Recap of City Issues - July 17, 2009

Mandatory Phase 2 water restrictions limiting landscape watering for Highland Village residents went into effect on Tuesday, July 14. Phase 2 prohibits residential and commercial landscape watering on Monday and Friday and restricts watering between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. the rest of the days. Wasteful water runoff is also prohibited, which includes hosing down pavement or rinsing off cars. Groundwater well owners are required to post a sign showing well water is in use. The city parks and recreation department and all homeowners associations must comply with Phase 2 restrictions and, additionally, the city has requested they reduce their water consumption by 30%. Phase 2 was triggered automatically by ordinance when the demand on the City water supply reached 80% or greater for 3 consecutive days. Phase 2 automatically terminates five weeks from initiation unless extended by resolution of the City Council.
The weekly TX DOT 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 a.m.  The pours are expected to last 10 hours each.  The contractor poured concrete on the FM 2499 intersections.  The cut outs and intersections are anticipated to be completed over the next few weeks.

On Thursday, July 16, 2009, the Denton County Transportation Authority closed on two properties on the eastern side of I-35E near Garden Ridge Blvd which will serve as the site for the Highland Village/Lewisville Lake station. The purchases included a 1.1 acre tract for $1,508,391.83 and a 1.434 acre tract for $1,255,069. This acquisition of the 2.5 acres completes the station acquisition phase of the A-train project. The Highland Village/Lewisville Lake station will be one of five rail stations along the 21-mile corridor adjacent to I-35E that is being partially funded through Regional Toll Revenue Funds. This station will accommodate 147 parking spaces. There are two additional stations in Lewisville near downtown Lewisville and near Hebron Parkway and 121 and two stations in Denton.
PUBLIC SAFETY (POLICE AND FIRE)Highland Village Fire Department responded to 21 calls for service the week of July 10th – 16th. This includes: 11 medical emergencies, 1 commercial fire alarm, 1 residential fire alarm, 7 public service calls, and 1 public education.  The Fire Department also performed 6 fire inspections/hydro tests for new businesses.Chief Tatum and Nancy Sharp attended the Children’s Advocacy Center Grand Opening festivities held at their new location this week.This week the Police Department responded to 151 calls for service, made 68 traffic contacts, made 6 arrests, responded to 1 traffic accidents and performed 1051 community policing activities.In accordance with General Order 313.00 “Awards and Recognition,” the Police Department has approved the listed awards for the following personnel at the Annual Awards Banquet that was held July 14th at Roughrider Stadium in Frisco:

• Non-Sworn Employee of the Year: Dick Williams
• Rookie of the Year: Chris Carver
• Communications Officer of the Year: Jessie O’Brien
• Auxiliary of the Year: Bob Miller
• Officer of the Year: Alan Oldaker
• Supervisor of the Year: Dennis Oliver
• Police Commendation: Mark Stewart, Greg Arrington
• Certificate of Merit: Andrea Musick, Sandra Tatum
• Citizens Certificate of Merit: Rob Wachal
• Life-Saving Award: Melinda Zehetner
  

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTSue Thompson reports that a meeting was held with TXDOT representatives, Mayor Dianne Costa, Denton County Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell and members of staff to discuss various topics related to the construction of FM 2499 such as, the timing of the completion of FM 2499 through Highland Village, the intersection of FM 407 and FM 2499, future pedestrian crossings, the pedestrian tunnel, possibility of signal lights at specific locations and landscaping for the roadway.  The meeting provided a good opportunity for the exchange of good, accurate information on the project between those in attendance.

STREET / UTILITY DIVISIONS PROJECTSScott Kriston attended the monthly progress meeting for the UTRWD 60” water line project.  The project is on schedule and moving forward as anticipated.  The project is approximately 75% complete.Matthew Kite, Scott Kriston & Charles Mitchell held a project status report meeting with BW2 Engineers.  All Public Works projects were discussed.Utility Crews:

•  Put out the Phase Two water conservation notification signs in City right-of-way’s on Tuesday.
  
• Repaired two water main breaks.
  
• Replaced several broken or missing main line valve pads.
  
• Brought the Oak Street well lot online.
  
• Assisted Diversified Power with generator maintenance.
  
• Assisted UTRWD with meter calibrations at the FM 407 well lot.
  
• Unstopped one sewer line, flushed and repaired a sewer main.
  
• Responded to five after hour call outs.
  
• Repainted 115 fire hydrants as part of the fire hydrant maintenance program.
  
• Performed meter rereads, water turn on/turn offs, and leak checks.
  
• Located one area of utility infrastructure for franchise utilities.
  
• TV inspected one sewer line and made repairs to broke down pipe.
  
• Replaced 26 water meters as part of the water meter change out program.
  
• Performed 25 meter turn offs due to nonpayment.
  
• Performed one emergency cutoff for a resident.
  
• Installed a fire hydrant meter for the UTRWD new water line construction.
  
• Relocated materials storage piles permanently from the Municipal Service Center site to the Southwood storage location.
  
• Performed maintenance on well lots, lift stations, fire hydrants and the water distribution and wastewater collection system.
  

Drainage Crews:

•  Addressed a flooding issue in the 800 block of tartan trail drainage swale was regraded to flow and sod. 
  
•  Regraded drainage swale to prevent flooding in the 100 block of Nowlin. 
  
•  Assisted Pipeline Analysis, LLC storm sewer pipe inspection crew in Montclair II subdivision.
  

Street Division

• Started the painting program by started painting Highland Shore Blvd and will continue painting areas as needed throughout the city.
  
• Made asphalt street repairs on Malibu Drive.
• Finished cleaning up the area at 948 Highland Village by hauling the sanding materials to the new location at Southwood storage facility.
  

PARKS DEPARTMENT
 On Thursday, TXDOT began excavating just north of the railroad tracks on FM 2499 in preparation for construction of the Inland Trail pedestrian tunnel.

On Wednesday, American Landscape Systems completed the installation of the concrete landscape borders on the Brazos median between Medina Street and Sellmeyer Lane.All crews are involved in mowing maintenance. 

Wes Neinhuser made fertilizer applications to athletic fields this week as well as over seeding soccer and baseball fields in  areas where needed. 

Tony Palesano repaired broken irrigation heads and adjusted watering cycles due to phase II water restrictions in the city.Pilot Knoll crew trimmed tree limbs on the road entering the overnight camping area .This is the six week of Kids Kamp at Briarhill Middle School. The field trips this week included skating, movie, and a trip to the Ft. Worth Zoo.The Highland Village Senior All Stars met on Monday (25 attendees) and Thursday (35 attendees) for game day. Three Senior All Stars met on Tuesday for Bridge and Domino games. On Wednesday, 12 Highland Village Senior All Stars took a shopping trip to North Park Center and lunch at the Zodiac Room.HUMAN RESOURCES / STAFF TRAINING
Human Resources:

• Jana Onstead attended a Lunch n Learn hosted by Fisher & Phillips on Wednesday.  The 2009 summer series is held once a month and covers a variety of HR topics.
  

Fire Department:

• Chief Tatum and Asst. Chief Collier attended mandatory TCLEOS training on Monday and Tuesday which was held at the Lewisville Police Department.
  

CITY MANAGER / CITY COUNCIL
Members of Council attended the Children’s Advocacy Center Grand Opening festivities held at their new location this week. Mr. Meek and Ms. Wilcox took me up on my offer to go over the city budget in more detail. Both came in on Friday.