Recap of City Issues - February 6, 2009

On Wednesday I attended the TXDOT Interstate 35-E stakeholder meeting to hear the current status of the project.  The Draft 90% complete schematic plans will be submitted to TXDOT in Austin on February 20th for comment and review.  The Environmental Analysis is still process,  and TXDOT is targeting late March to submit the Middle Section from FM 2181 to the George Bush to Austin for their review and comment, the EA will cover the Lewisville Lake Mitigation.  The goal for TXDOT is to receive FONSI by December of 2009.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Sue Thompson and I attended the ribbon cutting for the opening of the 2010 Census office located in Highland Village at Sellmeyer Land and FM 407.  The HV office representing Denton County will be responsible for counting the population in 64 counties in, including the panhandle of Texas.  Denton County Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell welcomed everyone and had everyone introduce themselves prior to me addressing those in attendance.  This Census office brings employment opportunities to this area to help with the all important task of counting residents.                             

PUBLIC SAFETY (POLICE AND FIRE)

FF/EMT Mel Harper provided specialized Healthcare Provider & AED training to eight members of the Rambling Oaks Nursing Home medical staff.

FF/EMT Mel Harper also provided CPR/Healthcare Provider, First Aid and AED training to sixteen residents including Police Officers Jose Diaz and Clint Webb. 

The Emergency Warning Sirens are tested on the first Wednesday of each month.  This month's test found all devices functioning properly.

Corporal Roppolo and Corporal Harney trained 110 Seventh Grade students in the LETS Program.

The Police Department participated in the filming of the new city video, assisted by four Briarhill Middle School football players.

Corporal Roppolo and Corporal Harney presented Certificates of Merit to eleven Briarhill Middle School students.

The Police Department, assisted by the Police Auxiliary, worked a special event at Tutor Time to help with the blood drive.  McGruff also made a special appearance.

This week the Police Department responded to 140 calls for service, made 65 traffic contacts, made 13 arrests, responded to 13 traffic accidents and performed 543 community policing activities.

The Highland Village Fire Department responded to 28 calls for service the week of January 30th - February 5^th.  This included 13 medical emergency calls, 2 public service calls, 2 structure fire calls, 2 residential fire alarms, 1 commercial fire alarm, 1 hazmat cleanup, 3 motor vehicle accidents, 2 odor investigations, and 2 welfare checks.  The Fire Department also conducted 1 fire alarm inspection and 1 plan review for new businesses.

STREET / UTILITY DIVISIONS PROJECTS

Scott Kriston attended the TX DOT FM 2499 phase 4 weekly project meeting. The TX DOT FM 2499 project status  is as follows:  The contractor is installing the pillar cross members for the proposed bridges at Poindexter Branch & Hickory Creek Branch of  Lake Lewisville. The contractor is installing stormwater pipe along the right of way at various locations.  The contractor is installing retaining walls along the entire project. Final grade has been cut on the northbound lanes from the KCS railroad south to FM 407.  The contractor started to lay down asphalt this week.  Concrete pavement will start within the next several weeks.  As of January 12, there are 405 construction workers working on the jobsite.                                

Matthew Kite, Scott Kriston and I met with the UTRWD staff this week to discuss a report the UTRWD submitted on the proposed rehabilitation / rebuilding of the existing wastewater lift station located at the old Double Tree Ranch site.

The small old house located at 948 has been abated for asbestos by ARC Abatement, Inc. This was done before the Street Division could demolish the old house in accordance with the State of Texas Department of Health. The Street Division is applying for an application to the Health Department  to get permission to demolish the old house.

Drainage crews:

• Cleared overgrown trees, dredged the silt out andresoded thedrainage culvert at 3200block of Shoreview.
• Repaireda pipe separation atthe 100block of Bluebonnetthat was causinga streetfailure.
• Reshaped the bar ditch atthe 200 block ofSpring way to reestablish proper flow.
• Started tree removal at the 3100block of OverlookCircle inthe drainage easement.
• Reshaped the bar ditch andsoddeditin the 100 block of N. Clearwater.

