C mpass Rose
A monthly publication from the City of Nassau Bay
AUGUST 2021
Nassau Bay City Hall | 1800 Space Park Drive, Suite 200 | Nassau Bay, TX 77058 | 281.333.4211
GULF COAST FILM & VIDEO FESTIVAL - SEPTEMBER 24-25 The 23rd Annual Gulf Coast Film & Video Festival will take place September 24 and 25 in Bay Area Houston, and the entire community is encouraged to attend this very special event! Tickets go on sale the week of August 16. Film screenings will take place from September 24-25 at the Hilton NASA Hotel, located at 3000 NASA Parkway. Screenings may extend into Sunday, September 26 if additional time is needed. “We are so looking forward to welcoming everyone to the Gulf Coast Film & Video Festival this year – the event will be full of surprises, celebrity guests and much more,” Founder Hal Wixon said. “This festival will feature a range of films from across America and worldwide, with selections of all genres and various lengths. Whether you’re interested in documentaries or live action, you’ll find something to enjoy at our festival!” Ticket prices are as follows: Single screenings - $5; One-Day passes - $15; and Two-Day passes - $20. Tickets may be purchased through the event website, www. gulfcoastfilmfest.com. Tickets for the film screenings at the Hilton may also be purchased at the door on a first-come, first-served basis. Film titles, screening times and additional information will also be announced on the website as the event approaches. Schedule of Events Film screenings will begin on Friday, September 24 at the Hilton and will continue on Saturday, September 25. On Saturday night at 6PM, the annual Gala and Awards
Banquet will be held at Lakewood Yacht Club, located at 2425 NASA Parkway. The event will include an opportunity to Meet and Greet the Filmmakers! Tickets to the Gala and Awards Banquet are limited and may only be purchased online in advance of the event. “This year’s festival will award a range of entries, from ‘Best of Festival’ and ‘Best Student Film’ to awards recognizing our Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Screenwriters,” Wixon said. “We’re excited to recognize the talented individuals who have worked on films from as short as one minute to as long as 90 minutes for inclusion in the festival.” Additional Information Interested in filmmaking? The Southwest Alternate Media Project (SWAMP) will conduct a filmmakers’ expo as part of this year’s event! “SWAMP is a non-profit organization that encourages a diverse, multi-cultural community to create and appreciate film as an art form,” SWAMP Board member Michelle Mower said. “During the festival, we’ll have a range of vendor booths and speakers on-hand to connect independent filmmakers with the knowledge, tools and resources to tell their stories.” The SWAMP filmmakers’ expo will also be held in the Hilton NASA Hotel from September 24-25. The Master of Ceremonies for the festival will be Nick Nicholson, a Film Critic, Producer and Actor. As the event approaches, check the Gulf Coast Film & Video Festival Facebook page for more information at https://www. facebook.com/GulfCoastFilmFest. Diving Into Film Check out this shot from the production of "Showdown at Tiger Beach," a blacka n d - w h i t e documentary by filmmaker Paul Cater Deaton. "Showdown" is one of the many films audiences can enjoy during the Gulf Coast Film & Video Festival.
NASSAU BAY GARDEN CLUB
Garden Club update from Becky Kadel, President of the Nassau Bay Garden Club: The Garden Club is not currently having meetings. The Club will resume on September 14, 2021 in the Council Chambers at City Hall. The meetings begin at 10AM and are preceded by a social time of 30 minutes. The program will be a State of the City update by Nassau Bay Mayor, Bob Warters, and City Manager Jason Reynolds. At the writing of this article, the city has received a substantial amount of rain. The city looks very green and the plantings are blooming throughout the neighborhoods. The Garden Club will have a fundraiser on August 27. This will be a luncheon and style show. The club will continue having Weeding Wednesdays every few weeks at different city parks. For more information, contact Becky at 402-515-4025.
NASSAU BAY ANIMAL SHELTER
GLORIA DEI EVENTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS Back-to-School Blessings: Educators and school staff are invited to join Gloria Dei Lutheran Church (18220 Upper Bay Rd) on Sunday, August 8th during both the 8:30AM and 11AM services to receive a back-to-school blessing. Gloria Dei has also created a webpage, located at gdlc. org/backtoschool, with full details on what’s planned for Back-to-School at Gloria Dei, such as educator blessings, distributing school supplies for CCISD students, student blessings and more. 5th Sunday Food Drive: Help Gloria Dei replenish the Lighthouse Christian Ministries food pantry. Pick up a bag on August 22 and then return it on August 29 filled with non-perishable food items from 8AM-12PM.
