Residents of District E,

The City of Houston is currently awaiting the final word from the 85th Texas Legislature on key pension legislation. The passage of Senate Bill 2190 and House Bill 43 are critical to the City of Houston's Fiscal Year 2018 Budget. The passage of these two pieces of legislation allows the City of Houston to avoid a $240 million budget shortfall that would lead to layoffs for city employees. I am dedicated to making sure the City of Houston's budget is balanced, services are not cut, and I will fight for District E residents.

Yesterday, Senate Bill 2190 was passed in the Texas Senate with a vote of 25 to 5, which is a historic step forward in solving the City's pension problem. This Saturday, the Texas House will discuss House Bill 43 and plan to take a vote. Since the HB 43 is headed to the house floor for debate the bill can only be approved, denied, postponed, or withdrawn. While we wait on the decision from the House the City of Houston departments are busy preparing for annual budget meetings with council members.

Next Tuesday, my colleagues and I will start the comprehensive budget workshop process which includes meetings with each City of Houston Department over a period of three weeks. In total my staff and I will attend twenty-five budget workshops. All workshops are open to the public and public comments are welcome. The purpose of these workshops is to present an overview of each City department and their proposed FY18 budget, which will help city council identify areas for improved efficiency.

Please check my Facebook and Twitter pages for links to tune into these important budget workshops if you are unable to visit City Hall for the meetings. The budget workshops are scheduled to conclude on May 23, and a full schedule may be found on the City of Houston Budget and Fiscal Affairs website. Following the budget workshops, all council members will have the opportunity to construct individual amendments to the FY18 Proposed Budget, which can be district-specific or citywide.

Once all budgetary amendments are submitted to the mayor's administration for review, city council will have the opportunity to discuss these amendments during the Wednesday, May 25 city council meeting. A vote on the final budget will take place at the Wednesday, May 31 council meeting. It's my continued promise to all District E residents that I will do my best to fight for each dollar that our district deserves during this budget season.

Sincerely,

Dave Martin

Flooding and Storm Surge Symposium

On Wednesday, April 5 Council Member Dave Martin along with Council Member David W. Robinson hosted a successful Flooding and Storm Surge Symposium at the George R. Brown Convention Center, with over 300 attendees.

There were two panels on Flooding and Storm Surge featuring 6 panelists including SSPEED Center Director Phil Bedient, COH Chief Resiliency Officer Steve Costello, BAHEP President Bob Mitchell, Katy Prairie Conservancy Executive Director Mary AnnePiacentini, Harris County Flood Control District Executive Director Russell A. Poppe and Coastal Programs Coordinator for Dannenbaum Engineering Corporation Chris Sallese.

Council Member Martin extends his gratitude to Mayor Sylvester Turner for his opening remarks and KPRC2 Khambrel Marshall for moderating the important conversations. A special thank you to the panelists that contributed and all the residents who took the time to come downtown for this educational event.

If you were unable to attend the event and would like to view the Symposium, click here to download the video.

2311 Oak Links Panel Replacement

Last week, residents from the Bay Oaks Home Owners Association in Clear Lake contacted our office regarding a pothole in their neighborhood. We immediately reported the issue to 3-1-1 and had the roadway investigated by the City of Houston Public Works and Engineering Department (PWE). They found that the concrete panel had failed due to an underlying pipe which i sunder the jurisdiction of the Clear Lake Water Authority (CLWA). The District E office worked with PWE and CLWA to have the pipe repaired and back-filled as soon as possible.

PWE crews have started work on site to replace the concrete panel. Property owners will have full access to their driveways and there should be minimum impact to traffic flow. The entire repair should be completed by Friday, May 5, weather permitting.

Council Member Martin appreciates both entities working together to provide a safe roadway for District E residents in a timely manner.

Thank you to the residents who called our office to make us aware of this issue. If you see something in your community remember that you should always report to Houston 311 by calling 713-837-0311, then follow up with our office so that we can track the case on your behalf.

Clear Lake Chamber Leadership Group

On Wednesday, April 12 Council Member Martin had the opportunity to speak to the Clear Lake Area Chamber Leadership Group as part of their Elected Officials Day. Council Member Martin was more than happy to attend and share his story with the Leadership Program Students and Chamber employees. It was a great conversation about local government and how to become involved in local municipalities.

Council Member Martin appreciates the opportunity to address the Clear Lake Leadership Group and appreciates the invitation to participate.

CCISD Bond Lunch 'N Learn

On Thursday, April 20 Council Member Martin and staff attended a Lunch 'N Learn at Brookside Intermediate on the CCISD Bond 2017 Referendum, hosted by the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's Education Division. Dr. Greg Smith educated Clear Lake Chamber members on the proposed bond that will impact our education system. The proposed $487 million bond will bring new schools, safety improvements, campus expansion, and new technology to CCISD. For more information on how this bond could affect your local schools, click here.