Utility crews:

• Assisted ITW Devcon at theFM 407 well lotandcoated the insides of the water pumps. Pump coating reduces power consumption by reducing water friction in the pumps.
• Installed an automatic gate opener on theFM 407 well lotaccessgate.
• Responded totwoafter hour call outs, one emergency water turn off and one water meter leaking.
• Clearedone sewer backup.
• Performedtwo excavations to repair sewerand waterlines.
• Cut off 22 water service accounts due to nonpayment.
• Continue to perform maintenance on well lots, lift stations, fire hydrants and thewater distribution and wastewater collection system.

PARKS DEPARTMENT

On Tuesday, Rhoda Savage, Tommy White and Fince Espinoza met with representatives from the architectural firm Baldwin C. Baldwin Inc. to discuss the Brazos median landscaping project.

On Monday 24 Seniors met and on Thursday 38 met for game day. On Tuesday, four met for chair exercise and on Wednesday 13 participated in Book Club at Barnes and Noble. 

Staff is finishing construction on the youth field at Unity Park baseball complex.

Staff has been preparing all baseball fields at Unity Park and Copperas Park for HVBA practices that will soon be starting.

The North Crew cleaned out brush and limbs from the roadside at Wichita Forest and Sellmeyer lane this week. 

The Pilot Knoll Crew continues to replace picnic Shelter roofs at the Day Use Park.

Tony Palesano did repairs on irrigation lines at Village Park due to damage from road construction in that area.

The Parks Department hired new Camp Host / Gate Attendant Noel Haynes who started at Pilot Knoll Park this week.

HUMAN RESOURCES / STAFF TRAINING

Human Resources:

• Martha Butz attended a TXPELRA Conference in Las Colinas Wednesday and Thursday. The programs were sponsored by the Texas Municipal Human Resources Association (TMHRA) and the Texas Public Employer Labor Relations Association (TXPELRA). Martha Butz serves on the TMHRA Board and attended a TMHRA board meeting in Las Colinas on Monday and Tuesday.
• Vanesa Childers attended copier refresher training on Monday at the municipal complex.
• Jana Onstead, Martha Butz and Jane Ponder held orientation for two new employees, Clinton Webb in the Police Department and Bibiano Bautista-Gonzalez in the Parks Department. We are pleased they have joined our city staff!
• On Wednesday Jana Onstead attended an ADA Compliance and FMLA Update Training in Southlake.
• On Thursday the Safety Committee met and conducted site inspections along with Phil Camp, Loss Control Specialist, from Texas Political Subdivisions which is the City's work comp carrier. Safety Committee members that attended were Jana Onstead, Billy Spencer, Bill Parsons, Sam Smith, Tommy White, David Clark, and Charles Mitchell.

Police Department:

• Police Department personnel participated in CAD training in preparation for the new system that is set to kick off next week. The training lasted all week and included all PD units and their particular field.
• Corporal April Roppolo received a Briarhill Middle School PTA Lifetime Membership Award because of her work with our local children. Congratulations April!

Fire Department:

• DCFCA meeting - On Thursday Chief Tatum and Collier attended the monthly meeting of the Denton County Fire Chief's Association held at the Denton County Office of Emergency Management. Topics for this months meeting included the Texas Interstate Fire Mutual Aid System's response to Hurricane Ike and the development of joint training agreements that would ensure that all area departments are receiving consistent information on numerous training topics.
• Lewisville Training Field - Highland Village and Lake Cities Firefighters attended specialized training this week at the City of Lewisville Fire and Police Training Facility. The three day training event provided instruction on forcible entry and ventilation techniques, including the use of small hand tools, and proper chain saw operation while ventilating different types of structures.

CITY MANAGER / CITY COUNCIL

Mayor Costa and Council Members Adams, Calvin and Fiorenza attended the Annual Lewisville Area Chamber Banquet on Saturday evening.  Mayor Costa also attended the LISD Joint Military Ball held at the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas on Saturday evening.

On Tuesday Mayor Costa attended the Flower Mound Chamber Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Gronberg Orthodontics in Highland Village.

Mayor Costa spoke at the BNI Group meeting at the Grotto on Thursday.