Recap of City Issues - February 26, 2010

The employees of Highland Village collected money and donated $411.00 to IHOP International Pancake Day.  The funds raised for this event are being donated to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.  The IHOP store manager thanked the Council and community for their participation and donations to the Shriners Hospitals for Children. 

Scott Kriston reports that the TXDOT FM 2499 section 4 project contractor poured concrete on the south bound lanes at FM 2499 & Castlewood and is in the process of barricade removal at the FM2499 connection at FM 407.  TXDOT anticipates opening the FM 2499 / FM 407 intersection to traffic in a few weeks, weather permitting.

Scott Kriston reports that the Highland Shores Paving project contractor is cleaning up the site & working on sprinkler repairs.  A final walk through was performed.   Contractor is finishing up the punch list items.  

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Sue Thompson reports that Highland Village hosted the monthly Precinct 3 Task Force meeting this week.  The meeting provides an update on transportation projects within Denton County Precinct 3.  Denton County Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell chairs the meeting.  Updates were provided on the next phase of improvements to FM 407 from Briarhill Boulevard to Chinn Chapel Road.  The contract was awarded with construction expected to begin in May. This will be approximately a 15-month project.  Also, Section 4, FM 2499 from FM 407 to Highland Shores Boulevard is currently planned to open around the end of March for both sides of the new roadway.  Construction continues on the northern portion of the project as allowed by weather and drying out from recent snow and rain events.  Design issues are being reviewed for the Castlewood/Northwood intersection, which is currently closed. 

PUBLIC SAFETY (POLICE AND FIRE)

Fire:

HVFD conducted 60 hours of Flashover Training at the Lewisville Training Center this week.  132.75 total hours of training were received by firefighters this week.

Nancy Sharp met with members of Leadership Lewisville regarding their teams' fundraiser for CACDC.

Fire Calls for Service

Fire Department personnel responded to 18 calls for service the week of February 19-26.

• Medical Emergencies - 7
• Fire Investigation - 1
• Motor Vehicle Accident - 2
• Public Education - 1
• Commercial Fire Alarm - 2
• Residential Fire Alarm - 2
• Public Assist - 2
• Carbon Monoxide - 1

Public Relations:

Firefighter/EMT Mel Harper conducted CPR and 1st Aid Training for 16 Girl Scout Troop Leaders on Wednesday evening.

Highland Village Fire Department gave station tours to local Boy Scout and Girl Scout Troops with five adults and 10 children being present.

Police:

This week, the police department responded to 119 calls for service, made 173 traffic contacts, made 3 arrests, responded to 3 traffic accidents and performed 462 community policing activities.

Senior Animal Care Officer Michelle Burke recently adopted out four little chocolate lab mix puppies (she affectionately referred to them as little cocoa puffs) and one of the new families sent us an email.  "He is doing wonderful and I think he loves his new home.  He chase our other dog, Mattie, around the house all day.  He is super smart .. he picked up using the doggie door the first day."  Another successful adoption! 

Senior Animal Care Officer Michelle Burke participated in an Adopt-A-Pet recently and out of twenty-four dogs (other shelters also attended and brought animals), ten found new forever homes.  Great job Michelle!!

Corporal April Roppolo and Officer Melinda Zehetner conducted a Bike/Police Safety table from 1pm until 5pm on Saturday at the local Kroger store.  They passed out several gun locks and several residents signed up to participate in our E-Watch program.  There were four citizens who took Auxiliary applications and they passed out over forty Children Safety Packets that covered topics such as Stranger Danger, gun safety, bike safety and lots more.  Great job!  

The City recently challenged it's employees (divided into four teams) to raise as much money as they could for the Shriners Hospitals for Children.  IHOP's National Pancake Day was to help donate a few dollars to this worthy cause and the City employees definitely got on board.  The Police Department raised $183 dollars for the cause and won the contest - but not by much!  Several of us went over and enjoyed a free short stack of pancakes - it was for a good cause after all!! 

The Police Department was officially presented with two checks from generous donations.  The Women's Club of Highland Village presented us with a check for $849.96 to purchase new monitors for the Report Writing Room (this is where all of the Police Officers complete their paperwork).  Verizon also presented us with a check for $2,500 to go towards the purchase of a Message Trailer.

STREET / UTILITY DIVISIONS PROJECTS

Streets:

The Street Division made a asphalt street repairs at 213 Pecan Street and on Springway Drive due to some street failures.

