Nassau Bay Compass Rose newsletter - August 2022

C mpass Rose

A monthly publication from the City of Nassau Bay

AUGUST 2022

Nassau Bay City Hall | 1800 Space Park Drive, Suite 200 | Nassau Bay, TX 77058 | 281.333.4211

MEMORIAL MONUMENT DEDICATION CEREMONY On Saturday, July 9, the City of Nassau Bay and the Nassau Bay Police Department held a very special Police Memorial Monument Dedication Ceremony in the Town Square.

During the ceremony, the City unveiled a permanent memorial recognizing the dedication of officers who put their lives on the line every day. A photo of NBPD Sgt. Kaila Sullivan, who passed away in the line of duty on December 10, 2019, was placed on the monument.

Nassau Bay Police Chief Tim Cromie led the dedication, reading a letter from Mayor Phil Johnson in recognition of all first responders. As well, Texas State Senator Larry Taylor, State Representative Dennis Paul, and Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia offered their thanks to the first responder community. The group presented the family of Sgt. Sullivan with special recognitions including a Texas flag flown at the State Capitol.

A large group of community members – including eleven members of the Nassau Bay Police Department and several representatives of Nassau Bay Fire and EMS – attended the ceremony.

The community is encouraged to visit the monument to honor Sgt. Sullivan and our first responders.

SAVE THE DATE: GULF COAST FILM & VIDEO FESTIVAL The 24th Annual Gulf Coast Film & Video Festival will take place September 16 and 17 in Bay Area Houston, and the entire community is encouraged to attend! Tickets will be available via gulfcoastfilmfest.com/tickets around midAugust.

Film screenings will take place from September 16-17 at the Hilton NASA Hotel, located at 3000 NASA Parkway. Screenings may extend into Sunday, September 18 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.

An Awards Gala will be held on Saturday, September 17 at Lakewood Yacht Club, located at 2425 NASA Parkway. Doors will open at 6PM with award presentations at 7PM and dinner served at 8:30PM. Gala tickets are $55 per person or $465 for a table of eight – table pricing includes a set of eight (8) twoday passes to the festival. For more information, visit www. gulfcoastfilmfest.com.

A Word from

CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MICHELLE WELLER It has been an amazing two months since I was sworn in as a Councilmember for the great City of Nassau Bay! We have recently had a successful Nassau Bay Rocks hunt, the fantastic Fourth of July fireworks and community events, and finally the unveiling of a permanent Memorial Monument recognizing the dedication of officers who put their lives on the line every day. I feel honored and humbled to have been elected to serve this incomparable City of Nassau Bay.

Aside from all the fun, I have also met with the Hilton and Courtyard Marriott staffs regarding HOT funds, attended the Annual Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce meeting with Congressman Brian Babin and State Rep. Dennis Paul, and attended the Bay Area Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau annual event and Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership meeting, where I made connections with developers and tourism partners.

Top citizen requests I hear daily are to bring in more Space-themed tourism, events, mural art and monuments; the return of palm trees on NASA Road 1; family-friendly retail or activities; and the removal of the non-functional monument across from the Hilton. I continue to meet with key players to find ways to make these things happen, but we also need resident involvement at City Council meetings, in Committees and email requests. We were successful bringing food trucks to David Braun Park, specifically because you asked for it!

As we move forward, I encourage you to email me about your wants and needs. I will do my best to present your concerns to the City Council and work with the other members and City Staff to make our incomparable Nassau Bay even better. Thank you for your support!

CANBE CORNER

The 2nd Quarter Beautification Award goes to Steven and Dianna Walls of Vinland Drive, adjacent to St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church. The Award is presented quarterly

by The Community Association for Nassau Bay Enhancement and Keep Nassau Bay Beautiful.

NASSAU BAY GARDEN CLUB

Summer is a downtime for major gardening. Two very prolific plants for your enjoyment and easy care are azaleas and drift roses. Azaleas are easy to grow and come in a variety of colors. They need to be planted in well-drained, acidic, and slightly shaded conditions in the spring. Having them well-drained will prevent most diseases. They will bloom expansively in the spring with minimum care. Drift roses are another easy to care for shrub that come in a wide variety of colors. Roses want sun, so plant them in the spring where they get six to eight hours daily. They also want to be well-drained.

