C mpass Rose
A monthly publication from the City of Nassau Bay
October 2023
Nassau Bay City Hall | 1800 Space Park Drive, Suite 200 | Nassau Bay, TX 77058 | 281.333.4211
Spooktacular Events - Mark Your Calendars!
Join the Special Event’s Committee for the City of Nassau Don’t forget to register your neighborhood party with us for Bay’s annual Halloween in the Park at David Braun Park on National Night Out. NNO will be held on Tuesday, October 3rd, Saturday, October 21st from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. A hayride, this year. National Night Out is designed to heighten crime games, face painting, and a "trunk or treat" will thrill the little awareness, generate support for and participation in local antiones. The ever-popular DJ will lead the party under the crime programs, strengthen neighborhood spirit and policepavilion which will include a costume contest for individuals by community partnerships. Nassau Bay Police Officers, Firefighters age group, best group costume, and best pet costume. and City Staff will make their rounds to visit each registered event location. Go to our NNO webpage for more information and to Trunk of Treat: This year we want to invite local businesses register your event. and individuals to be part of our trunk or treat event. Come https://www.nassaubay.com/491/National-Night-Out advertise your business and pass out candy (please no sales during the event). We will line up at 5 PM backed up in front of the pavilion in the parking lot. We are encouraging golf cart participation by our residents this year, and there will be an award for the best-decorated golf cart! We will ask that all participants be ready to start by 5:45 PM. Space is limited so please RSVP to reserve your spot for the "trunk or treat" event by contacting Michelle Micheli at (832) 496-0349. We also have lots of volunteer opportunities for the event. If you would like to help in other ways, please contact Lucie Sommer at lucie.johannes.sommer@nassaubay.com to get connected to our volunteer coordinators You are invited to the Annual Fire Station Open House
October 13th at 6:00 PM
Recognizing Public Works
We would like to recognize our Public Works Department for their dedication over the last few months of recordbreaking heat months while continuing to perform preventative maintenance and projects. The Texas Water Development Board Project is in its final phases of completion and inspections. The Capital Improvement Street Project will also be in its final stages of completion in a couple of months with the completion of 28 of 31 areas of street improvements. The David Braun Sidewalk Expansion Project is also in its final stages of completion. Under normal conditions, Line Repair Crews typically will repair 1-2 major leaks a month. Due to the excess heat and drought conditions, crews are repairing an average of 3 major water leaks a week. Irrigation repairs are reported by the Parks crews daily and Nasa 1 median irrigation system had an average of 15 leaks. All leaks have been isolated and areas without automatic irrigation are being irrigated manually by a 500-gallon water tank. Animal Control Shelter has stayed at maximum capacity for 2-3 months with dogs and cats. Animal Control Officer Troy Bradfield continues to update our Facebook page with potential adoptions and pictures of our furry friends. Gail Wallace passed her Animal Control Certification and is now a Certified Animal Control Officer (Part-time) and Assists Troy daily. Sr. Field Maintenance Worker Robert Villanueva has stepped in as interim Parks Supervisor until this position is filled. Robert has had an extremely difficult challenge with irrigation repairs and the health and welfare of our landscaping, trees, and bushes in the city’s medians and Parks. He is also busy with interviews with both Parks Maintenance and Utility Maintenance Positions. Elias Jahen, Project Manager for Public Works passed his “C” wastewater certification through the State of Texas. Elias stays extremely busy as a project manager for the Public Works Director with daily on-site inspections, and meetings with contractors and residents with updates and concerns. “My entire staff has done an incredible job in the last few months with record-breaking heat advisories with a heat index of over 100 degrees.” Paul Lopez, Public Works Director stated. “My team has had some very difficult challenges with being short-staffed by 4 employees at times, dealing with a tremendous amount of water breaks, Capital Improvement Projects, and just normal preventative projects. You must have a well-dedicated and disciplined team to handle this amount of stress. My team are troopers, and I am very proud of every one of them. I get compliments from residents every week on the great work that happens in the city, although it's 100 degrees outside, I couldn’t ask for a better group of employees and friends.”
NARCAN SUPPLY FOR NBPD
Nassau Bay Police Department officers are now carrying Naloxone, more commonly known as NARCAN. Officers recently received training to recognize signs of an overdose. Naloxone can reverse an overdose from opioids, including heroin, illicitly manufactured fentanyl and fentanyl analogs, and prescription opioid medications. Thank you to Councilman Abbey for providing the initial supply of NARCAN to the officers.
Welcome New City of Nassau Bay Employees!
NASSAU BAY LOVES SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES, so let everyone know you’re here! Sponsoring the Reindeer FunRun (Saturday, December 9th) can put your business on the map and help you connect with our community. There are 5 levels of sponsorship starting at $100 offering website/social media mentions, your logo or text on the event Tshirt, and a lot of other great benefits. Email Gayle Nelson, ghnelson2016@gmail.com, for sponsorship info. Visit NassauBayCANBE.org for event details.
