Nassau Bay Compass Rose Newsletter - February 2023

C mpass Rose

A monthly publication from the City of Nassau Bay

FEBRUARY 2023

MOON TREES LAUNCHING

FEBRUARY 10TH & FEBRUARY 11TH

The City of Nassau Bay is excited to announce two special Moon Tree planting ceremonies scheduled for Friday, February 10th and Saturday, February 11th. The trees will be planted at City Hall and David Braun Park, respectively. The City will be dedicating the Moon Trees to the Astronauts of Apollo 14, including Ed Mitchell, the 6th man to walk on the Moon and former resident of Nassau Bay. The two planting ceremonies will be followed by programs at City Hall, which will feature a panel discussion including individuals associated with the Apollo 14 Mission, as well as the NASA Artemis program, which will also carry seeds to the Moon. The program on Saturday will be tailored to local families to encourage young future astronauts to attend. Additional details on the Moon Tree Launch can be found at www.nassaubay.com/MoonTree.

Event Schedule

February 10th | 3pm to 5pm City Hall Council Chamber

Welcome by Mayor Phil Johnson

Presentation of Colors & Pledges of Allegiance

Invocation by Pastor Keith Uffman of Webster Presbyterian Church

Comments by Parks & Recreation Chairman Michelle Weller

Mayor’s Comments

Introduction of George Abbey

Commentary on the Apollo Program by George Abbey

Moon Tree Origin

Astronaut Stuart “Stu” Roosa’s experience as a smoke jumper parachuting into dangerous forest fires gave him a passion for tree conservation. After college he became a fighter pilot, an astronaut, and then command module pilot for Apollo 14, which ultimately gave birth to Moon Trees. On the journey to and around the moon, Roosa carried 450 seeds of several species of trees to honor his time with the forest service. It was unknown at the time whether the harsh extended exposure to zero gravity and radiation would prevent the germination of the seeds. Upon their return to earth in 1971, these seeds were planted. Fortunately, the seeds germinated and produced normal living trees and were named Moon Trees, as was their future offspring. Less than 70 original Moon Trees are alive today. The Moon Tree Foundation was established by Stu’s daughter Rosemary Roosa to perpetuate this beautiful legacy of her father and the continued reproduction of Moon Trees from their seeds and those of future generations. They will have essentially the same DNA as the original Moon Trees!

A Message From Mayor Phil Johnson: On behalf of the City of Nassau Bay, I am honored to invite our Nassau Bay community and esteemed local elected officials to join us for the City's inaugural Moon Tree Launch.

As we all know, our beautiful City was established to be the bedroom community for the Manned Space Flight Center, soon to be named Johnson Space Center, and provide a community for astronauts, space professionals, and their families. Today, more than 60 Nassau Bay residents have visited space, and a few have walked the moon. The planting of these Moon Trees helps us honor our City's deep-rooted history in space.

This incredible addition was made possible through a partnership between the Moon Tree Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about the United States Space Program, Gary Mossman, and the City’s Parks and Recreation Committee (led by City Councilmember Michelle Weller). I thank them for their dedication in bringing this project forward, allowing future generations to enjoy these trees for years to come. Please join us in celebrating this historic event!

Presentation of the Apollo 14 Film

Presentation on Apollo 8 and Moon Trees by Rosemary Roosa

Artemis Update by James Spivey

Moon Tree Planting

Light refreshments to follow

February 11th | 12pm to 3pm David Braun Park Pavilion

Boy Scout Rocket Launch

Welcome by Parks & Recreation Chairman Michelle Weller

Presentation of Colors & Pledges of Allegiance

Invocation by Senior Pastor Dan Schepman of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church

Mayor’s Comments

Introduction of George Abbey

Commentary on the Apollo Program by George Abbey

Presentation of the Apollo 14 Film

Introduction of Rosemary Roosa

Presentation on Apollo 8 and Moon Trees by Rosemary Roosa

Artemis Update by James Spivey

Panel of Speakers for Moon Talks

Moon Tree Planting

The afternoon also includes activities by Nassau Bay Rocks and a children's dessert party.

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

Volunteer Opportunities

The City of Nassau Bay has multiple opportunities for residents looking to volunteer or become involved in our incomparable community.

The City of Nassau Bay continually seeks volunteers for city boards, commissions and committees, to fill vacancies and positions expiring throughout the year. Residents interested in volunteering are encouraged to apply through the online form found on the City's website at www.nassaubay.com/Volunteer. Applications are also available from the City Secretary's Office at City Hall. Contact the City Secretary's Office at 228.336.6281 for more information.

MAY 6, 2023 ELECTION

The City of Nassau Bay will conduct a General Election on May 6, 2023. Council Positions 1, 3 and 5 will be on the ballot. These positions are currently held by Don Matter, Ashley Graves, and Sandra Mossman, respectively.

File to Run for Office by February 17th: To obtain a Candidate Packet, please visit the City's website at www. nassaubay.com/Election. The last day to file an application for candidacy is Friday, February 17th at 5:00pm. There is no filing fee.

Register to Vote by April 6th: The last day to register to vote for the May Election is April 6th. Voter registration cards are available through the Harris County Elections Administrator's Office.

