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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMayWest U traffic: dealing. with misconceptions Part 2 of 4 by the Traffic Task Force The Traffic Task Force was formed to address residents' traffic concerns. While analyzing a number of traffic is- sues throughout the City, TTF members have heard a variety of traffic miscon- ceptions. The following are some of the common misconceptions most often heard. - West U has serious and wide- spread traffic problems. In amid '99 survey, residents of West U placed traf- fic high on their list of concerns. Traffic volumes, speeds, and citations, as well as accident data are collected routinely throughout the City. The data and ob- servations show that traffic behavior in West U, in general, is orderly and safe -more than 90% of all drivers drive at or below the posted speed limits. The Police, based on citations written and their professional judgement, assure us that our City does not have major traf- fic problems. The Police and Traffic Court take enforcement seriously and devote considerable effort to enforcing our laws. However, there are some ar- eas, particularly those affected by de- velopment around our periphery, where traffic problems persist. Council, City Staff, and the TTF will address the few areas that do have problems within the next two years. If you have a concern, please contact us. - Non-residents cause all of our traffic problems. Crack down on law-breaking outsiders! Surprisingly, the "enemy is us". You and your neigh- bors generate much of the traffic within West U. A typical house generates 8 - 10 car trips per day, which is about 50,000 cars traveling West U streets ev- ery day. The West U Police estimate GG ~a /99 71 i ft A , i Merrick Wilson, Mayor for the Day (left) and Philip Grove, Mayor Pro Tem for the a Day (right) relax in the City Hall Council Chambers after a morning spent learning the ins and outs of City Government. that 25 - 50% of traffic offenders are West U residents. We should do bet- ter-let's make our streets safer by driv- ing considerately and according to the laws. Think twice before you roll through stop signs or speed on the way from work or shopping. If West U resi- dents obeyed the traffic laws, citations would drop by half. - "Cut through" traffic must be stopped. We all cut through streets not on a direct path to save time. What you perceive as cut through traffic may be another West U resident driving to his/ her home a few blocks away. It's not illegal. There are a few places in West U, however, where we would find true and unwanted cut through traffic. This is where drivers exit the arterial roads, such as Kirby and Bissonnet, which are designed to carry high volumes of traf- fic, and drive through West U to avoid a traffic light. (To avoid the traffic light at Bissonnet and Kirby when eastbound on Bissonnet, for example, proceed south on Wakeforest and then east on Sunset.) There are techniques that can make these cut through residential streets less attractive to drivers. We are studying various tactics now. - Stop all truck traffic. West U has ordinances pertaining to truck traffic. Truck drivers do not dally through West U-it would slow them down. The vast (Misconceptions, 2 of 4 - cont. on p. 6) Board & Committee News 6 Calendar of events 8 o City Life 3 Employee Spotlight 4 Inside Council Chambers 2 Ordinance Spotlight 4 o Police Blotter 5 o Senior Calendar 7 Volume 27, No. 5 May 2000 Inside Council Chambers Page 2 By: Mayor Linda Lewis ffx MtVn1j. This month my subject was to be streetlights, but as I sit here thinking, my mind is really on the events of the past month. So many people came together with enthusiasm, energy and great ideas. The result was Home Place Celebra- tion, which was just that, a true celebra- tion among friends, neighbors and two small cities that afford their residents the best ever place to live. I cannot begin thinking about Home Place without first feeling a debt of gratitude to Reliant Energy and some of its very special employees. They liked the idea of a community happen- ing, and as a Best Friend sponsor were the first to come forward to begin the process of making a dream become a reality. Then, there is the West U Ro- tary Club and West U Elementary. Both were on board early, and through their efforts many of us enjoyed the outdoor concert, the bicycle rodeo and golftour- nament. The Newcomers Club, a vi- brant and energetic group, if ever there was one, had the idea for a pooch walk 17 .