Monthly Newsletter May 12, 2024 Issue 3

Dear District E Residents,
The flooding that happened in the San Jacinto Watershed and around the Lake Houston area this past weekend was a harsh reminder there is still much that needs to be done to mitigate flooding in our community. The Lake Houston Dam Spillway Improvement Project is my top priority. The additional 11 gates the dam spillway will eventually have would have kept up with the initial round of rainfall that wasn’t forecasted and also allowed us to fully account for the San Jacinto River Authority’s releases at Lake Conroe. The slightest change in the forecast could have meant the difference between the dozens of homes flooded in District E or widespread catastrophic flooding. I can’t express my gratitude enough for all the first responders who worked tireless hours to protect life and property. Thank you to Mayor Whitmire for being in Kingwood and making sure District E had all the necessary resources.

We must take steps now to work together with Montgomery and Liberty County to ensure consistent drainage and detention policies based on Atlas-14 standards. I am working with Houston Public Works, and Coastal Water Authority to evaluate our operations and protocols for how Lake Houston water levels are managed. I am looking forward to working with State Representative Charles Cunningham to address the long-term dredging of Lake Houston and the West & East Forks of the San Jacinto River. I firmly believe the dredging completed since Harvey spearheaded by my predecessor, Dave Martin, made a critical difference in how many homes it protected from flooding. We must remain steadfast in our pursuit of mitigating flooding in District E and Houston as a whole.

Thank you to Congressman Dan Crenshaw, State Representative Charles Cunningham, Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey, and Dr. Tina Peterson at Harris County Flood Control. Special thank you to Mark Micheletti who serves as the downstream representative on the San Jacinto River Authority Board, Bob Rehak, and Kaaren Cambio who helps keep the community informed.

It’s that time of year again and the City of Houston Budget process is getting underway later this month with Department Budget Workshops, on May 15 – 16, 20 – 23, and 28. The full schedule is posted online here. All workshops will be held in-person and broadcast online utilizing HTV Houston, public speakers will be permitted to participate virtually. To sign up as a public speaker for our upcoming budget workshops you may do so here. Mayor Whitmire will release the proposed budget on Tuesday, May 14, and the City Council will begin hearing budget presentations from departments the next day, Wednesday, May 15. A public hearing on the city’s budget will be held Wednesday, May 29, and the budget vote will take place Wednesday, June 12. At-Large 5 Council Member, Sallie Alcorn, as the Chair of the Budget & Fiscal Affairs Committee, has kicked off the budget discussion with a resident survey and it is important that we hear from you. I encourage you to participate in Council Member Alcorn’s “Give Us Your 2¢”, City of Houston budget survey. I will work hard alongside my colleagues to make fiscally conservative decisions regarding the City’s finances and fight for District E infrastructure improvements, flood mitigation, and public safety initiatives.
Sincerely,

May Flood Recovery Effort: Reporting Storm Debris and Structural Flooding

The City of Houston Solid Waste Department (SWD) will begin storm debris collection this week. All debris should be placed between the sidewalk and the street, or it will not be collected. If you don’t have a sidewalk, ditch, or utility line in front of your home, place debris at the edge of your property before the curb. Do not stack or lean debris on trees, fire hydrants, or other structures. Please remember to separate your debris into the following six categories: Normal Household Trash: Normal household trash and bagged debris of any kind will not be picked up as part of this program. Continue to follow your normal garbage removal schedule. Vegetative Debris: leaves (not in bags), logs, plants & tree branches Construction & Demolition Debris: building materials, carpet, drywall, furniture, lumber, mattresses, and plumbing Appliances & White Goods: air conditioners, dishwashers, freezers, refrigerators, etc. Electronics: computers, radios, televisions, and other devices with cords Household Hazardous waste: cleaning supplies, batteries, lawn chemicals, oils, paints & stains, and pesticides

