Recap of City Issues - November 14, 2008

Sue Thompson reports a great success for the sixth annual HVBA "Salute Our Veterans" luncheon held on November 11, 2008 at Celebrations.  Mayor Dianne Costa welcomed everyone, the MHS AFJR ROTC posted the colors and Congressman Michael Burgess awarded five Congressional Veterans Commendations to local veterans.  The very special part of the day was when all of the 136 veterans provided their names, branch of service, years served and, in some cases, shared a short story with those 325 in  attendance.  Staff received really good comments on the luncheon.              

 The afternoon of Tuesday, November 11th, the City's Veteran's Monument was official dedicated, with Mayor Costa welcoming those in attendance and unveiling the dedication stone.  The MHS AFJR ROTC posted the colors and former Mayor Bill Lawrence led the pledge of allegiance.  Councilmembers Combs, Adams, Fiorenza, McDearmont and Calvin each read a brief description of the medallions representing each branch of service.  Michael Leavitt provided a brief history of the project.  Those who contributed financially to the project were recognized with a poster in the rotunda and refreshments were served to the approximately 100 in attendance.    

Sue Thompson, Fince Espinoza, Tommy White, Rhoda Savage, Jason Collier, Chief Tatum and Karl Schlichter attended a planning meeting with representatives from Regency Centers and the Highland Village Women's Club to discuss final plans for the upcoming "Our Village Glows" which will be held on Tuesday, December 2nd from 6:30 - 8 PM at the Shops at Highland Village this year. The "Glow" officially kicks off the holiday season with local choirs performing holiday music, plus there will be face painting, cookie decorating and let's not forget Santa!  Mark your calendars for this annual event.

Representatives from Capital One Bank presented the Highland Village Fire Department with a $100 check for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, in conjunction with the Chili cook-off sponsored by Capital One that was held on Saturday, October 25^th.  Approximately twelve teams competed to prepare the prize-winning chili.  Charles Hinkle, the Fire Department representative for MDA will present the check to MDA.

Chief Tatum, Assistant Chief Collier and fire department personnel attended a meeting with Opus West and DSS Fire Protection personnel regarding the transfer of information from DSS Fire to HVPD dispatch center.

Firefighter/Paramedic Mel Harper conducted CPR training this past week for eighteen Highland Village residents and city employees.

Assistant Chief Collier, Vince Jones and Jared Middleton attended a medical control board meeting that was held at Medical Center of Lewisville on Monday.

Scott Kriston attended the TX DOT FM 2499 phase 4 weekly project meeting.  The TX DOT FM 2499 project status  is as follows:  Currently the installation of the stormwater pipe continues on the south end, retaining wall construction continues on the south end of the project at Clifton and near the Castlewood Highland Shores intersection, they continue to install the drill shafts for the proposed bridges on the south end of the project at Poindexter Branch of Lake Lewisville.  Franchise utilities are working on relocating their infrastructure that needs to be relocated inside the TX DOT right of way.  CoServ is anticipated to start relocating electric poles & buried electric south of Highland Shores Boulevard anytime.  They are relocating the poles to 1-foot inside of the TXDOT r.o.w. so TXDOT can install a proposed retaining wall 500 feet south of Highland Shores Blvd. on the east side of the TX DOT r.o.w.  Time Warner CATV has laid a temporary line and is anticipated to start relocating approximately 800 feet of buried CATV wire located south of Highland Shores Blvd. over the next few weeks.  TXDOT is verifying drainage easements along the entire project.  Explorer Pipeline completed the relocation of their gas line that cross the TX DOT r.o.w. in Highland Village, they are currently backfilling the trench slowly to get proper compaction results.  Rain delayed the proposed culvert crossing schedule this week.  Line H was installed Thursday & Friday of this week, next Monday through Thursday November 17th  - 20th, TX DOT is proposing to install a culvert boxes across the right of way located at the railroad crossing and near Fairland Dr., flagmen will control traffic during this process, it is anticipated to take 2 days to install each of the box culvert across the r.o.w., weather permitting.                

On Monday 21 Senior All Stars met for game day at the community center.

On Thursday 31 Senior All Stars met in the council chambers for game day; which was followed by lunch out at Café 407.

On Friday the Senior All Stars will be playing Putt Putt Golf.

On Wednesday, Parks' management attended a staff meeting to discuss present and future projects.

This week the North Crew has been staining the fence and placing new benches  at Lower Sellmeyer Park.  New benches have also been placed at Brazos Park and the new Veteran's Memorial.  The  North Crew has been performing routine mowing and shrub bed maintenance.

The Pilot Knoll Crew was involved in fixing water leaks this week at the overnight camping area with the assistance of Tony Palesano and Wes Neinhuser.

On Monday Parks crews set 15 "Our Village Glows" signs around Highland Village.