Early Voting Begins April 24th: Early Voting will be conducted by Harris County and will be held from April 24th to May 2nd. During the period of Early Voting, Nassau Bay residents can vote at any Harris County polling place. Dates, times, and locations will be updated on the City’s website or can be found at harrisvotes.com.

Application for Voting by Mail Deadline is April 25th: The last day to apply for a ballot by mail is April 25th (received, not postmarked). Eligible voters are able to submit an application for a single election ballot as early as January 1st.

Election Day is May 6th: Voting will be conducted in the City Hall Council Chamber from 7:00am to 7:00pm. Unofficial tabulation of results will be publicized as soon as possible after 7:00pm. For more information, please visit www.nassaubay.com/election

CANBE REINDEER FUN RUN

CANBE would like to thank all those that participated in the annual Reindeer Fun Run & Walk on December 10th! Two hundred sixty-nine men, women, children and dogs participated this year, raising over $10,000 for enhancement projects in the community.

Each participant received an event T-shirt and foam antlers, and registered dogs each received a holidaythemed bandana. Before the race, attendees enjoyed free sandwiches courtesy of Nassau Bay's Chick-fil-A, and hot chocolate and cider served by St. Thomas the Apostle School. Music was provided by DJ Chad Burleson, and a group warm-up and stretching session was led by Dylan Dunkelberger of Crunch Fitness.

The 91 2K walk participants were on the lookout for hand-painted rocks hidden along the way. These treasures were provided by Nassau Bay Rocks, a group of local rock-painting enthusiasts.

The top finishers received a medal and hand-painted rock. Second and third place finishers received medals. Congrats to the 1st place winners: Men’s 5K Run Nick Wendes, Women’s 5K Run Melissa Bittick, 18 & Under Men 5K Run Brigham Sarager, and 18 & Under Women 5K Run Mariella Gadberry. This event is sponsored by the Community Association for Nassau Bay Enhancement, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. This year’s sponsors were Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital, The Braun Family, Michelle Weller, Erma’s Nutrition Center, Nassau Bay Realty, Arlan’s Market, DentAllon Denistry, Clear Lake Integrative Medicine, Acacia Energy, St. Thomas the Apostle School, YogaSix, and Durable Assistance and Consulting.

YARD.LESS PHOTO EXHIBIT

Yard.less is a photographic installation created by Todd Parker of STP Images Photography Studio that will open on February 22nd in the main hallway of St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church (18300 Upper Bay Rd). The exhibit is a selfdisclosure prose from members of Lord of the Streets (LOTS) Episcopal church who are yard.less (yard means home to the individuals without one). The exhibit will examine seven different personalities through photographs and the written word. For more information, contact St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church at 281-333-2384.

Nassau Bay Garden Club Update

The Nassau Bay Garden Club announces the speaker for their February 14th meeting. Suzanne Gilbert, president of the Houston Rose Society, will share her experiences and knowledge of growing roses.

A member of the society since 1995, she has grown roses for more than 30 years in Houston. In 2012 Ms. Gilbert became a consulting rosarian and has given many presentations on roses and gardening in the Houston area. Her first rose garden as a young girl was in Baltimore, where Peace, Tropicana, and Chrysler grew. She enjoys educating people on how to grow beautiful roses, and she believes roses are for everyone.

The Garden Club is in the planning stages of its two major events this spring. Beautification Day is set for March 25th. Volunteers are needed for the day to work in the gardens. Those interested in volunteering may contact Diana Clark at 281-507-3387.

The fashion show and luncheon, “Fashions on the Bay,” will be held at May 12th at 11:00am at the Lakewood Yacht Club in Seabrook. The event includes a fashion show, live and silent auctions, drawings, and fun for all. Tickets are $65 each. To secure tickets, contact Gun Frame at 281-486-5700.

The Club's monthly meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month, beginning at 9:30am, with social time followed by the program and business meeting. The meetings are held at the City Hall Council Chamber at 1800 Space Park Drive, Suite 200, Nassau Bay, Texas.

Annual Peninsula Cleanup

Clear Creek Environmental Foundation’s Annual Clear Creek and Nassau Bay Peninsula Cleanup will be held Saturday, February 11th. This cleanup is vital to keeping our waters and the peninsula a clean and safe place for people and wildlife. Each year, volunteers pick up tons of waste, including everything from plastic bottles and paper, to washing machines, and abandoned boats. Please volunteer with us on February 11th for our annual cleanup! No need to sign up in advance, just show up at the Nassau Bay peninsula entrance gate to clean the peninsula or at the League City boat ramp to clean up Clear Creek. Nassau Bay Peninsula – Meet at 8:30am at the peninsula gate. Trash bags and bottled water will be provided, but please bring your own gloves and wear appropriate clothing and shoes for possible wet and muddy conditions. If later works better, you can join volunteers as your schedule allows, grab a trash bag at the entrance, and strike out on your own.

Clear Creek – Gather at the boat ramp at Highway 270 (Egret Bay Blvd) on the League City side at 8:00am. If you go to the Egret Bay ramp starting point, it is important to tell officials on-site that you want to go to the Nassau Bay peninsula as not all boats will work that area.