Lake Houston Dam Spillway Improvement Project Status Update

During the May 8th Council Meeting, Houston City Council unanimously approved accepting funds appropriated during the 88th Legislative Session for the addition of gates on the Lake Houston Dam Spillway. The Lake Houston Dam Spillway Improvement Project was approved for funding by FEMA until 2019. The age of the Lake Houston Dam Spillway, built in 1953, proved a huge obstacle for this project as it continued to move forward. Originally, six different alternatives of the project were proposed. Another factor complicating the project was the cost variations between alternatives as project costs were outside of the initial federally funded amount, $48 million. The City of Houston worked diligently with the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) and FEMA to find the option with the highest benefit-to-cost ratio (BCR). In December of 2022, the revised BCR completed by the City’s consultant for an eleven-gate structure was deemed federally compliant and very favorable. The eleven gates will be built into the existing embankment on the east side of the Lake Houston Dam Spillway. Building the new gate structure in the east embankment removes the high-construction risk of modifying the existing gate structure and allows continued use of the existing gate structure during construction. Each gate will be 20 ft x 20 ft and will be capable of releasing a total of 79,000 cubic feet of water per second. The current timeline is to have the final design and construction plans completed by Q1 2025, bid and award the contract for construction in Q2/Q3 of 2025, and begin construction by Q4 2025/Q1 2026. The District E office continues to sit on bi-weekly coordination meetings for this project. All parties are committed to constructing these additional gates to ensure protection against future flood events.   Many thanks to U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw, U.S. Congressman’s District Director Kaaren Cambio, Governor Greg Abbott, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, State Senator Brandon Creighton, State Senator Joan Huffman, Speaker Dade Phelan, State Representative Charles Cunningham, State Representative/House Appropriations Chair Greg Bonnen, State Representative Armando Walle, TDEM-Chief Nim Kidd, Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey, Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough, Montgomery County Commissioner Matt Gray, City of Houston Mayor John Whitmire, City of Houston Chief Recovery Officer Stephen Costello, City of Humble Mayor Norman Funderburk, Humble City Manager Jason Stuebe and Harris County Flood Control District. Special thank you to former Council Member Dave Martin and former State Representative Dan Huberty.

Lake Houston Dam Spillway Tainter Gate Stuck

On Wednesday, May 1st the District E Office was informed one of the two tainter gates was stuck partially open due to a broken chain. The Lake Houston Dam Spillway has two tainter gates and two flashboards. Each tainter gate releases 4,000 cfs and each flashboard releases 1,000 cfs for a total of 10,000 cfs. When the lake level reaches 43.4 ft. (1 ft over normal pool) the vast majority of the water flow goes over the spillway not through the gates. For reference, at the peak of Lake Houston’s outflows, water was flowing out of the lake at 185,000 cfs. With that being said, every ounce of water the City of Houston/Coastal Water Authority can move through the Lake Houston Dam Spillway matters. The other tainter gate and flashboard gates will not be closed until a repair is completed on the other tainter gate. Coastal Water Authority has stated they should be able to fix the broken chain in 2-3 days once the lake level gets back down to 42.4 ft. (normal pool) and the weather can stay dry for a few days. Updates will be provided on this matter as they are available. The video below is drone footage taken late in the afternoon on Friday, May 3 showing the amount of water being discharged over the spillway and through the gates.

Pearl Hall Elementary SPARK Park Dedication

Council Member Flickinger had the privilege of attending the dedication for the Pearl Hall Elementary SPARK Park. The SPARK School Park Program works with schools and neighborhoods to develop community parks on public school grounds. The school staff and students put together an excellent program celebrating the dedication of the SPARK Park. Council Member Flickinger provided $10,000 out of Council District Service Funds to help fund the park. This SPARK Park was possible thanks to Pasadena ISD, Pearl Hall Elementary, Council Member Flickinger, Kinder Foundation, Houston Endowment, Cullen, the Brown Foundation, and many others. The SPARK Park at Pearl Hall helps fulfill a goal of city/county residents having a ten-minute or half-mile walk to a park. The total cost for the SPARK Park was $224,000.

BARC Expanding Stray Animal Intake with Limited Hours Every Sunday

BARC, the City of Houston’s Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, will expand intake on Sundays from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm for Houstonians with a stray animal.  During this time on Sundays, residents who want to turn in a stray animal will not need to schedule an intake appointment online and may turn in a stray animal on a first-come, first-served basis, until shelter capacity is reached.  Residents wishing to surrender owned pets will still be required to schedule an intake appointment online and will not be eligible to turn in an animal during non-appointment hours.  In Texas, abandoning an animal is specifically addressed under the cruelty to non-livestock animals. For cruelty convictions involving abandoning an animal, the defendant will be punished with a Class A misdemeanor, which may include a fine up to $4,000, jail time up to a year, or both. If the conviction is a third offense, the state may punish the defendant with a state jail felony. Under Texas law, a state jail felony may include jail time ranging from 180 days to 2 years and a fine up to $10,000. Visit www.houstonbarc.com or www.Facebook.com/BARCHouston for more information.

National Foster Care Month

May is more than just spring blooms and sunny days; it’s National Pet Foster Care Month, a time dedicated to recognizing the unsung heroes who open their hearts and homes to animals in need. Every day at BARC, compassionate individuals step up to provide temporary shelter, love, and care to pets awaiting their forever homes. This month, let’s celebrate these remarkable fosters and their invaluable contribution to the safety and well-being of our furry friends. Thank you, foster caregivers, for your unwavering commitment to making a difference, one paw at a time. Visit www.houstonbarc.com or www.Facebook.com/BARCHouston for more information.

