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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2013
P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623
Official newspaper of Fort Bend County, Missouri City & Sugar Land
Sugar Land bags recycling award
Sugar Land Mayor James Thompson is pictured receiving a recycling award from Candace Seger, chair of the Gulf Coast Recycling Council. Every year, the non-profit group recognizes organizations, businesses, companies or governments in the Greater Houston - Galveston Area for their waste minimization and recycling efforts. This year, the city of Sugar Land was selected to receive the 2012 Leadership Award for Outstanding New or Expanded Recycling Program due to the success of the new solid waste program that was implemented on Dec. 5, 2011, which resulted in more than 32 percent of waste being diverted from landfills. During 2012, residents recycled more than 12,655 tons of materials, including 5,811 tons of recycled material and 6,844 tons of green waste. Prior to launching the new program, residents recycled 34 pounds per household per month. Residents recycled 83 pounds per household per month in 2012. 2011 has resulted in more than 32 percent of waste being diverted from landfills. “The new solid waste and recycling program has been a huge success, which is due to residents accepting the changes and educating themselves on what should be recycled,” said Dawn Steph, Sugar Land’s environmental manager.
Miller chosen for the Texas Republican Caucus Policy Committee On Feb. 6, Texas House of Representatives Republican Caucus elected their Texas Republican Caucus Policy Committee. This Policy Committee is broken up into six regions. The membership elected freshman Representative Rick Miller (Sugar Land) and Steve Toth (R-The Woodlands) to the committee’s Eastern Region. “I am greatly honored by my colleagues in the East Region to be selected to serve in this critically important position. My recommendations to the
committee will be from a less government, lower spending, and local control attitude. I welcome support from constituents of District 26 on any bills before the legislature,” stated Representative Miller. The House Republican Caucus Policy Committee determines legislative recommendations, including the political impact of such recommendations, and reports final recommendations to the Caucus membership. The Committee is made of 16 Republican
members, elected by 95 of their colleagues, to represent their geographic region of the state. Together, these like-minded State Representatives have pledged to work together with the other House Members to let the voices of their constituents and the State of Texas be heard. In a separate development, Speaker of the House Joe Straus appointed Miller to the Defense and Veterans’ Affairs as well as the Elections Committee.
Stafford enacts smoking ban effective Aug. 1 BY BARABRA FULENWIDER As of Aug. 1, smoking in Stafford will be prohibited in all enclosed public places including but not limited to libraries and museums, areas used by the general public in businesses and non-profit entities including professional offices, banks, laundries, billiard/pool halls, bingo facilities, convention facilities and civic centers, elevators, movie theaters, stage, drama, lectures, musical recital or other similar performances. Smoking will also be prohibited in health care facilities, childcare and adult day care facilities; lobbies, hallways and other common areas in hotels, motels, apartment buildings, condominiums, assisted living facilities, nursing home and other multi-residential facilities, polling places, buses, taxicabs and ticket, boarding and waiting areas of public transit depots, restaurants, restrooms, lobbies, reception areas, hallways and other common use areas, retail/ convenience stores, places of meeting or public assembly including school buildings to the extent the public is subject to the jurisdiction of Stafford, and sports arenas, including enclosed areas in outdoor arenas. Outdoor areas where smoking would be prohibited include city
buildings, parks, facilities and grounds, outdoor sports arenas, stadiums and amphitheaters and within 25 feet of the entrance or exit of enclosed places where smoking is prohibited by this article, except for outdoor dining areas of bars or restaurants that are designated as smoking areas. In places of employment, smoking will be prohibited in common work areas, auditoriums, classrooms, conference and meeting rooms, elevators, hallways, medical facilities, cafeterias, employee lounges, stairs, restrooms and all other enclosed areas. Smoking will not be regulated in hotel and motel rooms that are rented to guests and designated as smoking rooms, in outdoor areas on private property except those listed specifically in the provisions of the article; outdoor dining areas of bars and restaurants designated as smoking areas, private residences, except when used as a child care, adult day care or health care facility. Also, smoking will not be regulated by the city at retail tobacco stores if the smoke from such does not infiltrate into areas where smoking is prohibited or in bars. For a bar to be exempt from the no smoking regulations, it must submit sales records for
three consecutive months to document that the establishment gets at least 70 percent of its gross revenues from the sale of alcoholic beverages for onpremise consumption. Businesses that are exempt from the smoking prohibitions may post smoking signs at each entrance. Any owner, operator, manager or other person in control of an establishment, facility or outdoor area in Stafford may declare the entire establishment as nonsmoking and must post a sign saying such. Any citizen may register a complaint with the Stafford Police Department to initiate non-smoking enforcement. Anyone found guilty of violating the ordinance can be fined up to $2,000 per offense. Mayor Leonard Scarcella and Councilman Cecil Willis voted against the ordinance. Earlier in the Feb. 6 city council meeting, the mayor said he wants the ordinance to be “fair, equitable and responsible.” Both the mayor and Willis believe that the ordinance oversteps its bounds by having a $2,000 fine the city can levy on any business that doesn’t prevent someone from smoking on their premises.
