Council Update: Kroger; TIGER Grant; Rufus Cage School

This week City Council approved the appointments of twenty-three individuals to the Independent Police Oversight Board. The Oversight Board includes Sylvia Garcia as the chair and four panels of six members with a designated panel chair. The panels will meet once a month on a rotating basis to review internal police investigations relating to possible misconduct involving excessive force, discharge of firearms, serious bodily injury or death, as well as investigations involving mistreatment of citizens by employees of the Houston Police Department.

City Council approved (with a 10 to 5 vote) the economic development agreement between the City of Houston and Kroger for a store and fuel center on Studemont. Council Member Noriega voted no on this economic development.

Council approved an ordinance to appropriate $3 million (from the Equipment Acquisition Fund) to purchase patrol vehicles for the Houston Police department through an interlocal agreement with HGAC, Houston-Galveston Area Council. The new vehicles will replace those that have exceeded their usefulness and set for auction.

City Council voted to allow a grant application submission to the US Department of Transportation for a TIGER grant. The TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) discretionary grant will allow for regional bicycle and pedestrian connectivity between transit centers, education and employment centers, medical facilities, retail and entertainment areas and sports venues to some of Houston’s most economically disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Council unanimously approved the acquisition of the former Rufus Cage School located at 1417 Telephone Road in Houston. Cage school will be designated as a protected landmark once ownership of the property is handed over to the City of Houston. The East End community is dedicated to raising funds for the necessary renovations.

City Council approved Reveille-Park Place Civic Club’s application for a prohibited yard parking requirement area. Parking is prohibited on the front and side yard of single-family residential property within the Santa Rosa Subdivision, Sections 1-5, Sims Bayou Estates Subdivision, Sections land 2, Katerwood, Park Place Terrace, Park Place subdivisions, and Abst 27 JR Harris.

Upcoming Community Events

Houston 175th Birthday
Friday, October 28, 2011
11:00 a.m.
City Hall Visitors Center, 901 Bagby
Join Mayor Parker for the opening of the new City Hall exhibit- Building the Greater Good: 175 years of Civic Leadership in the Bayou City and birthday cake.

Houston Fire Department – Get Alarmed Houston
Saturday, October 29, 2011
9:00a.m. to Noon
Members of HFD will be in the Amblewood to Boone Cheviot to Evesborough neighborhoods to install FREE smoke detectors as part of the Get Alarmed Houston program. You may pick up your FREE smoke detector any any HFD fire station if you do not receive one on Saturday. Call HFD Public Affairs Office at 832.394.6633 for an installation appointment.
For more details visit: www.houstonfire.org or email Paul Box at Paul.Box~houstontx.gov

Scream on the Green
Saturday, October, 29, 2011
6:00 p.m. to 10p.m.
Discovery Green, 1200 McKinney Street, Houston, Texas.
Come enjoy the costume contest, dancing, tricks and treats, artists, and magicians at the citywide Halloween celebration.