Cleanup usually lasts until 11:30am on the Peninsula and around noon from the boat ramp, or until you get tired. If you can only work for an hour, we would be very grateful. It is a great way to see our beautiful peninsula on a closeup basis. We also welcome a few volunteers with an ATV, golf carts and/or trucks to help transfer volunteers (no trash) back and forth. For those volunteers, this is the only time citizens are allowed to drive on the peninsula.

For more information contact Mayor Mark Denman, an active volunteer each year, by phone at 713.202.6488 or e-mail at mdenman72@outlook.com.

CALLING ALL NAUTICATS

CALLING ALL NAUTICATS ages 8 and above! Sunday, February 12th at 12:00pm, the Nauticats need volunteer letter writers to local businesses to help drum up corporate sponsorship for the upcoming season! Heavy snacks and drinks will be provided! Drop your kiddo off at 12:00pm and pick them up at 1:30pm! Or, stay and help if you'd like! The Nauticats will be meeting at the Horton Home at 18639 Point Lookout Drive.

GLORIA DEI TRIVIA NIGHT

Gather your friends and family for a night of fun and friendly competition to test your trivia knowledge! Join Gloria Dei Lutheran Church for Trivia Night on February 11th from 5:00pm to 9:30pm (in the Student Center Gym). There will be awards, door prizes, food, drinks and more! Cost is $25 per person. Childcare will be available for infants through 5th grade. Register by February 8th at gdlc.org/events.

2022 EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR

The City of Nassau Bay has outstanding employees. Each year, the employees have the opportunity to vote for co-workers who they feel make a positive impact in the lives of the citizens we serve and their co-workers. While we have many people who do this on a daily basis, the votes helped us narrow it down for our Employee of the Year, Supervisor of the Year, and Officer of the Year. Congratulations to these hard-working employees!

Ross Patrick Employee of the Year

JR Cruz Supervisor of the Year

Perry Henderson Officer of the Year

CANBE CORNER

CANBE would like to congratulate homeowners, Susie Blake and Joe Molini at 18618 Martinique Drive! They are the winners of the 1st Quarter 2023 Beautification Award in recognition of their beautiful and festive light holiday display. Those interested can find more information about CANBE's Beautification Awards, Legacy Benches, and Legacy Bricks at www.NassauBayCANBE.org

Meet Ginger! AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION

The Nassau Bay Animal Shelter is pleased to introduce Ginger, a very sweet female American Pit Bull Terrier, who is just under two years old.

You can meet Ginger today! The Animal Shelter is open Monday to Thursday from 7:30am to 4:00pm and Friday from 7:30am to 11:00am. The Shelter is also open from 8:30am to 10:30am on weekends and holidays by appointment. Follow the Animal Shelter on Facebook @ NassauBayAnimalShelter.

CELEBRATING TEN YEARS

On January 28th, Sergeant Jerel Crowder celebrated his 10th Anniversary with the Nassau Bay Police Department. Sergeant Crowder has almost 15 years law enforcement experience. Prior to starting his law enforcement career, Sergeant Crowder served five years with the US Navy.

Thank you Sergeant Crowder for your service and dedication to our country and the Nassau Bay community.

St. Thomas Open Enrollment

Open enrollment now! Located down the street from NASA’s Johnson Space Center, St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal School (STAES) 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, St. Thomas strives 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 their 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. For more information, visit www.stesnb.org

Presented a Check to the Clear Creek Environmental Foundation in the amount of $2,000.

Received a code enforcement update from the City Attorney on a property located at 18410 Kingstown, Nassau Bay, Texas.

Approved action to develop an RFP for services for the City’s live and on-demand broadcast of City Council meetings.

Update and discussion on the future implementation of a comprehensive code enforcement plan for the City.

Approved the purchase of a Police Interceptor to replace an existing vehicle in the amount of $60,601.

Received an update on the City’s Year-to-Date Financial Report.

Approved the first and only reading of Ordinance O2023830 amending the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget.

Approved the first of two readings of Ordinance O2023831 calling the May 6, 2023 City General Election for the purpose of electing three Councilmembers for Positions 1, 3, and 5.

Approved Resolution R2023-2268 appointing John Nugent, David Polerstock, Chase Waterwall and Henry Domingo to the Planning Commission.

Tabled action appointing members to the Special Events Committee.

Approved Resolution R2023-2270 appointing Boris Berezin as a Regular Member to the Board of Adjustment.

Approved action to accept the resignation of Don Matter from the position of Mayor Pro Tem (but not from City Council).

Approved Resolution R2023-2271 electing Dr. Sandra Mossman as the Mayor Pro Tem.

CONTACT YOUR CITY OFFICIALS

Mayor Phil Johnson 281.734.1074 | phil.johnson@nassaubay.com

Councilmember 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

Mayor Pro Tem Sandra Mossman, Position 5 281.333.2194 | sandra.mossman@nassaubay.com

Councilmember Michelle Weller, Position 6 832.868.8663 | michelle.weller@nassaubay.com