VOL 8 No. 8
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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623
Official newspaper of Fort Bend County, Missouri City & Sugar Land
Kickball Classic set for March 28
BIRDS OF FORT BEND. Cooper’s Hawk is a specialized hawk that can fly at high speeds through heavily wooded areas. Short wings, a long tail, and flight agility allow this hawk to weave through Kickball costume winners. Companies such as The Johnson Development Corp. had a kick dur- wooded thickets at high speeds in pursuit of prey. The Cooper’s gives a new definition to the word ing the inaugural Sugar Land Skeeters Kickball Classic. The annual event returns to Constella- hen-pecked. The male is smaller than the female and is quite solicitous. He builds the nest and provides the female and chicks food while nesting. With other birds being the primary diet as well as tion Field March 28. For more information, visit www.SugarLandSkeeters.com. the male being much smaller than the female, his caution is quite understandable. If one starts to The Sugar Land Skeeters is Approximately $11,300 was join us for a day of friendly and stalk your feeders for other birds, simply remove the feeder for about 3 days. To learn more about kicking off its second annual raised in last year’s inaugural fun rivalry.” the Cooper’s and see more of Margaret Sloan’s pictures, visit http://traction.typepad.com/birds Team registration is ongoing Kickball Classic March 28 at event. “More than a dozen teams and sponsorships are still availConstellation Field. Companies and other groups participated in last year’s event, able. Contact Kyle Dawson at are invited to register for the helping to raise more money kdawson@sugarlandskeeters. double-elimination tournament than we thought possible,” com for details. expected to announce the grant services. For more information on the By SESHADRI KUMAR that benefits the Sugar Land said Skeeters General Manager Fort Bend County non-profin May and in June a program The objective of this colSkeeters Foundation, which Chris Jones. “We hope to ex- Sugar Land Skeeters Foundait organizations have joined coordinator will be hired. In laborative is to improve the raises funds to help local dis- ceed those numbers this year, tion, visit www.SugarLandShands to create a data collecAugust, back to school supeffi ciency and effectiveness of advantaged youth in the area. as companies return and others keeters.com. tion and sharing system known service delivery to county resi- plies event will be implemented as the Fort Bend County Col- dents. This collaborative cur- through the collaborative data laborative Information System rently includes, but is not lim- sharing system. (FBCCIS). After the pilot testing of the ited to, non-profit organizations Fort Bend County Commis- that provide basic human needs program, the system will be siners Court recently autho- services throughout Fort Bend further refined. By BARBRA FULENWIDER Esch said the city also wants Stafford HCC never caused any rized the Fort Bend County County. The computerized data colAfter numerous ideas and ef- to attract foundation money and kind of retail to happen along EMS Community Paramedic Collectively FBCCIS part- lection platform captures client forts by Missouri City to get more if there’s a further need for more Murphy Road.” Program to submit a grant ap- ners will share client data uti- level information on the characretail located on Texas Parkway, money, city council could considCouncilman Jerry Wyatt re- plication to the George Founda- lizing a software system en- teristics of individuals and famthe key to making it happen may er an application up to $400,000. plied that the HCC location on tion, in collaboration with other titled “Caseworthy.” ilies and their needs, including have finally been turned in the He said, “There’s an opportunity Cartwright was a misnomer and nonprofits and with Fort Bend Second Mile Mission Center, basic human services and other lock. here for a $25 to $30 million capi- was never intended to be a real County Social Services serving East Fort Bend Human Needs social or medical needs. At Missouri City’s council tal investment next to city hall. So service there. Mayor Allen Owen as the fiduciary agent. Data sharing will allow colMinistry, Roenberg Richmond meeting of Feb. 16, four council far the HCC board has said they added that the city had the opporThis collaboration would al- Helping Hands, Fort Bend Se- laborative partners to determine members voted in favor of sup- will take action to close on the tunity to either get into HCC or low Fort Bend County organi- nior Meals on Wheels, and the timeframe and frequency of porting a resolution for relocating property and move this forward. Wharton junior college. “At that zations to share information in Katy Christian Ministries are services provided to those in the Houston Community College The new building plan would time HCC’s tax rate was seven a database to help improve ef- among the initial collobarators need and a means for evaluat(HCC) campus from Sienna to be combined with that. This is a cents per $100 valuation and ficiency among service provid- in the project. See DATA, Page 3 Texas Parkway. great opportunity to see this level Wharton’s was seventeen cents.” ers and reduce duplication of The George Foundation is Background information to of capital improvement on Texas Owen said at that time, Miscouncil says the tracts of land ad- Parkway.” souri City had an older populajacent to city hall would be where The city’s support of the proj- tion and the only classes held at HCC will relocate to and that re- ect may result in the move being the HCC Cartwright location were location is expected to be a sig- a “major milestone.” Background basic computer skills. Houston nificant catalyst for the economic information says that the city will CC started in the Cartwright locaAccessHealth has announced vitality and redevelopment of one continue to