~L by Council Member John Grubb One of the very first things that I learned when I moved to West U was that our traffic laws were strictly en- forced. They were enforced equally against residents and nonresidents. Over the years, I have known a number of mayors, members of the city council, and other civic leaders who have re- ceived tickets (not warnings). We had a city culture-obey the law. This made West U a very great place to live. Par- ticularly, when it seemed like many other cities in the greater Houston area could not protect their citizens from criminals or speeders. Also, everyone knew to obey the law in West U-and since ev- eryone knew that the laws were being enforced (including the criminals), we lived in a nice quiet neighborhood. When I ran for city council, I had a vague feeling that the traffic laws were not being enforced. I heard complaints about speeders, people running stop signs, people parking illegally, etc. Once I started serving on city council, I had a rude awakening. The traffic laws in West U are not being enforced. In the 1996 budget year, the City of West U wrote 9,887 tickets. By the 1998 bud- get year, the number of tickets written were down to 2,351-a decline of 76%. Do we want our citizens, the thousands of people who pass through West U daily, or the criminals to think that our laws are not being enforced and they are free to disobey the law? Absolutely not! In October of 1999, the council au- thorized the hiring of three additional police officers. In November of 1999, the City of West U hired a new Chief of Police. Our three new officers should be on duty by June-the sooner the bet- ter. The council has approved hiring additional dispatchers as well as im- provements to the dispatch area. We are also looking at applying for a COPS grant to possibly hire two additional of- ficers. Hopefully, within the next twelve months, we can reestablish the culture of West U as being a city where all laws are enforced. Hopefully, you will no longer see speeders racing down our streets, cars cruising through stop signs, and cars parked illegally. Also, maybe the criminals will get the idea-stay out of the City of West University Place. and a firehouse bar-b-que, both of which were fun events attended by folks (and pooches) of all ages. A real highlight was the reopening of the newly refur- bished Whitt Johnson Park, attended by more people than we dared hope for. And, I smile when I think of members of the city's Recycling and Senior Ser- vices boards doing their part at Little League's opening day to educate their neighbors about their varied programs and activities. Finally, my thoughts are of the interdenominational sunrise ser- vice held at the ball fields. Those in at- tendance shared the experience of sleep- ily joining together to share a special in- timacy. None of these things could have hap- pened without the generosity of Home Place Celebration sponsors and the army of volunteers who put it all together. I will not name all of you for fear of leav- ing someone out, but know that you have a special place in my heart for the won- derful month you made happen. Nor, could I be writing about success without the hundreds of you who came to the various events-you are what made them. It is encouraging to have heard so much positive feedback, and to a per- son, everyone says this must happen again next year. I suspect it will, for Home Place Celebration symbolized what a community should be. The City of West University Place, Texas Favor Linda Le-- is (713.662.5801) City C'ouneii Xleinbers Burt Baitan;'ant (713.652.5847), John Bertini (713.662.5808), John K. Grubb (713.662.5848), Bill May (713.662.5,019) ChJ1 C!,1Pre_.fis vreiconies your contributions. Forward material to City Currents, 3800 University Boulevard, est University Place, Tt 71,005, by the 10th-o the month preceding publication. C 3C b P'_`~~i 4)i~€a e^t.: 7-113.668,4A4 Cit~v lvn a, Wen Sloe ra a, n 7'eh In i 3.6~...'..3u 1El n., F <_@ s ) 'E' e _y c 'ae sg .j ~`,~<<~_ , . _ y ~tP~ .cCc.@r=.Ev Visit ns on the Floc id .,/idc .vex Ott <FJ:i'Er'.c F. < <eetiC ~c ? F)f( Ce. 't : s% City Life ~ F ` U , N_l Page 3 Historically Speaking.. . In late 1927 West U Mayor H.B. Schlesinger, concerned about getting the town's fire insurance rate reduced, met with the State Fire Commissioner in Austin. Upon his return, he reported to the City Commissioners that in order to receive a substantial reduction in the rate, they must organize a volunteer fire de- partment, purchase a fire truck, appoint a city fire marshal and build a fireproof fire station. The City Commissioners approved the purchase of a fire truck, a 600-gallon capacity Seagrave Suburbanite Pumper, in early 1928. Residents of West U gath- ered in May of 1928 to form a volunteer fire department. They chose J.A. Metcalf to be the first Fire Chief. A total of ten men made up the first volun- teer group. Later that year, two men were hired so the station would be staffed day and night. The City Hall, which included the Fire Station, was built by late 1928. In early 1929, Ordinance #27 created the office of Fire Marshal, and Metcalf was named to the position. The City had now com- plied with all of the state's requirements. As a result, the city fire insurance rate was cut nearly in half the following year. Grass fires were the main concern of the department during its first year of operation. In a report Metcalf made to the City