As you may have noticed, a Christmas Tree has been placed in the rotunda at the municipal complex to assist with a community program.  Here's how the program, which runs from November 1 through December 15, works:  Prior to the holiday season, needy and isolated seniors in the community have been identified by Meals on Wheels.  Christmas trees will be placed throughout the community and feature ornaments with the first names only of the seniors and their respective gift requests.  The largest tree will be located in the center of Highland Village's City Hall.  Holiday shoppers can pick up an ornament, buy items on the list and return them unwrapped to the tree, along with the ornament attached.  Gift wrapping day will be Dec. 16^th.

The Street Division crew cracksealed various locations throughout the city as an  ongoing street maintenance project.

The Street Division crews are changing out various street signs to meet the mandated 1997 FHWA requirement.  This is a ten year ongoing program to be completed by 2018.

Utility Crews Repaired a fire hydrant in the 100 block of Donna Circle.

Utility Crews repaired a main break in the 100 block of Trails End. 

Utility Crews repaired water service line leaks at 2820 FM 2499 (Opus) & 110 Addison. 

The Utilities Division took delivery of the Flush-Vac truck that was ordered during last years budget.  The crew attended a 4 hour training class on the operation of the new unit.  This truck will allow the Utility crews to simultaneously flush and vacuum the debris from the sanitary sewer system for a more reliable wastewater collections system. 

Utility Crews repaired sewer lines at 2644 Hillside & 2425 Glen Ridge. 

Utility Crews set the water meters for Freddy's Frozen Custard. 

Utility Crews flow tested the fire system for Chicken Express. 

Utility Crews dressed yards where water & sewer line repairs were made.

Utility Crews performed a final walk through on the Replacement Water Lines (Pebble Knoll, Highland Hills and Post Oak) project this week.  The contractor is working on a small punch list.

Utility Crews obtained the required bacteriological water samples as mandated by the state & delivered them to the Lewisville lab for testing.  

Utility crews performed maintenance on well lots, lift stations, fire hydrants and the water distribution and wastewater collection system.

Drainage crews completed the drainage work & re-sod in the existing drainage easement located in the 100 block of Trails End. 

Drainage crews remove dead trees from a drainage easement located in the 200 block of Tharp.

Drainage crews replaced the pea gravel on a culvert pipe with larger stone to prevent erosion at the 200 block of Rockland. 

Drainage crews cleaned bar ditch behind 403 lake vista east. and built up dirt berm to prevent flooding in backyard.  

Drainage crews cleared trees from drainage easement at 3025 Lakeside. 

Scott Kriston attended a FM 407 Utility coordination meeting this week in Flower Mound.  Discussion took place during the meeting to get a feel of the current locations of all existing utilities located along the FM 407 corridor from Briarhill west to the Lantana development.  TXDOT anticipates securing all additional proposed right of ways and all utilities relocated early 2009.  T DOT plans on bidding the project in the fall of 2009 and starting construction in the Spring of 2010.  

Today Corporal David Harney, Officer Melinda Stevens, Auxiliary Olsen, Auxiliary Steve Jones, Auxiliary Miller and Corporal April Roppolo assisted Rambling Oaks in pushing fifteen residents in wheelchairs to Heritage Elementary for them to see the fifth graders and teachers in costumes from George Washington days.    

This week the Police Department responded to 122 calls for service, made 44 traffic contacts, made 7 arrests, responded to 10 traffic accidents and performed 495 community policing activities.

The Highland Village Fire Department had 18 calls for service the week of Nov 7-13th.  This included: 13 medical emergencies, 1 structure fire, 2 commercial fire alarms and 2 residential fire alarms.  The fire department also conducted two commercial fire inspections for Applebee's and the new Census Bureau.

Martha Butz attended the North Texas Municipal Alliance monthly board meeting in Mansfield on Thursday.

Chief Tatum attended the monthly Denco 9-1-1 board meeting on Thursday in Lewisville.  Kimball & Associates presented a program on bandwidth requirements for the next generation 911 system. 

Chief Tatum and Assistant Chief Collier attended the final special event meeting for the upcoming Village Glows ceremony.  The Highland Village Fire Department will be transporting Santa via the fire engine to the Village Glows location at the Shops at Highland Village.                                      

Justin Praesel, UT Supv. and Larry Jeurink, SCADA/Electrician attended a wastewater pump electrical trouble shooting class in Carrollton sponsored by ITT Flygt Corp.

Corporal Detective Doug Bell and Detective Andrea Musick attended a training class for The Internet and Law Enforcement at Denton County SO.

Senior Animal Care Officer Michelle Burke attended a pet adoption training seminar in Oklahoma.  The seminar was sponsored by Petfinder.com.

Chief O'Bara and Captain Stewart attend the International Association of Chief of Police Awards ceremony in San Diego.  The Police Department was presented with an award for our Value Based Policing program.