ALIEF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING
Minutes for Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Alief Super Neighborhood # 25 held its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 at 7:00 P.M. at the
CenterPoint Energy Building, 12330 Bellaire Blvd.
Chairman Dan Hrna called the meeting to order at 7:05 P.M.
Roll Call of council followed (See attached.)
SPOT LIGHT ON BUSINESS: (Report is on file with January records.)
Helping the Alief community, economy, and development:
SHELL OIL, WESTHOLLOW RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY CENTER, represented by Mr. Pete Parker
MOTIONS made:
1. Ray Moon: to accept the minutes as presented. Seconded by Ray Gibb. Council voted. Motion Passed.
2. Henry Williams: to accept reinstatement of those stakeholder group representatives for which recommendations
have been submitted and are on file. Seconded by Karen North. Council voted. Motion Passed.
3. Ray Gibb: to waive bylaws requiring the seating of two council members at the same time to allow the seating of
Hubert Vo as the representative of the CULTURAL DIVERSITY STAKEHOLDER GROUP. Seconded by
Karen North. Council voted. Motion Passed.
4. Ruth Flavelle: to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Michael Manning. Council voted. Motion Passed.
GUEST SPEAKERS:
HPD OFFICER STEVE BRESSLER, from the Westwood Store Front introduced himself. Sgt. Alan Parrish, storefront
supervisor, further explained that Bressler will be representing the Westside Command Station from now on, replacing
Officers Buck Farmer and Julie Beckworth as HPD representatives to the ASNC.
MR. RONALD TROTTY & MR. WILLIE PRATT, of Neighborhood Protection, introduced themselves, and distributed
an information pamphlet. They are assigned to the Alief area.
MR. SONNY DAVILA, of Metro Community Outreach, distributed numerous information pamphlets to help citizens
utilize Metro’s many services. Senior citizens and students both qualify for many discounts. Dan Hrna expressed his
concern that rail and traffic lights do not yet seem to be well coordinated. The first phase of the Westpark Toll Road,
which extends to Highway 6, will open March, 2004.
MR. ALAN CLARK & MR. KARI HACKETT, of the Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC), Transportation Dept.,
presented a power-point slide show. The agency is designated by the TX Governor, certified by US DOT, represents 8
counties, comprised of 13 city & 9 county representatives, and plans for long-range transportation goals. The HGAC area
leads in TX in serious accidents with 25% (80-90 thousand) annually, and receives less than 6% of state transportation
safety construction funds. Alief is so heavily populated, that if it were a city, it would be the third largest in the area.
Current construction plans include: extensive access improvement at Loop 610W & 59; widening Beltway 8 from
Bissonnet to Highway 249; the first segment of the Westpark Tollway to be opened around March 2004.
DIST. F CITY COUNCILMAN, M.J. KHAN was welcomed. He invited the ASN council members to a meeting with the
Mayor on Saturday, Feb 7. The details will follow in an email. The city finances are facing many challenges: must fund
police cadet classes, police and fire dept. raises, city employees’ pension and health insurance. The 311 program is
working well, use it! He is studying possible funding for parks through TX Wildlife Funds for Parks. He needs volunteers
to staff his Sharpstown Office which will be opening soon. If interested, please call 713/ 247-2002.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
CHAIR’S REPORT – Chairman Dan Hrna reported that he asked Alan Clark and Sonny Davila to speak to the ASN when
he heard them at a Metro and Houston-Galveston Area Council Transportation meeting at the Chinese Community Center.
He also met with Blue Print Houston and they are in the process of setting up a public meeting for input from the
community. Dan complimented Ray Gibb, Michael Manning, and the whole SNAP Committee (Marie Lee, Henry
Williams, Ray Moon, Alan Rees and Nichole Saunders) for their work on our SNAP plan.
TAX EXEMPT STATUS – Dan Hrna reported the application is being typed and we are looking for the $150.00 fee to
send to the IRS.
PARKS COMMITTEE – Michael Manning reported that the committee met Jan. 14, and will meet again in March. The
goal to acquire land for future parks is receiving good cooperation from the parks department and elected officials, though
funding for it is a problem. Guest, Mr. Dadoush, from the city Building Services Department (713-837-7298), gave an
update on the improvements planned for the Alief Community Park. The bids are in, and the work should start in late
Feb. or early March, and should be completed by November.
Paul Fikac reported that in Boon Road Park 66 trees were planted on Dec.13, Alief Improvement Day. Last week a
memorial tree was also planted. They cost $50 and are available for anyone. See Paul for further information.
Barbara Quattro reported that in Harwin Park a Natural area will be created. On Feb 21, from 8- 12:00 volunteers are
needed to plant 2,000 seedlings, which the city is donating. Since they are so small, and there is no water in that park,
only the hardiest will survive.
KEEP HOUSTON BEAUTIFUL – Ruth Flavelle reported that on April 3 the second part of the curb painting project is
scheduled (on Bissonnet from Dairy Ashford to Kirkwood). Pastor Dave of the Alief Nazarene Church will bring
volunteers and the paint they have been storing. Ruth is working on obtaining the needed permits and police patrols.
OLD BUSINESS
CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT – Donald Perkins distributed contact information for the new city council. The City
of Houston Planning & Development Department will host a Neighborhood Leadership Institute workshop every Monday
evening throughout the month of March 2004. The five (5) sessions, covering two topics each week, will hone your skills
as an effective leader and build your community group’s capacity to develop and implement neighborhood projects. The
cost of enrolling in the Neighborhood Leadership Institute is $25 per person; however, the amount is fully refundable
upon attending all five sessions.
ALIEF CEMETERY RESTORATION – The committee will meet this Thursday, Jan. 29 at 4:00 at the AISD board room.
On Saturday volunteers are meeting at TRAECO, to remove the fence and start preparing it for installation around the
cemetery.
NEW BUSINESS
ELECTION OF COUNCIL OFFICERS – Current officers were nominated and voted unanimously by the council
members present to continue in their existing positions: Chairman: Dan Hrna; Vice-Chair: Ray Gibb; Secretary: Henry
Williams; Treasurer: Karen North.
BROCHURE – The 2002 publication is almost all distributed. Marie Lee, Barbara Quattro, Alan Rees, and Henry & Anne
Williams volunteered to form a committee to update and refine the brochure.
UPCOMING SPEAKERS – Feb.: Robert Litke, Director of the Planning & Development Department, will discuss the
Super Neighborhood Program and other concerns that fall under that Department (Neighborhood Protection, Code
Enforcement, Economic Development, etc.). Mar.: Blue Print Houston
PUBLIC SESSION
LIBRARY – Librarian, Rebecca Hubert, reported that there are many children’s activities. Mondays: Baby Can Read,
and Wednesdays: Story time. Many computer programs are available, both for library and home use. After school tutoring
from 3-8 PM can help with homework at www.Tutor.com. February is Black History Month, and there will be a program
to celebrate it on Feb 28. Houston Libraries are 100 years old!
MULTI-CULTURAL EVENT – Kimberly Washington presented flyers proposing this event next October to benefit both
the Village Project and the ASNC. She also distributed information about a Feb. 7 media workshop.
The next ASNC meeting will be held at 7:00 P.M. on the fourth Tuesday, February 24, 2004, at the CenterPoint Energy
Building, 12330 Bellaire Blvd.
Minutes approved on _____________________
Respectfully Submitted
Henry Williams, Secretary
