C mpass Rose DECEMBER 2020
MAYORAL RUNOFF ELECTION The City of Nassau Bay would
like to thank our voters! Official results of the 2020 Election show 2,480 total Nassau Bay voters cast their vote for the November 3rd election, for an astonishing voter participation rate of almost 76%! The City canvassed the official results from the Harris County Clerk's Office on November 17th, and began proceedings for a Mayoral runoff election that will occur on Saturday, December 12, 2020. As no candidate received more than the 50% of the votes cast, the top two Mayoral candidates Bob Warters and Ashley Graves will move forward in the runoff election. Unopposed Councilmember Candidates Phil Johnson (Position 2), Bryce Klug (Position 4) and Matt Prior (Position 6) will be sworn in at the December 14th City Council meeting. All twenty-two (22) Charter amendment propositions also passed, and the City's Charter will be updated in the coming months. To our Mayoral candidates, THANK YOU for investing your time and efforts in this democratic process. We thank you for your dedication to wanting to make Nassau Bay the best City to live, work, and play! Tentative dates & times for the Runoff Election* (at time of print): Early Voting @ Nassau Bay City Hall: • Wednesday, November 25th: 8:00am to 4:30pm • Monday, November 30th to Saturday, December 5th: 7:00am to 7:00pm • Sunday, December 6th: 12:00pm to 7:00pm • Monday, December 7th to Tuesday, December 8th: 7:00am to 7:00pm Election Day @ Nassau Bay City Hall: • Saturday, December 12th: 7:00am to 7:00pm Please visit www.nassaubay.com/Election for more information, or contact City Secretary Sandra Ham at 281-333-4211 ext. 6281.
HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS! Nassau Bay's Special Event Committee is bringing the holiday season to you! Due to social distancing requirements, the City's normally scheduled Holiday in the Park event is canceled — but no worries, there is still a jolly event in store! Join the Special Event Committee on Saturday, December 12th for Santa Claus at Howard Ward Park! Residents will be asked to register in advance for this socially distanced visit with Santa. For all the details, including how to sign up, visit the City's website at www.nassaubay.com/ specialevents.
CHRISTMAS BOAT LANE PARADE
Date: December 12, 2020 Time: 6:00pm Ring in the holidays with the 59th Annual Christmas Boat Lane Parade produced by the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. More than 100,000 people traditionally enjoy this event from land and from hundreds of boats anchored throughout the Lake. The parade features more than 60 brightly decorated power and sailboats that will traverse the Clear Lake channel from the South Shore Harbour Marina and the Nassau Bay Lagoon to Galveston Bay. Fireworks will be launched from the Nassau Bay Peninsula at 6:00pm to signal the start of the parade. Stay COVID-19 smart! Please enjoy the festivities from the comfort of your vehicle!
CITY ELECTION NOTICE
The City of Nassau Bay will hold a General Election on Saturday, May 1, 2021 for the purpose of electing three Councilmembers for Positions 1, 3, and 5. These positions are currently occupied by Mayor Pro Tem Don Matter, Councilmember John Mahon, and Councilmember Bob Warters, respectively. The filing period for the General City Officers' Election will begin on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 and end on Friday, February 12, 2021. Any person wishing to file for candidacy may pick up an application packet from the City Secretary's office beginning Wednesday, December 16, 2020. Candidates may file for the General Election during the following dates and times: Candidate Filing Dates and Times: • Start Date: Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at 8:00am • End Date: Friday, February 12, 2021 at 5:00pm Candidate Filing Office Hours: • Monday to Thursday: 8:00am to 5:00pm • Friday: 8:00am to 11:30am (Office hours will be extended to 5:00pm on Friday, February 12th.) Additional Important 2021 Election Dates: • First Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail: Tuesday, January 1, 2021 • Last Day to Register to Vote (for 2021 City Officers' Election): Thursday, April 1, 2021 For updates on the 2021 General Election, including the application and Candidate Packet, visit www.nassaubay.com/ Election. For more information or if you have questions regarding the 2021 General Election, please contact City Secretary Sandra Ham at 281-333-4211 or at sandra.ham@nassaubay.com.