Commission early in 1929, he stated that he and his men had re- sponded to 23 grass fires and one house fire in 1928. By 1973, West U had grown consid- erably, and the focus of fire protection had changed. With a dwelling covering nearly every lot in the city, protection of residents' homes, rather than grass fires on empty lots, was primary. It seemed feasible at this time to disband the volunteer fire department and con- vert to a fully-paid fire department. Since that time, the Fire Department has grown to include 18 firefighters under the leadership of Fire Chief Terry Stevenson. Read more about the history of the West U Fire Department in the West U Historical Society's book, Stepping Back in Time. To purchase a copy, call June Begeman at 713.666.5721_ urner Care Registration is going on r now. Openings remain in Summer Camp 2000 (5- 10yrs) and Racquet & More Camp (7- 12yrs). Don't wait too long! Spaces are filling up fast! Register at the Community Building, 6104 Auden. For a complete description of camps, fees, and schedules, please see the enclosed recreation guide. Second Saturday Concert May's featured performer is Bob Franke. Bob's songs are considered clas- sics, fueled by his deep faith and real- life lessons learned from 30-odd years of playing in a variety of venues from concert halls to street corners. He is at the peak of his craft, brimming with the wise and spiritually generous songs for which he is best known, along with the wrenchingly convincing topical songs, sugared with the hilarious. In 1990, the Boston Music Awards nominated Bob Franke as an Outstanding Folk Act. The concert will be held at the West U Community Center, 6104 Auden, on May 13th at 7:30 PM. Tickets will be on sale at the door-adults $8; Seniors (65) $4; children under 12 free with adults. Homemade refreshments will be avail- able for purchase. For more informa- tion, call 281.347.3235 or 281.495.2923. Faster Egg 14unt Winners The Easter Egg Hunt }vas held on \ April 2111 on the West U Little League Field. Ages 0-3 Travis Ames, Danny Spring, Robin Johnson and Tori Connolly Ages 4-6 Preston Boyer and Nick Pefanis Ages 7 & up Caterine Jacobs, Ryan 8r Chris Snider, Elizabeth Toedt and Nicole &KirstenSalyer i Hey, don't ruffle the feathers ! Well-meaning individuals kidnap thousands of baby birds each year. Young birds look so helpless and cute. People are often tempted to rescue them from cats and other backyard hazards by scooping them into a shoebox. Although their intentions are good, their actions may be harmful to our little feathered friends. Knowing how to help is the most important part of being a good wildlife rescuer. Here are a few pointers for the good hearted novice. • If the baby is uninjured, put it back. If you can safely reach the nest, place the baby bird back inside. The parents will not reject the baby if you touch it. Birds do not have a well developed sense of smell. • If the nest has been destroyed, make a substitute nest out of a basket or plastic hanging planter and hang it from a branch. If the parents don't return by nightfall, follow the instructions for injured birds. If the bird is injured, help ensure a speedy recovery, by carefully following the instructions outlined below. • Place the bird inside a box or paper sack. A plastic berry basket or butter dish, lined with tissues, makes a nice nest. • Do not feed the bird or offer it any water. A baby bird will eat anything placed in its mouth, whether good or bad. ® Keep the bird in a quiet place. Loud noises are scary to birds. Keep the bird away from radios, televisions, and curious children. • Keep the bird in a warm place away from drafts and air conditioning vents. You may place the container half on/half off of a heating pad turned on low. The Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition has a Wildlife Shelter that will be happy to care for the bird. Please contact the TWRC at 713.468.8972. TWRC's trained volunteers will help you decide the best course of action. Employee in the Spotlight This month's Employee in the Spotlight is Lt. Richard Unger. Richard is the day shift lieutenant in the Police Department. He has been with the West U Police Department since 1986. When he joined the West U team, he brought with him experience gained at the Houston Baptist University PD and the US Army. Richard not only performs the expected police duties, but is also the department defensive tactics instructor and is responsible for fleet maintenance. As the defensive instructor, Richard teaches all new officers how to handle violent suspects and to safely make an arrest. Richard is proud of his reputation as being the only person to have been "arrested" by every officer in the department. He is also known to change his uniform for a pair of overalls and to personally work on the patrol cars. Officers say that he is as dangerous with an adjustable wrench as he is with a police baton. At the end of a rough day of patrol, police training, and vehicle maintenance, he