Kleinwood - October 2013

KLEINWOOD

K

K leinwood Krier Official Publication of the Kleinwood Homeowners Association

E G A R GA

T S E H C R O

INS L L O C N I KLE S C H O O L HIGH RA

October 2013

E L A S

Our most profitable Parent Fundraiser of the Year!

Saturday, October 26,2013 7am - 10pm Klein Instructional Center 4411 Louetta Road (at Sorrell Ridge Road)

What we need from you is anything you might not want anymore and just haven't gotten rid of yet. Any and all donations are greatly appreciated. No pricing necessary, but appreciated. Large items encouraged. We can arrange for our volunteers to pick up your larger items and even store them starting October 1. All other items should be brought into school with your child or arrangements should be made to drop the items off.

Contact: Diane Hogstrom at hogstrom@att.net or 832.630.7883

Donations are tax deductible...we will provide a receipt.

All proceeds benefit members of the Orchestra

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Volume 3, Issue 10

Klein United Methodist Church Annual Fall Festival

October 27, 1:30 - 4:30 pm Klein United Methodist Church 5920 FM 2920, Spring, TX 77389

There will something for everyone of all ages: Trunk or Treat, Little Miss Pumpkin, Games, Snacks and food will be available, Silent Auction, Face Painting, Archery and more!

Join us for a fun afternoon.

St. Ignatius Fall Festival & Craft Fair

Sat. & Sun., October 5 & 6 St. Ignatius

7810 Cypresswood Dr, Spring, TX 77379 (corner of Cypresswood and Squyres)

St. Ignatius Loyola Catholic Church is having its annual Fall Festival & Craft Fair on Saturday and Sunday, October 5 and October 6. Join in on the fun, live entertainment, games, crafts and taste a variety of international foods. Also available for enjoyment is bingo, children's train, inflatables, used books, a talent show silent/live auctions, sports live auction and lots more. For more information, visit : www. ignatiusloyola.org and click on “Community Life” then “Fall Festival” or e-mail Festival@silcc.org.

The Kleinwood Krier - October 2013

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KLEINWOOD IMPORTANT NUMBERS KLEINWOOD MAINTENANCE BOARD Larry Chamberlin, President............................ 281-580-2222 Ronnie Brod, Vice President............................. 281-370-9200 Tom Houser, Secretary..................................... 281-379-6517 Jeff Gobbell, Treasurer...................................... 281-251-7767 Kelly Smith, Director at Large.......................... 281-370-9735 KLEINWOOD MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT Robert Ehmann, President............................... 281-251-8621 Sherry Allard, Vice President............................ 281-923-8603 Joe Fratangelo, Secretary/Treasurer................... 281-251-3189 Bernie Bryl, Assis. V. P. & Asst. Sec.................. 281-251-2688 Mike Morgan, Assis. Sec.& Investment Off...... 281-376-6607 MANAGEMENT COMPANY Chaparral Management.................................... 281-537-0957 POOL MANAGEMENT COMPANY Southwest Pool Management........................... 281-370-2474 MUD FACILITY MANAGER & BUILDING RENTALS Roger Schuett................................................... 281-685-1275 NEIGHBORHOOD COORDINATORS Jeff Gobbell, Message Board Coordinator................................ ...........................................................jeffgob1@sbcglobal.net Jeff Gobbell, Pool Liaison................................. 281-251-7767 Mona Currey, Newsletter Editor............. mona@aegis-web.com Ronnie Brod, Tennis Liaison............................ 281-370-9200 Head Block Captain.....................................................OPEN SCHOOLS Mittelstadt Elementary..................................... 832-484-6711 Kleb Middle School......................................... 832-249-5500 Klein High School............................................ 832-484-4000 COMMUNITY SERVICES Emergency........................................................................911 Harris County Constable................................. 281-376-3472 C.C.E.M.S....................................................... 281-440-4300 St. Lukes Vintage Hospital............................... 832-534-5000 Methodist Willowbrook Hospital..................... 281-737-1000 Poison Control Center..................................... 281-654-1701 Waste Management.......................................... 713-686-6666 Klein VFD Business Office............................... 281-376-4449 Water/Sewer Repairs (24/7).............................. 832-467-1599 Water/Sewer Billing Questions......................... 832-467-1599 Reliant Energy/HL&P..................................... 713-207-7777 Centerpoint (report streetlight outings)............ 713-207-2222 Harris County Library, Barbara Bush Branch... 281-376-4610 Harris County, Precinct 4................................. 281-353-8424 Harris County Animal Control........................ 281-999-3191 Aircraft Noise Complaints................................ 281-233-3900 Environmental Development Partners.............. 832-467-1599

Cypress-Tomball Democrats Host October Monthly Meeting

The next Cypress-Tomball Democrats monthly meeting will be on Tuesday, October 15th, 2013. It will be held at Rudy’s Grill & Cantina, 11760 Grant Rd., Cypress, TX 77429. A meet and greet starts at 6:30 p.m., followed by the general meeting from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

All are welcome to attend the meeting and to join this growing club, which meets on the third Tuesday of every month, and always features an informative guest speaker.