The Street Division made a saw cut on Brighton Court for the Utility Division to make a new sewer tap.

The Street Division crews started upgrading the signage in Chapel Hill Phase I Subdivision and the area is not completed.

Utilities:

Scott Kriston reports that the MSC project contractor poured concrete paving for the front & south side parking lot.  The framing and dry wall contractors continue to work inside the Parks & Rec building.  The steel contractor starting installing the steel framing to the slab for the Public Works building.  The fence contractor is setting the perimeter fence along the perimeter of the lot.  The equipment building and parking structure foundation subgrade is currently being laid out for a concrete pour as weather permits. 

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

Scott Kriston & Tim Bruedigam attended the pre-construction meeting for the Parks & Rec. sidewalk project.

Utility Crews:

• Responded to four after hour call outs and one resident concern.
• Excavated and repaired the water main in the intersection of Lakeland and Cedar.
• Unstopped one sewer line backup.
• Located two areas of utility infrastructure.
• Flushed two sections of sewer lines and TV inspected one sewer line.
• 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:

• Worked on the material bins at the Southwood Well Lot.
• Met with resident on Mayfair about Drainage issues in the backyard easement.
• Excavated the curb inlet for & broken concrete for replacement & pipe inspection due to failure. 
• Backfilled  an eroded area  around a pipe culvert in the 300 block of Rockland.

PARKS DEPARTMENT

Fince Espinoza, Tommy White, Scott Kriston and Tim Bruedigam met with representatives from BW2 Engineers and Axis Contracting, Inc. to discuss preconstruction procedures for the Highland Village Road sidewalk / Lake Vista Trail project.  This project is tentatively scheduled to begin on March 8th with the Highland Village Road portion of it completed first.  The schedule for completion of the entire project is sixty (60) days.

Park staff is remodeling restrooms at Copperas Park.

Staff concluded chipping and disposing of damaged tree limbs for city residence's on Monday.

Staff is in the process of installing parts for playground equipment that was vandalized at Turpin Park.

Staff at Pilot Knoll has finished replacing two of the three picnic shelter roofs at the Day Use area at Pilot Knoll Park.

Staff removed and cleaned up excess soil from the sidewalk project at Lower Sellmeyer Park last week. 

Tommy White, Tony Palesano and Fince Espinoza attended an irrigation class regarding drip irrigation installation at Ewing Irrigation Products on Tuesday.

Tommy White presented Council with information on Tuesday evening regarding proposal of an automatic self pay station at Copperas Park.  

Senior All-Stars

The Highland Village Senior All Stars met on Monday (26 attendees) and Thursday (28 attendees) for game day. 

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

On Wednesday, 12 Highland Village Senior All Stars went to the Gateway Club at UNT to enjoy lunch.

HUMAN RESOURCES / STAFF TRAINING

Human Resources:

• Martha Butz attended the City Council meeting on Tuesday evening.
• The supervisory training continued this week for Heather Castillo, Bobby Salmon and Jackie Cottongame.   This week's class topic was "Effective Communication Processes".

Police:

• Captain Corry Blount and Lieutenant Karl Schlichter will be gone all next week for a training class in Huntsville at Sam Houston State.  This is a class for Command Staff personnel that covers required TCLEOSE classroom training.

Community Development:

• Laurie Mullens attended the annual TAMIO Regional Conference in Grand Prairie on Thursday and Friday.

City Manager:

• Lori Wright attended a two day conference in Addison dealing with management fundamentals for the transition from co-worker to supervisor or team leader.

CITY MANAGER / CITY COUNCIL

Mayor Costa, Mayor Pro Tem Combs and Councilmember Meek attended the Precinct 3 Meeting on Monday, February 22nd held in Council Chambers at the Municipal Complex.

Mayor Costa and City Manager Leavitt attended the Council of Mayors Meeting for the North Texas Super Bowl Host Committee at Cowboys Stadium on Monday, February 22nd.

Mayor Costa and Councilmembers Wilcox, Davis and Meek participated as hosts and cooks for the IHOP National Pancake Day celebrating Children's Health on Tuesday, February 23rd.  IHOP designated Shriner's Hospitals for Children to be its charity of choice on National Pancake Day and gave away free stacks of pancakes that day to customers while inviting them to donate to Shriner's Hospitals for Children.  Mayor Costa presented International House of Pancake store manager Erin Blackman with a proclamation proclaiming February 23 as IHOP International Pancake Day.