relaxes by teaching martial arts and participating in competitive shooting. However, he puts everything aside to do something really rough and dangerous, spending time with his wife, Lorena, and three kids, Remington, Mackenzie, and Katarina. "Richard is an extremely dedicated knowledgeable officer and has been instrumental in maintaining the department's vehicle fleet," says Police Chief Kevin Begley. Page 4 Orr illonce spotlight... f We have printed this once, but with the onset of summer have, decided to print it once again. As the weather warms and the days grow longer, residents are spending more time outdoors. Well, so are solicitors. Although solicitation is restricted in West U, once in a while a flyer manages to make its way through. Youmayhave found a flyer on your front door from acompany proposing to paint your house number on the curb. This happens every year. Companies usually point out the attractive7ess of the numbers and the added safety benefit in the event of an emergency at you= residence. They also claim that the Police and Fire Departments first look at curbs for address numbers, and occasibnall; state that v,,e authorized or approved their work. This is not true. Parked cars on the street often rnake searching curbs for numbers difficult. In fact, a West U ordinance requires that every residence have address numbers posted within 24 inches of thc; principal entrance to the residence. andthat these numbers be 2.5 inches tall artd of a color that contrasts ,,v~ith the back-round. This ordinance vas passed on the recommendations of both the Police and Fire Departments. because that is where we want to loot: for your numbers. Since most residents comply with this ordinance, it is also the most reliable place for us to find them. We have nothing against painting numbers on curbs. However, it you do not have numbers on your house, then please comply with the ordinance and get some. This will help us lielp you. ' ' = Like most older neighbor- hoods, West U harbors an established rat and mouse population. We will probably never see them all go away, but we can do a lot to reduce their numbers. Rodents need a place to live and food to eat. Take one of these away and they'll move on to greener pastures. Outside, rats usually live in holes be- neath brush or undergrowth where they won't be discovered. They like to live under decks and in abandoned structures too. They eat almost anything that we eat and a lot more. In West U they of- ten enjoy the contents of our plastic gar- bage bags and the leftover pet food they find out on our patios. They also are great admirers of bird seed and will com- pete aggressively with birds for a meal. Use common sense around your prop- erty. Keep your garbage in a closed con- tainer until pickup days. Don't leave uneaten pet food out after dark. And try not to feed birds after midday. Rats are largely nocturnal, and like to go to work after we disappear. This is a neighborhood problem that takes neighborhood cooperation. Lack of diligence in one yard can spell trouble for people a few doors down in either direction. Be a good neighbor and help us control rodents in our city. Traffic Circles in West lul by the West U Traffic Task Force Traffic circles were recently installed at two of our City's intersections in an attempt to calm traffic at the request of residents. They are located at Belmont/ Cason and Albans/Fairmont. Both in- tersections had above average traffic volumes and speeds for their neighbor- hoods. A traffic circle is a raised island, usu- ally landscaped, located at the intersec- tion of two streets. Traffic circles have been used effectively for many years throughout the U. S. and other parts of the world. The use of these traffic-calm- ing devices is recommended on residen- tial streets where they have been found to be very effective in reducing traffic speeds and accidents without diverting (Traffic Circles - cont. on p. 6) Police Blotter Page 5 march, 2000 up close Criminal Mischief Burglary of a Building 3700Arnold-March 5. Resident dis- covered obscenities written on the front door of residence and vehicle. 4000 Villanova - March 10. Re- volver and cash were reported stolen from residence. Suspects broke rear window to gain entry. 6000 Weslayan - March 11. Resi- dentwitnessed a minor and three throwing eggs at residence. Sus- pects were apprehended. Burglary of a Motor Vehielc; 4000 Marlowe - March 4. Driver side window was shattered and a wallet and several other items were stolen from vehicle parked along street overnight. 2700 Bissonnet - March 11. Passen- ger side window was shattered and ste- ,o stolen from a vehicle parked out- de of nightclub. 3500 Sunset - March 23. Vehicle window was broken and wallet and com- pact discs stolen. Vehicle was parked on street overnight. 2800 Nottingham - March 23. Tools were stolen from worker's truck parked on the street during daylight hours. Burglary of a Habitation 6600 Brompton - March 5. Several pieces of jewelry were stolen from a residence. Large screwdriver was pos- sibly used to pry open rear French doors to gain access. 