart- ment. His sincere concern and com- passion for the citizens in West U is one of his best attributes," says Police Chief Garv Brve. This month's Employee in the Spotlight is Ser- geant Kenneth Macha. tsuckle up'. As summertime ap- ®a proaches, our thoughts - turn to vacation. Many of us will be driving to our summer destinations. With that thought in mind, we at the West U Police De- partment would like to remind you to buckle up! Most accidents happen close to home. When you are in a car for several hours it becomes very tempting to unbuckle and stretch out, especially if you are on a long or deserted stretch of highway. However, unbuckling could be the dead- liest thing you ever do. Think of it this way. Blink your eyes twice. Before you get in that second blink you or a family member could have their life destroyed in a car accident. They happen that fast. Many things can contribute to or change the outcome of an accident. Wearing your seatbelt is a great way to put the odds back in your favor. It's not just the law - it's a good idea! If you are a West U Senior or housebound resident, would you be interested in receiving a computer generated phone cat[ every day to check on your well-being. We're taking a straw poll and need your input. Please call 713.662.5895 for more information and to share your Mcriking your life < Wednesday's curbside re- cycling just got a whole lot easier with new guidelines put into place by the City's Public Works Department. According to Public Works Director Edward Menville, beginning in July resi- dents will no longer have to separate bottles and aluminum. In addition, the City will begin collecting cardboard, #1 and #2 plastic, and bi-metal cans. Plas- tics, cans, and bottles can all be placed in the same paper bag. Cardboard can be placed in a bag as well or folded and stacked by the curb. There is no change in paper recycling. Continue to place (Opinions - continued from p. 1) While large percentages believe cut- through traffic (79%) and speeding (83%) are problems, residents are mixed on solutions. There is strong opposition to the installation of speed humps (75% opposed), developing raised intersections (63% opposed); extending curbs at mid- block (63% opposed), or installing traf- fic diverters (61 % opposed). Residents say the police are doing a good job en- forcing speed limits (71%), but only 42% rate them as doing a good job enforcing parking regulations. Fifteen percent be- lieve the police are too strict while 19% believe the officers are too lenient with these laws. Regarding walking and jogging in the streets, 13% believe it to be a big problem, but 51 % say it's not a problem at all. By a margin of 44% to 36% resi- dents don't believe the City should con- struct an animal recreation facility at the City's wastewater treatment plant, and the remaining 20% are not sure if the facility should be constructed. About 13% of residents say they would use the facility for their dogs if it were built. City Manager Sherman Yehl says he was pleased with the number of re- sponses to the survey. "Based on the percentage of respon- dents," Yehl said, "we can have a very high confidence level that these are the issues on the minds of our residents." A summary of survey results is available at the West U Harris County Branch Library and on the internet at www ci west-universitvy-place.tx.us. Reml*nder C; Residents interested in serv- ing on the West U boards and commissions need to apply before August 1. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact Kaylynn Holloway at 713.662.5813 or kayh@ci.west-unt- versity-place.tx.us. easier ®lice Blotter Page 5 May, 1999 0% m unme up close Burglary of a Building 6700 Westchester - May 7. An indi- vidual reported that someone had at- tempted to break into an unoccupied town home. The suspect(s) first tried to knock off the front door handle and remove the "guts". Then they tried to kick in the door leading to the,--- house from the garage without suc- cess. No suspects or witnesses; case pending further information. 2700 Fenwood - May 17. Resident reported that two bi- cycles, a woman's 18" dark blue Diamond and a men's 20" dark blue Scott, were missing from their detached ga- rage. Although the garage door is left open, the driveway gate is closed. No suspects or witnesses; case pending fur- ther information. 