Early voting began in April and will continue on Monday, May 1 and Tuesday, May 2. Election Day is Saturday, May 6. For information on where and when you can vote, click here.

Ellington Air Traffic Control Tower Groundbreaking

On April 24 Council Member Martin had the honor of standing beside Houston Airport System Director Mario Diaz, Ellington Airport General Manager Arturo Machuca, and other dignitaries to break ground for a new air traffic control tower at Ellington Airport. This was the first step toward the Ellington Space Port and a bright future for space travel in Houston.

Clear Lake Area Chamber General Membership Luncheon

On Wednesday, April 26, staff from my office attended the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce General Membership Luncheon. The luncheon featured Jorge Franz, Senior Vice President of Tourism for Visit Houston.

In his presentation, Franz explained the impact of tourism on Houston. From 14.8 million visitors in 2014 to 20.5 million visitors in 2016, 140,000 jobs have been created and Houston has received $16.5 in travel spending. Now, one of Visit Houston's new goals is to increase the number of visitors to 25 million visitors by 2020.

Most recently, Visit Houston has launched "Houston Marketplace": a one-stop shop for exploring the City of Houston. The Visit Houston Marketplace is a collection of local attractions and events that have partnered to building unique experiences in Houston. They have made it easy by creating packages for purchase directly from this website. As summer is approaching this would be a great opportunity to plan your stay-cation in Houston! For more details, visit the Marketplace here.

Save the Date: Ellington Airport 100 Year Celebration

Council Member Martin and the Houston Airport System invite residents to save the date for the Ellington Airport 100 Year Celebration on May 20, 2017.

This free public event celebrating the rich history and the exciting future of Ellington Airport will include food, live music, aircraft displays and family-friendly activities. The event will take place at Ellington Airport from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

For more information please go to www.fly2houston.com/efd100.

Kingwood BizCom

On April 6 the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce hosted their Kingwood BizCom at Kingwood High School. The meeting brings together a blend of businesses, community members and school officials to address specific needs within the Lake Houston Area. Council Member Martin's Chief of Staff Jessica Beemer had the opportunity to present recent District E updates including sidewalk projects, intersection improvements, development updates, and upcoming events in the district.

This month's BizCom also featured presentations by Andrew Schreer, CEO of Schreer Partnership, Melinda Stephenson, CEO of Kingwood Medical Center, Dr. Elizabeth Fagen, Superintendent of Humble ISD, Fara Snowden, Sales Manager for Main Event, and Dr. Ted Landry, Principal at Kingwood High School.

Council Member Martin extends his thanks to the Lake Houston Area Chamber as well as all the sponsors that come together to put on a great event.

Humble ISD Education Foundation Gala

On Friday, April 7 Council Member Martin attended the 2017 Humble ISD Education Foundation Gala at the Humble Civic Center. The "Fun in the Sun" themed event provided the opportunity to announce this year's Teacher of the Year Award recipient, Carlee Kennedy.

The Annual Gala is one of Humble ISD Foundation's three major events each year to support the Innovative Education grant program. This years event raised over $150,000!

Council Member Martin was proud to participate in a yet another successful event, and extends his gratitude to the Foundation for putting on another great event and all they do to make Humble ISD so great.

Insperity Center IV Grand Opening

On April 20 Council Member Martin and staff had the opportunity to attend the grand opening of Insperity's newest office space, Center IV. The new 100,000 square foot office space has been underway since 2015 and will now house service team professionals who support Insperity's client base. This event also benefitted the Lake Houston YMCA Sports for All Complex, which is being built in The Groves Community.

This sports complex is being developed for adaptive sports and so that all children and adults regardless of their abilities have an opportunity to play sports. The sports complex will feature wheel chair friendly fields for baseball and soccer in addition to adaptive playground equipment so parents of special needs can enjoy taking their children to the park without worrying about injury or being secluded from other families.

Thanks to a partnership with Humble Independent School District this YMCA Sports for All Complex is being built between a middle school and elementary school for maximum integration of students and will be used throughout the day for school and after school programs. One program that will benefit from this new complex is the YMCA Miracle League, which is a baseball league for special needs individuals.

There is only one other Sports for All Complex in the Houston Area and that is located in Langham Creek. For more information about this complex please visit http://www.ymcahouston.org/sports-for-all.

Lake Houston Area Chamber Golf Classic and Party on the Green

On Wednesday, April 26 Council Member Martin played in the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce's Annual Golf Classic at the Kingwood Country Club presented by the Kingwood Medical Center. The annual tournament serves as the Chamber's largest and most popular fundraiser and as a pre-event to the annual Party on the Green, which will take place on Friday, May 5.

Council Member Martin encourages residents to save the date for this years Party on the Green event on Friday, May 5 at 6:00 p.m. at the Overlook.

Party on the Green serves as an opportunity to promote economic development in the region and raise money for charitable causes. The annual event is always well attended by a number of elected officials and business leaders from the Lake Houston area.