3100 Rice - March 6. Jewelry was stolen from residence. Front door was left unlocked and the security system was not activated while resident went for a walk. 2700 University - March 6. Jewelry and money were stolen from residence during daytime hours. A small flat blade instrument was used to pry open rear sliding glass door. 3100 Sunset - March 15. Resident eported several pieces of jewelry sto- len. It is unknown when incident oc- curred. Residence is periodically left unlocked. 6500 Sewanee - March 8. Two girls bicycles were stolen from garage. 3300 Carnegie - March 18. Rear door of vacant residence was forced open and a television removed. 6600 Brompton - March 19. A chan- delier and other items were stolen from vacant residence. No signs of forced adults entry. i- t Theft 5500 Belmont- March 1. Cell phone was stolen from a park. The phone had been left in the grass near the basketball court. 3600 Corondo Court - March 3. Two wrought iron chairs were stolen from the front porch of residence. 3200 Robinhood - March 3. An Olympus 35mm camera and case were stolen from residence. The camera had been left in a chair in the front yard. 3500 Bissonnet - March 7. A worker's portable CD player was sto- len from a church. A possible suspect had been removed from the church before the theft was discovered. 4100 Swarthmore - March 25. Tools were stolen from bed of a pickup truck parked on the street. Witness ob- served two suspects leaving the scene. 6300 Belmont - March 27. Two iron planters were stolen from the front porch of residence. Description of two suspects was provided by the resident. 3100 Quenby - March 29. Two planters were stolen from the front porch of residence. 6400 Vanderbilt - March 29. Eld- erly resident was scammed out of a large sum of money for roofing work that was not performed. Description of suspect was provided. Case pending. Robbery 6200 Community - March 13. Resi- dent was approached after dark by two suspects on foot. Suspects grabbed resident's purse and ran. One suspect was armed with a gun. Resident was not physically harmed. vy ~ol.:c~ ctu~x~~. shy As we near the end of the school year, we will have more young people out and about enjoying themselves. We have all heard the reminders to adults to watch out for youngsters at play. Most of us are very careful when children are around. An often-neglected aspect of safety is a reminder to the youngsters to watch out for themselves as they play. There is no need for a formal parental lecture in most cases, but as parents we should take the time to talk to our children about safety and to lead by example. Simple reminders-watching for traffic when near roadways and driveways, the proper way to ride bicycles in traffic, or not stopping or riding behind parked vehicles-will help your child play safely when you are not around. Please take the time to talk to your child about safety. It could prevent a tragedy, April 9-15 was designated as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, Telecommunicators, better known as dis- patchers, perform a vital service to our community. They are the vital link be- tween the citizens calling for help and the agencies that assist them. These pro- fessional individuals frequently work "be- hind the scenes", but they help protect people and property. Telecommunicators for the West U Police Department are Janet Mynatt, Maxine Stevenson, Bemalda White, Christopher Castillo, and James Brady. I urge you to join me in thanking these dedicated individuals for their efforts in maintaining the quality of life of West U. May 14-20, 2000 has been designated as National Police Week and May 15 2000 is National Peace Officers' Me- morial Day. This is a time set aside to recognize the men and women who have dedicated their lives to police service.` Police officers are recognized for their courage and dedication as they put their lives on the line daily for the protection of others. It is also a time to honor those who paid the ultimate price for their dedi- cation by giving their lives in the line of duty. In today's society, police officers are truly the "thin blue line", protecting the rest of society from those who would prey on others. I urge you to join me in recognizing our men and women in blue and thanking them for their work. s Page 6 Captains Block (Misconceptions, 2 of 4 - cont. from p. I) 3 0 . majority of trucks you see on our street. are here for West U residents and busi- by Patrick Dugan, Neighborhood Safety Board member nesses. Overall, there is not a lot of truck traffic and we all want our UPS and The Neighborhood Watch Program in West U has not been other deliveries. Many of the trucks you very active in recent years. When the Neighborhood Safety see are involved with construction and ! Board began its tenure last year, one of its priorities was to landscape maintenance. revitalize