For more information, visit the website at www.cytomdems. com; contact Glenn Etienne at cytomdems@yahoo.com; or “Like” the club on Facebook

St. Ignatius Women’s Club 19th Annual Holiday Bazaar Saturday, November 9, 2013 9:00am to 4:00pm Make plans now to drop off your RECYCLING* items and come shop from the many vendors for handcrafted items, Fall and Christmas specialties, our fabulous homemade Bake Shop, jewelry, children’s toys, clothing, fantastic raffle prizes and more!

Stop by the Attic Treasures Booth (hosted by the Women’s Club in the Christus Center) to discover a gently used Treasure.

Bring your camera and take pictures with Santa from 12-2pm!

St. Ignatius Loyola Church is located at 7810 Cypresswood Dr. Spring, Tx next to Meyer Park.

For more information call Melanie at: 832.567.5406 or the church office at 281.370.3401 or e-mail us at: Holiday Bazaar@SILCC.org *FREE Electronics Recycling and Document Shredding from 10am – 2pm in Church parking lot!

NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER PEEL Inc.................................................... www.peelinc.com Advertising....................................................... 888-687-6444 2

The Kleinwood Krier - October 2013

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KLEINWOOD

TOMBALL TOLLWAY TO EASE TRAFFIC, GROW ECONOMY

by David Pollan Construction on the long awaited tollway component of Hwy. 249 is slated to break ground later this month and is expected, upon completion, to increase mobility, alleviate traffic and have a positive economic effect.

The idea of a tollway running from Spring Cypress Road to FM 1774 in Pinehurst has been looked at for some time, said Craig Doyal, Montgomery County Precinct 2 commissioner. According to Doyal, traffic projections and reports in the region showed a need to build the tollway, and due to a collaborative regional effort between Harris and Montgomery counties a groundbreaking to start construction is set for Sept. 25.

“This [Hwy. 249 tollway] has been talked about for 50 years, and it’s about to become an overnight success,” Doyal said.

The Tomball Tollway, as it will come to be known, is a two-phase project. Phase I will stretch from Spring Cypress Road to FM 2920.

The second phase will run from FM 2920 to FM 1774 in Pinehurst

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and requires a partnership between Harris and Montgomery counties for successful completion.

The Harris County Toll Road Authority is responsible for the Harris County portion of the project, which is all of Phase I and Phase II from FM 2920 to the Harris/Montgomery county line, which is Spring Creek. According to HCTRA, the Harris County portion of the project will cost an estimated $335 million.

The Montgomery County Toll Road Authority will oversee the portion of Phase II that extends from Spring Creek to FM 1774 in Pinehurst and is estimated to cost $90 million, according to Doyal.

Project details

Phase I, which will cost about $170 million, has been divided into two sections, according to HCTRA. The first section is the stretch from just south of Spring Cypress Road to south of Willow Creek.

(Continued on Page 4)

The Kleinwood Krier - October 2013

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KLEINWOOD

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To share Shabbat dinners...

Chanukah parties...

Passover Seders... or simply get together!

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The Kleinwood Krier - October 2013

Tomball Tollway (Continued from Page 3)

Traffic begins to back up during the afternoon rush hour on Hwy. 249 heading north into Tomball near where the freeway ends and cars are forced to the frontage roads.

photo by David Pollan A bid was awarded Aug. 13 to Webber, LLC to construct the first section of Phase I and is expected to be complete in spring 2015.

The second section—the construction from Willow Creek to just north of FM 2920—has yielded seven bids with one to be approved as early as mid-September, HCTRA said. Construction is projected to begin later this fall with an anticipated completion in spring 2015.

The project was split into two sections to help make the overall management of the project easier.

“If you divide the work into definable chunks, it’s a little easier to get each one done,” said Jack Cagle, Harris County Precinct 4 commissioner. “We can actually get a better price for the constituents if we divide a major project up into multiple pieces and allow more folks to bid. Then that way we can both spread the work around and also get a better price for the constituents.”