World Migratory Bird Day at Sylvan Rodriguez Park

Yesterday, May 11, volunteers and bird enthusiasts came together at Sylvan Rodriguez Park for World Migratory Bird Day and the planting of native vegetation. Volunteers planted native flora to protect migratory bird habitats in record numbers. The volunteers’ dedication was inspiring, and their work will benefit the park’s ecosystem for years to come. World Migratory Bird Day at Sylvan Rodriguez Park was well attended by families, birdwatchers, and nature lovers participating in various events. The day was full of instructive events, from avian conservation workshops to immersive birding tours of these amazing travelers. The World Migratory Bird Day festivities and volunteer planting efforts showed the importance of protecting natural habitats for migratory birds. Thank you to the Houston Parks & Recreation Department and the Houston Audubon Society for ensuring the day’s events were successful. Celebrating World Migratory Bird Day is a part of what makes Houston a certified Bird City. Read more about our certification here.

State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry

Do you or anyone you know need some assistance during times of an emergency event? The State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) program is a free registry that provides local emergency planners and emergency responders with additional information on the needs in their community. Texas communities use the registry information in different ways. Registering yourself in the STEAR registry DOES NOT guarantee that you will receive a specific service during an emergency. Available services will vary by community. For more information on how your community will use information in the STEAR registry, contact your local emergency management office or visit https://www.tdem.texas.gov/response/state-of-texas-emergency-assistance-registry.

Comcast RISE

Comcast RISE is committed to supporting the growth of all small businesses as well as community investment. The program is built to help businesses and their communities thrive with a focus on economic growth. This year, Comcast RISE will award 500 recipients in five cities with a grant package that includes business consultation services, education resources, monetary grants, creative production, media, and technology makeovers.  Comcast RISE was created in 2020 to help small businesses hard hit by Covid-19 recover and thrive. To date, 13,500 small businesses have been awarded over $125 million in monetary, marketing, and technology grants. Comcast RISE is one of several programs that Comcast has overseen as part of Project UP aimed at closing the digital divide and achieving digital equity. The application period is May 1-31,2024. The grants will be awarded in August 2024. You can find more information and the online application at www.ComcastRISE.com.

Report a Streetlight Outage

CenterPoint Energy maintains streetlights throughout District E and the City of Houston. If you notice a streetlight out in your area, please click on the link below to report a streetlight outage. You will be asked to provide:​​ – a pole number (or nearby address) for the non-functioning lights you want to report – contact information (in case more information is needed to locate a streetlight) – an e-mail address (if you want feedback regarding your repair request) – the number of streetlights you would like to report​ The system will guide you through the remaining steps. To report a streetlight outage using the interactive map, click here. Report general power outages by calling 713-207-2222 or toll-free 800-332-7143.

Utilizing 3-1-1 to Report Issues

Residents may act as extra eyes and ears on the streets, and soon you’ll be able to report a pothole, a malfunctioning traffic light, or a drainage problem while you’re out and about. Houston 311 has launched a new smartphone app that makes reporting issues like these easier than ever. The app uses GPS to identify your location and also allows you to snap a photo to add to your service request. The new app allows for reports to be automatically routed to city departments for resolutions. You can still alert the City of Houston of issues by dialing 3-1-1 or 713-837-0311 of potential problems in your community. Houstonians can also access this helpful service via an e-mail to 311@HoustonTX.gov. A self Service Request (SR) form is available online at www.houston311.org. Once you’ve reported a problem please follow up with the District E office by emailing your case number and information on the issue to the District E office at districte@houstontx.gov to help ensure the problem is addressed promptly.

District E Upcoming Monthly Events

Email the District E office (districte@houstontx.gov) if you would like us to include your upcoming event in future newsletters! May 15 – Kingwood Super Neighborhood Council (Zoom) May 15 – Budget Workshops (5 year Forecast, Finance, Library, DON) May 16 – Budget Workshops (General Services, HITS, HPW) May 20 – Budget Workshops (Controller’s Office, ARA, Fleet, HR) May 21 – Budget Workshops (Houston Airports, Housing, Planning Dept) May 20 – HPD-Eastside Positive Interaction Program Meeting May 21 – HPD-Kingwood Positive Interaction Program Meeting May 21 – HPD-Clearlake Positive Interaction Program Meeting May 22 – Budget Workshops (Health Dept, Solid Waste, Municipal Courts, HPARD )May 23 – Budget Workshops (OBO, City Council, Mayor’s Office, HFD) May 28 – Budget Workshops (Legal Dept, HPD)

See a pothole, report it by calling (713) 837-0311

Tune to HTV Houston to watch live and recorded City Council and Committee Meetings.

District E Office Council Member Fred Flickinger 900 Bagby, First Floor Houston, TX 77002 Email: districte@houstontx.gov Phone: (832) 393-3008 The District E Team Dustin Hodges Chief of Staff Mark Mitchell Deputy Chief of Staff Demari Perez North Sector Manager City Resources Kingwood Community Center (281) 348-2570 Houston 311 (713) 837-0311 City of Houston Solid Waste Department City of Houston Office of Emergency Management Community Resources  Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce  South Belt-Ellington Chamber of Commerce  Partnership Lake Houston  Kingwood Service Association  Kingwood Super Neighborhood Council