HomeMy WebLinkAboutWinter 2010City Lowers Tax Rate
for Sixth Consecutive Year
By Michael Ross, West University Place City Manager
Thanks to City Council's understanding, vision, guidance and
approval, I am pleased to submit the 2010 Annual Operating
Budget for the City of West University Place. The goal of
this budget is to enable City staff to continue providing the
wide range and high level of services needed to sustain and
enhance the quality of life our residents expect and enjoy.
While the City was able to reduce its tax rate again, many
residents will still see their tax
bills increase due to increasing
property values. The resulting
additional revenues are primarily
allocated to employee compensa-
tion in response to a long-standing
City financial policy, which states
that the most important asset of
any service organization is its
trained, motivated and properly
led employees, and to compensate
for decreasing revenues from fees
associated with new construction
activity, now in decline.
The budget serves as a financial plan, a policy document
and an action plan for the coming financial year. West U's
2010 budget builds upon a half-decade of consistent work to
improve operational efficiency and effectiveness.
Although the City is adopting a tax rate that will raise more
revenue than last year, the tax rate has been lowered for the
sixth consecutive year. This apparent paradox is explained by
the effective tax rate, which is the rate the City would levy
this year if it intended to collect the same amount of property
tax dollars as in the prior year. This year the effective tax rate
is $0.338656 per $100 of assessed valuation. Our adopted tax
rate is $0.358750 per $100 of value. While this is 5.9% above
the effective tax rate, it represents a 0.1 % decrease from the
2009 tax rate. What this means is that the City was able to rely
on the relatively small growth in assessed values to reduce the
tax rate.
How is that tax rate determined? The tax rate is made up
of two parts-Debt and Maintenance & Operations (M&O).
The overall 7.62% growth in assessed valuation and new
home construction is sufficient to fund the debt service
requirements for 2010, which includes the first payment on
the City's new debt for the Recreation Facilities Construction
Project. The debt rate thus will decrease from $0.1730 to
$0.169818 per $ 100 of assessed valuation, down 1.8%.
On the other hand, primarily due to the continuation of
a compensation plan adopted by
City Council on October 27, 2008,
and to a decrease in construction-
related revenue (building permits,
etc.), our M&O component of the
tax rate will increase slightly, from
$0.1860 to $.188932 per $100 of
assessed valuation, up 1.6%.
Total projected 2010 expendi-
tures of $38.6 million are down
$1.8 million from the 2009
budget. They include operating
expenditures of $23.6 million,
capital improvement projects of $6.6 million and debt
repayment of $8.4 million.
Major principles governing the West U budget policy
include (1) that the City is a service organization with prop-
erly led and trained employees as its key resource, and (2)
that its budget should prioritize current services to citizens,
support long-range plans for capital improvements, adjust
user rates and fees equitably to cover costs as City Council
deems appropriate, and maintain financial reserves to
protect against unforeseen events and unpredictable revenue
shortfalls.
Continuing to work and care together, we can all assure
West U's peak quality of life.
To view the complete 2010 budget, which will be avail-
able after January 1, 2010, contact Finance Director Rhonda
Daugherty at (713) 662-5816, or go to wwwwestu.org
and click on the Online Reference Desk and look for the
Annual Operating Budget section.
The goal of this budget is to
enable Cite staff' to continue
providing the wide range and
high level of services needed
to sustain and enhance the
quality of life our residents
expect and enjoy.
A NEIGHBORHOOD
ITY INCORPORATED
IN 1925
currents winter zuiu
From Your Mayor
We have many things to be
thankful for %n West U.
One is the association of organizations
that provide excellent sports programs for
our children. The City of West University
Place does not run a youth sports program
itself. Instead, this valuable service to our
citizens is organized, staffed and managed
by an association of West University Little
League, West University Softball, and West
University Soccer (called "Tri Sports"),
along with Southwest Youth Lacrosse,
Houston Express Soccer and Southwest
Football. All do so at a significant cost
savings to our City. The success of these
programs is clearly demonstrated by the
thousands of West U children who partici-
pate in them.
