Residents of District E,

The beginning of summer has been busy here at City Hall. As many of you may have seen, City Council passed the $5.2 billion Fiscal Year 2018 Operating Budget this week, which includes $2.4 billion from the tax-generated General Fund. For the second year in a row Mayor Turner achieved unanimous support of his bare bones budget. I believe that Mayor Turner is on the right track, as this budget saw department expenditures decrease by nearly $50 million and identified strategies within departments to assist with creating further reductions in the future.

Going forward, I will continue to work hard alongside my colleagues to make fiscally conservative decisions regarding the city's finances and fight for District E residents. If you missed this Wednesday's budget discussion you can watch online here.

One of the items that came up during the budget discussion this week was the ability for the City to begin to position itself to prepare financially for inclement weather events like the ones we saw in 2015 and 2016. Yesterday, June 1, marked the beginning of hurricane season and there are several resources available to help prepare you and your families for inclement weather. The City of Houston has its own Office of Emergency Management (OEM) that seeks to provide programs and activities to Houston residents in an effort to help prepare, cope and recover from the effects of natural and man-made disasters.

There are four ways that you can help increase confidence in the event of an emergency within your household and community:

1. Sign up for emergency alerts

2. Be prepared for emergencies; make an emergency plan and supply kit

3. Learn about Houston's hazards

4. Help prepare your community

The City of Houston's OEM is hosting a free "Extreme Weather Ready Expo" this weekend on Saturday, June 3, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. located in Hall A of the George R. Brown Convention Center. This event is family friendly and is a great way to get prepared for this upcoming Hurricane Season.

The OEM does a tremendous job coordinating with Harris County, which serves as the Regional Joint Information Center (JIC) when emergency conditions exist in our area. You can visit their website ReadyHarris.org as well for additional resources to provide assurance during times of emergency. Here is a link to the JIC Disaster Preparedness Guide.

These two organizations provide a tremendous service to the community and if you're interested in hosting a member of their staff to speak at an upcoming meeting please contact the District E office for assistance. Additionally, our office does track any local emergencies and posts via Twitter and Facebook all pertinent information.

Sincerely,

Dave Martin

District E Panel Replacement Projects

Through the use of Council Member Martin's Council District Service Funds, several panel replacements have been scheduled to be completed during school summer break so they do not cause excess congestion.

South

A panel replacement and curb repairs along Bay Area Boulevard began May 22, 2017. The scope of work includes removal and replacement of sections of roadway along Bay Area Boulevard from El Camino Real to University Drive, as well as repairing damaged curbing from El Camino Real to Middlebrook Drive. Construction is anticipated to be complete by the end of Summer 2017.

North

On Monday, June 5 through Friday, June 9, the City of Houston's Public Works and Engineering Department will replace a deteriorated pavement panel at Northpark Drive and Woodbridge Drive. Construction at this location will include a complete replacement of the outside eastbound lane of Northpark Drive and Woodbridge Drive.

On Monday, June 12 through Friday, June 16, the City of Houston's Public Works and Engineering Department will conduct a dual panel replacement project at the intersection of Kingwood Drive and Chestnut Ridge. Construction at this location will begin in the outside westbound lane of Kingwood Drive at Chestnut Ridge and after that panel replacement is complete the construction will move to the inside westbound lane of Kingwood Drive at Chestnut Ridge

During the time of the repairs increased travel times through the construction area should be expected. The District E office has contacted the Houston Police Department's Clear Lake and Kingwood substations to ask that officers monitor the locations and provide assistance with traffic control as needed.

More information about these projects can be found on Council Member Martin's website and Facebook page. All projects are dependent on weather. If inclement weather occurs, delays in the construction schedule should be expected.