Pruning is essential to keeping these beauties blooming.

In late winter, before new growth, prune them back and give them a hardy dose of fertilizer.

The Garden Club will resume meetings the second Tuesday of September.

AUGUST FOOD DISTRIBUTION On Saturday, August 8, 2022, St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church in Nassau Bay will again welcome the Galveston Food Bank to its parking lot for its August Food Distribution. This distribution covers individuals in Nassau Bay, Webster, and Pasadena. On most Saturdays, about 50-100 cars arrive and St. Thomas sends enough food to serve 200-500 people with fresh fruit, vegetables and sometimes meat and hygiene items. This event will begin in the St. Thomas parking lot (18300 Upper Bay Rd., Nassau Bay) from 8AM until about 9:30AM. Distribution begins almost immediately after volunteers arrive at 7:45AM to package the items available. If you are interested in serving or leading in this effort, please email Mike Stone at rector@sttaec. org. We can do more together!

ST. THOMAS ENROLLMENT St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal School (STAES) is now enrolling grades Pre-K 3 through 5th grade. Located down the street from NASA’s Johnson Space Center overlooking Clear Lake and Howard Ward Park in Nassau Bay, St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal School offers a unique setting for children to grow and learn about their community, the world, and beyond. STAES prides itself on being a forward-thinking and diverse community that partners with families, local area artists, and scholars to develop children who are well balanced physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.

As an Episcopal school, they strive to both educate and demonstrate the beauty and potential of all human beings and the earth we all call home. St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal School strives not only to cultivate in students a spirit of curiosity and creativity that is crucial to authentic learning, but also to nurture certain fundamental virtues that will prepare them for a diverse and changing world. Visit www.stesnb.org for more info.

AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION! NASSAU BAY ANIMAL SHELTER INTRODUCES RED The Nassau Bay Animal Shelter is pleased to introduce Red, a Black Mouth Cur who is about a year old! Red is very sweet with high energy and a fun personality that works well with other dogs. He is neutered, heartworm negative and current on all of his vaccinations. Contact Animal Control Supervisor Troy Bradfield at 832-574-0877 today to schedule a time to meet Red! The Shelter is open Monday-Thursday from 7:30AM to 4PM and Friday from 7:30AM-11AM. The Shelter is also open from 8:30AM10:30AM on weekends and holidays by appointment.

Follow the Shelter on Facebook @NassauBayAnimalShelter.

SUCCESSFUL FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION The Fourth of July Celebration in Nassau Bay was a huge success, and the City would like to express sincere thanks to the Special Events Committee for organizing such a great day.

Special thanks also go to all of our City staff and volunteers for their contributions before, during and after the event. We appreciate all of your efforts!

BY THE NUMBERS Statistics for June 2022

POLICE

Total Service Calls............................ 319 Total Reports Taken........................... 65 Total Patrol Miles.......................... 5,053 Crimes Against Persons...................... 4 Property Crimes.................................. 20 Arrests.................................................... 16 Avg Response Times (minutes)..... 3.58

FIRE DEPARTMENT

Total Calls............................................. 49 Fires......................................................... 2 Rescues................................................... 5 Motor Vehicle Accident...................... 5 Hazardous Conditions........................ 3 Fire Alarm ............................................ 11 EMS Assist............................................ 10 Cancelled in Route/Other................. 13

EMS

Total Calls............................................. 95 Total Patients in Nassau Bay........... 64

CITY BUDGET PROCESS - FY 2022-23 The City of Nassau Bay is preparing the City's budget for the coming fiscal year. Work on the budget began around March 2022, and City staff has worked intermittently throughout the year toward completing the document. This timeline included two City Council budget workshops held during the months of June and 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 rate

August 1

City Council Budget Workshop

August 5

City Manager's DRAFT Budget delivered to the City Secretary, made available to the public, and posted on website as DRAFT Budget

August 8

Presentation of DRAFT Budget to City Council and Public Budget Hearing

August 22

Tentative City Council Budget Workshop

August 31

HCAD Chief Appraiser certifies approved appraisal tax roll

September 12

Presentation of Final Budget to City Council and second Public Budget Hearing; Adopt Budget by Ordinance

September 20 Tentative Special Council Meeting to adopt Budget if Certified Roll is received late September 26 Adopt Tax Rate by Ordinance October 1

Fiscal Year 2023 begins

ARE YOU SIGNED UP TO RECEIVE SWIFT 911 EMERGENCY INFO?