However, as these programs grew
with the increased number of
West U children signing up to
play, more and more fields, as
well as the facilities to support
them, were needed. To meet this
need, the South Campus Sports
Association was formed to pur-
chase the "South Campus" just
outside of Loop 610 South. Not one dime
of City money or any other government
funds were used either for the purchase of
this 55+ acre tract or for its maintenance.
The time has now come to make additional
needed improvements to the property,
such as restrooms, sidewalks, a concession
stand, additional fields, updated lighting
and paved parking. To raise these funds, the
South Campus organization is launching
an extensive fundraising campaign.
On-line donation forms can be found
at www southcampus.org.
Another thing to be thankful for is The
Friends of West University Place Parks
Fund, Inc. ("Friends"). This wonderful
organization has been responsible for rais-
ing funds to help renovate and develop the
From. Council Member George Boehme,
What do you buy for a city that has every-
thing? We must replace the substandard
building that our Police Department
currently calls home with a code-com-
pliant building that can house modern
technology and infrastructure. But then
what? We have everything any city could
reasonably wish for: A new recreation
center, both an outdoor family recreation
pool and a new indoor fitness pool, new
streetlights, a new fire truck, new streets
and sidewalks, recent facelifts to our parks
and a totally renovated elementary school.
Each of these assets plays a part in making
West University Place the idyllic residential
community it is.
Another thing we have in West U is a
large amount of bond debt. According to
the most recent Texas Municipal League
(TML) survey of its member cities, West
University has the 13th highest amount
of debt per resident of the 623 cities that
participated.
When newborn Sarah leaves the hospital
and enters West U for the first time, she
will be metaphorically greeted with a bill
for S4,835.This is the amount of debt we
have per resident according to the TML
survey. The most per capita debt goes to the
town of Westlake. Minutes from downtown
Fort Worth, Westlake tags each resident for
$30,321. But almost 200 of the respon-
dent municipalities have no bond debt
whatsoever. In Southside Place the number
is $5,070, but in Hunter's Creek, Highland
Park and University Park the number is
zero. Bellaire did not participate in the
survey.
by Mayor Bob Kelly
City's parks, green spaces and recreational
facilities. The Friends' major fundraising
event is the Park Lovers' Ball, which will
be held on February 27, 2010, at the Rice
Hotel's Crystal Ballroom with the theme
"It's Crystal Clear Our Parks Sparkle!"
Without the support of Friend members
and our citizens, the renovations and devel-
opments of our parks would not have been
possible in the past-nor will they be in
the future.
As your Mayor, I encourage all our citizens
to make donations to the South Campus
project and Friends. People say that West U
is not a place, but a state of mind. To keep
it that way, we must all generously support
these types of organizations, as they con-
tribute much to West U's community spirit.
i
There is a silver lining. If in the next decade
West U City Council shows restraint and
fiscal responsibility, most of the debt will
be paid off when Sarah enters the fourth
grade. The tax burden of each homeowner
will be reduced by as much as 40%.
According to our City Manager, barring
some unforeseen emergency, the new
police station should be our last additional
bond debt for at least a decade.
My role as your Council member is to steer
us away from any additional bond debt. We
must avoid the politician's insatiable temp-
tation to spend more of your tax dollars. In
ten years, fourth-grader Sarah may be too
young to understand or care. But mom and
dad will be dancing in their well-main-
tained street. And your City Council will
have fulfilled its obligation to be watchful
stewards of your tax dollars.
Community Message Board
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Did you know that the City provides an
easy way to keep up-to-date on the latest
changes to City services? It is easy to
use-just visit www.westu.org and click
the link "Get City News by Email."
The best part of this service is that you
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City Phone Numbers
Emergency - Police & Fire: 91 1
Police Dept. Non-emergency:
(713)668-0330
General City Information:
(713) 668-4441
Building Permits: (7 13) 662-5833
Code Enforcement: (713) 662-5831
Colonial Park Pool: (713)662-5383
Community Building: (713) 662-5892
Direct Link Alarm Monitoring:
(713) 662-5860
Fire Dept. Non-emergency:
(713) 662-5835
Friends of West U Parks:
(713) 662 5396
Municipal Court: (71 3) 662-5825
Planning Department: (713) 662-5843
Police Dept. Crime Prevention:
(713) 662.-5869
Public Works Information:
(713)662-5839
Senior Services: (71 3) 662-5895
Urban Forestry: (713) 662-.5813
Utility Billing: (713) 662-5809
For more information,
call (713) 662-5396.