Dancing with the Stars

On Thursday, April 27 staff from Council Member Martin's office attended the Lake Houston Family YMCA's 2017 Dancing with the Lake Houston Stars fundraising event. The annual event included dinner, an auction and performances by dancers from the Lake Houston community. Proceeds will support the YMCA Annual Campaign, which ensures that all community members have the opportunity to learn, thrive and grow at the Y.

Council Member Martin thanks the Lake Houston Family YMCA for hosting the annual event and for its important role providing valuable support and programming to families in the Lake Houston community.

Kingwood B.O.P.A.

On Saturday, April 28 Council Member Martin and the Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) hosted the Kingwood Batteries, Oil, Paint and Anti-Freeze (B.O.P.A.) collection event at the Kingwood METRO Park and Ride. Approximately 32,000 pounds of recyclable materials were collected from residents over the course of the event including 2,347 pounds of batteries, 3,650 pounds of used motor oil, 20,100 pounds of latex paint, 450 pounds of antifreeze and 4,600 pounds of scrap metal.

Council Member Martin thanks Keep Kingwood Green for volunteering to help with the event and who made the Kingwood B.O.P.A. possible, as well as the staff of the city's Solid Waste Management Department for its leadership on the event and the Houston Police Department's Kingwood substation for its additional support.

Marriott Marquis Grand Opening

On April 6 Council Member Martin attended the official grand opening celebration of the new Marriott Marquis. The state of the art hotel which officially opened on December 26th, features special amenities such as a full-service spa, 24-hour fitness center, a Texas shaped rooftop pool, two specialty restaurants, and a beautiful view of the Downtown area.

For more information about the Marriott Marquis, please click here.

Greater Houston Prayer Breakfast

On April 19 Council Member Martin attended the 42nd Annual Greater Houston Prayer Breakfast. The yearly event connecting faith and public service featured a number of Houston's elected officials and business leaders, as well as remarks from New York Times bestselling author Eric Metaxas.

Council Member Martin thanks the Greater Houston Prayer Breakfast for putting on the enjoyable event again this year and Mr. Metaxas for his insightful remarks.

Controller Brown's 5th Annual Houston Investor Conference

Council Member Martin attended Controller Brown's 5th Annual Houston Investor Conference, which took place on April 24th and 25th at the George R. Brown Convention Center. This year's conference featured the theme "Innovation Through Investment" and included presentations by Mayor Sylvester Turner, Controller Brown, Director Dowe, as well as several other local CFO's who spoke on a variety of topics such as Infrastructure, Education, Transportation, Public-Private Partnerships, and much more. The Houston Investor Conference gives investors a current snapshot of the City's financial and operational data and allows City financial experts to differentiate its credits from other comparable credits in the market.

Council Member Martin appreciates Controller Brown's efforts in coordinating this informative event.

Hazard Mitigation Action Plan Meeting

As part of a five-year hazard mitigation planning cycle, the City of Houston Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is updating the Hazard Mitigation Action Plan, which sets priorities for projects funded by city, state and federal dollars in an effort to reduce Houston's vulnerability to natural hazards. As part of the process, the City will be hosting a public meeting to solicit feedback from the community before a team of planners re-works the plan.

The meeting will take place:

Tuesday, May 2nd

6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Location:

Burnett-Bayland Community Center

6000 Chimney Rock Road

Houston, Texas 77081

The purpose of the public meeting is to provide a project overview from H2O Partners, Inc., consultant to the project, and solicit information from residents. Public input will help the project team to identify and analyze potential hazards affecting residents and recommend possible actions to reduce their impact. Hazards can include floods, tornadoes, wildfires, winter storms, and other major disasters.

The goal of the Hazard Mitigation Plan is to minimize or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from known hazards by identifying and implementing cost-effective mitigation actions. Mitigation is defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as sustained actions taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from hazards and their effects.

If you cannot attend the public meeting, information about the planning process and a public participation survey can be obtained by contacting Heather Ferrara, H2O Partners, Inc. by email at heather@h2opartnersusa.com, or via phone to Jeffrey LaCour in the Office of Emergency Management at 713-884-4459.

This meeting is open to the public, and all are welcome.

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

May 4

GHP State of the City

May 15-19

National Police Week

May 22

GHP State of Houston's Global Economy

May 29

Memorial Day - City Holiday

Kingwood

May 5

Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce's Party on the Green

May 6

Kingwood Electronic Waste Recycling

May 10

Kingwood Service Assocation's Public Safety Committee

May 16

Kingwood PIP

May 17

Kingwood Super Neighborhood Council Meeting

May 23

Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce's Transportation Outlook Luncheon

Southeast Houston/Clear Lake

May 13

Clear Lake Electronic Waste Recycling

May 16

Clear Lake PIP

May 17

BayTran State of the Counties

May 20

Ellington Airport 100 Year Celebration