Recap of City Issues - June 26, 2009

The weekly TXDOT FM 2499 project meeting was canceled this week.  The project status is as follows:  The contractor continues to perform  concrete pours of the bridge spans on the north side of the lake water level for the Poindexter bridge.  They will continue to pour concrete spans next week starting at 6 am.  The pours are expected to last 10 hours each.  The contractor is prepping FM 2499 lanes and intersections for concrete.  They anticipate pouring concrete next week from the railroad south to FM 407.  The cut outs and intersections will be poured shortly after the main lanes are poured and cured.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Sue Thompson attended the monthly Precinct 3 Task Force meeting to receive updates on transportation projects important to the area and especially to the residents and businesses in Highland Village.  The future improvements for FM 407 from Briarhill Boulevard to Chinn Chapel Road are still on track to be let in November, 2009.  FM 2499, Section 4, through Highland Village is progressing.  Harlington Drive is now open and complete with Fairland Drive closed for construction.  The Castlewood/Northwood intersection is closed for construction.  Due to the lake level, construction on the two bridges across the north end of the lake are on hold until the water level drops.  Concrete should begin to be poured on the west side of FM 2499 from FM 407 to the railroad tracks in coming days.  The next Precinct 3 meeting will be held in Flower Mound on July 27th.

PUBLIC SAFETY (POLICE AND FIRE)

Firefighter/Paramedics Randy McCurley, Jared Middleton and Tony Sorsby served on an interview panel for the selection of two new Firefighter/Paramedics to fill open positions in the Fire Department.  After completing the interview, panel candidates then met with Chief Tatum and Chief Collier for a follow-up interview.  Final selection and job offers will be made next week.

Chief Tatum conducted two federally mandated NIMS-100 classes this week, with 44 City Employees in attendance.  FEMA requires all municipal employees to complete the Introduction to Emergency Management Course in order for cities to be eligible for State or Federal grant funding.  The NIMS-100 Course, which is also available online, will be conducted in July for those that were unable to attend this week.  The Fire Department also plans to provide an Executive level course for City Council members in the near future.

Highland Village Fire Department responded to 20 calls for service the week of June 19-25h. This includes: 11 medical emergencies, 1 mutual aid medical call, 2 gas leaks, 1 grass fire, 1 special event @ Pilot Knoll, 1 structure fire, 1 public service, 1 residential fire alarm call and  1 commercial fire alarm. 

This week the Police Department responded to 169 calls for service, made 43 traffic contacts, made 4 arrests, responded to 2 traffic accidents and performed 796 community policing activities.

STREET / UTILITY DIVISIONS PROJECTS

Scott Kriston held a pre-bid meeting for the MSC Structures Demolition project this week. Nine contractors attended of the 15 plan holders.  Questions raised prompted an addendum to be sent out.  Bids will be opened July 1st at 2pm.

Scott Kriston and Rob Wachal attended an outreach meeting at the Atmos Gas office in Denton this week.  The discussion was about Municipalities and Atmos Gas partnerships in safety and infrastructure protection.

Scott Kriston attended a pre-construction meeting with the UTRWD on the Lift Station #1 rehabilitation project.  The contractor is anticipating to start the project in mid July.

Matthew Kite, Scott Kriston & Charles Mitchell held a Project Status Report meeting with BW2 Engineers this week.  All Public Works project were discussed.

Utility Crews:

• Repaired two water main breaks.
• Responded to five resident emergencies and four after hour call outs.
• Repaired a fire hydrant that was hit by a car.
• Performed meter rereads, water turn on/turn offs, and leak checks.
• Located four areas of utility infrastructure for franchise utility work.
• TV inspected a repaired a sewer line.
• Flushed 650' of sewer line.
• Repaired one damaged manhole and lowered another to grade.
• Assisted an electrical contractor with an underground electric line repair.
• Assisted ITT Flygt with the install of a repaired pump.
• Upgraded the security lighting at the Highland Shores Well Lot.
• Finished installing drainage pipe at the Southwood well lot for the materials storage piles that will be relocated there permanently from the Municipal Service Center site.
• Perform maintenance on well lots, lift stations, fire hydrants and the water distribution and wastewater collection system.

Drainage Crews:

• Dressed an area with grass seed in the drainage swale in the 2000 block of Briarhill.
• Finished moving equipment & materials at Southwood well lot and Doubletree Ranch.
• Worked on drainage swales & birms inside the new materials storage area located at the Southwood well lot site.

PARKS DEPARTMENT

The south crew is preparing for athletic field top dressing and soil prep during the period between baseball and soccer season which lasts until August 1st.

Tony Palesano has been adjusting and repairing irrigation systems in Parks and City grounds.

All crews are involved in mowing and general maintenance cycles.

Parks staff has been busy with the new move into the Double Tree facility this week. A breakfast for all City staff was hosted at the site on Thursday morning.

Last week Rhoda Savage, Fince Espinoza and Tommy White met with new City Council members and toured all Parks in the city.

This is the third week of Kids Kamp at Briarhill Middle School. The field trips this week included ice skating, movie, and glass blowing.

The Highland Village Senior All Stars met on Monday (22 attendees) and Thursday (29 attendees) for game day.

Five Senior All Stars met on Tuesday for Bridge and Domino games.

On Wednesday, 13 Highland Village Senior All Stars went to Grapevine for shopping and the Botanical Gardens in Heritage Park.

Cheryl Dudich and Andra Boxberger attended the DFW senior center supervisors meeting in Grand Prairie.

HUMAN RESOURCES / STAFF TRAINING

Human Resources:

• Martha Butz attended a North Texas Municipal Alliance (NTMA) sub committee board meeting in Euless to review by-laws.
• An employee meeting was held on Tuesday morning. Representatives from the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) were available after the meeting to meet with individuals and answer questions.

Fire:

• Assistant Chief Collier attended the annual CoServ meeting that was held on Monday.
• Fire Departments from Flower Mound, Lewisville, Coppell and Lake Cities assisted Highland Village Fire Department with a 2-alarm fire on the 400 block of Patricia on Monday.

CITY MANAGER / CITY COUNCIL

Council and Members of Staff held a Planning Worksession at the Hilton Garden Inn in Lewisville on Saturday to start the budget process for Fiscal Year 2009-2010.

Monday morning Mayor Costa and City Manger Leavitt met with the area representative for the 2010 US Census Office. 

Mayor Pro Tem Combs and Council Members Wilcox, Davis and Meek attended the monthly Precinct 3 Meeting in Lewisville on Monday.

Tuesday morning Mayor Costa and City Secretary Richardson attended the Flower Mound Chamber Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for First Convenience Bank located in the Highland Village Wal-Mart.

Mayor Costa, Council Members Davis and Meek, City Manager Leavitt and City Secretary Richardson attended the Lewisville Area Chamber Luncheon at Bridlewood Golf Club on Tuesday.

Before the start of the Council Meeting on Tuesday, Council met for their annual individual and group photo session.

Wednesday morning Mayor Pro Tem Combs, Council Members Wilcox, Davis and Meek and City Manager Leavitt attended the Upper Trinity Regional Water District (UTRWD) Annual Members Breakfast Meeting.

Mayor Costa attended a Luncheon with the UNT President and area Mayors on Wednesday at the University of North Texas.Thursday morning Council Members Wilcox, Davis and Meek attended a Breakfast Meeting with the CCA President and CEO.

Council Member Davis, City Attorney Palumbo and City Secretary Richardson attended the TML Legislative Wrap-Up in Irving on Friday to receive a report on legislative issues addressed by the Texas Legislature this year.