Re-gift your tree 'qM
Recycle it after the holidays!
The City of West University Place will again be
recycling Christmas trees from December 28
through January 15. Please place your tree,
free of any foreign materials or objects, curb-
side on your regular trash day. These trees will
be shredded and turned into mulch.
Trees will not be accepted if they are flocked
or have ornaments, lights, stands or any other
foreign objects on them. You may place these
trees curbside on your regular trash day, but
these trees will not be recycled.
If you have any questions, please contact
Public Works at (713) 662-5839.
ARBOR DAY !
;r
EGGStravaganza
Saturday, March 27
9:00 AM
Easter Egg Hunt - Little League
Fields across from the Library
Arbor Day Activities - Corner of
University @ Edloe (9:30 AM)
The great big Easter egg hunt is back
by popular demand! The City of West
University Place Parks and Recreation
Department will the hosting the big hunt,
featuring an "eggs-tra" special visit from
the Easter Bunny on Saturday, March 27
at 9:00 AM. The hunt will take place on
the Little League Fields, across from the
library in the 6100 block of Auden. Please
make sure to arrive early, the hunt starts
promptly at 9 AM. Don't forget to bring a
camera to capture the memories and a
basket to collect the eggs. Admission is
free, and the event is open to children up
to 11 years of age.
Currents Winter 2010
010 Holiday Schedule
New Year's Day, Friday, January 1:
No curbside collection; normal collection
will resume on your next scheduled day.
Good Friday, Friday, April 2:
No curbside collection; normal collection
will resume on your next scheduled day.
Memorial Day Monday, May 31:
No curbside collection; normal collection
will resume on your next scheduled day.
Independence Day (Observed), Monday, July 5:
No curbside collection; normal collection
will resume on your next scheduled day.
Labor Day, Monday, September 6:
No curbside collection; normal collection
will resume on your next scheduled day.
Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 25:
No curbside collection; garbage regularly
scheduled for pickup on this day will be
picked up on Friday, November 26. Please hold
your recyclables until your next scheduled day.
Day after Thanksgiving, Friday, November 26:
Normal collection of garbage and recyclables;
City offices will be closed.
Additional Christmas Holiday,
Thursday, December 23:
Normal collection of garbage and recyclables;
City offices will be closed.
Christmas Day (Observed), Friday, December 24:
No curbside collection; garbage regularly
scheduled for pickup on this day will be
picked up on Monday, December 27. Please hold
your recyclables until your next scheduled day.
New Year's Day (Observed), Friday, December 31:
No curbside collection; garbage regularly
scheduled for pickup on this day will be
picked up on Monday, January 3. Please hold
your recyclables until your next scheduled day.
University and Edloe, and take part in the Arbor
Day activities. We'll have 40 trees available on a
first come, first serve basis beginning at 9:30 AM.
Proof of residency required. Please check the
website at www.westu.org for details or contact
the Parks and Recreation Department at
13) 662-5892.
Currents Winter 2010
Parks & Recreation
v 4,:::;rystr ,,.s... ti F-'' -irks Spa
Park Lovers' Ball 2010
Jennifer Gatto, Daryl Hoover and Kara Samples are busy conjuring up an enchanting
evening of fun, fundraising and entertainment for the 19th annual Park Lovers' Crystal
Ball scheduled for Saturday, February 27, 2010 at the downtown historic Rice Hotel
Crystal Ballroom. The co-chairs, who will unveil lots of surprises for gala guests,
promise that this will not be "just another gala." Disco Expressions will provide great
dance music for the event and there will be a scrumptious dinner. The underwriting
levels of support include Diamond, Crystal, Rhinestone, Sequin and Glitter, and guests
will have many other opportunities to support the parks with a fabulous silent auction,
a live auction and a big board.
Expressing the sentiments of this year's three ball chairs, Jennifer Gatto notes that
"among the three of us, we have six children under the age of 8 who have all grown up
using the parks. We have celebrated birthdays, hosted playdates and had picnics in our
parks. We have a very personal commitment to the West U parks and want to make sure
they are around for all families in the future."
