Early voting dates for December runoff election announced
HOUSTON – Several races that weren’t decided on Election Day will need to be decided during a second round of voting next month.
Early voting for the runoff will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 2-7, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 8 and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 9-10.
Those who don’t vote during early voting can vote from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 14.
One of the biggest questions voters will decide during the runoff is who the next mayor of Houston will be. Incumbent Sylvester Turner received 46% of the vote on Election Day, while attorney Tony Buzbee, the runner-up, received 28%.
For more information about where to vote or how to apply for a mail-in ballot, go to HarrisVotes.com/VotingInfo.
By Aaron Barker – Senior Digital Editor
Copyright 2019 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
West Lake Houston Parkway Panel Replacement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 12, 2019
Contact: Jessica Beemer (832) 393-3008
Houston, TX – Houston City Council Member Dave Martin is pleased to announce Houston Public Works crews will begin a panel replacement in the Kingwood area. The project will begin along West Lake Houston Parkway, just south of its intersection with Oakwood Forest Drive, on Thursday, November 14, weather permitting. The scope of work includes replacing 66 feet of pavement, as well as replacing an additional 16 feet of pavement on the crossover street to connect to the existing joint. The cost of the project is $35,000.00 and is funded through Council Member Martin’s Council District Service Funds.
On Thursday, November 14, Houston Public Works crews will begin the preparation work at 7:00 p.m. One lane will be closed while crews saw cut the paving. The lane will re-open no later than 5:00 a.m. the next morning, Friday, November 15. At 9:00 a.m. on Friday, November 15, crews will re-close that same lane to remove and replace the concrete paving. This lane is scheduled to remain closed from 9:00 a.m. Friday, November 15, until 12:00 a.m. midnight, Sunday, November 17. During the design portion of this project, Houston Public Works completed a traffic count of the area to create this work schedule with the goal of minimally impacting commutes and traffic congestion.
As a result of the construction activities, please be aware of flagmen and orange traffic cones that will be put in place on site to help with traffic flow through the construction zone as temporary lane closures are expected. One lane will remain open during the repairs process. Residents will have access to driveways and sidewalks at all times, and may experience an increase in noise levels due to trucks and equipment in the area.
For more information, please contact Council Member Dave Martin’s office at (832) 393-3008 or districte@houstontx.gov.
Congressional Support Achieved for Additional Dredging
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 4, 2019
Contact: Jessica Beemer (832) 393-3008 districte@houstontx.gov
Houston, TX – Council Member Dave Martin would like to make District E residents aware that he has achieved support for additional dredging on the Lake Houston mouth-bar in the form of a signed letter from Congressman Dan Crenshaw, Congressman Kevin Brady, Senator Ted Cruz, and Senator John Cornyn to the Acting Director of the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA). This is a rare accomplishment for the City of Houston to have all interested parties of a project at the local and state level signed on in agreement working together to make sure those at the highest level know that this project is not just necessary but required for our community.
Council Member Martin has worked hard over the last year and several months taking multiple trips to Austin and Washington, D.C. in order to solidify support at the state and federal level. Council Member Martin is happy to fight for the residents of District E and is glad to have this signed letter as proof of our hard work supporting the additional dredging. Council Member Martin has worked tirelessly to gain the support for this project from Mayor Sylvester Turner, Governor Greg Abbott, Congressman Dan Crenshaw, Congressman Kevin Brady, Senator Ted Cruz, and Senator John Cornyn.
As many in the Kingwood community are aware the first mission assignment modification to address partial removal of the mouth-bar concluded earlier this year. The mission assignment modification provided the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) authorization, acting at the direction of FEMA, to remove an additional 497,400 cubic yards of debris from the confluence of the San Jacinto River and Lake Houston, known locally as the “mouth-bar”. Council Member Martin has never accepted the amount of debris included in the mission modification and continues to fight that number today. Council Member Martin made the community aware of our plea to federal officials early September 2019. Overall the dredging efforts in the San Jacinto River have removed roughly 2 million cubic yards of debris from the river alone, which has been tremendous to return the flow and depth in the river. The 500,000 cubic yards removed from the mouth-bar, while helpful, does not achieve the goal of Council Member Martin to further reduce the effects of potential future flooding while protecting lives and property of those living in Kingwood and the Lake Houston area. Council Member Martin wants to achieve complete removal of the mouth-bar and will not stop fighting until that is achieved.
An update was provided to the community by Chief Recover Officer Costello at the Kingwood Town Hall Meeting on October 17, in his presentation that covered Recovery and Flood Mitigation Strategies. Thanks to this congressional letter of support delivered to FEMA on October 24 the City of Houston is in the final steps for solidifying an additional mission modification, which we hope to hear about soon. Please contact the District E Office with any questions by emailing districte@houstontx.gov.