According to Cagle, the tollway is being built with room on its bridge structures to add a lane in each direction in the future if the growth warrants it. This, he said, will save the county money in the long run and prevent future widening projects that are expensive.

“I’ve got enormous praise for our Harris County Toll Road Authority’s visionary approach to this particular project and to the precinct 4 staff and team for putting together a project to where we are not only building for today, but we are building for tomorrow,” he said.

The tollway will have three lanes in either direction and will be built on the median between the existing service roads, according to HCTRA. The number of non-tolled lanes already in existence will not be reduced and will remain free of tolls. As for toll costs, HCTRA said it uses standardized pricing for all of its main lane tolling plazas and the Tomball Tollway is expected to follow the same pricing model.

“By having the toll component we are letting those who use the roads, pay for the roads,” he said.

Shackelford said he does not anticipate there being much Copyright © 2013 Peel, Inc.

KLEINWOOD disruption as a result of the construction on the tollway.

Phase II of the tollway, which will run from FM 2920 to FM 1774 is scheduled for design in 2015 and construction in 2018, and includes a partnership between Harris and Montgomery counties.

The portion of Phase II that MCTRA is responsible for is in the planning stages, Doyal said. Traffic reports and revenue studies are being conducted to determine if the tollway is a viable candidate to fund itself through toll revenues.

“If the road cannot pay for itself, then obviously we wouldn’t add a tax to pay for it,” Doyal said.

Harris County has approved a loan of up to $20 million to help MCTRA fund its portion of the tollway, which should cover engineering, preliminary design work and marketing costs, Cagle said.

As for the remaining $70 million, Doyal said, the county will look to get funding from revenue bonds if the studies support it.

Economic impact

With the area around Tomball and Hwy. 249 exploding with growth, Cagle said the biggest problem preventing further growth in the area is the traffic gridlock in the mornings and evenings, and the inability to get around quickly and efficiently. Projects such as the Tomball Tollway will ease traffic congestion and improve mobility in the region, making it more attractive for businesses and residents, he said.

“By improving the mobility of the region, we will improve their ability to make a living and continue that prosperity,” Cagle said.

According to Shackelford, Tomball is already seeing a large amount of growth, and he only expects it to continue once the tollway is built. Industry is coming to Tomball, its retail base is growing and more homes are being built, he said.

“More cars equals more retail and more development,” Shackelford said. “It will provide easier access to businesses [and] industry. More people equals more sales tax. Businesses should benefit.”

Kelly Violette, executive director for Tomball Economic Development Corporation, said Tomball has a lot of available land and prime real estate right on Hwy. 249 that will get developed due to the increased visibility the tollway will bring. She referred to property on Brown and Hwy. 249, as well as Holderreith and Hwy. 249, where she said either mixed-use developments or large retailers will develop because of the prime frontage along the tollway.

Given the major population growth in the city, its huge market and that it is known as a regional and commercial hub, road projects such as the Tomball Tollway only make Tomball a more alluring destination, Violette said.

“I think we are really going to start to see that pressure and that crunch and that interest in the Tomball area,” she said. “Because of the construction of those main lanes, I think as a city, and really as an entire corridor, we are going to see some major economic impacts because of that ease of congestion. It’s inevitable, I think it’s just a matter of time.”

Reprinted with permission: Community Impact News http://impactnews.com/houston-metro/tomball-magnolia/ tomball-tollway-to-ease-traffic-grow-economy/ Copyright © 2013 Peel, Inc.

CONGESTED ROADWAYS, GROWTH SPUR NEED FOR ROAD WIDENINGS IN REGION

by Tamra Santana

Harris County Precinct 4 is working to widen roads on major connecting corridors to help manage growth in an area that has large business expansions and is growing by 80 people per day.

Harris County’s explosive population growth during the past decade has caused a number of congested roadways throughout the region, which is why expanding current roads and building new roadways is crucial to the continued growth in the area, said Mark Seegers, communications director with Harris County Precinct 4.

“By population, if you just took Precinct 4, it would be the 43rd largest state in the nation,” Seegers said. “It’s clear this is one of the heavy growth areas. It’s important you have the major growth corridors, such as Spring Stuebner and Stuebner Airline, and connecting roads, such as Gosling, opened up as much as possible.”

Construction has started on the widening of Gosling Road from two lanes to four lanes between FM 2920 and Kuykendahl Road, and widening Gosling Road to five lanes from FM 2920 to Spring Stuebner. The five-lane road will have two lanes in each direction with a continuous turn lane.

The $1.96 million improvement project, started June 17

by Durwood Greene Construction Company, is expected to be complete by late September, Seegers said.