Leadercast Lake Houston

On Friday, May 5 staff from Council Member Martin's office had the opportunity to attend the 2017 Leadercast Lake Houston event. The event, which is based in Atlanta and simulcast all over the nation, featured a panel of speakers who discussed the Power of Purpose. This year's speakers included Andy Stanley (Leadership Author and Communicator), Dr. Henry Cloud (Clinical Psychologist, Leadership Expert, Author), Suzy Welch (Leadership Expert and Best-Selling Author), Molly Fletcher (Sports Agent, Author, and World-renowned Public Speaker), Daniel Pink (Behavioral Science Expert, Author, and Host of Crowd Control), Jess Ekstrom (CEO of Headbands of Hope), Jim McKelvey (Co-Founder of Square and Founder of LaunchCode) and Tyler Perry (Director, Playwright, Screenwriter, Producer, Actor, Author & Entrepreneur).

Proceeds from the Lake Houston event go straight back into the community, and this year's recipients were the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce and the YMCA Sports for All organization.

For more information about Leadercast events go to www.leadercast.com.

Lake Houston Chamber Retirements

On May 8 staff from Council Member Martin's office had the opportunity to present certificates to Charlie Dromgoole and Kathy Caves in honor of their retirement from the Lake Houston Chamber of Commerce.

Charlie Dromgoole, Senior Vice President of the Lake Houston Economic Development Partnership, has more than 40 years in the Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development industry. He has worked with organizations across Texas such including the Jasper Chamber of Commerce, Port Arthur Chamber, Sherman Chamber, Abilene Chamber, Round Rock Chamber and Texas Forest Country Partnership before joining the Lake Houston Area Chamber in 2010 as the President and CEO. During his tenure with the Lake Houston Chamber, Charlie created the Lake Houston Economic Development Partnership. He has been honored with numerous awards during his career, including the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executive's Marvin Hurley Award which is highest honor presented by TCCE to a Texas Chamber Professional for chamber-related career accomplishments and exceptional contributions to the Chamber of Commerce profession as a whole.

Kathy Caves joined the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce in April 2002 and has been handling the Chamber's accounting and bookkeeping ever since. She has enjoyed a long history which includes the name transition from the Humble Area Chamber to the Lake Houston Area Chamber and has worked with three different CEOs. During her tenure she has developed relationships with many long-time members, businesses and community leaders.

Council Member Martin thanks Charlie and Kathy for their years of dedicated service, and wishes them well in their next stage of life!

Memorial Hermann Groundbreaking Event

On May 30 staff from Council Member Martin's office attended the groundbreaking celebration for the New Patient Tower at Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital.

The new patient care tower will be a 123,000 square foot, five story facility that includes 90 large patient rooms, and is set to open in December 2018.

The community looks forward to the opening of this facility and wishes Memorial Hermann Northeast well in this accomplishment.

Lake Houston YMCA Summer Day Camp

The Lake Houston Family YMCA is offering weekly sessions of their Summer Day Camp beginning June 5 at the Lake Houston YMCA in Kingwood.

The Day Camp welcomes children ages 5 to 14 years old. Campers have the opportunity to choose from a range of activities including canoeing, fishing, archery, outdoor art, crafts, theater, STEAM activities, outdoor games, sports and swimming.

Summer Day Camp hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Camp costs include a $35 registration fee for each child. The camp is $165 for facility members and $195 for program members. Financial assistance is available based on need.

For more information, visit https://www.ymcahouston.org/.

Top Ten Luncheon

On May 16 staff from Council Member Martin's office attended the South Belt-Ellington Chamber of Commerce's Top Ten Luncheon celebrating the top ten students from local high schools: Clear Horizons, Dobie High School and Lutheran South Academy. The lunch was held at Golfcrest Country Club and featured South-Belt Chamber's Citizen of the Year, Dr. Victor Van Phan as the speaker of the afternoon. Additionally, 8 area students were awarded Sally Mitchell Scholarship Recipients and Dr. Victor Van Phan Scholarship Recipients.

Congratulations to all the honorees!

San Jacinto College Proclamation

On May 16 Council Member Martin alongside Council Member Dwight Boykins recognized San Jacinto College with a proclamation at Public Session. Recently, the Aspen Institute for Community College Excellence named San Jacinto College as a 2017 Rising Star recipient, placing among the top 5 in the nation of more than 1,100 community colleges.