the program. When our new Police Chief, Kevin If you experience problems with Begley, arrived, the Board learned that Neighborhood Watch was also one of his trucks that you believe are illegal, please priorities. The importance Chief Begley places on Neighborhood Watch comes contact the West U Pofice Department. from his years of experience and success with the program in Odessa. We need Neighborhood Watch because even in the best of circumstances, which West U certainly represents, the police cannot be everywhere. Even in (Traffic Circles - cont. from p. 4) a relatively small city such as ours, there are 40 miles of streets to patrol with traffic onto adjacent streets. Traffic approximately 5,600 homes and 13,900 residents, as well as many other individu- circles reduce accidents by 50 to 90 per- als passing through each day. When officers are tied-up on calls they are not cent when compared to two-way or four- available to observe criminal activity. Last year, West U police officers responded way stop signed intersections, by reduc- to 21,454 calls for service. They responded to 2,960 alarm calls alone, 100% of ing the number of conflict points at in- which were "false alarms". They also issued 7,280 traffic citations and investi- tersections. They are inexpensive to gated 303 criminal offenses. maintain, provide equal access to the in- Neighborhood Watch is a cooperative effort between the police and residents to tersections for all drivers, and provide a combat crime. Through a process of communication and greater awareness, resi- good environment for cyclists. dents become additional eyes and ears of the police department. An important You may think of a traffic circle as a part of the process is getting to know your neighbors. Another is to take note of large "fireant hill" with a curb around it. what is going on in your neighborhood and noticing when something is out of Emergency vehicles can drive over the place. Blocks that participate may also receive reports on criminal activity in their curb and "fireant hill"without damage or specific area. degrading their response times. Sign' Ultimately, neighbors are then in a better position to immediately report suspi- on the circle, indicating direction oftrave, cious circumstances to the police. In fact, as a resident, you are 200 times more are of the breakaway type. Signs are likely to observe criminal activity than a patrolling officer. While not all crimes can erected in advance of the circle to es- be prevented, the combination of an active Neighborhood Watch program along tablish notice of installation and direc- with our already excellent police department will create a very difficult environ- tion of travel. ment for criminals to operate in. Plus, you receive the added benefit and enjoy- Tips on driving atraffic circle: ment of knowing your neighbors. • Approach at slow speeds; Chief Begley has begun an initiative to revitalize Neighborhood Watch in West • Yield to any vehicle in the circle; U by appointing Officer Sean Anderson to coordinate the program as its Director. ® Go around the circle to turn left; and Officer Anderson is looking for residents who are interested in being a Block ® Always keep to the right of the Captain. If you have special problems in your area, this may be a way to address circle. them. Even if you don't, being a Block Captain is a way to contribute to your The two circles will remain in place community and help preserve the West U way of life. for 90 days at which time the residents To be a Block Captain, or simply to learn more, contact Officer Anderson in the immediate area will be asked for at 713.668-5869 or via e-mail at sanderson@ci.west-university-plac.tx.us. their input. Traffic data will be collected after installation and will be compared to "pre-install" data. This information } will be used to make one of the follow- - by Dave Kehn, Recycling and Waste Reduction Board. ing recommendations to Council: v Install a permanent circle; Residents of West U recycle paper including newspaper, ® Remove this temporary circle and magazines, and paper more than any other recyclable. Last year more than 1600 try something else; or tons of paper was recycled. Recycling paper saves trees, water, and money. ® Remove this temporary circle and Every ton of recycled paper versus virgin paper saves seventeen trees, 24,000 do nothing. gallons of water, and $42/ton net ($22/ton avoided disposal cost plus $20/ton paper Although the temporary circles may sale not including labor, trucks, etc.). That is, by recycling paper we "saved" not be pleasing to the eye, a permanent 27,200 trees, 3 8 million gallons of water, and nearly $67,200. circle can be attractive and add residen' Don't forget! Recycling paper is easy. There is Wednesday curbside pickup tial character to the street. For examples and 24 hour drop-off at RECYCLEXPRESS, 5004 Dinkins. of permanent traffic circles visit the In- Congratulations West U residents! stitute of Transportation Engineers' (Source: US EPA & West U City Statistics) website at www.ite.org. 7 L May 3, Wednesday njoy a trip to the emah Boardwalk. Tour the shops and restaurants, and enjoy a boat ride around the waterfront. Plan on stop- ping at a fish market on the seabrook side. Don't forget your coolers. 