Council Updates

This week during City Council’s consolidated meeting, Council Members confirmed the appointments of Ms. Jeri Brooks, Ms. Katherine M. Yzaguirre, and Ms. Olivia Carbajal de Garcia and the reappointments of Ms. Pavin Ahmadi McVey, and Ms. Lillie J. Schechter to the Board of Public Trusts. Established in 1915, the Board of Public Trusts (Houston Foundation) manages and allocates gifts and bequests to the City of Houston for charitable purposes. Continue Reading »

This week City Council received public comments during a Public Hearing to consider amendments to Chapter 42 of the Code of Ordinances. Chapter 42 regulates subdivisions, developments and platting in Houston. Continue Reading »

This week City Council City approved funding to replace and upgrade several water lines within the following boundary areas: Dunstan Street on the north side, Rice Boulevard on the south side, Ashby Street on the east and Greenbriar Street on the west; the area of IH 610 on the north, Link Valley Street on the south, Main Street on the east side and Stella Link road on the west, and Green Park Manor Lane on the north side, and the Pinacle Point on the south side area. Continue Reading »

This week there were no scheduled City Council meetings. City Council resumes next Tuesday, November 8, 2011. Continue Reading »

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. Continue Reading »

This week there was a Public Hearing to consider the formation of Reinvestment Zone 23, also known as the Harrisburg Zone. Diane Schenke, President of the Greater East End Management District and Frances Castañeda Dyess, President of the East End Chamber of Commerce spoke on the opportunities presented by a TIRZ in this area. City Council received letters from the Port of Houston Authority and Transwestem in strong support of the Harrisburg TIRZ. Continue Reading »

This week City Council authorized $4.5 million to DRC Emergency Services, LLC, for emergency tree removal in the City’s right-of-ways, parks, esplanades and other affected areas due to Houston’s exceptional drought condition. Citizens are reminded that dead and diseased trees can be extremely dangerous and to use caution. Continue Reading »

This week City Council approved the appointments of Mr. Joe Ting, Ms. Katy Caidwell, Mr. Thomas Warner, Mr. Richard Campo, Mr. David Solomon, Mr. Hasmukh Patel, Ms. Desrye Morgan, Mr. David Arpin, and Mr. Richard Rabinow to the Board of Directors of the Houston First Foundation. Continue Reading »

This week City Council approved the reappointment of Mr. J. Kent Friedman to the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority as Chair. Mr. Friedman’s term expires August 31, 2013. Continue Reading »

This week City Council approved the ordinance to repeal Article XIX, Section 45-481 through 45-487 entitled Photographic Traffic Signal Enforcement Systems of the Code of Ordinances, also known as the red-light camera ordinance. This means the cameras are being turned off in response to the clear message of the voters. This also means the city faces financial implications and the issue is still in litigation. Continue Reading »