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Bens Branch Approved Easement Agreement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 7, 2019
Contact: Jessica Beemer (832) 393-3008 districte@houstontx.gov
Bens Branch Approved Easement Agreement Houston, TX – Council Member Dave Martin would like to make District E residents aware that Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) has officially obtained a signed easement agreement with Bear Branch Trails Association and Friendswood Development Company to conduct much needed maintenance between Northpark Drive and Kingwood Drive.
Council Member Martin, HCFCD, Kingwood Service Association and Bear Branch Trails Association have worked hard over the last eighteen months to finalize this easement agreement. Bear Branch Trails Association and HCFCD had to request a transfer of ownership before they could begin maintenance. Friendswood Development Company had to sign off on the agreement because after annexation in 1996, the drainage easement returned to their possession. The updated HCFCD easement agreement was signed by Bear Branch Trails Association earlier this year, but was pending changes from the Friendswood Development Company.
This week, HCFCD received notice from the Friendswood Development Company that all proposed changes to the agreement were accepted, including widening the channel from 70 feet to 100 feet. HCFCD crews will mobilize in the area in the next week to remove silt and trees from the choke points as a first step.
Thank you to Friendswood Development Company, Bear Branch Trail Association, HCFCD and all community leaders who helped move this process along. This is a huge accomplishment for the Kingwood area. The District E Office will continue working with HCFCD to address the major and minor areas of concern, providing updates to the community as they become available. Please contact the District E Office with any questions by emailing districte@houstontx.gov.
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Houston Salutes American Heroes Veterans Day Celebration
Mayor’s Office of Special Events M.O. S.E., City of HoustonAgency
Mayor Sylvester invites Houstonians to attend the Houston Salutes American Heroes Veterans Day celebration starting at 10 a.m., Monday, Nov. 11 at City Hall, 901 Bagby St. Joe Walsh of the American rock band, The Eagles, will serve as the Veterans’ Day Parade Grand Marshal. Walsh also is a longtime supporter of veterans, a Gold Star family member, and Rock and Roll Hall of fame inductee. The celebration will conclude with a moment of silence in honor of the signing of the WWI Armistice. More information available at: www.houstontx.gov/nov11/index.html Parking is free in the Theater District Tranquillity Parking Garage. Please use entrances #2 and #5 to receive the complimentary parking. Download our FREE “MOSE” app at Google Play for Android devices running 4.1 and higher, or at the Apple App Store for iPhone and iPad devices running iOS 8.0 or later.
Dave Martin, Houston City Council Member District E, Monthly Newsletter November 1, 2019 Issue 82
This Week
Woodridge Village Development Update 2
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 31, 2019
Contact: Jessica Beemer (832) 393-3008 districte@houstontx.gov
Houston, TX – Houston City Council Member Dave Martin would like to make residents in the Kingwood community aware that conversations are occurring at the highest level of leadership within Perry Homes, regarding the future of Woodridge Village. The developer is looking to do something over and beyond what they have already committed to in their memo provided to the City of Houston on October 17. While Council Member Martin was visiting St. Martha’s Catholic School and Bear Branch Village, yesterday, October 30, Perry Homes was working on their Detention Pond 2, inspecting their existing silt fencing and installing new silt fencing as well as installing hay bales at their intake, and removing sediment from their outfall structure.
In response to these most recent actions taken by Perry Homes, Council Member Martin would like to reiterate what he stated at the Kingwood Town Hall meeting held on October 17. As a non-engineer, Council Member Martin believes that it is in the best interest of the Kingwood community that Perry Homes abandon the site and stop all development of Woodridge Village. Once abandoned, the Woodridge Village property would be used solely for the purposes of drainage detention. If abandonment is not an option for Perry Homes, Council Member Martin suggests that Perry Homes agree to sell the property at a discounted rate to interested agencies like the City of Houston and/or Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) to be used a detention facility. This detention facility would be used to protect downstream communities from the drainage of upstream development.
HCFCD is currently near the middle of their Kingwood Drainage Study (F-14), which is a part of the 2018 Harris County Flood Control Bond. As part of the study, HCFCD is reviewing existing level of service of existing ditches and possible alternatives to accommodate 100-year flood events which may include an expansion of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch. HCFCD plans to host a Kingwood Drainage Study progress meeting this December. Once a date has been scheduled, the District E Office will provide that information to the community.
To view the first Woodridge Village Update please visit our site here. For more information, please contact Council Member Martin’s office at (832) 393-3008 or via email at districte@houstontx.gov.
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