4000 Coleridge - May 17. Resident reported a bicycle missing from the ga- rage and an unknown bicycle left in the driveway. The freezer in the garage had been left open. The garage side door had been unlocked. No suspects or wit- nesses; case pending further informa- tion. 4100 Rice - May 24. Resident ad- vised that someone entered his detached garage through an unlocked side door from his fenced-in yard and took a men's 23" white Miyata 112 Mountain bike. No suspects or witnesses; case pending fur- ther information. Burglary of a Habitation 3500 Plumb - May 3. Resident work- ing in her yard discovered a woman on her hands and knees inside her garage. When asked why she was there, the sus- pect said she was looking for her dog. She was told to leave and asked where she worked. While walking away, the suspect indicated a neighbor's house. The resident knew this was not true. The resident called her neighbor and had her contact the police while she at- tempted to follow the suspect in her car. She lost sight of the woman. Some workers on Tangley said she got in a dark green car, possibly a Ford Taurus. The resident checked inside her home and discovered that the suspect had gone through the dresser drawers and a jew- elry box. Missing were a number of jew- elry pieces. Fingerprints were lifted from the surfaces touched. The suspect is a white female, approximately 40 years old, with olive skin and shoulder length curly/kinky dark-red hair. She is about - - 5'2" of light build and spoke with a "European" accent. Turned over to detectives for further investi- gation. 3500 Sunset - May 16. Resi- dent reported that while working in her front courtyard, someone pried open the lock on the gate leading to the back. Most of her jewelry and the sil- verware had been taken. No suspects or witnesses; case pending further in- formation. 6600 Vanderbilt - May 24. Residents reported that someone gained entry to their home through a rear window which had been broken out. A small strong box, evening bag and jewelry were miss- ing. Fingerprints were lifted for evi- dence. Turned over to the detectives for further investigation. 3900 Ruskin - May 24. Resident re- ported that someone entered his home through a side window which had been previously broken. Taken were a ste- reo system, computer, television, power drill and miscellaneous items. Finger- prints were lifted for evidence. Turned over to the detectives for further inves- tigation. Burglary of a Motor Vehicle 4000 Milton - May 26. Resident re- ported that someone had attempted to break into her vehicle. There were pry marks under the driver's door handle. The lock was damaged so that the key would not work from the outside. Noth- ing was missing from inside the car. No suspects or witnesses; case pending fur- ther information. Criminal Mischief 4100 Judson - May 1. Resident re- ported that someone had thrown eggs at the back of his house. A neighbor- ' Chiefs 4~ by r -CA-vra-zy 8*io, How many times a week do you an- swer the phone and listen to a tele- phone solicitor asking for money? They may tell you that they represent an overseas relief fund, a public safety entity, an environmental cause, or even a church group. Quite often I'm asked by residents how they should respond to these type calls and whether the call- ers are legitimate. I can tell you from experience that a majority of the call- ers are legitimate. But, determining who is or is not is a very difficult task. Might I offer some suggestions. First, it is your decision whether you talk with them or not. You can simply say you're not interested and hang up the phone. Secondly, if the caller is talk- ing about some issue that is of interest to you, you can listen and ask specific luestions such as, "Where will the money go? What are the administra- tive costs? How much has been col- lected for the cause?" Whatever you Jo, I strongly suggest that you never ;ive out your credit card number over .he phone. If the callers are not legiti- nate, you may be in for a rude awak- ;ning when your next bill comes in. Lastly, ask them for a telephone num- )er where they can be reached, or even )etter, ask them to send you some lit- ;rature concerning their organization. Do some research through the Better 3usiness Bureau. Remember, many if these companies are working for a ;ood cause, but don't get caught up in t scam. It's not worth the headache! Gary A. Brye hood juvenile and his parents were ques- tioned. The case is pending further in- formation. 3100 Amherst - May 2. Resident stated that unknown person(s) had writ- ten with caulk the word "Untouchables" across a garage window and his phone box. Three of his phone lines were not working. It was found that wires in his phone box had been cut. No suspects or witnesses; case pending further in- formation. (Blotter - continued on page 6) Page 6 (Blotter - continued from p. S) 3900 Oberlin - May 4. A foreman stated that someone had entered the house under construction and cut elec- trical wiring. He found that three of the main circuit wiring and several alarm contacts around the windows had been cut. The front door to the house was not locked. No suspects or witnesses; case pending further information. 