This is a must-attend event that promises to raise lots of money for Friends of West
University Place Parks Fund, Inc. Questions? Want to get involved? Want to donate
to the auction or be an underwriter or sponsor? Call (713) 662-5396 or email
dlamondCw.westu.org. Please visit the Friend's website at wwwwestuparks.org for
more information on West U Parks.
The third annual Fathers & Flashlights event took place
on the fields surrounding West University Elementary
School on October 3 - 4. Co-Chairs Courtney and
Scott Archer and Anne and John Freeman worked hard
to make a historically perfect event even better. With
close to 680 attendees, the campout was a complete
selloutl As the word has gotten out about this fabulous, family-friendly event, more
and more fathers and their children are racing out to buy new tents or to pull their
old ones out of the attic.
Anne Freeman, speaking for all the co-chairs, said, "Despite the weather, we were
still able to bring in just over $37,000. Fathers & Flashlights has always epitomized
what this community is all about. This year really emphasized the togetherness of
West U, since most of the event was sprinkled with rain. Everyone had a wonderful
attitude, and most thought the weather provided a more true sense of camping."
The event, which benefits Friends of West University Place Parks Fund, Inc., just
keeps getting bigger and better each year. Thank you to all the sponsors and under-
writers who made the campout possible. Please visit wwwwestuparks.org to see a
list of these individuals and businesses, and be sure to thank them for the huge role
Huffington Park Ribbon
Cutting Caps off Summer-
Long Redevelopment Project
The Huffington Park Redevelopment
Project ribbon-cutting ceremony took
place on Wednesday, September 23. The
project has been a huge success, draw-
ing many compliments from park users
and increasing the number of daily visits.
Although renovation took only a few
months, anticipation made the closure
seem longer to many park users. The
fabulous changes, however, made the
wait well worth it.
Improvements made to Huffington Park
include two new signature children's play
structures, one for children 5 and younger,
and one for children 6 and older; complete
fencing-in of the park property; picnic
tables, park benches and trash receptacles;
seven new trees planted with irrigation;
regrading of the west end of the park;
power-washing of the existing wooden
fence; sidewalks; a new water fountain
made possible by a gift from Club 2012;
and a Milton Street entry paver wall.
The final upgrade, making the park a true
jewel in the heart of our city, is a new
wooden shade arbor draped with wisteria.
To remove the old, rotting arbor, workers
had to cut back the thick vine covering
it. The full wisteria canopy, however, is
expected to grow back in a year. Friends of
West University Place Parks Fund, Inc. gen-
erously committed $150,000 to the project.
ey played in the success of the event.
Currents Winter 2010
Activities & Events
CULTURAL TRIPS
nday, January 10, 2:15 PM
Join us for a Terrance McNally production.
The New York Times gave it rave reviews
in 1995. Maria Callas is teaching a master
class that eventually allows her to glory in
her career, dabble in opera dish and
flat-out seduce the audience.
Tuesday, February 10, 9:45 AM
$6 (must be paid in advance)
Join us for a short presentation of Un Ballo
In Maschera, one of Giuseppe Verdi's
greatest masterpieces.
$11
ary 28, 1:00 PM
University of Houston presents a spec
lar piece of theatre about fifty brides
flee to an Italian villa to escape their
nged marriages.
March 29, 9:45 AM
$6 (must be paid in advance)
La Boheme, an opera based on love, will
leave you in tears.
$19.50
11, 1:00 PM
PRECINCT TRIPS
Buu Mon Buddhist
Temple and Pompeiian Villa
Wednesday, January 27, 7:30 AM
$20.50
Join us for a delightful day learning about the
temple and touring at 10-room cottage that
replicates a Pompeiian home built in 74 AD.
Schulenburg
Wednesday, February 10, 7:30 AM
$17.50
We will be touring the Itsy Bitsy Burro
Company and Stanzel Model Aircraft
Museum.
Cowboy Heritage Museum
Tuesday, February 16, 1:00 PM
$14
Come join us in celebrating the rodeo
and Black History Month by touring one
of the oldest African American ranches in
Houston.