COUNCIL MEETING RECAP JULY 11, 2022 - REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

The City of Nassau Bay utilizes the Swift 911 Emergency Alert system to send alerts via cell phone, landline, email or text message directly to residents and businesses.

Residents simply fill out a short registration form on the City's website - www.nassaubay.com/alerts - which allows individual users to select their communication preferencces. The process takes just minutes, and users DO NOT have to download an app or other software.

On Wednesday, July 20, the City of Nassau Bay conducted a test of its Emergency Alert system. If you did not receive a Swift911 message on July 20, now is the time to ensure that you are registered for alerts! As a reminder, each individual member of a household should register to receive alerts.

Any questions or concerns may be directed to City staff at 281-333-4211.

WATER CONSERVATION TIPS Summer is upon us! Here are a few tips from the Public Works Department to help reduce drinking water consumption and help our water supply. Following these tips helps the City’s daily usage and could also prevent water rationing in the event of a drought.

• Irrigate lawns early in the morning or late in the evening.

• Replace broken irrigation heads and adjust accordingly.

Water your lawn, not the sidewalk or grass.

• Use native plants and flowers when planting.

• Install rain sensors on your irrigation system so you don’t irrigate in the rain.

• Look into rain barrel irrigation, please visit the Galveston Bay Foundation website for additional information.

• Fix leaky toilets.

• Install low flow shower heads and faucet aerators.

• Limit showers to 5 minutes and turn off water while brushing your teeth.

NASSAU BAY HOMES ASSOCIATON NBHA is looking for creative volunteers who would enjoy keeping Nassau Bay beautiful. The Architectural Control Committee would love to have you on their team. Please reach out to NassauBayHomesAssociation@gmail.com to communicate your interest.

The NBHA monthly Board Meeting is held on the third Thursday of each month at 1322 Space Park Drive in the Cafe Conference room. Please join the Board of Trustees and meet new neighbors.

Please see the website nassaubayhomesassociation.org to obtain pool tags and pool hours.

During the July 11 meeting, Councilmember-Elect James Abbey took his Oath of Office. Also, Mayor Phil Johnson presented outgoing Councilmember Bryce Klug with a special token of appreciation.

• Approved the second and final reading of an ordinance granting CenterPoint Energy a natural gas franchise.

• Received an update on code enforcement activities for the property located at 18410 Kingstown Ct. • Appointed Michelle Weller, James Abbey and Colin Cease to the Economic Development Corporation.

• Appointed Bryce Klug, Chase Waterwall, Lucie Sommer, James Abbey, and Gary Mossman to the TIRZ / RDA.

• Appointed Chairman Michelle Weller and Mike Barrett to the Parks & Recreation Committee.

• Appointed Michelle Weller to the Hotel Occupancy Tax Fund Task Force.

• Appointed Lucie Sommer, Henry Domingo, and Bryan Whiting to the CIP / Infrastructure Subcommittee.

• Appointed Erin Boyd, Greg Schneider, and John Haugen to the Street Task Force.

• Appointed Chairman Michelle Weller and Jim DeForest to the NASA Parkway Palm Tree / Landscaping Task Force.

• Appointed Michelle Weller, Janis Balsamo, and Joyce Abbey to the Tourism Committee.

Join us for next month's Council Meeting on Monday, August 8, 2022.

Visit www.nassaubay.com/CityCouncil for more details on the meeting.

CONTACT YOUR CITY OFFICIALS Mayor Phil Johnson 281.734.1074 | phil.johnson@nassaubay.com Mayor Pro Tem Don Matter, Position 1 832.260.4626 | don.matter@nassaubay.com Councilmember Lucie Johannes Sommer, Position 2 832.338.1828 | lucie.johannes.sommer@nassaubay.com Councilmember Ashley Graves, Position 3 281.330.5413 | ashley.graves@nassaubay.com Councilmember James Abbey, Position 4 979.422.2383 | james.abbey@nassaubay.com Councilmember Sandra Mossman, Position 5 281.333.2194 | sandra.mossman@nassaubay.com Councilmember Michelle Weller, Position 6 832.868.8663 | michelle.weller@nassaubay.com