Ron Reynolds named House Democratic Whip State Representative Ron Reynolds (Fort Bend CountyD, District 27) was named as the House Democratic Whip. The Whip is the second highest ranking position in the Democratic Caucus. The Democratic Whip assists the Democratic leadership in managing the party’s legislative program on the House floor. The Whip keeps track of all
legislation and ensures that all party members are present when important measures are to be voted upon. “I am very humbled and excited that I have been selected to serve in this important leadership position this session. I look forward to working closely with House Democratic Leader Yvonne Davis and my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to pass legislation that
benefits all Texas families”, remarked Reynolds. Rep. Reynolds is serving in his second session. Last term he was voted by his House colleagues as “Freshman Legislator of the Year” and “Public Servant of the Year” by the Houston Minority Contractors Association. He currently serves on the Environmental Regulation and Technology committees.
Commissioner uses breakfast to promote solutions for transportation BY SESHADRI KUMAR More than 600 people attended the 16th annual breakfast with Fort Bend County’s Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers at Safari Texas Ranch on Feb. 6. It was a fundraiser with a difference. Participants brought food donations for the benefit of Katy Christian Ministries and Second Mile Mission. Jeff Moseley, Texas Transportation Commissioner, attended the event as a part of his “Transportation listening tour.” A panel discussion on transportation issues followed with Waller County Judge Glenn Beckendorff, Brazoria County Commissioner Matt Sebesta and Meyers. Pct. 3 Constable Rob Cook’s office presented the Color Guard. Pct. 2 Commissioner Grady Prestage led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance, Pct. 1 Commissioner Richard Morrison also attended. Pct. 4 Commissioner James Patterson introduced elected officials and candidates attending the breakfast. County Judge Bob Hebert was listed as a panelist, but had to go to Austin and did not attend the breakfast. Moseley said the first challenge
faced by the state transportation department is the higher fuel efficiency which reduced the available fuel tax dollars to build roads and bridges. By 2025, Texas could see cars and trucks with an average fuel efficiency of 54 miles per gallon, he said. Construction inflation has increased by 62 percent in Texas since 2002. A $20 million project built in 2000 will cost $32 million today. Further, federal funding is unpredictable and Texas is in the bottom of the list in its rate of return from the federal government, Moseley said. Aging infrastructure added to the challenges, even as growing congestion and rural mobility projects added to the pressure faced by TxDOT. As necessity is the mother invention, the dwindling resources has forced transportation experts to look at innovative modes of transport. For example, a deep cylindrical tunnel with multi-level roads on the I-10 corridor has been proposed. The Texas A & M Transportation Institute has estimated that about $370 billion will be needed to maintain the existing transportation, prevent urban congestion and
acquisition of right of way. Sebesta said, TxDOT should keep the federal transportation funds and state funds separate so that the onerous federal regulations on local projects can be avoided. The state should extend the legal authority to plat to county governments, which is now limited to city governments and allow counties to enter into right of way donation agreements with developers, he said. Meyers called for a “regional champion” to lobby TxDOT on local projects. He cited the clout enjoyed by the local governments Texas Transportation Commissioner Jeff Moseley, left, Fort Bend County Commissioner Andy Meyers, Waller County Judge Glenn Beckendorff and Brazoria County Commissioner Matt Sebesta. ensure rural mobility and safety. Current revenue projections show that less than half of that amount will be available over the next two decades, Moseley said. Beckendorff outlined the available local options for raising revenue for transportation projects. Developers could be asked to pay some sort of an impact fee, but that won’t be huge in smaller coun-
ties. Additional vehicle tax, a local gas tax, accepting right of way for roads from developers as gifts and creation of county assistance districts are among the other possible revenue sources, Beckendorff said. Sebesta said at present there is no mechanism to accept right of way as a gift from developers. Also, the Texas Department of Transportation would not lend support for early
in the Dallas-Fort Worth area as they have created a single, common agency or group to represent their interests. It is high time, Fort Bend and neighboring counties and cities joined hands and created a regional mobility committee, he said. A similar strategy has already been adopted in the case of the proposed Prairie Parkway, along the Highway 36 corridor from Freeport to Waller County. The Prairie Parkway Corridor association consists of Commissioner Richard Morrison of Fort Bend County, Matt Sebesta of Brazoria County and Stan Kitzman of Waller County.
10701 Corporate Drive, #282, Stafford, TX 77477 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, TX 77487 Seshadri Kumar Publisher & Editor
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Fort Bend Independent, (USPS 025-572) is published every Wednesday (for a subscription rate of $20 per year) by Fort Bend Independent, LLC., 10701 Corporate Dr., #282, Stafford, Texas 77477. Periodicals Postage Paid at Stafford, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Fort Bend Independent, P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, Tx 77487.