cooperate and support tion because Missouri City citithat BB&T will be sponsoring of Missouri City’s major thor- HCC in their effort to relocate the zens were paying taxes to HCC the 2015 “Community Chaloughfares. but had no college to show for it. campus. lenge” Softball and Volleyball The resolution passed with yes The mayor went on to say that The resolution states that HCC Tournament. BB&T has made votes from Mayor Allen Owen wants to move its existing campus “with the gracious working relaa $5,000 sponsorship donation and Councilmen Don Smith, Jerry along Sienna Springs Boulevard tionship of Johnson Development, and will be competing in the Wyatt, and Floyd Emery. Council to a location more convenient for the city worked out a plan to put softball tournament. Members Yolanda Ford and Chris HCC students, faculty and staff. It the campus where it is today. It The “Community ChalPreston voted no and Mayor Pro also states that Fort Bend County was to be an open campus with lenge” event will be a fun-filled Tem Robin Elackatt was ill so did may buy a part of the Sienna cam- multiple buildings. family event held on March 28, not attend the meeting. “Unfortunately, the reality set pus for a county annex building. 2015 at Missouri City’s ComJoe Esch, Missouri City’s ecoFurther, it says that the county, in that Sienna people were sendmunity Park – 1700 Glenn nomic development director, told HCC and Missouri City have been ing their kids to four-year collegLakes Lane, from 8 a.m-8 p.m. council, “Texas Parkway is a key collaborating on a funding possi- es. I don’t want to see that campus The events attractions will also element of our community and bility, which would modify Rein- closed. I would rather move it. I include food trucks, raffles a long-standing goal of the city vestment Zone No. 3, where the think HCC owes us that because and children’s activities. Other has been the upgrading of Texas Sienna campus is currently locat- of the commitment we made Grand Slam sponsors include Parkway. We are working with ed, and facilitate funding for the when we started paying taxes for Houston Methodist Sugar county to help with the relocation. county to buy the Sienna property. this campus. I’ve been pushing for Land, the City of Missouri City We believe the relocation will be a Council Member Yolanda Ford it to be a school for medical techs and Legacy Ford. significant capital investment that asked what the city’s monetary and nurses. Stafford is a technical Also supporting the event is Carol Edwards, left, CEO of AccessHealth and Kai Jones, will bring revitalization to Texas participation might be, and Esch campus. We can make this work. Community Health Choice as a Marketing President of BB&T. Parkway. said, “Right now there’s no com- It’s a great move,” Owen said. Bend, Waller, Wharton, AusHome Run sponsor; Fort Bend said Cindy Reaves. “The process is lengthy,” Esch mitment of any city resources.” “Don (Smith) has worked very tin and Colorado Counties. “This committee, led by Dental Associates and Memoexplained, and said there are still a She then asked if the city had to hard on this,” Owen continued. AccessHealth is dedicated to Co-Chairs David Timmerrial Hermann Sugar Land as lot of steps to go through. “HCC give any funding in cash where “He’s our representative on the excellence in providing intemeyer and Taylor Connor, has Triple Hitter Sponsors; Frost is working to put the property that would come from. Esch said, HCC committee. They (HCC) are grated health care services to put together a great event that Bank, MD Anderson, Pelican next to city hall under contract.” “It’s our hope that the significant going to move forward with it. improve the quality of life in we know the community will Energy and the Richmond RoThe economic development capital investment we’ve made in We’re going to end up with a projthe communities it serves withenjoy! We have some of the tary Club as Umpire sponsors, director went on to say that Mis- the TIRZ would be sufficient.” ect next door to us with a town out regard to income or cirmost popular food trucks in the and the Exchange Club of Fort souri City supports the relocation Ford pointed out that HCC center concept and library next to cumstance. AccessHealth is a city coming in and out during Bend, Gurecky Manufacturand will work with all parties to started out in a temporary build- the college. It’s what we’ve been United Way agency. the day, with things for chiling Service, Inc., HealthSouth, make it occur. He said there are ing on Cartwright Road in Mis- talking about for years.” For additional information dren to do, and some pretty Sterling McCall Lexus and St. necessary changes that will have souri City, then moved to Sienna Wyatt pointed out that “there on becoming a sponsor or regcompetitive teams in softball Luke’s Health as Dugout sponto be made to the Fort Bend TIRZ and now plans to move to Texas are more people living in the Texistering a team for the Comand volleyball. This will be a sors. (Tax Increment Reinvestment Parkway. Several times she asked as Parkway area than the whole of munity Challenge event, please great day,” said Carol Edwards, “We are so excited that the Zone) where HCC is currently lo- that the city do its “due diligence” Stafford.” contact Sharonda DeBose at CEO. level of support for this event cated. He said the city may have on this project. “What I’m lookSmith said he was trying to (281) 633-3144 or sdebose@ AccessHealth is a private, continues to grow and the event to help the county buy the existing ing for are the numbers when we figure out what Ford’s urging of myaccesshealth.org. not-for-profi t community is one that those who have parproperty and building. go out to sell it to the community. See HCC, Page 7 ticipated in look forward to,” health center that serves Fort
Non-profit organizations launch countywide collaborative information system
Two council members vote against moving HCC campus
BB&T supports the 2015 Community Challenge Event