3800 Riley'- May 12.' Resident re- ported that while her vehicle was parked in the driveway, someone punctured the tire. The tire repair shop personnel told her it looked as if an ice-pick had done the damage. One possible suspect was mentioned but not pursued. No additional suspects or witnesses; case pending fur- ther information. 6500 Vanderbilt - May 14. Resident advised that someone had egged her front door, sidewalk and car. Her dogs had barked the night before but she did not look out the window. She reported a few possible suspects. Turned over to the detectives for further investigation. 4200 Dartmouth - May 29. Resident reported that someone put nails into the side walls of three tires on his vehicle. No suspects or witnesses; case pend- ing further information. 2700 Carolina Way - May 31. Resi- dent returned home from a weekend away and found two flat tires on his vehicle. There is one possible suspect who will be interviewed. Turned over to the detectives for further investigation. Forgery/Credit Card Abuse 2600 Wroxton - May 5. Resident ad- vised that she had received a credit card statement that contained charges which were not hers. She found out that a credit card she requested had been mailed but had not been received. The card had been activated with her Social Security number and her mother's maiden name. Turned over to the de- tectives for further investigation. 4100 Cason - May 9. Resident re- ported that she received, a call from a - credit card company regarding unusual charges made on her account -in Great Britain. She never received the replace- ment card for the one which expired in May. Most of the charges made were mail order sales. Turned over to the de- tectives for further investigation. 2600 Wroxton - May 17. Resident advised that she never received her up- dated. credit card in the mail. Someone had used it for charges that were not hers. Turned over to the detectives for further investigation. 6400 Westchester - May 20. Resi- dent reported that she received a call from a credit call company today who advised her that someone had activated her new credit card using the last four digits of her husband's Social Security number. Turned over to the detectives for further investigation. 4200 Case - May 27. Resident re- ported that his credit card statement showed a transaction that wasn't his. The company informed him that a bank check had been cashed through his ac- count. The resident never received the checks. Turned over to the detectives for further investigation. Theft 4100 Rice - May 5. Resident reported that a bike left in his driveway overnight was missing. The entry gate to the drive was closed but not locked. The bike was a ladies Giant Farrago S3, green with creme colored accents. No sus- pects or witnesses; case pending fur- ther information. 2600 Robinhood - May 13. Resident advised that someone had removed his men's bicycle from the stationary con- verter on his back porch. The bike is blue with yellow lettering. On May 18, a found bicycle was identified as being the missing bike and was returned to the resident. Although recovered there are no suspects or witnesses; case pend- ing further information. 4000 Milton - May 14. New resident reported that someone had stolen sev- eral jewelry pieces from'a 66x in her briefcase. She believes that the men from the moving company may be re- sponsible. Turned over to the detec tives for further investigation. 4100 Dartmouth - May 19. Resident advised that during the last 1-112 years a total-of five turtles had been taken from his back yard. Since there has been new construction in the area, he felt that the crews may be suspect to the disappearances. A contractor in the area was approached about this prob- lem and he was to relay the resident's concern to the crews. Turned over to the detectives for further investigation. 5500 Auden - May 23. Resident re- ported that three pieces of jewelry were missing from a jewelry box on top of a dresser. Two movers were in his home from "Apartment Movers of Houston" who had access to the bedroom and were seen in that room at one point. The resident called one of the movers to dis- cuss the missing items but was told they didn't take anything. Turned over to the detectives for further investigation. 