Council Member Martin is happy to work so closely with San Jacinto College and commends them on this achievement.

National Police Week Memorial Ceremony

On May 16 staff from Council Member Martin's office had the opportunity to attend Congressman Poe's National Police Week Memorial Ceremony. In 2016 Texas lost more police officers than any other state in the union. There were 21 police officers state wide that lost their lives in the line of duty, including those 5 police officers from the Dallas Police Department that were killed while protecting peaceful protesters.

Council Member Martin thanks Congressman Poe for arranging this event again to honor these brave men and women.

CCISD Volunteer and Partnership Breakfast

On Thursday, May 4 Council Member Martin and staff attended the Annual Clear Creek ISD Volunteer and Partnership Breakfast to celebrate the 2016-2017 school year and honor Clear Creek Association of Retired Teacher as the 2017 Community Partner of the Year. Clear Creek Association of Retired Teachers volunteered over 70,000 hours this past school year, making a tremendous impact of CCISD's 41,000 students.

Additionally, Dr. Greg Smith recognized several 2017 Campus Volunteers of the Year and announced CCISD's Elementary and Secondary Volunteer of the Year. Congratulations!

Ellington Centennial Celebration

On May 20 Council Member Martin and staff attended the 100 year celebration of Ellington Airport. The event featured opening remarks from Mayor Turner, exhibits of Ellington's rich history, live music, food and fun for the whole family.

Council Member Martin extends his gratitude to HAS Director Mario Diaz, Ellington General Manager Arturo Machuca and the entire Ellington team for their hard work every day at EFD.

Lone Star Flight Museum Gala

On Saturday, May 20 Council Member Martin attended the Lone Star 2017 "Taking Flight" Gala, commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the United States' entry into WWI, the U.S. Army Air Services' establishment of Ellington Field, and celebrating the much anticipated opening of the new $38 million, 130,000 square foot facility set to open Labor Day 2017. The events also presented the opportunity for guest to invest in the advancement of S.T.E.M. education.

The Lone Star Flight Museum is relocating from Galveston to Houston's Ellington Airport this summer. Opening September 2, the facility will combine the Museum's renowned active aircraft collection with dynamic historic hands-on exhibits. Visitors will find themselves in immersive displays and interactive experiences that illustrate the principles of flight and highlighting the rich history of aviation in Texas.

CCISD Rotary Teacher of the Year Award Ceremony

On May 22 staff from Council Member Martin's office attended the Annual Clear Creek ISD Rotary Teacher of the Year Award Ceremony and Luncheon. CCISD and the Rotary Clubs of League City, Seabrook, and Space Center recognized 44 teachers selected to represented their CCISD campus.

A special congratulations to Ms. Magali Gutierrez from Brookwood Elementary, and Ms. Lauren Means from Bayside Intermediate, who were selected as Elementary and Secondary Teacher of the Year! We wish them good luck as they move onto the regional selection process for Texas Teacher of the Year.

Citizens for Space Exploration Visit D.C.

For the past few years, Council Member Martin has made an annual trip to Washington, D.C. with Citizens for Space Exploration (CSE). This was CSE's 26th year to travel to DC as a multi-state organization comprised of community leaders, space industry representatives, college students and other citizens from across the country who support America's continued investment in human space exploration. Council Member Martin returned to our nation's capital on May 23 for this year's trip, which was led by staff from the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership (BAHEP).

On the trip, Council Member Martin and his staff had the opportunity to visit a number of congressional offices to discuss the importance of NASA and space exploration to the greater Houston region as well as to the country and the world.

This year's CSE delegation featured students from over 30 states and accomplished over 400 congressional office visits, more than any of the group's previous 25 annual trips.

Council Member Martin thanks the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership for organizing another successful and informative trip.