ST. PAUL'S EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM
St. Paul Catholic Church’s Early Childhood Program wishes you and your family a joy filled Christmas and many blessings in the New Year! St. Paul is still accepting registrations for the 2020-2021 school year. If you have a little one between the ages of 12 months and Pre-K4, St. Paul would love to have them join for social and emotional growth and many other exciting learning opportunities. There is also an option to enroll in introduction to Spanish in dual language classes. St. Paul has also introduced a new “Get Set for School” curriculum from Learning Without Tears. Parents can choose from a 5-day, 3-day and 2-day class schedule from 9:30am to 1:30pm. Or for those that need a longer day, St. Paul offers an 8:00am to 3:00pm extended day option. For more information, please call St. Paul at 281-333-0176. Information can also be found on St. Paul's website at stpaulcatholic.org (under the ECP tab).
NASSAU BAY HOMES ASSOCIATION
Nassau Bay Homes Association (NBHA) welcomes new Trustees Peter Demarest and Shelly Gregory following the November 3rd election. Thanks to the amazing volunteers who worked early and election day voting: Pauline Gerken, Cheryl McGee, Gary Robison, Bob Wilkinson, Kortney Field, and Patty Henderson. As a reminder, the NBHA has a new website and new contact email address. Visit the NBHA website at www.nassaubayhomes.org or contact the NBHA at nassaubayhomesassociation@gmail.com. As a final note, Annual Assessment billing is underway and is due upon receipt.
NASSAU BAY GARDEN CLUB
Holiday Wishes from the Garden Club: The Nassau Bay Garden Club wishes everyone a safe and peaceful Christmas and holiday season... and also a happier, healthier and more prosperous 2021. We’ve all missed birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, graduations, workdays, school days and/or so many other celebrations and life events with friends and family, but through it all we’ve worked together and been able to adapt to a new [hopefully temporary] way of living. Through this we've become more creative and thoughtful! November Club Meeting: The Club's program speaker in November was Danny Wilson, owner of Farm Dirt Compost in Houston, who said that proper layering for your flowerbeds is soil first [do NOT till!], then organic compost, topped with organic mulch – it’s all in the quality used. Mr. Wilson suggests leaving the ‘thatch’ in your yards, as it helps to mix with leave mulch to make an excellent compost for your grass. Arbor Day Ceremony: The Garden Club thanks Mayor Mark Denman for the Texas Arbor Day Proclamation on November 6th, where the Club commemorated the oldest Magnolia tree in Nassau Bay. Members also want to thank Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital CEO Dan Newman and Director of Business Development and Marketing Jessica Gilbert for helping make this celebration possible. Garden Club member Angela Braun put together a beautiful program with the help of Christina Jordan’s graphics to read the story of the tree, present a book to Mayor Denman, and place a plaque at the base of the tree. Thank you to all of the Club members and citizens who were in attendance. The ceremony is available on the City's Facebook page for viewing. Tranquility Arbor: On December 1st, Club members, with a lot of help from Public Works staff, will decorate Tranquility Arbor in Howard Ward Park for Christmas. On Wednesday, December 2nd, Club members will have their annual Christmas Luncheon at Lakewood Yacht Club. Visit the Garden Club's website at www.nassaubaygc.org or the Club's Facebook page for more details. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!
'TIS THE SEASON FOR THE GIFT OF FOOD
On Saturday, December 5th, St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church, in partnership with the Galveston Food Bank, will offer its monthly fresh food distribution. This distribution will begin in the St. Thomas parking lot at 7:45am for volunteers to help package boxes and bags of food into serviceable quantities of fresh fruits, vegetables and meat. Distribution begins almost immediately. In November, volunteers assisted over 300 people by placing approximately $18,000 worth of fruit, vegetables, and meat in cars. If you are interested in serving, please email Mike Stone at rector@sttaec.org. Non-parishioners are always invited to serve. The next food distribution will be on Saturday, January 30th. We can do more together!