Raileon Rum Tour and More
Tuesday, March 16, 8:30 AM
$18
Join us as we head to Leon for our very own
tour of a rum distillery. This is sure to be an
exciting day.
Join us for a wonderful performance at the
HARP Tax Service
Masquerade Theatre.
Senior Services will be offering tax
GAMING DAYS
assistance on-site for those in need.
A
Volunteers from A
RP will assist with
2009 taxes, but you must call in advance
• • :-a Wii
at (713) 662-5895 to make a reserva-
tion. Appointments will be on Fridays only,
Bunco
beginning in February. Please be sure
to have all essential paperwork for filing
Bunco
your taxes and your 2009 tax paperwork.
Second Saturday Concert
Houston Folklore and
Folk Music Society
January 9: Albert and Gage
February 13: Bill & Kate Isles
March 13: Jack Williams
7:30 PM
Concerts are presented by the Houston
Folklore/Music Society, a nonprofit orga-
nization dedicated to the preservation of
folklore and folk/acoustic music. Home-
made refreshments are available. Tickets
are sold at the door: adults $12, senior
citizens (65+) $8, and children under 12
free with adults. Concerts are held the
second Saturday of each month in the
West University Community Center at
6104 Auden (intersection of Auden and
Rice Blvd.). Phone Paul Cooper at (713)
662-2643 (home) or (713) 204-1207
(cell) for more concert information, or
visit www.houstonfolkmusic.org.
Time to Start Thinking
About Summer Camp!
Camp Colonial 2010 is just around
the corner. The West U Parks &
Recreation staff is working on some
fun new programming ideas. Camp
dates and themes will be available online
beginning February 22. Registration for
Camp Colonial 2010 begins March 1.
Visit the Parks & Recreation page at
www.westu.org for a complete listing.
Hiring Lifeguards,
Swim Instructors and
Recreation Attendants!
The Parks & Recreation Department will
be opening two state-of-the-art facili-
ties and will need professional, skilled,
reliable and personable team members
to assist in various operations/positions.
Experience is preferred. Certifications
are necessary for some positions, and
customer service skills are a must for
all positions! If interested, download an
aa„ ^ application at wwwwestu.org. Please
ble Tournament . 1,
mail or drop off your application at
r+' 6104 Auden St. For further information,
Family Feud` please contact Leigh Ylanan or Brittany
Bakes at (713) 662-5a~2.
t;urrents winter lulu
Public Safety
WN-6 now
Fire Safety Tips from Your West
University Place Fire Department
Spring will soon be on the way, bring-
ing its many rituals, including spring
cleaning, which can also promote fire
safety. Most of the debris that accumu-
lates over the winter months - boxes,
stacks of paper, old clothes and other
useless clutter - offer an excellent
place for a fire to start.
Begin by cleaning up all those news-
papers. If there are too many to stack
on your curb for recycling, take them
to RecyclExpress, the West University
Place recycling center, or contact
local civic groups to see if they'll be
having a newspaper collection fund-
raiser soon.
Are there any old oily rags you can get
rid of? This is a good time to start a
fresh shoeshine rag and a new furni-
ture polishing cloth. What about those
cloths that you used to wipe up fuel
spills from lawn and garden equip-
ment? Get rid of them, too. It doesn't
have to be very warm in your garage
or storage area for oily rags to heat up
and start a fire.
Go through your attic and closets
to get rid of those things you've
outgrown or don't ever use. Maybe a
charitable organization could make
good use of some of these items. If
you can't bear to part with something,
j
Identity Theft
Identity theft is quickly becoming as prevalent as the common
cold; it is not a matter of "if" but of "when" you will be struck
by this crime. Identity theft happens when someone steals key
pieces of your personal and financial information. This can
happen through lost or stolen purses or wallets, electronic
purchases or banking, email phishing and mail fraud. The fol-
lowing is information on what to do if you should become a
victim of identity theft.
If a creditor or law enforcement agency refers you to a fraud
victim assistance department, you are probably a victim of
identity theft. If your credit is affected and you know that you
didn't cause the problem, you are a victim of a credit fraud
crime, and you need to take certain steps to protect your rights.
The following are some signs that identity fraud may have
occurred:
• A company informs you that they have received an application
for credit with your name and social security number.
• Incoming calls or letters state that you have been approved or
denied for credit by a creditor to which you have not applied.
• You receive credit card, utility or telephone statements in your
naive and address for services for which you never applied.
• You no longer receive your credit card statements or you
notice that not all of your mail is delivered to you.
• Your credit card statement includes unusual purchases.
• A collection agency tells you it is collecting for a defaulted
account established with your identity, but you never opened
the account.
Once you realize that you are a fraud victim, you need to
contact various government, banking and credit agencies.
Report the incident to the police immediately, especially if
it involves stolen identification, and obtain the case number
assigned to the incident report. Report all stolen credit cards
to issuers immediately. Notify your bank if your checks were
stolen and close your account. Be prepared to fill out affidavits
of forgery to establish your innocence for banks, credit grant-
ors and recipients of stolen checks. Contact the Social Security
Administration if someone is using your social security
number for employment purposes. Notify the postal inspec-
tor if you suspect mail theft, which is a felony offense. Finally,
contact the credit reporting agencies to notify them of the
incident and have them place a fraud alert on your credit file.
These agencies are TransUnion, Equifax and Experian.
Burglary of a motor vehicle is an easy way for a thief to obtain
your personal and financial information. To protect yourself
and help your police officers, please don't leave personal
items and valuables in your vehicle, even if it's only for "just
a minute."
consider renting space at a mini-
warehouse or self-storage facility.
At the very least, straighten things up
and make sure everything is at least
three feet away from water heaters,
furnaces and other heat sources.
Do not forget to inspect your charcoal
or gas grills for damage. Be sure to
position the grill well away from siding
and deck railings, as well as out
from under eaves and overhanging
branches. You should also place the
grill a safe distance from lawn games,
play areas and foot traffic; keep chil-
dren and pets away from the grill area
by declaring a three-foot "kid-free
zone" around the grill. Periodically
remove grease buildup in trays below
the grill so it cannot catch fire.
While you're thinking of fire safety,
test your smoke alarms, change the
smoke alarm batteries, check your fire
extinguisher, and review and practice
your home escape plan. Don't be
caught unprepared.
The West University Place Fire
Department will be happy to help
you reduce your home's fire hazards.
Please call (713) 662-5835 and
make an appointment for firefighters
to conduct a free home safety survey.
Currents Winter 2010
PubficWorks
Could West University be a
r t City?
Zero waste is a goal that many
cities in the United States and
around the world have set for
themselves. Austin, Texas; Pala Alto,
California; and Sydney, Australia,
are just a few of the cities that are
setting long-term goals to become
Zero Waste Cities. Zero waste
involves diverting waste generated
by all sources, both business and
residential from landfills. This is
done by reducing consumption,
recycling to the maximum extent
possible and purchasing products
that are made to be reused or recycled. Unlike our current system of managing
waste, zero waste seeks to eliminate waste wherever possible.
The model for zero waste is nature. In nature very little is wasted-one living thing's
waste may become another living thing's nourishment. The term "waste" itself is
misleading since items only become "waste" when they are wasted-such as dump-
ing them into a landfill.
Advancements in recycling have already brought us a step closer to being a Zero
Waste City. We have a simplified process that allows for all recyclable materials to be
placed in a single blue bin or in paper bags. The recyclable materials are then sent to
a materials recovery facility to be processed. This curbside program has resulted in a
higher recycling rate, thus reducing the overall amount of waste heading to landfills
from our City:
As a side note, our City is implementing an upcoming rate increase for solid waste
disposal. If we recycled more, we wouldn't need this increase at all, since recycling
earns revenue for the City and offsets much of the cost of solid waste removal.
What are some of the first steps to becoming a Zero Waste
• Facilitate community involvement and awareness
• Expand and improve recycling and composting
• Implement new rules and incentives to reduce waste disposal
• Encourage the use of'recycled content products by manufacturers
The national average for waste is 4.6 lbs per person per day, whereas the West U
average is estimated at 5.3 lbs, up from 2.7 lbs just 35 years ago. Leading cities have
already started to move forward with zero waste goals. For example, Austin has set
a goal to be a Zero Waste City by 2040. The City of'West University has the same
potential to be a model and innovator for the rest of the country (as we have done
recently with the cell phone ban in school zones).
Becoming a Zero Waste City is a long-term process and will require careful planning.
This includes the initial tasks of adopting zero waste goals and developing a zero
w=aste plan. If you are not in favor of zero waste, what is the amount of waste you
are in favor of? Let us know your thoughts and ideas on the City of West University's
becoming a Zero Waste City by email to recycle dwestu.org.
Water Works
Winter Water
rvation
With winter upon us, it is time to con-
sider water conservation and water system
preventive maintenance. Wintertime on the
Texas Gulf Coast is normally cool and wet.
Now is a good time to look at our auto-
matic sprinkler systems and either reduce
the time the systems run or turn there off
entirely until the weather dries up again.
You may need to adjust sprinkler timing
several times during the winter months.
We should also look at preventive measures
to assure against losses that may occur if
we experience unusually low temperatures
for extended periods. Though it is unusual
to have a hard freeze in our area, it is pos-
sible and has happened in the past. We
should develop a freeze protection plan for
our water pipes. This includes wrapping
exposed pipes under the house and in the
attic, and wrapping or having freeze pro-
tection covers available for outside faucets.
If you plan an extended vacation, you may
wish to turn off the water to your house
(the City can do this for you); make sure to
open all inside and outside faucets to allow
water to drain from the pipes.
The past year has been rather hot and dry,
which can cause water main breaks. The
Public Works Operations division attempts
to repair leaks as quickly as possible. If you
notice water standing or flowing where
you don't expect it, please give us a call.
You may contact us by calling the Public
Works office at (713) 662-5839 or by
email at pwalters@westu.org. If you need
to reach us after hours, please contact
the Police dispatcher at (713) 662-0330.
Regular operating hours for the Public
Works Operations division is 8:00 AM
through 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday,
excluding holidays.
CITY OF WEST U OFFICIALS
CITY COUNCIL Mayor Bob Kelly
MEMBERS Mayor Pro-Tern Bob Fry
George Boehme
Chuck Gulley
Steven Segal
CITY Michael Ross (713) 662-5810
MANAGER or mross@westu.org
GENERAL (713) 668-4441
INFORMATION
CITY WEBSITE www.westu.org
City Currents is a quarterly publication
and is printed on recycled paper.
8 Citv Currents Winter 2010
Water heaters are one of
those appliances we rely
on every day but don't think
about until they break down.
Whether gas or electric, they
are generally very depend-
able and quiet. Water heat-
ers can last for a decade or
more. With this simple three-
step annual maintenance
plan, however, you can
extend the life of your water
heater even further and save
money in the process.
Do the Three-Step
By following this easy,
three-step maintenance
plan each year, you can
maintain the safety functions
of your water heater while
signicantly extending its life.
City of West University Place
3800 University Boulevard
West University Place, Texas 77005
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
HOUSTON, TX
PERMIT NO. 134
Dial Down Test the UP (Temperature Do a Mini-Flush
the Temperature & Pressure) Relief Valve
• Go to the temperature setting
dial on your water heater.
It will be a knob on the gas
valve or a thermostat behind
the panel of an electric water
heater.
• Dial the temperature setting
down so it is between 115° F
and 120" F.
• This lowered setting will
protect the tank from over-
heating and will reduce the
energy used to heat the water.
You save money on fuel costs
• Locate theT&P valve and
simply lift the lever up part
way, then let it go and allow
it to rapidly snap back.
•You should hear a gurgling
sound as the valve allows some
water to be released into the
drain tube.
• If the T&P valve does nothing,
then it is bad and needs to be
replaced by a state licensed
plumber.
This simple device protects
you and your family from the
devestation that can be caused
when a water heater overheats
and ruptures.
• Place a bucket under the
drain valve found near the
bottom of the tank.
• Some drain valves have a
handle. Others have a short,
handleless stem with a slot for
a flat-blade screwdriver.
• Turn the valve counterclock-
wise to release a few gallons
of water into the bucket. A full
tank flush is best, but it takes
a while, removing the water
bucket by bucket.
• Close the valve by turning
it clockwise and empty the
bucket.
This extends the life of the
water heater.
A Newsletter for
the citizens of
West University Place
Winter 2010