CCISD Alumni and Friends TopGolf Tournament

The Clear Creek Education Foundation (CCEF) is hard at work planning the 2nd annual CCISD Alumni and Friends TopGolf Tournament, presented by Dvorak and Associates! The event will be held on Thursday, June 22, 2017 from 3:00 to 6:00PM at TopGolf in Webster, Texas. Space is limited but it's not too late to sign up! Register by June 12th to secure your spot at the tournament.

The tournament is open to the community and you do not have to be a CCISD Alumni to participate. In fact, TopGolf is a no experience required activity, so this is a great opportunity to gather with old classmates, coworkers, friends, and family and register a team for an afternoon of fun and fellowship! CCEF has an exciting afternoon in store including special appearances by CCISD Alumni favorites and some community celebrities!

Proceeds from the tournament will go directly back to students and teachers in CCISD through the Foundation's Give-A-Grant Program. This program includes Teacher Innovative Grants, Student-Teacher Innovative Grants, Mini-Grants, and Special Innovative Grants, all of which encourage and support students and teachers in creating and implementing innovative learning experiences.

Please visit the Foundation's website to join the database and for more information regarding sponsor and team registration. Email alumni@clearcreekeducationfoundaiton.org with any questions!

Kinder Institute Luncheon

On May 1 Council Member Martin had the privilege of sitting with Houston First at the Kinder Institute Lunch. The Kinder Institute for Urban Research, which was founded in 2010 through a $15 million endowment by Houston Philanthropists Richard and Nancy Kinder and is housed on campus at Rice University, focuses on the ongoing urban issues in Houston as well as around the world. The event highlights the community partnership and outreach activities undertaken by the institute over the past year.

The event celebrated 36 years of the celebrated Kinder Houston Area Survey, while honoring the vision and dedication of Professor Stephen Klineberg, Founding Director of the Kinder Institute and the fuel behind the pioneering survey with the inaugural Stephen L. Klineberg Award. The 26th Annual Houston Area Survey can be found here.

GHP State of the City

On May 4 Council Member Martin was in attendance for Mayor Turner's State of the City address. Mayor Turner provided remarks about the past year, the major events the City has experienced including the NCAA Final Four, Super Bowl LI and being chosen as the host of the 2020 World Energy Congress. The Mayor also provided updates on the city's infrastructure, business and economy and quality of life.

Council Member Martin thanks Mayor Turner for his continued commitment to the residents of the City of Houston, and thanks GHP for putting together another successful event.

Police Week Heroes Luncheon

As a part of National Police Week, observed this year from May 15 to May 19, the Houston Police Department held its Annual Police Week Heroes Awards Luncheon on May 18. Council Member Martin had the privilege of attending the event, which recognizes the department's most outstanding officers across a variety of categories, including undercover officers, technical support members, investigators, field training officers and civilian employees. The honors announced also cover a range of experience from the Rookie of the Year Award to the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Council Member Martin commends all of the brave and capable officers and supporting HPD staff members acknowledged at the event for their exceptional sacrifice and service to the City of Houston.

Wounded Warrior Reception

On Friday, May 19 Council Member Martin and staff joined the Houston Police Department, the United Service Organization (USO), military personnel and the Patriot Guard Riders to welcome Wounded Warriors to Houston at Bush Intercontinental Airport. The special event celebrated the arrival of nearly 250 wounded veterans in town for "Warrior Weekend," a project of Warrior's Weekend - Texas in which wounded veterans participate in a deep-sea fishing trip in Port O'Connor. This annual trip honors Army and Marine veterans who sustained life-altering injuries during combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Council Member Martin extends his deepest gratitude to all of the brave men and women who currently serve or have served in America's armed forces.

CITGO Freedom Over Texas 4th of July Celebration

Celebrating 30 years of July 4th music, fireworks and fanfare on Buffalo Bayou, Houston's signature patriotic event - CITGO Freedom Over Texas - will turn it way up with live performances, family activities and stunning pyrotechnics Tuesday, July 4th from 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. For the first time in the event's history, the celebration will kick off with a patriotic tribute by United States Air Force Band of the West. Five-time Grammy-nominated and CMA Award-winning artist Hunter Hayes will follow before multi-platinum selling, 2016 MTV Video Music Award-winning DNCE takes the stage.