Nassau Bay City Hall | 1800 Space Park Drive, Suite 200 | Nassau Bay, TX 77058 | 281.333.4211
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BY THE NUMBERS Statistics for October 2020
POLICE
Total Service Calls............................ 314 Total Reports Taken........................... 53 Total Patrol Miles.......................... 5,031 Crimes Against Persons...................... 4 Property Crimes.................................. 29 Arrests.................................................... 5 Avg Response Times (minutes)..... 3.26
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Total Calls............................................. 23 Fires.......................................................... 1 Rescues................................................... 2 Motor Vehicle Accident...................... 0 Hazardous Conditions........................ 2 Fire Alarm ............................................. 4 EMS Assist............................................ 11 Cancelled in Route/Other.................. 3
EMS
Total Calls............................................. 60 Total Patients in Nassau Bay........... 37
CONGRATS ON FIFTEEN YEARS! A big congratulations to Sergeant Glenn Sharp, who will celebrate his 15 year anniversary with the Nassau Bay Police Department on Saturday, December 5th. Sergeant Sharp, thank you for your dedication to the citizens of Nassau Bay.
CANBE CORNER
Give the gift that keeps on giving this holiday season through CANBE! This December, CANBE is offering a FREE Legacy Brick or two I ♥ NB hats with each Legacy Bench purchase. Also through December, Legacy Bricks are just $75 each when you purchase two or more. This is the perfect way to honor a family member, friend, or neighbor and contribute to the continued enhancement of Nassau Bay. CANBE's I ♥ NB hats are just $25 and are the perfect stocking stuffer! Visit www.NassauBayCANBE.org for more details or contact Ashley Graves by email at afgravesnb@gmail.com or by phone at 281-330-5413. Stay safe and healthy Nassau Bay!
PACKAGE THEFT PREVENTION TIPS Thieves are looking to steal packages this time of year. Here are some "how to" tips to help prevent thieves from stealing your packages: 1. Ask for a tracking number. This helps you know when they will be delivered. 2. Request a specific drop off time and date when you will be home to accept your packages. 3. Arrange to have your packages held at the shipping service so you can pick them up. 4. Ask the delivery service to leave your packages at a side or back door. An enclosed porch where packages are out of sight is also a good option. 5. Have your packages delivered to your workplace if possible. 6. Have your packages delivered to the home of a relative or neighbor who will be there to accept them. 7. Ask to have your packages delivered to a retail store so you can pick them up at your convenience. 8. If your package does not arrive as scheduled, contact the sender immediately. Do not rely on security cameras to prevent package thefts. While your security system may very well record thieves stealing your packages, the police department can only file charges if the person or persons are known or identified by someone. It is better to PREVENT the theft rather than trying to track down a thief afterwards. And even if a thief is identified, there is little chance your packages will be recovered.
USMC TOYS FOR TOTS – TOY DRIVE
Due to the COVID pandemic, the annual United States Marine Corps Reserve Unit, Galveston, TX, Toys for Tots drive has been impacted for toy and cash donations. All toys collected in Nassau Bay are redistributed to needy children throughout our area, extending into Galveston and Bay Area counties. The USMC Toys for Tots organization has assisted local kids for more than 30 years, ensuring that thousands of needy children will continue to have gifts to open on Christmas morning. In 2019, 19,586 toys were distributed to 9,149 children. Please consider sharing some love this season by making a toy donation to USMC Toys for Tots. You can drop off new, unwrapped toys to the following local businesses. • CVS, 1610 NASA Parkway • Texas Citizens Bank, 1800 NASA Parkway • Erma’s Nutrition Center, 2332 East NASA Parkway • Houston Methodist Hospital, 18300 Houston Methodist Drive • A Suite Break, 18026 Nassau Bay Drive • Resident Volunteer Diana Clark, 1415 Antigua Ln There are hundreds of needy kids in our immediate area, ranging in age from newborns to 17-year-olds. While most of us tend to think about babies and toddlers when thoughtfully purchasing gifts, teenagers are the most often overlooked age group during this season. Nassau Bay offers a true sense of community with neighbors who look out for one another and are often more like our extended family. Toys for Tots appreciates your willingness to help families who are struggling this year and could use a little help. Checks made to USMC Toys for Tots are also accepted. For additional information, including more drop-off locations, please contact volunteer Diana Clark at 281-507-3387.
Nassau Bay City Hall | 1800 Space Park Drive, Suite 200 | Nassau Bay, TX 77058 | 281.333.4211
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NASSAU BAY ANIMAL SHELTER MAMBA
Mamba is a neutered male that doesn’t necessarily care for other feline friends, but seems to be okay with non-aggressive friendly dogs.