4000 Marlowe - May 31. Resident reported his bicycle missing. The bi- cycle, a Chrome Mongoose Villain Freestyle with pegs on the front and rear axles, was left next to his garage. No suspects or witnesses; case pending fur- ther information. (Infrastructure, continued from p. 2) that by adjusting the schedule, all infra- structure work could be completed by mid-2004. The advantage of deciding to proceed with. the accelerated plan include the accelerated replacement of roads in those parts of our city which have al- ready received the benefit of new wa- ter and sewer lines; the ability to accel- erate somewhat the replacement of the water and sewer systems of the neigh- borhoods which are in greatest need of improvement; the earlier end to the in- convenience of the construction; and the ability to discern the true traffic patterns in our city without the infrastructure con- struction disrupting traffic patterns. The financial impact to the City would essentially be neutral. Presently bonds are being sold on a stair-step schedule with the full tax increase needed to am- ortize the bond indebtedness to be im- posed in approximately 2007. The ac- celeration of the infrastructure would impose the full tax burden of approxi- mately $0.48• per $100.00 valuation in 2004, and' it would remain at that rate for four years before beginning to de- cline as prior bonds are paid off. How- ever, the bonds would be paid off about four years sooner. Based on conserva- tive assumptions, the tax rate would be projected to decline to $0.38 per $100.00 valuation by 2017. The merits of accel- eration of the infrastructure project would seem to outweigh the few nega- tives in its implementation. Seniors' calendar of events for July - July 6, Tuesday* Join us each Tuesday afternoon in July for the RUBY Tuesday Group (Real Unconventional Babes of Yore). The four week course will be an empowering activity for females of all ages. 1:00 - 2:00 PM. Free, donations accepted. Other dates: 7/13, 7/20 and 7/27. July 9, Friday Enjoy a new show by r The Carranza Puppets, produced and rehearsed for our an- nual of dog Party. 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM. $4.00. July 14, Wednesday* Scams, Frauds, Slam- ming and more. Learn l how to keep yourself safe from the bad guys. Today's speakers include representatives from SAF-T, the Houston Police Department and West U's Police Chief Gary Brye. 10:00 - 11:30 Ann. Free. - July 16, Friday* You are invited to attend an informative legal seminar, "Avoiding rob«e, Family Sguables and Es- tate Taxes" given by a West Univer- sity lawyer. 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM. Free. All ages invited. - July 23, Friday* Learn how to get healthy and stay healthy from area chiropractors, dedicated to helping people stay in great shape. 10:00 -11:00 Ann. Free. July 28, Wednesday When July's calendar q' a c hit the press, the sub- ject of the next I A movie was un- known. Haven't you planned to see them all regardless? Sign up and as soon as the details are known, we will let you know. Time to be an- nounced. $4.00. 7 August 4, ednesd Today, a speaker from Prudential will talk about how to Cut the Clutter. Learn how to rid yourself of stuff and keep it gone. 10:00 -11:00 Ann. Free. August , Friday Join us for a trip to the Houston Li- brary for a view of one of the larg- est archives of photos in the U.S. View some of the area history through three million photos. The West U historical society president plans to attend. 9:30 AM - NOON. Free. Please call 713.662.5895 for more information or to make reservations to attend events. *All ages are invited to attend these activities. I Abxhy 500-7 inn wit Lop Swim 7 00-9 AM Swam Team 9 Oa4M t M Lessons & does R)a+800Pa+N Swim g 00-100opm 1 AcUt Lop m RmsdW 5:00-7: tL m 700•-9 mT 9-00AM+J3CN L lasses m 3:0D-10 0op ,w Lep m 5 7 AcUt m 7:00-9 'mTeem 9 dazes M/ m 8:00-10 m t Lop m 5M7%OOM Aclult Lop m 700-9 im T 9:00 &dmes l1t/ m 8:00-10 m t Lep _'m m 8:00-10 m Sates/ t La'3 pS =Mm ~ 10tal a-700Pno/C ► SMm 700-9:30)nn m 1 0 arday _ 8 t L~~M •m 7 1 Sim ' am I= M= ow om ,=M L-71.3 =Z, City of West University Place 3800 University Boulevard West University Place, Texas 77105 BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 600 Houston, TX ®®P° ®®a ®9 ! ®®a gi! ® ® a a m a n a ® on E r a E n o am a M o w n am a t Sunday . urt % V l y Vvednesday `fly ay i'"Y ~ sa y t Building and Standards Newcomer's Clul-.` d d I Commission @ 6:30 enca epen H Coffee, 10:30AM fµ° . PM in the City Hall xoorr, Communtt}i~l spy ~~ke y,'. Conference Room. Center. Parade a„d = Pool Parfy Apr 1 _ 2 s'> t L i - C f Q{{ Friends of West U Senior Services Board - rceS d Parks @ 6:30 PM C il Ch b Meeting @ 2:30 PM. 3 ! /o5e ers ounc am d @ 7 30 B P k Zoning and Planning ~j ; oar ar s Commission M0 So/rd waste PM Council Chambers fere ce all Confere e '14 prckvp today 5 6 7 8 Room 9 10 ounct or s op Zoning Board of @ 6:30 PM Adjustment @ 6:30 PM Council Chambers in the City Hall Conference Room Council Meeting @ 7:30 PM Council 11 Chambers 12 13 1 1 16 17 ~ 1 1 - 21 Council Worksho E r f n -kk~ 1 ; @ 6:30 PM City Coun- cil Chambers - Council Meeting @ City Coun - 25 cil Chambers 26 27 28 - _ , r f'" f ~ - > - - - - ~