Construction on Stuebner Airline Road will soon provide drivers traveling between Houston and Tomball another north-south corridor as an alternative to Hwy. 249. The project will widen the street from two lanes to five between Spring Cypress Road and FM 2920. Two lanes will run in each direction, with one continuous turn lane in the middle.

The project has been divided into two segments.

Construction has started on both segments—Segment A, (Continued on Page 6) The Kleinwood Krier - October 2013

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KLEINWOOD Congested Roadways (Continued from Page 5)

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which runs from Spring Cypress Road to Thora Lane, and Segment B, which runs from Thora Lane to FM 2920. Both segments are expected to be complete in September.

“The project will connect Kuykendahl and Spring Stuebner—these are the major corridors in the area,” Seegers said.

The road widening is particularly important because of its proximity to the David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport, said Jack Cagle, county commissioner in Harris County’s Precinct 4, which is funding the project.

“There’s so much growth in precinct 4 ... it’s clear there are needs,” Seegers said.

Reprinted with permission: Community Impact News http://impactnews.com/houston-metro/tomball-magnolia/ congested-roadways-growth-spur-need-for-road-widenings/

VA FACILITY TO OPEN OCT. 15 IN TOMBALL At no time will any source be allowed to use The Kleinwood Krier's contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from Peel, Inc. The information in The Kleinwood Krier is exclusively for the private use of the Kleinwood HOA and Peel, Inc. DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. * The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising. * Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction. * Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above.

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The Kleinwood Krier - October 2013

by Tamra Santana The clinic, being built at 1200 W. Main St. in Tomball, is nearing completion and will open to the public Oct. 15, with a ribbon cutting set for Oct. 8.

“It’s going to be gorgeous,” said Maureen Dyman, public affairs officer with The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston.

“It’s very big and spacious. And it will provide Tomball area residents with care closer to home. It will be much more convenient for patients.”

The clinic is being built to give area veterans a more local opportunity to seek medical treatment. Tomball and Magnolia residents have to travel to Houston or Conroe to get to the nearest veterans clinic.

“There’s a lot of veterans that I know who will definitely come here,” said Aaron Isaac, a veteran who does the bookkeeping at Tomball VFW Post 2427. “Instead of driving 30 minutes on the road, now it’s only five minutes. Also, it takes the pressure off the downtown and Conroe clinics. The wait time will be drastically reduced. There should be next to no wait at all here.”

Tomball was chosen because of research and census data that indicated a large number of veterans lived in the area, according to the Houston VA. There are an estimated 46,000 veterans living in Copyright © 2013 Peel, Inc.

KLEINWOOD the greater Tomball area. The Houston VA estimated it would serve 8,000 veterans through its Tomball location in its first year.

“The goal for all these community-based clinics has been to provide as much care as possible closer to the veteran’s homes,” said Dr. Anna Teague, associate chief of staff for VA community-based clinics. “We are anticipating about 2,500 patients will automatically be transferring [to the Tomball clinic].”

One-third of the patients expected at the Tomball clinic will transfer from the VA’s Conroe clinic, Teague said.

The Tomball clinic will offer services such as primary health care, mental health care, women’s specialty care, phlebotomy, X-ray, teleretinal imaging, optometry and audiology services.

“Major surgery will have to be in Houston, but anything less than that, we will try to take care of them in Tomball,” Teague said.

The VA has hired 42 of its initial 57 employees to run the clinic and is in the process of training some of those employees and transferring others from its Medical Center office in downtown Houston and its Conroe location.

The clinic will start with three and a half primary care teams. Each team includes a doctor, two nurses and a clerk, and the team cares for between 1,200 to 1,300 patients. The clinic expects to increase to seven and a half primary care teams soon after opening and to hire an additional 18 employees, Teague said.

The clinic entered a 20-year lease for the property in 2011 for $1

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Veterans in Tomball will soon be able to get health care closer to home with the opening of a new 33,000-squarefoot Veteran’s Affairs clinic.

photo by Tamra Santana million per year. It will operate on taxpayer dollars.

“I think it’s going to be a fantastic facility with lots of services,” Teague said. “And we have room to grow there as well.”

Veterans can enroll for care at www.va.gov, by calling 800-639-5137 or by visiting the clinic at 1200 W. Main St. Additional reporting by Shawn Arrajj Reprinted with permission: Community Impact News http://impactnews.com/houston-metro/tomball-magnolia/vafacility-to-open-oct-15-in-tomball/

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The Kleinwood Krier - October 2013

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