8:45 Ann - 3:30 PM. $12.00 plus lunch. ® May 5 & 12, Friday The Museum of Fine Arts is host- ing a three part series on Western Portraiture by David Brauer. Lec- tures will focus on portraits from the Greeks to the 21s' Century. 1:00 - 3:00 PM. Free. ® May 12, Friday The Glassell Artist Spotlight shines on rthurTurner. After a lec- ture in the Freed Auditorium, enjoy T tour of the American Watercolor :hibit. 9:30 Ann -NOON. Free. ® May 16, Tuesday Join us for a trip to the Artfull Gar- den and enjoy a tour of the sculp- ture show, "For the Birds". 8:45 AM -10:30 Ann. e May 19 & 26, Friday Save 10% on your car insurance. Set aside a total of eight hours on two Fridays for the AARP Defensive Driving Courses. Other dates in- clude June 16 & 23 and Au- ti gust 18 & 25. You must at- tend both Friday sessions 9:00 - 1:00 PM. $8.00. e May 19, Friday MFA Senior Program. Irving Penn, celebrity and fashion photographer, is today's topic. A tour of the exhibit will follow the lecture. 9:30 AM - NOON. $1.00/$2.00. ® May 24, Wednesday Learn about Silhouettes with Suzanne, from the history of the art to some simple cuts. One of her sil- houettes will be given away as a door prize. Refreshments will fol- low. Bring your scissors. 2:00-3:00 PM. Donations accepted. Please call 713.662.5895 for more information or to make reservations to attend events. ra r, a May 31, Wed 7 St. Luke's Episcopal Mobile Health Systems will be paying us a visit today in connection with April's Health Fair. If you signed up and „ started the paperwork, you need to stop by for the tests. Call for your appointment time. 9:00 Ann - 3:00 PM. Prices will vary e June 2, Friday A portrait series on WWII veterans will be the focus of Will Michels at the Glassell School of Art. After the slide show, join the artist for a tour of Irving Penn's work. (See May 19). 9:30 -NOON. Free. • June 5, Monday You don't want to miss this opportunity to view the Kremlin Gold exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. You will be mes- merized by the many golden relics and jeweled masterpieces, as well as the renowned Faberge Eggs. The museum sells only 50 non-timed tickets each half hour. We'll try for 2:30! 2:00 - 4:00 PM. $6.00/$10.00. No matter how hard we try to keep track of all the things we are responsible for doing, occasionally there is work that drops through the cracks. We need to know about it. Tell us if there is work that needs to be done on your street, in your neighborhood, or anywhere around West U. Tell us about the problem and where it is. Help us do a better job and we'll all try to make West U a better community! Location: Description of work or problem: How long has condition existed? Who should we contact for additional information? Phone nL-,-nber: lest time to call: ~1r ,IF~I lei ~i 1 6KEllcl.F' ifGl,. - i' _ii Ei:i ij.i. t; e`)' IF F.[4~1 .~y~ 1 -zi,~ -o1F i .i,_ -t l:.>_ nA r, I~Iff 0 City of West University Place 3800 University Boulevard West University Place, Texas 77005 BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 6270 Houston, TX Sunday Monday Tuesday ~ Wednesday Thursday Friday J S aturday Neighborhood Safet Traffic Task Force Ca, Friends of WestU-Park The Building and Newcomer's Cl Board @ 7:45 PM in 6:30PM Public Work @ 6:30 PM City Hal Standards Commis- Coffee, 10:30AM he City Hall Confer- R Lunchroom Conference Room sion @ 6:00 PM in the NOON, Community nce oom. Parks Board @ 7:3 City Hall Conference Center. , PM Council Chambers Room. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Special Session @ Recycling and Solid Senior Services Board Newcomer's Club 6:30 PM City Hall Con- ference Room Waste Reduction Board 6 30 i Meeting @ 2:30 PM. Coffee, 8:30AM - @ : PM n IO:OOAM, Edloe Council Meeting @ the Public Works Zoning and Planning Street Deli. :30 PM City Hall Lunch Room. Commission @ 6:45 PM ouncil Chambers City Hall Conference 7 8 9 10 Room 11 12 13 Zoning Board of Ad- justment @ 7:30 Pm in he City Hall Council Chambers. 15 18 19 20 Special Session @ 6:30 PM City Hall Conference Room ouncil Meeting @ E%` :30 PM City Hall ~ f ~ 21 ouncil Chambers22 23 A 25 26 27 City offices The Building and Newcomer's Club will be closed Standards Commis- Coffee, 10:30AM l in observance sion @ 6:00 PM in the City Hall Conference NOON, Community Center. of Memorial Room. Day 29 30 3 1 2 31 Neighborhood Safety Traffic Task Force @ Friends of West U -Park Senior Services Boar 3, Board @ 7:45 PM i Cit H ll C f th 6:30PM Public Works @ 6:30 PM City Hall Meeting @ 2:30 PM. on er e y a Lunchroom Conference Room Zonin and Pla i ence Room. Parks Board @ 7:3 g nn ng Commission @ 6:45 PM ® PM Council Chambers City Hall Conference ? 4 5 6 7 Room 8 9 4 10[3