ALIEF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING
Minutes for Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Alief Super Neighborhood # 25 held its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 at 7:00 P.M. at the CenterPoint Energy Building, 12330 Bellaire Blvd.
PROGRAM:
Chairman Michael Manning called the meeting to order at 7:06 P.M. Secretary Henry Williams conducted the Roll Call of council members. He announced a quorum was present. (See attached.)
Hospitality: Donated by District F City Council Member, MJ Khan. Thanks were expressed for his support of the ASNC and the Alief community.
MOTIONS made:
1. Ray Moon: to accept the minutes as presented. Seconded: Martha Barrera. Council voted. Motion Passed.
2. Marie Lee: to seat Karen Lievre as Youth Services Representative. Seconded: Martha Barrera. Council voted. Motion Passed.
3. Chet Machen: to seat Danny Nguyen as Chamber of Commerce Representative. Seconded: Marie Lee. Council voted. Motion Passed.
4. Barbara Quattro: to adjourn the meeting. Seconded: Marie Lee. Council voted. Motion Passed.
TREASURER’S REPORT – Ray Moon reported a bank balance of $1,859.70. Michael Manning requested that Ray establish a debit card for the account.
GUEST SPEAKERS:
ALICIA PERHAM, Community Health Educator, Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services, 2223 West Loop South, Houston, Texas 77027, Phone (713) 439-6253 713 439-6904 Fax (713) 439-6319
Website: www.hcphes.org Alicia’s email: aperham@hcphes.org
TOPIC: B3 (Be Real! Be Safe! Be Cool!) A Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Program has been in Aldine and is now starting in Alief. It consists of eight sessions, two hours each. Students study and roll play decision making, reasons and techniques for saying NO, as well as safe sex information. The program is recruiting sites, as well as teen participants (13-19). Two course sessions just finished, two more will start soon, one at the Alief YMCA and another at Mission Bend Methodist Church.
Session 1: Understanding HIV and AIDS
Session 2: Making Sexual Decisions
Session 3: Developing and Using Condom Skills
Session 4: Learning Assertive Communication Skills
Session 5: Practicing Assertive Communication Skills
Session 6: Personalizing the Risks
Session 7: Spreading the Word
Session 8: Taking BART with You
CHONG-HAO FU – KIPP Sharpstown College Prep, Cell: 713-204-6263, www.kipphouston.org/sharpstown
The current KIPP Academy (Knowledge is Power Program) is located near Bissonnet @ Beltway 8, at 10711 Kipp Way. It is a well known national charter school, which was recognized by Oprah Winfrey. The school year is longer, the school day is longer (7:20-5:00), and includes classes every other Saturday. Over 85% of KIPP Houston graduates are accepted to colleges. There are over 1,000 students on the school’s waiting list. A new campus is opening in Sharpstown next fall. It will begin with only 5th grade, and slowly expand to all grades. There are currently still a few openings for 5th graders at this new campus.
COMMITTEE & STANDING REPORTS
a. FINANCE – Vice Chair Chet Machen reported that our donation request letters are getting some responses. He is researching the cost of recorded TV spots on Cable channels in our area. If more people know about us, we have a better chance of recruiting more members and volunteers.
b. STAKEHOLDER NOMINATIONS – Secretary Henry Williams reported on changes of stakeholder groups:
® The AISD position #17 is vacant, due to Johnny Tates’ resignation.
® Elsie Smith submitted a letter of resignation from Position #7, Youth Services Representative.
® Karen Lievre, manager of the Alief YMCA, presented a stakeholder endorsement to be seated for position #7, the Youth Services Representative.
® Danny Nguyen, president of the Vietnamese-American Chamber of Commerce, presented a stakeholder endorsement to be seated for position #10, Chamber of Commerce Representative.
c. S.A.V.E. ALIEF: HEALTH FAIR – Anne Williams reported the fifth annual Health & Civic Resources Fair will be Saturday, August 18. Last year 2200 attended. Forms are available to those interested in having a table. Sponsors are needed. All are invited to attend the next planning meeting: 5:30-6:30 PM, Mon. March 19, at the Chinese Community Center. Contact number is 281-498-5018.
d. ALIEF CEMETERY – Marie Lee, president of ACA, reported work is progressing as planned on the 2 acre historical cemetery. Volunteers and donations are needed.
e. ALIEF LIBRARY- Manager Shammi Gill distributed a calendar for March activities. AARP tax help is currently available. Laptops may be checked out for use in the library. Tues. is movie night; Thurs. is teen night.
f. TEXAS LEGISLATURE UPDATE – Representative Hubert Vo was working in Austin. His Chief of Staff, Karen Loper, reported:
1. March 20 -TXDot will hold a public hearing concerning the proposed overpass on Highway 6 @ Westheimer. Please attend the 6 PM Open House and 7 PM meeting at West Briar Middle School Auditorium, 13733 Brimhurst , Houston 77077. It is important to have a strong turnout so there can be a solid record of public opinion. AISD, businesses and homeowners have expressed strong opposition to both overpasses mainly because of the economic impact it is likely to have. Rep. Vo will speak against the project and will offer some alternatives. Some ideas are timing the lights along Hwy 6, restricting left turns across 3 lanes of traffic to a few specific places, when exiting shopping centers only right turns permitted, etc.
A second meeting for an additional (2nd) proposed overpass at Bellaire Blvd. will be held at a future date.
2. Rep. Vo recently met with the developers for the Parkwest Apt. Complex (which was defeated last August). They have been convinced to build a 100% senior apartment complex in the same location (just off Hwy 6 near Westpark). They will be applying with the State Housing and Community Affairs Dept. to build an affordable Senior Housing project, which Rep Vo will not oppose.
3. Rep Vo has again filed legislation to establish a management District for Alief. (The International Management District). He believes it has a good chance of being passed this time. It would extend from Beltway 8 westward to Highway 6 and from Alief –Clodine south to Bissonnet.
4. Rep. Vo has filed HB 478 that required utility companies to use the postmark date of utility payments as the “paid” date instead of the sometimes untimely date they post the payments to their systems. Many people have complained that they were unfairly charged late fees even when the payment was mailed well in advance. The purpose of the bill is to make a firm rule about paid dates and give the consumers some certainty.
5. The former Doty Dump / Sugarhill Golf Course is still being monitored by TCEQ. No further applications have been made by the developers.
NEW BUSINESS
CLEAN-UPS – Ernie McGowen, Chief of Staff for Council Member MJ Khan, announced the annual City Council C3 cleanup for District F will be held in May this year, rather than July, as last year. Specific date will be announced soon.
US CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN – Catherine Le, from the congressman’s office, reported that they have a new satellite office opening on March 17 at 6065 Hillcroft. All are invited to an Open House from 2 -4 PM.
UPCOMING SPEAKERS –March: Council member-At-Large, Ronald Green; April: Trent Rondot, Houston Parks Bd.
PUBLIC SESSION
There were no announcements from the public.
The next ASNC meeting will be held at 7:00 P.M. on the fourth Tuesday, March 27, 2007, at the CenterPoint Energy Building, 12330 Bellaire Blvd.
The meeting adjourned at 8:35 P.M.
Minutes approved on _____________________
Respectfully Submitted
Henry Williams, Secretary