Help find loving forever homes for Mamba and all of the dogs and cats at the shelter. Please call the Nassau Bay Animal Shelter at 281.333.2944 and schedule a time to meet one of our dogs or cats ready for adoption. A big thank you to Gayle Scharff, who recently donated to the shelter in memory of Jim McIlveen. www.nassaubay.com/animalshelter Hours: Mon-Thurs 7:30am-5:30pm Fri 7:30am-11:30am Find us on Facebook @NassauBayAnimalPound
CHRISTMAS IN NASSAU BAY
St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church The wondrous season of Christmas is approaching and St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church is providing three services on December 24th to accommodate everyone’s schedules. There will be a Family Service with Eucharist at 3:30pm, a traditional Eucharist service at 5:00pm, and a Lessons and Carols Eucharist service at 9:30pm. Lessons and Carols will play beginning at 9:30pm, with the late service beginning immediately afterwards. There will be a 60-person limit for each service, please visit the St. Thomas website for more information on signing up. Please contact the church at 281-333-2384 for further information. Gloria Dei Lutheran Church Join Gloria Dei for their Festival of Lessons and Carols: A Christmas Worship Concert on December 6th at 6:00pm. Come prepare your heart and mind for Advent with Christmas music, carols, and the story of Jesus told in scripture, featuring the GDLC Chorale, Jubellation Bell Choir, and the Clear Lake HS Orchestra. The event is free of charge. Carols & Bells Sunday is family-friendly worship service on December 13th at 10:00am that includes jingle bells for everyone to ring throughout the service together, but if you have a favorite bell, bring it with you! This Christmas service is an annual favorite that will surely bring a smile to the faces of everyone in the room. Following worship, the congregation will head outside for a Christmas Around the World community event. Gloria Dei continues with their Candlelight & Communion Christmas Eve Services on Wednesday, December 23rd at 6:00pm (Contemporary, in person and online), Thursday, December 24th at 4:00pm and 6:00pm (Traditional, in person and online), and Thursday, December 24th at 7:30pm (Contemporary, online only). Visit gdlc.org/christmas for more info.
CONGRATS FIRE MARSHAL TONY RUSSO
Congratulations to Fire Marshal Tony Russo for 20 years of service with the City of Nassau Bay. Tony has been employed with the City since September of 2000. He began his employment as a Deputy Fire Marshal and in 2015 was promoted to his current position of Fire Marshal. Tony entered the fire service as a volunteer firefighter in 1989 while still in High School. In addition to his part-time employment at Nassau Bay, Tony has been a full-time firefighter with the City of Houston since 1994, currently holding the rank of District Fire Chief in suppression.
NASSAU BAY GIFTING ANGEL TREE
Making spirits BRIGHT! As a partner with Communities In Schools - Bay Area, and a sponsor of Space Center Intermediate, Nassau Bay is proud to continue the annual Communities in Schools Gifting Angel Tree. As City Hall remains closed to the public, this year we were unable to have a physical Angel Tree in the City Hall lobby. This year, Special Events Committee Chairman Stacey Amdur continues the tradition with a virtual gifting tree. The tree will allow students to receive a "stocking" of goodies for the holidays. Items should be delivered to 17 Leeward Lane no later than December 8th, so they can be delivered to the school by December 11th. If you have any questions, please contact Stacey at staceyamdur@ gmail.com or 713-261-9151. Visit www.nassaubay.com/AngelTree to learn more. Thank you for helping to make this a special holiday season for these students!
COUNCIL MEETING RECAP
NOVEMBER 9, 2020 - REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
The City of Nassau Bay held the November 9th City Council meeting via Zoom teleconference. The meeting is available on Facebook to view.
Presented a Proclamation for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. Recognized Fire Marshal Tony Russo for 20 Years of Service. Authorized the City Manager to sign an Interlocal Agreement with Harris County to accept funding in the amount of $50,000 towards the construction costs of a Boat House and Storage Facility at 28 Leeward Lane, Nassau Bay, TX 77058. Approved the 2019 Annual Report for the City of Nassau Bay Reinvestment Zone Number One. Heard an update and discussed the future proposed shortterm rental ordinance. Join us for next month's Council Meeting on Monday, December 14, 2020. Visit www.nassaubay.com/CityCouncil for more details on the meeting.
Nassau Bay City Hall | 1800 Space Park Drive, Suite 200 | Nassau Bay, TX 77058 | 281.333.4211
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