The City of Nassau Bay Animal Shelter is excited to introduce Hank, a three and a half month old male kitten now available for adoption! Hank is neutered, current on all of his vaccinations, and is very sweet and playful. Hank will make a great addition to any family! Help find a loving forever home for Hank and all of the kittens and cats at the shelter. Please contact Animal Control Officer Troy Bradfield at 832-574-0877 and schedule a time to meet one of our dogs or cats ready for adoption.
FOOD DISTRIBUTION - ST. THOMAS
Find us on Facebook @NassauBayAnimalShelter
The next food distribution date for St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church and the Galveston Food Bank will be August 7, 2021. St. Thomas will offer their monthly fresh food distribution to neighbors in need throughout Nassau Bay, Webster, and Pasadena beginning in the St Thomas parking lot (18300 Upper Bay Rd., Nassau Bay) at 7:45AM for volunteers. Volunteers will help package boxes and bags of food into serviceable quantities of fresh fruits, vegetables, and sometimes meat, and hygiene items. Distribution begins almost immediately. If you are interested in serving or leading in this effort, please email Mike Stone at rector@sttaec.org. Nonparishioners are always invited to serve with St. Thomas. We can do more together!
www.nassaubay.com/animalshelter Hours: Mon-Thurs 7:30am-5:30pm, Fri 7:30am-11:30am
THANK YOU RESIDENTS FOR YOUR $2 FIRE & EMS DONATIONS The City of Nassau Bay Utility Department provides residents with the opportunity to make a voluntary $2.00 donation to the Nassau Bay Volunteer Fire Department (NBVFD) and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) with the payment of each water bill. Donations are used by these departments for tools, resources, and capital items to better provide emergency services to our residents. During the past year, the Volunteer Fire Department was able to use this money to purchase a replacement weather station on the command post truck, install a water tank and pumps on the department’s high water truck, purchase a safety cabinet for flammable liquids, and replace fire hose nozzles. For EMS, the funds were utilized to purchase laptops for on-call reporting and new ultrasound equipment. Residents interested in donating to the NBVFD and EMS may simply add $2.00 to their payment when paying the “Total Due” amount on their water bill. Your donation may be considered a tax-deductible charitable donation because the City is a qualified entity and the donation is being used for a restricted public purpose. Please contact your tax professional for more information about tax deductible charitable donations. For more information about the NBVFD, please visit www.nassaubayfd.com.
BY THE NUMBERS Statistics for June 2021
POLICE
Total Service Calls............................ 323 Total Reports Taken........................... 55 Total Patrol Miles......................... 4,648 Crimes Against Persons...................... 6 Property Crimes...................................14 Arrests.................................................... 13 Avg Response Times (minutes)..... 3.09
CANBE CORNER
IT'S BACK! The 26th Annual Reindeer Fun Run will be held this December! Be on the lookout for registration and sponsorship information coming soon. Looking to be more involved in the enhancement of Nassau Bay? CANBE is for YOU! For new member opportunities, please contact Gayle Nelson at ghnelson2016@gmail.com. You can also visit Facebook.com/ NassauBayCANBE, to learn more.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Total Calls............................................. 24 Fires......................................................... 2 Rescues.................................................... 1 Motor Vehicle Accident...................... 3 Hazardous Conditions........................ 2 Fire Alarm ............................................. 3 EMS Assist............................................. 5 Cancelled in Route/Other.................. 8
EMS
Total Calls............................................. 72 Total Patients in Nassau Bay............ 31
WATER CONSERVATION: TIPS FOR SUMMER The dog days of summer are upon us! Here are a few friendly water conservation tips from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to help reduce drinking water consumption and help the City’s water supply. Following these tips can help the City’s daily usage and could also prevent water rationing in the event of a drought. Remember, “every little drop counts!” • Water or irrigate your yard efficiently to save water and maintain a healthy landscape. • Replace your standard irrigation clock timer with a newer, more water-efficient controller. • Save water by installing water-efficient shower heads, toilets, faucets, and/or faucet aerators. • Fix leaky toilets and other household leaks. • Instead of hand washing, let your dishwasher do the work as this conserves water. But, remember to use the dishwasher efficiently and only run it when you have a full load. • Turn off the tap when shaving or brushing your teeth and save up to 2,400 gallons of water a year. For more information and tips, please visit www.takecareoftexas.org.
CANBE recently donated a special bench - located in David Braun Park - in honor of fallen Nassau Bay Police Department Sgt. Kaila Sullivan. Thank you, CANBE!
