Recap of City Issues - May 14, 2010

Scott Kriston reports that the TXDOT FM 2499 section 4 project contractor is finishing the concrete coping walls, cut outs, sidewalks, added storm water inlets and driveway connections on the north bound outside lane as weather permits.  The contractor is mowing the r.o.w. as weather permits.  The contractor is preparing to redefine some offsite drainage areas where easements were obtained during the design process.  The contractor is preparing to move into the Northwood / FM 2499 intersection to construct it and they anticipate approximately 4 weeks to build, weather permitting.  Most of the work is taking place on the Corinth side of the project now.

PUBLIC SAFETY (POLICE AND FIRE)

Fire:

Fire Department personnel responded to 15 Calls for Service the week of May 7 - 13

• Medical Emergencies - 6
• Illegal Camp Fire Burns - 2
• Odor Investigation - 1
• Public Service - 3
• Motor Vehicle Accident - 2
• Public Education - 1 (Safety Fair - HV Elementary)

Fire Personnel conducted two Plan Reviews and one License Inspection.

Highland Village Fire Captain Jones along with Paramedics Dukes, Caudle, Middleton, and Lacy assisted with a Careflight transport. The patient hit a retaining wall on Timbercrest and was in and out of consciousness due to the extent of their injuries.

Police:

This week, the police department responded to 150 calls for service, made 112 traffic contacts, made 5 arrests, responded to 2 traffic accidents and performed 357 community policing activities.

Corporal April Roppolo attended a breakfast at Heritage Elementary with 55 seniors from Marcus High School. All of these seniors were her LETS students in 2004 and all of them are going to college. All of the students were honored at Heritage by Principal Belinda Nikkles. Some of the parents stated they were very thankful to HVPD for all the support during the school year.

One of our past animal adopters (Brooke Rea) sent us this note recently, "My husband and I adopted a chocolate lab puppy on Saturday, 2/20/10, at the Petco location in Highland Village.  He is doing wonderful.  I am not sure if you remember this little guy (well he is not so little any more--weighing in at 35 lbs) but he was there to be adopted with his sister.  I think I remember you saying that his mother was rescued by a family in Dallas and they gave the a couple of the puppies to you to adopt out." 

Senior Animal Care Officer Michelle Burke conducted a class on Friday at DKH for the children in attendance.  She educated the kids about snakes and insects that they might come across in the yards where they play.

Chief Ed O'Bara attended an off-site meeting for all of the city Department Heads.

Chief Ed O'Bara, Captain Mark Stewart, Communications Manager Jackie Cottongame, and Sergeant Sheri Morrison attended a TMRS meeting held in Denton at the Civic Center.

Corporal Clint Webb received his Intermediate Peace Officer License from TCLEOSE this week.  Corporal Patrick Finley received his Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Practioner license from TCLEOSE this week also.

STREET / UTILITY DIVISIONS PROJECTS

Streets:

The Street Division completed the  concrete street repairs at St. James Court due to a utility repair.

The Street Division made a asphalt street repair at 482 Medina Drive due to a base failure.

The Street crew started painting the parking lot at the Central Fire Station and will continue into next week.

The Street Division had a class on pouring patterned concrete and the process of how to use the patterned stamp mats on concrete. The mats have a pattern that gives the concrete a design.

Utilities:

Scott Kriston reports that the MSC project contractor poured the concrete for the fuel pump island this week.  The mason is bricking the PWB. The window contractor is installing the store front windows on the REC & PWB buildings.  The flooring contractor is installing the tile floors in the REC building.  The dry wall & painting contractors are working inside the PWB & Rec buildings.  The electrical & duct work rough is being installed in the PWB.  The equipment building and the storage building steel is currently being installed as weather permits.

Scott Kriston met with BW2 Engineering , Inc. & discussed the status of all open Public Works projects.

Scott Kriston held interviews this week for the Utilities Administrative Assistant position.

Utility Crews:

• Responded to five after hour call outs and four resident concerns.
• Excavated and repaired a sewer service on Silverthorne and removed and capped the sewer line service for the old guard shack at Copperas Park.
• Located six areas of utility infrastructure.
• Raised one manhole up to grade.
• Unstopped three sewer line blockages.
• Flushed and TV inspected five sewer lines for areas in need of repair.
• Replaced four old style curb stops in preparation for a future AMR installation.
• Vacuumed out a manhole on Remington to remove grease build up.
• Hauled asphalt millings to the Fairland lift station to bring the drive way up to grade with FM 2499.
• Rebuilt the VFD pump at the Idlewild EST pump station.
• Performed meter rereads, water turn on/turn offs, and leak checks.
• Performed maintenance on well lots, lift stations, fire hydrants and the water distribution and wastewater collection system.

Drainage Crews:

• Working on restoring the backyard drainage swale located in an existing easement in the 3000 block of Newhaven.
• Unclogged creek crossings & curb inlets during the recent rain event.

PARKS DEPARTMENT

Park staff finished putting in ADA pavestone on the side walk entry at Lower Sellmeyer Park.

Wes Neinhuser and Keegan Arnold removed algae and aquatic plants and weeds from the pond in Unity Park.

Staff at all parks is trimming tree limbs and shrubs.

Tony Palesano has been making numerous irrigation repairs as well as installing Cal-Sense Irrigation components.

All crews are busy with seasonal mowing cycles in all parks and Municipal grounds.

Parks staff replaced the pole banners around town with Red, White and Blue banners in preparation for our festival on June 5th.

Parks staff attended the Texas Amateur Athletics Federation ( T.A.A.F. ) meeting on Wednesday in Haltom City to discuss recreation program implementation.

Parks staff met with Police and Fire Departments to coordinate security for the Red, White and Blue Festival.

On Thursday, two out of the eight Kids Kamp staff attended CPR training at the Fire Station with Mel Harper.  We have a total of eight Kids Kamp staff, five are returning from last year and the other already has her CPR certificate.  Kids Kamp will be at Briarhill M.S. and run from June 14th - August 13th. 

On Thursday, Parks staff met with Durham Transportation to discuss their shuttle service that they sponsor for the Red, White and Blue Festival and the field trip schedule for Kids Kamp.

This Saturday, there will be a fishing tournament at Copperas Branch Park hosted by Bass Champs.  If you'd like to see some large bass, weigh in begins at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday

Senior All Stars

The Highland Village Senior All Stars met on Monday (23 attendees) and Thursday (29 attendees) for game day. 

Ten Senior All Stars met on Tuesday for open game time.

On Thursday, 27 Highland Village Senior All Stars went to the Texas Rangers game.

HUMAN RESOURCES / STAFF TRAINING

Human Resources:

• On Monday Jana Onstead held a Benefit Committee meeting to go over plans for the upcoming Benefit Fair for employees on May 20th.  This year's theme is "Rockin Wellness".
• Vanesa Childers attended the Administrative Team meeting on Tuesday.
• Martha Butz attended the Director's planning meeting on Wednesday afternoon and the TMRS Pre Retirement meeting in Denton on Thursday.
• Heather Miller, Jackie Cottongame and Bobby Salmon attended the Supervisory Series, "Organizing and Delegating," on Wednesday in Keller.

Fire:

• Assistant Fire Chief Collier attended Wildland Refresher Training held at the Denton County Fire Marshal's office on Wednesday evening.