As is tradition, the evening will conclude with a spectacular blast of fireworks thanks to CITGO who has provided the finale since 2015. This year, CITGO signed on as a dual sponsor providing both the pyrotechnics and titling the event for the next three years.

As a fitting tribute to our nation's birthday, the United States Air Force Band of the West will bring a uniquely motivating experience to the CITGO Freedom Over Texas Stage. The 45-member ensemble from the Air Education and Training Command at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland proudly represents the men and women of the United States Air Force as they travel throughout the southern United States combining pride in the Air Force story with a love for music and education.

Local and regional favorites will be featured on stages throughout the site including Mango Punch! ThunderSOUL Orchestra, Lil Nathan and The Zydeco Big Timers, The Juke Box featuring Grammy Award-winning Regina Belle, Erin Stevenson, Chris Walker and the Ernest Walker Band and The Peterson Brothers.

This year's festivities at Eleanor Tinsley and Sam Houston Parks on Buffalo Bayou (along Allen Parkway) include the Walmart All-American Kids Zone, a children's entertainment area with a stage featuring entertainment for young and old, alike; the Bud Lite Bayou Beer Garden featuring a fun in the sun good time; the Dr Pepper Zone, featuring Houston professional sport team set-ups, live music, food, and a salute to all 5 branches of the military; the Southwest Airlines® Porch where visitors can kick back and enjoy the famous Southwest hospitality, and; ending the evening with an exciting fireworks finale sponsored by CITGO.

For more information go to www.freedomovertexas.org.

ParkHouston Mobile Parking App

The City of Houston and Parkmobile, LLC have partnered to launch a custom parking app for mobile payments called ParkHouston. The application allows parkers to use their mobile devices to pay for parking at the 9,200 metered, on-street parking spaces throughout the city. Customers using the ParkHouston app can pay for parking with their smartphones using a free mobile application available for iPhone and Android.

Additionally, Parkmobile is offering a resident discount program for ParkHouston customers. Beginning May 29, 2017, Houstonians will be eligible to use the ParkHouston or Parkmobile app with no convenience fee-a savings of about 35 cents per parking session. To enjoy the app for free, Houstonians will need to submit proof of residency. For more information please visit www.parkhoustontx.org

By simplifying the public parking experience, drivers no longer need to search their car for loose change or check their watch to see when the meter expires. The app allows customers to effortlessly input payment information, while also sending a 15-minute reminder before the meter expires. To add more time, customers don't even need to walk back to the car - it's as easy as pushing a button. Compliance Officers will be able to see that a motorist has paid with the ParkHouston app using their wireless handheld devices.

Parkmobile has operated in Houston since 2011. Current Parkmobile customers can still pay for parking in Houston using their Parkmobile app or upgrade to the new ParkHouston app. To set up an account, customers download the mobile app from the Apple or Google Play store and sign up using their mobile number, or by calling. Once registered, parkers can immediately begin using the app with their registered mobile device or call the toll-free number to pay for parking. A toll-free number is posted on signage near the meters for those without a smartphone to make on-street payments.

Upcoming Events

Please refer to Council Martin's District E website for location, time and more event details. Email the District E office if you would like us to include your upcoming event in future newsletters!

City Wides

June 8

TAG State of Mobility

June 21

BOMA Legislative Update ft. Rep. Dan Huberty

Kingwood

June 3

Kingwood Electronic Waste Recycling

June 8

Summer Creek BizCom

June 14

Kingwood Service Assocation's Public Safety Committee

June 20

Kingwood PIP

June 27

Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce's State of the State Luncheon

*Kingwood Super Neighborhood on break until August 16

Southeast Houston/Clear Lake

June 10

Clear Lake Electronic Waste Recycling

June 20

Clear Lake PIP

June 22

CCISD Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament