ALIEF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING
Minutes for Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Alief Super Neighborhood # 25 held its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, November 28, 2006, at 7:08 P.M. at the CenterPoint Energy Building, 12330 Bellaire Blvd.
Acting Chairman, Michael Manning, called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. Roll Call of council followed (See attached.). A quorum was met.
Hospitality: Donated by Alief YMCA. Thanks were expressed for their support of the ASNC and the Alief community.
MOTIONS made:
1. Marie Lee: to accept the minutes as presented. Seconded: Diane Dang. Council voted. Motion Passed.
2. Barbara Quattro: to accept the petition for Kimberly Mathes, from West Houston Medical Center, to be seated as the Medical Providers representative. Seconded: Marie Lee. Motion passed
3. Barbara Quattro: to send a letter in support of the Asian American Hope Clinic becoming a Federally Qualified Health Clinic. Seconded: Chet Machen. Motion passed
4. Michael Manning: to adjourn the meeting. Council voted. Motion Passed.
COMMITTEE AND STANDING REPORTS;
Chairs Report: Vice Chair Michael Manning stated that the meeting was about the SNAP & CIP discussions to be held as four groups involving all attendees. New member, Kimberly Mathes of West Houston Hospital, was introduced.
Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer, Ray Moon, announced that the current balance was $390. Henry Williams reported a $16 dollar charge for a new ASNC “official” mailing address: Post Office Box 1098, Alief, TX 77411-1098. Ray requested that all invoices be approved prior to his review.
Grants Committee- Chet Machen reported on the efforts of the group and intent to change the name to “financing” due to the new tax status; and not just seeking grants, but going out into the community for additional financial support
BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS:
1. TREE PLANTING – Barbara Quattro. 200 trees to be planted at the Alief Community Park next Saturday, Dec 2. Concern was expressed about people pulling up the trees. Michael stated that some of the volunteers planting the trees were soccer players and he didn’t think they would pull them up. A sign was suggested. January 5th will be another planting on the medians at Wilcrest and Carvel. Barbara noted that planting trees on the Reliant ROW will be rejected.
LIBRARY –Rebecca Hubert has been promoted and there is a new Alief branch manager.
ALIEF CEMETERY- Marie Lee reported that they are currently leveling the ground. Placing of the headstones is the next project. Money is needed for fencing.
OLD BUSINESS
ALIEF BREAKFAST– Sponsored by Wal-Mart. Next breakfast will be in February 2007.
NEW BUSINESS
ASIAN AMERICAN HEALTH COALITION – Michael Manning read a letter from Beverly Gor, of the Asian American Health Coalition, asking us to send a letter of support for the Hope Clinic to be designated as a Federally Funded Health Care Clinic. It is located in the Chinese Community Center on Town Park, and is open to all.
GUEST SPEAKERS:
James (Jim) Tillman & Greg Shaw, COH Capital Improvement Plan Director. Mr. Tillman passed out several flyers/diagrams regarding the CIP process and how to be effective. The CIP is a five-year plan. Next year it will go into a 6-year program due to voter approval of bond money ($4.5 mm). The CIP is divided into three sections: There are the public services such as police, fire department, parks, libraries; public works such as streets and sewer systems; and aviation. There are several funding sources for the CIP including bonds, private donations, community development block programs, and water and sewer revenues. Of the $4.5 million, 50% goes to public works and engineering, 31% to public services, and aviation gets 19%. There are three ways to bring the CIP items to attention: (1) go to the City Councilman; (2) go to Super Neighborhood(s); and (3) District CIP Meetings. (January 22 to February 2, 2007. Due March 15th) All input and prioritization is reviewed by the city departments through various models/scoring systems without raising taxes. The proposed CIP goes to the mayor and city council to be voted on and adopted. Emergency situations and general maintenance/replacement are taken into consideration when building the master plan. Questions were posed by the members and public. Tai-An Miao, of the City Planning Dept., spoke briefly on the role of the Super Neighborhood in the CIP process. Mr. Tillman also critiqued the group presentations of CIP items.
UPCOMING SPEAKERS – The January meeting will be devoted to finalizing the CIP items and council business.
PUBLIC SESSION
All attendees and members broke up into groups with a facilitator to decide on this year’s CIP items, and then make a brief report to the whole group. The SNAP Committee will meet to finalize and to prioritize the report. These reports, courtesy of Chet Machen, are as follows:
I. PROMOTING TOURISM & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
A. Alief Business District
1. model after Westchase Business District
B. Promote Retirement Age Residency
1. develop incentives to attract elderly into Alief
2. create program to encourage developers of retirement residences, medical support businesses, etc.
3. achieve state certification for retirement community
II. INTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION PLAN
A. Coordinate with City to encourage development of alternative transportation modes: Hike & Bike Trails along Bayous, Low Speed Vehicle Lanes (scooters, bicycles, “rickshaws”)
B. Coordinate with Metro to provide alternate parking & trolleys for tourism
C. Expand sidewalk system through partnership with City, Homeowner Associations,& local sponsoring businesses
D. WIFI for Alief
E. Promote Internet Cafes to draw youth out of cocooning & into society
III. PUBLIC HEALTH / EDUCATION SERVICES
A. Community Center
1. place for immunizations
2. multi-cultural services
3. youth/after school programs
4. Senior citizens programs
B. Coordinate Faith-Based Initiatives
C. Expand Alief Library Building
D. Promote Health Clinic
IV. PARKS DEVELOPMENT
A. Assist sourcing of more land for City, County, & Precinct parks
B. Upgrade & Expand services in current parks
C. Promote Neighborhoods in developing their own park space
V. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
A. Street Improvements
B. Traffic flow/ construction/ traffic light timing, review & feedback
C. Groundwater/Surface water tracking
VI. STREETS, WATER AND SEWER, LIGHTS, TRAFFIC CONTROLS, DRAINAGE
A. Drainage improvements – inspect and repair system to reduce flash street flooding during heavy rain.
1. such as Beechnut from Bellpark to Kirkwood. Off street water retention areas
2. such as Bellpark from Beechnut to Hendon on route to A. J. Martin School.
B. Improve traffic flow (east/west) during rush hours.
1. per Bellaire, Beechnut, Bissonnet, Alief-Clodine, Westpark, etc.
2. light timing and coordination
3. reduce left turn intersections
4. more lanes including left and right turns only .
C. Expedite Conversion from ground to surface water to reduce subsidence.
The next ASNC meeting will be held at 7:00 P.M. on the fourth Tuesday, January 23, 2006, at the CenterPoint Energy Building, 12330 Bellaire Blvd. There will be no December meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 9:30 P.M.
Minutes approved on _____________________
Respectfully Submitted
Henry Williams, Secretary