CITY BUDGET PROCESS - FY 2021-22 The City of Nassau Bay is preparing the City’s budget for the coming fiscal year. Work on the budget began around March 2021, and City staff has worked intermittently throughout the year toward completing the document. This timeline included two City Council budget workshops held during the month of July. The following calendar lists the activities staff and City Council will follow over the next two months as we prepare the budget. You can learn more about the budget process on our website at www. nassaubay.com/budget. July 30
HCAD Chief Appraiser provides estimated taxable property value; Calculation of no-new-revenue (NNR) tax rate and voter approval tax rate
August 5
City Manager’s DRAFT Budget delivered to the City Secretary, made available to public, and posted on website as DRAFT Budget
August 9
Presentation of DRAFT Budget to City Council and Public Budget Hearing
August 23
Tentative City Council Budget Workshop
August 31
HCAD Chief Appraiser certifies approved appraisal tax roll
September 6
Tentative City Council Budget Workshop
September 13
Presentation of Final Budget to City Council and second Public Budget Hearing; Adopt Budget by Ordinance
September 13
Adopt Tax Rate by Ordinance
September 20
Tentative Special Council Meeting to adopt Budget if Certified Roll is received late
October 1
Fiscal Year 2021-22 begins
MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAM A friendly reminder from the City of Nassau Bay Public Works Department: Mosquito season is here – it typically starts when the weather gets warmer, and the rainy season begins. Residents can usually expect to see more mosquitos from April through November. Public Works sprays for mosquitos on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning at 8PM, weather and wind permitting. The product we use in the sprayer is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to treat mosquitos, flies, and gnats. Protecting your family and property Here are some tips to protect yourself and your family from mosquitos: 1. Use EPA insect repellents - when used as directed, EPA registered insect repellents are proven safe and effective. 2. Dress in clothing that covers arms and legs when outdoors, especially at dawn and dusk. Cover strollers and baby carriers with mosquito netting. Eliminate places where mosquitos can breed on your property: 1. Get rid of standing water on your property in flowerpots, tires, cans, buckets, plastic children’s toys, tarps, etc. 2. Keep gutters clean and free-flowing. 3. Keep swimming pools, spas, and fountains properly treated with chemicals. For any additional information or questions, please contact Public Works at 281-333-2944.
CONTACT YOUR CITY OFFICIALS
Mayor Bob Warters 713.962.6366 | bob.warters@nassaubay.com Mayor Pro Tem Don Matter, Position 1 832.260.4626 | don.matter@nassaubay.com Councilmember Phil Johnson, Position 2 281.734.1074 | phil.johnson@nassaubay.com Councilmember Ashley Graves, Position 3 281.330.5413 | ashley.graves@nassaubay.com Councilmember Bryce Klug, Position 4 832.474.5461 | bryce.klug@nassaubay.com Councilmember Sandra Mossman, Position 5 281.333.2194 | sandra.mossman@nassaubay.com Councilmember Matt Prior, Position 6 214.325.0520 | matt.prior@nassaubay.com
COUNCIL MEETING RECAP JULY 12, 2021 - REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
Go Nauticats! During the July 12 Council meeting, Mayor Bob Warters presented a Certificate of Appreciation to the Nassau Bay Nauticats Swim Champ Meet Winners for leading the Pledges of Allegiance to the U.S. and Texas Flags.
• Heard a Presentation and Update from Council member Phil Johnson on the Palm Tree Landscaping Task Force. • Approved the nomination of City Manager Jason Reynolds to the TML Health Board of Directors. • Approved the replacement of supporting Attachment A to Ordinance O2021-814 as corrected. • Directed the City Manager to cut down damaged palm trees validated as a safety risk. • Tabled action on directing the City Manager to only use plants and trees with the ability to survive a 10-degree freeze for the NASA Parkway median. • Directed the City Manager to investigate next steps for possible dissolution of the Street Sales Tax Fund, the Economic Development Corporation, and the NASA Area Management District, and additionally investigate cost reductions and approaches to maximize each committee’s potential. • Re-established a Fire Subcommittee, with members Mayor Bob Warters, Mayor Pro-Tem Don Matter, Council member Ashley Graves, City Manager Jason Reynolds, NBVFD President Matt Roper, and NBVFD Fire Chief Tom George. • Received an update from the Short-Term Rental Committee on possible recommendations to strengthen the City’s Short-Term Rental ordinance. • Authorized the City Manager to allocate Coronavirus Local Recovery Funds to water / sewer line rehabilitation projects, in conjunction with the TWDB water / sewer line projects. • Received an update from City Manager Jason Reynolds on the Bay Area Houston Convention & Visitor’s Bureau (BAHCVB). • Appointed Jason Reynolds, Kristin Edwards, and Melinda Mintz as representatives to the BAHCVB Board of Directors, and Mayor Bob Warters as an ex-officio board member. Join us for next month's Council Meeting on Monday, August 9, 2021. Visit www.nassaubay.com/CityCouncil for more details on the meeting.
MEET YOUR NEW EDITOR!
Kristin Edwards, the City's new Director of Communications and Tourism, is now your primary contact for the Compass Rose Newsletter! If you have a story idea for the publication, let Kristin know at kristin.edwards@nassaubay.com.