CORNER
NASSAU BAY GARDEN CLUB
The Nassau Bay Garden Club plans to learn about rain gardens at its October 10 meeting held at City Hall. Guest speaker Charriss York, Extension Program Director at Texas Community Watershed Partners, focuses on increasing awareness about stormwater, non-point source pollution, and low-impact development. Planted with grasses and flowering perennials, rain gardens can be a cost-effective and beautiful way to reduce runoff from your property, help filter out pollutants, and provide food and shelter for butterflies, birds, and other wildlife. TCWP engages the resources of Texas A&M University to put the tools of sustainability and reliance into the hands of the citizens. The meeting begins with social time at 9:30 a.m., followed by the program and business meeting at 10 a.m. It is open to members and guests. Hopefully, fall will provide some milder weather to encourage gardening. It should be a perfect time to plant many types of landscape and vegetable plants. Don’t forget the pansies and other plants that flower through the winter and until the first frost. The club meets on the second Tuesday of every month September through May at Nassau Bay City Hall located at 1800 Nasa Parkway, Nassau Bay 77058. For more information, contact Royce Walker at rwalkeus@yahoo.com
THANK YOU RESIDENTS FOR YOUR The Fall Sweep has changed to one day only - Saturday, FIRE AND EMS DONATIONS
November 4th!
This year’s Fall Sweep will include the Keep Nassau Bay Beautiful project of painting house numbers on curbs as well as planting fall flowers in the gardens around the City. It is expected we will touch up the esplanades on Nassau Bay Drive, Point Lookout Drive, and Upper Bay Blvd, as well as the Swan Lagoon Park flower beds, Howard Ward Park, and Founder’s Park flower beds with fall flowers.
On Saturday, November 4th, from 8:30 am – 11:30 am, the Parks & Recreation / KNBB will assist the Garden Club to refresh their 4 flower beds around the City. Also, you can sign up to help clean the Peninsula. Bring gloves and work shoes/boots. There will be pizza and popcorn for volunteers and a bounce house for kids. Students and all Citizens are welcome to volunteer and receive service hours.
Please email Michelle.Weller@nassaubay.com if you would like to volunteer!
The City of Nassau Bay Utility Department provides residents with the opportunity to make a voluntary donation to the Nassau Bay Volunteer Fire Department (NBVFD) and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) with the payment of each water bill. Donations are used by the departments for tools, resources, and capital items to better provide emergency resources to our residents. During the past year, the NBVFD and EMS were able to use this money to purchase a cardiac monitor mounting system, a refurbished Panasonic tablet, rescue tools, a monitor for the public safety boat, and concrete work for the marine station project.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
COUNCIL MEETING RECAP
September 11th, 2023 - REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
Approved ordinance 2023-09-11 adopting the FY 20232024 budget - Received 2023 Truth and Taxation items - Approve tax rate of .656603 to fund the Fire Ladder truck - Approve first reading of Ordinance No. 2023-09-11-A establishing water/sewer rates - Council Member Chase Waterwall appointed to EDC - Approve Interlocal agreement with Harris Co. & Nassau Bay Wastewater Plant - Arch Engineers will be used to perform engineering services for water line replacements - Approve Webster for dispatch and Pasadena for jail services
BY THE NUMBERS Statistics for August 2023
POLICE Total Service Calls .................... 346 Total Reports Taken .................. 66 Total Patrol Miles .................... 5644 Crimes Against Persons ............ 8 Property Crimes ....................... 12 Arrests..................................... 30 Avg Response Times (minutes) ...2.97 CODE ENFORCEMENT CASES..... 10
FIRE DEPARTMENT Total Calls .................................42 Fires .......................................... 6 Rescues ..................................... 6 Motor Vehicle Accident................ 0 Hazardous Conditions.................. 3 Fire Alarm................................... 12 EMS Assist ..................................15 Cancelled in Route/Other ............ 0
EMS Total Calls................................... 120 Total Patients in Nassau Bay ....... 50
OCTOBER October 3: National Night Out OCTOBER 9: CITY COUNCIL MEETING RESCHEDULED October 13: Fire Department & EMS Station Open House October 14: Johnson Space Center Open House October 16: City Council Meeting October 21: Paddle the Nassau Bay Peninsula October 21: Halloween in the Park: Halloween in the Park October 21: St. Thomas Episcopal Annual Fall Festival October 25: Angels Race for Space 5K October 28: Drug TakeBack NOVEMBER November 4: Fall Sweep November 11: Veterans Day (City Closed 11/9 at 11:30 AM- 11/10) November 13: City Council Meeting Meeting November 23: City Closed for Thanksgiving December December 6: Parks & Recreation Meeting: Christmas Party & Wreath Making December 9: Holiday in the Park December 11: City Council Meeting December 25: Christmas (City Closed 12/23 - 12/26) Ongoing Happenings! Java Owl: Every Friday Night 6 - 9PM Wine & Beverages - Live Music on Saturdays! Mediterraneo Market and Cafe: Every Friday and Saturday 6 - 10 pm - Live Music and belly dancing. Erma‘s Nutritional Market: Every Saturday 10 - 12 PM - Local Farmers Market.
CONTACT YOUR CITY OFFICIALS Mayor Phil Johnson 281.734.1074 | phil.johnson@nassaubay.com Paula Tomasi, Position 1 281.960.0559 | paula.tomasi@nassaubay.com Mayor Pro Tem Lucie Johannes Sommer, Position 2 832.338.1828 | lucie.johannes.sommer@nassaubay.com Councilmember Chase Waterwall, Position 3 409.240.1699 | chase.waterwall@nassaubay.com Councilmember James Abbey, Position 4 979.422.2383 | james.abbey@nassaubay.com Councilmember Sarah Horton, Position 5 713.775.6839 | sarah.horton@nassaubay.com Councilmember Michelle Weller, Position 6 832.868.8663 | michelle.weller@nassaubay.com
A Message From Your Mayor on the FY2024 Budget The City of Nassau Bay passed a new fiscal year budget and collaborates with our Nassau Bay Economic Development Corporation to achieve 4 main goals in the coming year: 1. Public Safety 2. Reinvestment/Replacement of Infrastructure primarily our water systems 3. City Beautification 4. Economic Redevelopment This budget is $6,711,480 and funds a total of $2.3 million in infrastructure projects and $884k in public safety projects. The biggest achievement this budget addresses is that we as a City almost lost our advantageous Fire ISO Rating (2). The Insurance Services Office (ISO) audits municipalities to rate their competency and capacity to protect personal property, and your home, from fire. These audits are conducted every 5 years. A Rating Level of 3, or just one level poorer than our current rating, would cost every homeowner on average approximately $300/yr of higher insurance premiums to insure their home. The 2 areas we were found deficient were: 1. Lack of our own Ladder Truck in our Volunteer Fire Department due to the increase in the number of homes elevated to 3 stories as well as large buildings constructed for example, Methodist; and 2. Poor water pressure to meet flow performance in several areas due to the age and condition of our water system. Our budget addresses both. We established a capital plan to allow our NBVFD to place the order for a new Ladder Truck immediately and we will be replacing/upgrading the main waterline header supplying water to the city doing so, will significantly increase the amount of water and therefore pressure across our entire water grid. This increase will not only affect our fire hydrants but also improve water pressure for our residential homes too. These 2 objectives will ensure our insurance rates stay as low as possible, but more importantly, ensure the safety and lives of our volunteer firefighters and residents in the event we have a serious fire. Additionally, in this budget, we will: 1. Commence Phase 2 of our Water Distribution Line Replacement. We will replace another 4 miles of underground water lines to hopefully eliminate water main breaks and water shutdowns. 2. Replace the main water transmission line that is the exclusive water supply line from the Houston South East Purification Plant. 3. Acquiring the Flock Safety System, a new Police interceptor car, 12 new handheld emergency radios, and a new thermal imager to help and protect our police and fire emergency responders. 4. $350k of additional Street Paving projects. 5. 20 additional new Medjool Palm trees placed at the East and West entrances of Nasa Rd 1 as well as beautification upgrades on all Nasa Rd 1 entrances into Nassau Bay. 6. Establishes 2 Economic Redevelopment Corridors. The first is the waterfront area including the Sapphire, BayHouse Apartments, and the Space Park commercial area heading to Swan Lagoon, and the second, the waterfront area surrounding the Hilton Hotel. Lastly, this Council’s strategy to fund much of these capital improvements has been to raise revenue through our Water & Sewer fund for the replacement of infrastructure and to do so primarily through increased water rates to our largest commercial businesses, not our residential citizens. With property taxes, we targeted the No New Revenue Rate plus what is needed to capitalize for the new ladder truck. Your new tax rate will be $0.656603 per $100 property valuation, up from $0.648979 per $100 property valuation last year. To be very clear, this budget and all the infrastructure reinvestment projects could be done at the “No New Revenue” rate except for the ability to acquire a new ladder truck. If you have any concerns regarding our objective, please let me or anyone on the Council know. I am personally very proud of this budget and cannot say enough about the efforts of the City Council and City Staff during this budget process. The Fiscal Year 2024 Budget passed with a unanimous vote of 7-0. We hope you will be pleased and let us know if we have not addressed any of your concerns.